Ultra-Orthodox Tenants Include Messiah Arrival Clause in Israeli Rental Contracts

Rabbi Larry Rotwoks of the Beit Aharon community in Tink, New Jersey, recently reviewed a rental agreement draft for an apartment he planned to move into with his wife in Beit Shemesh, Israel. Initially appearing standard, the contract contained an unusual clause related to the arrival of the Messiah. The clause stipulated that if the Messiah were to arrive and be recognized by both the State of Israel and the Jewish diaspora, the tenant would be required to vacate the apartment within 45 days, with the landlord returning all deposits and guarantees.

Rabbi Rotwoks shared in his blog that the real estate agent took the clause seriously and consulted the landlord’s family, who were open to extending the notice period to 60 days. This "Messiah clause" aims to ensure landlords, often living abroad, can reclaim their property promptly upon this event. A local real estate and property management firm, which primarily serves foreign clients, noted that such clauses have become more common over the past two years, especially among religious clients from the United States. One case involved a landlord initially demanding a 48-hour eviction notice after the Messiah’s arrival, which was later negotiated to two weeks.

Recently, the same agent closed a deal with a New York-based doctor who purchased a 120-square-meter apartment in the French Hill neighborhood of Jerusalem for investment purposes. The lease, set at 9,000 shekels per month, also included this clause, requiring the tenant to vacate within 14 days if the Messiah arrives. Such contractual provisions reflect a unique intersection of religious belief and real estate practices among ultra-Orthodox and religious Jewish communities, particularly those with ties to the U.S.