Info about Beit Shemesh, please!

SJcookie

Mon, Jun 25 2012, 4:25 pm

My husand and I are BH making aliyah and researching different areas.
We started looking into Beit Shemesh, but we've both been there only a few times and all we know are that there are certain areas that are super haredi and certain areas that are DL.

We DON'T want an area that is exlusively American/English speaking.

Can someone please enlighten me?
In Beit Shemesh/RBS...
1. Which areas are DL?
2. Which areas are haredi?
3. Are there any areas that are mixed (like a har nof environment) American and Israelis, Haredim and 4. DL, ... mixed but people getting?
5. Are there any areas that have a significant sefardi population?

Chana Miriam S

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 11:56 am

I ha ve been in beit shemesh for almost a week. In a mixed neighborhood. I think it's ben ish but the street is hashita off off delekim and Arabism and around the corner from ben ish. Today I was in another neighbourhood, Migdalia mayim, and saw all kindsa people. Was also in super Frum area today. Bet shemesh bet.

Love The weather. Super hot during the day but cools off nicely at night.

My friends kid goes to the school where the problems were but the problems stopped after CNN covered them in the fall. Lots of houses fr sale in ben ish now. Really nice neighborhood too.

ora_43

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 12:09 pm

SJcookie wrote:

The most heavily DL area is Sheinfeld. It's also the most heavily English speaking (well, that and RBS-A).

There are also many DL families in Migdal Hamayim and in Givat Sharet, but they aren't the majority.

Quote:

2. Which areas are haredi?

Most of Ramat Beit Shemesh, and the "kirya hahareidit" (bordered by Sheinfeld, Migdal Hamayim and RBS-B).

Quote:

3. Are there any areas that are mixed (like a har nof environment) American and Israelis, Haredim and 4. DL, ... mixed but people getting?

From what I've heard, parts of RBS-A.

I think also the whole area opposite Sheinfeld - hareidim and DL get along there because they're both in the minority. It's a more heavily new immigrant area, not very religious, but does have a garin torani.

Quote:

5. Are there any areas that have a significant sefardi population?

Anywhere but the neighborhoods I mentioned here Wink

.

Actually no, givat sharet (near where chanamiriam is staying) does have a fair number of Israeli sephardi families (mostly secular and traditional), alongside some mostly anglo MO families.

BTW nowhere is exclusively English speaking. But there are neighborhoods with enough English (Sheinfeld is maybe 50% English speaking) that you can easily get by without Hebrew - whether that's a good or a bad thing is up to you.

ora_43

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 12:17 pm

SJcookie wrote:

Thanks Chana Miriam. Sounds like my kind of of area. I like cool nights, and I like being around a mix of people.

We've narrowed down our choices to Ramat Beit Shemesh Alef and Cheftziba.
We barely have any info about Cheftziba, though. Can anybody please share info if they know?

Cheftziba is 110% hareidi.

ora_43

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 12:19 pm

chanamiriam wrote:

BTW in case it matters, I'm guessing that was a spellcheck autocorrect of Arazim. Smile

fiddle

Tue, Jun 26 2012, 12:36 pm

cool nights? where? its hot as H over here, and it only gets worse. to the point that in mid july there is no breeze and no air. rbs A is a big mix and has lotsa chareidim and some dl and many israeli chareidim and many more american yeshivish. you gotta find your building, well your shul first to find out what area you want to be connected with. rent is expensive and buying houses are insane. before you come here, I will let you know there is a major problem with robberies here. M-A-J-O-R! the schooling is amazing and you can find a school that suits your group for sure. any other questions feel free to pm me.