Thinking of moving to Tzfat

amother

Mon, Oct 05 2020, 2:13 am

Hi. We are thinking of moving to Tzfat. I would describe our family's hashkafa as chareidi/heimish/open-minded. Schooling is one of my top priorities. What kind of girl's high school do they have, also girls elementary schools and boys cheider?

FranticFrummie

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 8:16 am

LovesHashem wrote:

Tzfat is a little like the hippie city of the country. I’m not sure if I’d want to raise my children there.

Also there’s a lot of stairs. It’s worse than Jerusalem. Be prepared for that.

I really wanted to move there, but everything is uphill both ways.

There's a lot of hippies, a certain amount of drug use, and some wandering religious types who tend to be on the fanatical side. Tzfat is a very special place, and if you are not well grounded you can easily get carried away.

The newer neighborhoods are outrageously expensive, and the more affordable neighborhoods I'm told, have serious mold problems. The older buildings are very outdated in all ways.

The Chabad neighborhood is Moshiachist, the Breslov neighborhood likes to dance in the streets at all hours of the night. The area below the old city is almost entirely Russian. The Anglo section is all new, and super expensive. You used to be able to buy and fix up properties in the Old City and Artists Quarter (a dream of mine) but all of them have been bought up by hotels and B and B places. It's very commercial now.

Hardly anything is earthquake proof, and that will be a big deal someday.

finallyamommy

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 9:33 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

What’s “outrageously expensive”? I took a look and it’s way more affordable than Beit Shemesh.

LovesHashem

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 10:25 am

finallyamommy wrote:

What’s “outrageously expensive”? I took a look and it’s way more affordable than Beit Shemesh.

1. She said the new neighborhoods.
2. Bet shemesh and tzfat aren’t the only places in the country.

finallyamommy

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 10:55 am

LovesHashem wrote:

1. She said the new neighborhoods.
2. Bet shemesh and tzfat aren’t the only places in the country.

I know, but Beit Shemesh is where FF and I both live and where she and I have to compare to.

But you’re right, I skipped right over the part about new neighborhoods. Thanks.

Zeleze

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 11:23 am

Yea, Tzfat is a city full of interesting guys, hippies, drugs, wacky Breslever guys that sing and dance all day

I wouldnt want my children to play or live with them, not even see them

Do a good research of a few days living there beofre you decide anything

amother

Purple

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 1:38 pm

amother [ Poppy ] wrote:

This thread is so judgmental. The OP asked what the schools are like, not if anyone else would be interested in raising their kids there.
Signed, a happy functional Breslover

Nothing against breslov. I have breslov friends, none of them would ever live in tzfas.

I used to live near there, I’ve been there loads of times.

amother

IndianRed

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 1:52 pm

We lived there years ago. Before it became so intense. It has always been a hard place for parnasa. It’s fine if you have an American income or are learning. But to settle there I think would be challenging. Dh would move back in a minute but he’s actually an old hippie so it’s his favorite spot on earth. I OTOH worked while he learned. We were as poor as can be without support from parents. There’s definitely something magical about Tzvat though and in the end I’m happy we had those idyllic years.

gr82no

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 1:52 pm

I was in sem there. It’s far from everything. There’s much less selection of anything. A lot of the families are extremely poor and disfunctional. It’s beautiful. There are more cats than Jerusalem and more steps.
I don’t know about the school.

aaloof

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 1:55 pm

Wow, this is upsetting...

Was so happy to see this thread as we are making Aliyah shortly and recently had some family members move to tzfat that my husband is very much thinking of moving there now as well instead of Jerusalem (And also always told me that he wanted to live there one day).

Did not expect to see these answers though... Does anyone have anything positive to say about tzfat?

I'm worried about my kids really, Both my husband and I speak Hebrew (we consider ourselves khal chassid/breslov) but we never taught our kids. From what I can see there aren't many americans that move there, would my kids be lost in school there? Would I be able to get them help? Ulpan?

amother

Purple

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 2:04 pm

aaloof wrote:

It’s a wonderful enchanting place. Does that mean there parnassah and good schools and not tons of dysfunction?

Many people will go for a shabbos, or visit tzfat, but won’t live there.

I don’t think they’d get much help in Ulpan. They may have to go to a mixed ulpan with not religious or Jewish kids. We moved up north to a city nearby and the ulpan there was full of Russians and not religious Jews.

Your kids won’t get the help they need unless you move to a city with an American presence.

FranticFrummie

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 2:22 pm

Please don't take this the wrong way. I hate to sound like the spies who said bad things about the Land of Israel.

Tzfat is gorgeous and magical. It has an energy all it's own. There are so many holy places there. You can get the best goat cheese in the world in the Old City! (At the very bottom of the road, near the kevarim.)

I am a proud Breslover - but I also like to get my sleep. If I were a man I think I would love to sing and dance day and night.

Tzfat is like a great vacation, but the day to day living is entirely different. On a practical level, you really do have to look at all the angles and make sure that it's going to be a good fit.

Another thing, is that Tzfat is not part of the Go North program with Nefesh b'Nefesh, so you won't get the new Olim discounts that you would if you went to a different northern city.

If you want a nice, frum area with Anglos and good schools, look into Ma'alot. DD went to high school there. Housing is super cheap, and you're just a 45 minute bus ride to the beach in Nahariya. You can also take a 2 hour bus ride to Tzfat for a get away.

Success10

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 2:38 pm

I don't think Tzfat is all crazies. I do know some very functional women who grew up there. There are normal supermarkets and housing for Litvish and Chassidish (of all types). There are a lot of loonies who get all the attention, and I personally would not want to raise my kids there. But I wouldn't rule it out for everyone. You need to spend time there and visit the schools before you make any judgement calls.

Debbie

Sun, Oct 10 2021, 3:15 pm

rivkam wrote:

I have no idea about schooling but I know there is limited job opportunities there. I remember a poster who said she just move there recently. I think shes called debbie. Maybe she'll know more for yyou

That's me.
There are limited job opportunities here; many people work outside of Tzfat and those that work here generally are in some kind of retail, restaurants, general groceries or electronics.
Also there are those with their own businesses, for example one lady manufactures and sells ceramic wears, someone else has a clothes shop where everything is made by her, and there are also jewellery makers and artists.
Baruch Hashem my husband and I are able to run our UK based accountancy business remotely.
Schooling I don't have knowledge about because my children are adults and we only moved here less than 14 months ago.
Tzfat is an amazing place, it's relaxed and the views are outstanding, but of course work and education will need to be taken into consideration.
There are some interesting characters here, and it's not without it's problems (where is?) but the majority of people I know or have encountered have been perfectly ok.
OP I wish you Hatzlacha with whatever you decide.

Last edited by Debbie on Sun, Oct 10 2021, 4:47 pm; edited 3 times in total