Community in Israel (not Jlem, not RBS)

E2L

Sat, May 14 2022, 11:29 pm

Looking for community recommendations in Israel:

We are planning to make Aliyah this summer and would like to find a nice anglo/Israeli community to move to. We are a young modern orthodox family and would likely fit in nicely to a Dati Leumi type of community. We are open to there being more Israelis than Angelo's, but would prefer at least some Anglo families.

We would like to find a place where buying a house could be an option now or down the line, so no apartment only communities please. Definitely would be open to hearing about Yishuvim/Moshavim as well.

We also would like to look outside of the Jerusalem/Beit Shemesh area so we can find more affordable housing and less packed communities.

Please let me know if you have any recommendations! Also if you have any contact info for specific communities that would be so helpful for when we go check them out.

Thank you!!!!

amother

Cadetblue

Sun, May 15 2022, 4:47 am

Where are you coming from? What's your housing budget? How old are your kids?

There are large MO Anglo communities in Gush Etzion, Raanana and Modiin, but each has a slightly different flavor and price range. And there are many other places with smaller, but still vibrant, communities of English speakers.

Schooling is a huge piece of the aliyah puzzle, so it helps to move someplace where your kids will fit into the schools.

I'm assuming, if you can move anywhere, that you will be working remotely.

E2L

Sun, May 15 2022, 5:57 am

We have 1 baby who is 8 months old.

And in terms of jobs, yes we will Gd willing be working remotely.

Housing budget is currently undecided but it would be on par with other couples/families our age and stage ready to buy starter homes.

We're trying to avoid bigger cities because it seems from what we see, smaller communities end up with kids with nicer Middos which is really important to us.

Definitely schooling is a concern and we want to make sure that there will be options that aren't too modern for us.

We are the type that the kids would Gd willing be wearing knee length skirts but not covering their legs. But often we've seen that when you end up putting kids into a dati system that turns into wearing mink skirts which is definitely not what we're going for.

We have around 10 families all looking to buy with similar values but we don't have millions to spend on apartments.

DrMom

Sun, May 15 2022, 6:19 am

E2L wrote:

We are the type that the kids would Gd willing be wearing knee length skirts but not covering their legs. But often we've seen that when you end up putting kids into a dati system that turns into wearing mink skirts which is definitely not what we're going for.

I was going to ask about budgetary considerations, but if you are worried about mink skirts, maybe you are wealthy Very Happy

.

Just kidding.

Anyhow, perhaps you want a place with a dati-Torani school.

I also agree that the skirt lengths can be an issue in the DL schools for girls, and I am not one to ordinarily fixate on these sorts of things.

shabbatiscoming

Sun, May 15 2022, 6:33 am

E2L wrote:

So then you want to look more out in the periphery because places like yishuvim in the gush for example, like some that were mentioned above, are NOT going to be anywhere near a starter home budget at all.

E2L

Sun, May 15 2022, 6:56 am

Thank you everyone for suggestions!

We're not so into the idea of the gush, maybe it was just our experience with some specific communities but it seems like hashkafically there's a really big emphasis on Gemara and Torah and being super intellectual but then the families kind of lost that flavor and warmth of Judaism that we really love.

We aren't the type of family that necessarily needs our kids arguing over who's right in Gemara, we would rather them be singing Zmiros over a shabbas table and loving the learning more then the intellectualism of it. Totally could be a false perception on our behalf but just something thay stuck out to us as we met more families that were "gushy."

In terms of the skirts, it was really just an example. I mean more that we want to make sure we don't throw our kids into an education system that is contrary to the lifestyle we want for them.

We want to emphasize middos and being a good Jew. For girls, the value of being tznua - not just exact parameters of where their clothing has to hit. Maybe it's too big of an ask but it feels like a lot of schools (in America) just teach rules and Torah concepts that can't be questions and we don't want that for our children. We want them in a place that can show them how to question respectfully and that there is so much beauty in a Torah lifestyle.

amother

IndianRed

Sun, May 15 2022, 7:07 am

E2L wrote:

So funny, this may be some people of families within some yishuvim, but as a whole, this is not what many of the yishuvim are like in the gush, just so you should know. I live in neve daniel. There are people and families that may talk about gemara all of the time, but over all, nope, it is not like that. It may also depend on what school the kids go to.
Its definitely not like that over all.
But as the poster above mentioned, if you want starter home prices, the gush wont work for you anyway.

amother

Cadetblue

Sun, May 15 2022, 7:08 am

I think you really have to spend time here to get a sense for what you want.

Alon Shvut, home of "the Gush", actually has a lot of what you describe. It's true the intellect per capita is off the charts, but so is the religious intensity. I imagine that the rest of Gush Etzion (with the possible exception of the Dagan neighborhood of Efrat) wouldn't be as good a fit for you. Alon Shvut is building a new neighborhood, but I don't know about the prices or availability.

If you can find and afford housing in Nof Ayalon (next to Shaalavim), that's an option as well.

There is a small community in Ramot but it's pretty urban and I don't know anything about it.

Most of the olim who describe themselves like you do move to Ramat Beit Shemesh, so that would have been your natural landing point.

If you have 9 other couples, then I say move as a group to a really small, inexpensive Israeli yishuv and you'll be fine. Just know that inexpensive means kind of isolated.

DrMom

Sun, May 15 2022, 9:38 am

E2L wrote:

I know lots of families in the Gush. They are just normal families -- they don't constantly argue over Gemara in some hyper-intellectual frenzy. Maybe it was a very specific community?

If you are not opposed to the Gush for any other reason, then I'd say don't write of this region of the country.

amother

Glitter

Sun, May 15 2022, 10:14 am

Anon because of potentially identifying info.
Ariel and Eli are in the Shomron and may fit what you are looking for(though Eli is more expensive). They have strong Dati leumi communities, and turn out great kids with their priorities straight.
I've heard good things about the DL communities in Harish and Carmei Gat, but no further information beyond that

amother

Poppy

Sun, May 15 2022, 10:26 am

amother [ Glitter ] wrote:

Regarding Ariel and Eli I want to add, Ariel is a lot bigger and much more mixed, there is also a strong secular and Russian presence in town. They are building new housing there all the time. Eli is pretty much DL throughout and a community rather than a town.