The southern periphery is quickly catching up to the center: there is an accelerated wave of building and development across the south, particularly in Netivot, which boasts the country’s more expansive building plans. Alongside tens of thousands of housing units already under construction, the government is investing astronomical sums into the area’s growth: from developing a state-of-the-art industrial park, to founding a national hi-tech center, to building a new rail network that will drastically reduce commute times to the center of the country. >> All the details on the meteoric rise of the Torah city of the south below. The air is filled with an intoxicating scent of fresh beginnings, the pounding of hammers, and the rumble of construction vehicles. Young couples and growing families are arriving by the day to see the massive construction of thousands of housing units—and to sign on the dotted line for their new homes. The Torah city of the south is experiencing a surge in construction, development, and population growth it hasn’t seen since its establishment. Thousands of new units have gone up in the past few years; many are expected to be move-in ready soon, and tens of thousands more are expected to be built in the coming years. There is no doubt: Netivot has become the premier alternative for bnei Torah seeking to live in a strong, serious kehilla of yungeleit with excellent mosdos chinuch and communal support, at prices that simply don’t exist anywhere else in the country. Roshei Kehillos from Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, and Modiin Illit during a visit to the Kiryat Beit Halevi site following the completion of Stage A sales to hundreds of young avreichim. A Wave of Growth and Renewal It’s important to note that Netivot is part of a broader surge of development and renewal. In recent years, the entire southern region has been undergoing a rapid and intense development process, with major investments in infrastructure, transportation, entrepreneurship, and business spearheaded by the Israeli government. Close to 70% of current and future national development plans are centered in this region, making it, without question, the most promising investment channel in today’s market. And the good news doesn’t end there: the government has earmarked tens of thousands of new homes for the entire region. Beyond the 36,000 housing units set to be built in Netivot, another 34,000 will soon be put on the market in nearby Kiryat Gat, 18,000 more in Ofakim, and another 10,000 in Yerucham. This is in addition to those in Kasif—a new city currently in advanced planning stages, expected to include 50,000 units in its first phase—and the future city of Tila, where another 20,000 homes are expected. This broad supply of housing stands in stark contrast to the severe shortage and skyrocketing prices of available apartments in central Eretz Yisroel. Adding to the challenge, much of the available inventory under government subsidized plans like “Mechir Lemishtaken” (Buyer Fixed Plan) is now being designated for army reservists, leaving young charedi couples little realistic chance of securing a home of their own in the center. All of this makes Netivot the obvious choice. What’s more, planning and development officials are now projecting that around 70% of young charedi couples will end up settling in the south in the coming years, simply due to the […]