Not only Beit Shemesh and Elad: How the Haredi housing map is changing

The article reviews the Haredi construction boom in Kiryat Gat and Ofakim, against a backdrop of a shortage of 12,000 housing units. Developers and planners explain unique adaptations such as Shabbat elevators and sukkah balconies, and significantly lower prices compared to Jerusalem.

The article reviews the changes in the Haredi housing map in Israel, against a backdrop of a shortage of 12,000 housing units for the sector. Kiryat Gat is described as the new Haredi metropolis of the south, with a plan to establish a district including up to 40,000 housing units in the long term. Phase A of the plan, approved for deposit in March 2026, includes about 11,350 housing units that will house about 62,500 residents. The article quotes developers such as Noam Greif from the Amram Avraham Group, Aryeh Natanel from Natanel Group, and architect Eyal Itzkin, who describe the necessary planning adaptations: Shabbat elevators, sukkah balconies, double sinks, and allocation of extensive public spaces including synagogues and mikvahs according to streams. Ofakim is presented as an alternative with significantly lower prices (about 13,000 shekels per square meter compared to 30,000-40,000 in Jerusalem) and tax benefits. Dvora Baruch, CEO of Sh. Baruch, explains that marketing to the Haredi public is based on community connections rather than digital advertising.