Binyan Sholeim, a company founded by Degel HaTorah of
Jerusalem, is beginning construction on an enormous building
project in the Negev town of Yeruchom as part of efforts to
solve the housing crisis in the chareidi sector. The large-
scale project, which will bear the name Ne'ot Ha'irissim
(Iris Oasis), was initiated and promoted by maranan
verabonon gedolei Yisroel shlita.
Recently a delegation representing Binyan Sholeim and the
executive board of Degel HaTorah of Jerusalem headed by HaRav
Boruch Shmuel Deutsch visited Maran HaRav Eliashiv,
shlita, to receive his brochoh. The project was
presented to Maran, who offered his encouragement to those
behind the project saying, "This is a great hatzoloh
for the klal. May it be successful im yirtzeh
Hashem." The delegation also visited HaRav Aharon Leib
Shteinman, HaRav Moshe Shmuel Shapira, HaRav Michel Yehuda
Lefkowitz, HaRav Chaim Kanievsky and HaRav Nosson Tzvi
Finkel, shlita.
The unprecedented initiative, to be built near the large,
developing chareidi community in Yeruchom, was launched in
response to the rising cost of apartments in chareidi cities
and in various housing projects for bnei Torah. In
addition to a large yeshiva, a branch of an established
yeshiva, the new project will house dozens of
kollelim, provide employment opportunities for women
and offer quality of living comparable to that in the new
developments nearer the center of the country at less than
half the price of other chareidi population centers. In
addition the infrastructures will include a Shabbos generator
that will go into operation as soon as the first residents
move in.
The price of a quality, 90-square-meter (900 square foot),
two-bedroom apartment with air conditioning and space for a
third bedroom will be just $52,000 based on special housing
grants for Yeruchom buyers. The project promoters are
currently working to set up of a loan fund to make 20-year,
zero-interest loans of $20,000 available to purchasers. In
addition Binyan Sholeim is trying to reach an agreement with
a mortgage bank to provide favorable terms for the entire
project.
These low prices and easy finance terms will make it possible
for two sets of parents purchasing an apartment for their
children to make a total down payment of just $6,000.
Gedolei Yisroel are urging the speedy completion of
the project, which they see as a spiritual lighthouse for the
entire Negev Region as well as a yeshuo for struggling
bnei Torah families. The project is slated to meet the
needs of young families, since it will include facilities
such as kollelim, a yeshiva gedoloh to serve as
a center for community life, kindergartens and schools,
expansive municipal infrastructures such as parks and
commercial centers and a variety of community services.
The City of Yeruchom has already approved plans for 4,000
housing units on an immense site, including two-bedroom
apartments with space for a third bedroom, two-bedroom
apartments on the third floor with a roofed area ready for
the addition of two more rooms, three-bedroom garden
apartments, single-family homes and comprehensive municipal
infrastructures.
Binyan Sholeim heads note that major changes are taking place
in terms of transportation to and from Yeruchom: Israel
Railway is scheduled to double its rail lines to the South
and the frequency of trains from Be'er Sheva and Dimona,
located near Yeruchom. The Trans-Israel Highway is planned to
reach Tzomet Kama, a short drive away from Yeruchom. Already
the travel time on buses from the Central Region to Yeruchom
is not much longer than the ride from Bnei Brak to Jerusalem
when there are traffic jams.
The Negev is currently receiving extensive development and
infrastructure funds through a Ministry of Construction and
Housing campaign to promote the development of the Negev and
the Galilee in conjunction with the disengagement from Gaza.
The government is planning to transform Yeruchom into the
capital of the Southern Negev by pouring government funds
into large-scale projects in the areas of transportation,
tourism, employment and housing. Hundreds of millions of
dollars will be channeled to the development of the Negev,
particularly the new Yeruchom area.
Among the projects already being launched near the Ne'ot
Ha'irissim project are the construction of resort areas for
the chareidi public including a large artificial lake
surrounded by vacation facilities and a conference hotel
suited to the needs of the chareidi public, the development
of public facilities and the paving of wide access roads.
Software houses and other projects to provide decent wages
for kollel wives are also being planned as part of the
government aid package.
Many families who heard about the project in advance have
already contacted Binyan Sholeim offices for further
details.
Binyan Sholeim was set up over a decade ago to pave the way
for the construction of high-quality housing projects for
bnei Torah at discount prices. The company created a
model for marketing projects with integrity, reliability and
at the lowest prices available in the market.
Binyan Sholeim began in the Jerusalem area but due to the
growing demand and the lack of available land it has left its
mark on housing projects in other parts of the country as
well. To date Binyan Sholeim has built 3,000 apartment units
in Ramat Shlomo, Beit Shemesh, Beitar Illit, Modi'in Illit
and Elad.
