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29 Sivan 5765 - July 6, 2005 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Enormous Chareidi Housing Project in Yeruchom

By Betzalel Kahn

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.

 

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