The plane's wheels kiss the holy land's ground and the excitement level is at its peak. This is not the first time that the Birnbaum family is visiting here, but this time there is a sense of making history. This time they came here as new immigrants. They moved from their home land in the United States for a new life in the Holy Land. After years of dreams and expectations, the great moment has arrived.
The scenic view of the center quickly change to the mountainous and forested landscape of the Jerusalem area. From the van's window they can see the project's first stylish houses, and especially their own dream house. After a brief moment for settling into their spectacular new home, they go out and hear the neighbors' children speak fluent English. They smile to themselves calmly, because they know that by tomorrow the children will walk to the new Talmud Torah, which also includes children of members of the community, with the same school curriculum, as if they just returned to their Talmud Torah class in Brooklyn. At Shul, they will also meet their kind of people; with the same spiritual teachers and the same mentality they were accustomed to all their lives. The Birnbaum family is happy; they feel as if they moved across the street and not to another country.
Although this scenario is not yet real, these days, great efforts are being invested in making it real. It is no secret that in the Orthodox sector, one of the things that can cloud over the joy of new immigrants is the difficulty in their integration process. Gaps of mentality and different lifestyles between U.S. community and Israel cause a feeling of alienation among many of the immigrants, sometimes lasting for many years, not to mention the lack of suitable education institutes – which can interfere with the children's learning sequence.
Into this distress, the Orthodox real estate entrepreneur enters, with a wish to make a historical twist. For the first time in Israel, a prestigious neighborhood will be built, G-d willing – and be devoted entirely to foreign residents who wish to make Aliyah.
In this neighborhood, the buildings will not be the center of attention. Rather, the attention will be focused on the homogeneous community institutions, rabbis' and mentors' spiritual guidance, employment opportunities, and concern for every detail, in order to give a warm and supporting living environment that suits the foreign community residents.
Hanoch Kass, CEO of Nofei Israel, initiated and successfully established the new neighborhood of Ramat Givat Zeev, located northward of Jerusalem, with numerous yeshivas and prestigious institutions. As a successful real estate entrepreneur who comes from an Anglophone background with a lot of experience in building communities, he understood the great need for establishing such a neighborhood, and started working on constructing it. The Ramat Givat Zeev neighborhood is located near the Givat Zeev Hachadasha neighborhood north of Jerusalem – an area filled with Jerusalem's spectacular landscape, in proximity to all the major religious institutes in Jerusalem.
This is a neighborhood that includes 150 units of private homes with individual architectural design, along with 250 units of spacious saturation construction, perfect finishing level and an emphasis on the privacy of each unit. As mentioned, the big advantage of the project is not only the most prestigious buildings, but building a unique community from top to bottom.
Kass says that the idea for the neighborhood came from a real distress. "There are currently thousands of families who wish to fulfill their dream to make Aliyah but due to the fear that they may not find the suitable community environment and atmosphere which they were accustomed to, they give that dream up. Unfortunately, there are also families who made the move and returned to the United States since they could not be integrated properly. For the first time, we are giving a real solution to this problem and fulfilling the dream. Ramat Givat Zeev is not an investment project but a residential neighborhood that has a deep understanding of the residents' educational and social needs."
What are the main difficulties encountered by new immigrants in Israel?
"Without a doubt – the answer is 'employment,' but also the lack of suitable educational institutions for children and spiritual guidance," Kass explains. "Also, they are seeking for a warm and supportive community and all that we will be granting them, im yirtzeh Hashem."
Indeed, intentions are good, but it is important to remember that this is not an easy task. Kass recruited his long and impressive experience in establishing the Givat Zeev Hachadasha neighborhood – which became, over the years, a beacon of Torah learning -- when he brought yeshivas and leading Hareidi educational institutes to the neighborhood. Thanks to the rabbis and great educational mentors' blessings and beliefs, many institutes chose to establish branches in the neighborhood.
What are the foreign residents' specific requirements from this neighborhood?
"From my conversations with many potential immigrants, I hear the resolute demand for establishment of yeshivas with principals and teachers with American backgrounds, who could understand their children's needs and feelings, providing guidance and support through their integration process.
"It's highly important that the children will adapt their new place and routine, and therefore we are investing a lot of effort in providing them the best tools in achieving it. In addition, it is important for them to have Shuls and rabbis that are spiritually suitable and therefore we are working on bringing rabbis and spiritual teachers to live in the neighborhood and provide their experience and guidance for the community."
Which efforts are needed to meet these requirements?
"Large-scale human resources, and extensive efforts in our offices in Israel and abroad. We are working hard to contact English speaking rabbis and community activists, so they can accompany the immigrants, right from the start."
Kass tells about a number of enthusiastic responses to the new project. "People are happy that for the first time, a reputable company takes the matter into its hands and is not seeking only to construct buildings, but works on creating the perfect living environment. A few businessmen have told me that so far, due to the difficulties, they did not think of making Aliyah, and now they have decided to make this complex move.
"Also, foreign residents who are already living in Israel, in places such as Ramat Beit Shemesh, have expressed their disappointment from their new environment and claimed that we are their last resort before they head back home.
"When you look at the project outline, the abundance of luxury apartments and impressive environmental development, you can understand that something new and outstanding is about to happen. The great location north of Jerusalem, with lush mountain views and clear air, away from the busy city but only a few minutes from the city enter, and the affordable price – all this will make the neighborhood a magnet for foreign residents.
Finally, how do you envision Ramat Givat Zeev, when it is established, G-d willing?
"I see it as the foreign Orthodox 'Caesarea'. There is no doubt that when we starts populating, and the foreign residents will flow to the neighborhood, people will be lining up to be part of this special and unique place."