Ultra-Orthodox Jew
Ultra-Orthodox JewIsrael news photo: Flash90

Lots zoned for 5,000 apartments for hareidim will be marketed next week in the town of Harish, located near Hadera and approximately an hour away from Tel Aviv.

Minister of Housing and Construction Ariel Atias announced the marketing of half of the 10,300 apartments in the outline plan for the hareidi town, saying that the reasonable prices would bring thousands of young couples to the town, Globes reported.

Atias said that marketing in Harish was one of the largest land sales at a single site since the founding of the state.

"Increasing the supply of land lowers demand and prices," said Atias. "Since I took office, land zoned for 120,000 apartments has been marketed. Harish is the first town on this scale marketed since 1994."

Under the plan, the first apartments will be occupied within two and a half years. In 1992, land for 300 apartments was sold in Harish, but three subsequent land sales in 1992-99 all failed. In 2008, the government decided to establish the town with religiously-oriented planning. The Ministry of Housing and Construction began drawing up the outline plan for the town, and, in 2009, Atias decided to consolidate the outline with a detailed plan to shorten procedures, Globes reported.

Also in 2009, Minister of Interior Eli Yishai set up a special committee to approve the outline and detailed plans, which came into effect this year and were adapted to meet the needs of the ultra-orthodox community.