In general, in the past year the number of families from large and established communities in the U.S. and in Europe who have shown interest in Israel has risen, especially when it comes to Jerusalem and its environs. Despite the tendency to trace this to the rising anti-Semitism in Europe, the reasons are many and varied. In many instances the families simply want to live in the Holy Land, with no other special reasons.

One of the neighborhoods that is being built with this population in mind is the Ramat Givat Zeev neighborhood, north of Jerusalem, situated on the side of a mountain, and facing an exquisite view of the foothills of the Jerusalem hills. This neighborhood is planned to provide all the necessary services, from educational institutions to shopping centers and employment opportunities.

Ramat Givat Zeev is part of the municipality of the Givat Zeev, an outlying suburb connected by numerous highways to the heart of Jerusalem, allowing commuters to reach the city within several minutes. 

Individuals who have already bought in the neighborhood are made up of a variety of people with a shared vision: luxury housing in a Torah-orientated community.

That is the reason that the standard of building in the housing units being constructed (mostly private homes) is significantly higher than the ordinary standard of building in Israel. The public areas, the institutions, the shopping areas and the streets give new meaning to the word “luxury”, and are planned in keeping with the outlook prevalent in the luxury neighborhoods abroad, such as Monsey, Seagate and others.

The neighborhood offers large apartments and houses, 200 sq.m. and more, and a breathtaking view. It is no surprise, therefore, that even now, before construction has begun, more than 80% of the lots have been sold. In addition to the private homes being built, which account for the majority of the housing units, the neighborhood will also include several apartment buildings. In these too, it is evident that the drafters and designers wished to combine a distinctly western feel with the special atmosphere of the ancient and holy city of Jerusalem.

Large parks, tennis courts, a country club, public squares and water fountains will be constructed in the new neighborhood, along with other components of rich environmental development. 

“Many people from abroad will feel at home in Ramat Givat Zeev, since even before its physical foundations have been laid, the infrastructure for modern educational institutions has been created, making it suitable for the established Torah-oriented Israeli public,” said one official at the sales office, adding that even residents of well-established, wealthy neighborhoods such as Rechavia in the center of Jerusalem are showing interest in the new neighborhood. “The standards will not be any lower than those that people moving from abroad are accustomed to.” 

“We’re talking about a rare level of luxury-quality living and of a neighborhood that supplies all the needs of a family in Israel,” said one purchaser.

One of the communities that has already declared its intention to move its institutions to the neighborhood is that of the “Ziv HaTorah” Yeshiva, headed by Rabbi S. Brazil shlit”a. Many other communities are also showing interest in the place, which has become a symbol of high-quality living in Jerusalem and of environmental development of the kind that is hard to find in Israel.

The entrepreneurs behind the project, the Nofei Israel company, say that this is a first attempt to build a unique neighborhood, patterned after prestigious neighborhoods abroad, and they emphasize the mixture of purchasers that will create a unique and high-quality Torah community. Not for nothing has it been given the nickname ‘Ramah Me’al Kulam’ - One level above all others.