
In recent times, many Jews are expecting decision-makers to provide a worthy Zionist response to all the security incidents and attempts to undermine the Jewish nation’s establishing itself in its homeland. Instead of waiting for the government to establish settlements and neighborhoods, you have the opportunity to participate in land redemption and initiate neighborhood development yourself—and it can also be highly beneficial economically.
Over the past year, many emotions have intensified among the Israeli public, some to an extremely high volume. Aside from the basic feelings of fear, worry, and sadness, we have witnessed the sharpening of sentiments that were previously dormant among a significant portion of the population, at least until about a year and a half ago.
The events of October 7th sharpened for many the sense that it might be time to refocus and prioritize the basic Zionist values that have driven the establishment and growth of our state over the past 150 years. It is hard to imagine what the State of Israel would look like without the massive efforts that began 150 years ago by organizations, associations, and private individuals who worked tirelessly to redeem land throughout the ancient and biblical Land of Israel.
How would our state look without the "Tower and Stockade" operations that established facts on the ground and effectively defined the future country's borders? And what would Israel look like without the crucial settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria? If these areas were devoid of settlements, the situation could potentially mirror, or even surpass, the challenges posed by Gaza.
The Public's Realization: A Call for Action
In addition to the sharpening of national identity and awareness, the Israeli public has become increasingly aware that government systems and officials often fail to fulfill their designated roles. This applies to both security issues and housing concerns. As quoted below, the State Comptroller’s report notes both systemic failures and misrepresentation of data to cover shortcomings in meeting objectives.
Combining these realizations—an amplified sense of national-Zionist identity and the need to take initiative in areas where government systems fall short—leads to a simple conclusion: it’s time to take responsibility and initiative into our own hands. It’s time to redeem land and promote planning and construction initiatives.
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Diving into the Issues
This article will delve into the following key discussion points:
1. The overall increase in cost of living, with a focus on housing prices.
2. Government failures as evidenced in the State Comptroller’s report.
3. A call to action: taking responsibility with a solution that is both Zionist and economic.
1. Increase in Cost of Living and Housing Prices
In recent years, there has been significant public discourse about the soaring cost of living in Israel. Unfortunately, most of this attention has been directed at consumer goods, monopolies in particular industries, and VAT hikes. While acknowledging the contributing of these factors, it’s important to remember that they pale in comparison to the factor that is the primary driver of high living costs: housing!
Housing prices, particularly in central Israel, have skyrocketed. This forces households to increase their initial capital, take on larger mortgages, and pay higher interest rates. The 2023 State Comptroller’s report reveals that while the Consumer Price Index rose by 11% in the decade before 2022, housing prices surged by 90%! Housing costs thus outweigh all other cost-of-living concerns by approximately ninefold.

2. Government Failures According to the State Comptroller
The above-mentioned State Comptroller report estimates a market shortage of at least 189,000 housing units, with a deficit of 46,000 units in Jerusalem and its surrounding areas alone. Several factors contribute to this crisis:
1. A gap between housing project goals and actual progress, with distorted data often presented to Israeli officials.

2. State land auctions going to profit-driven developers who intentionally slow development to keep prices high.

3. The significant gap between the advancement of approvals for units in private initiatives and the authorities' targets in the field of urban renewal.
4. Unprofessional development planning, where the tender does not match the actual needs of the geographic area.
5. Bureaucratic inefficiencies in planning and permitting processes.
The fact that, during his tenure, Kahlon decided to grant exclusive rights to developers to participate in state tenders, led to a massive takeover of state lands by developers. These developers, by deliberately delaying permits and construction, create a shortage to maintain high housing prices. The State Comptroller estimates that delays in the development and construction of approximately 54,000 housing units (as of 2022) have also significantly contributed to the rise in real estate prices, in addition to successive governments' inability to meet planning and marketing targets.

In contrast to the planning failures that lead to a lack of supply in government-led initiatives, the Comptroller specifically notes that private initiatives to increase supply within the framework of "urban renewal" are succeeding beyond expectations—and perhaps even beyond what is desired.
In other words, where the authorities fail, private initiatives are exceeding expectations!
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3. A Zionist and Economic Call to Action
In conclusion, if you’re waiting for generosity on the part of large developers or a new government program like "Mechir Matara,” “Mechir LaMishtaken,” “Dira BaHanacha” or the like, you are likely to miss other opportunities. Housing prices, especially in the Jerusalem area, seem certain to keep rising and distancing you from property ownership.
For this reason, we are inviting you to join one of the "Buy, Plan, Build” purchasing groups of Redemption Investments, in the area of Giv’at Ze’ev or Ariel.
Joining one of these purchasing groups gives you a real opportunity to own a property for nearly half the current market price in Giv’at Ze’ev.
The way the purchasing group model works is simple:
The area of Giv’at Ze’ev, for example, has a current population of approximately 25,000 and, simultaneously, a significant shortage of land. Currently, any new buildings being constructed are on private lands purchased by developers. These developers advance zoning plans, develop and build the projects, and then sell apartments at high prices.
The Redemption Investment purchasing groups of Power Finance organize buyers in advance, allowing them to join the process of purchasing private land. Afterward, the group collaboratively advances the zoning plans so that permits can be issued, and the land can be developed and built upon together.
Since the buyers are purchasing the land at the initial stage, without involving developers who are interested in earning substantial profits from high housing prices, as a buyer you essentially pay only the "net costs" of planning, management, development, supervision, and construction.
As mentioned, this can enable you to acquire a property at roughly half the price of a similar apartment in the area.
Watch Guy Amit’s interview with Eden and Oded for more details.
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