Clients often bemoan the fact that they didn’t buy an apartment 10 or 20 years ago in Modiin, which has shot up in price and now rivals pricing in some Jerusalem neighborhoods. This inevitably leads to them asking: “What’s the next Modiin?” Or, in other words, where is the next opportunity to buy an affordable apartment in a community that will have a sizable Anglo (meaning: English-speaking) nucleus?
The answer is Carmei Gat. This new community, which means “Vineyards of the Wine Press”—based on excavation findings near this neighborhood—is situated in the northern part of Kiryat Gat, 35 miles south of Tel Aviv, 42 miles southwest of Jerusalem, 22 miles south of Beit Shemesh and, for shore lovers, 15 miles west of Ashkelon. Slated to have a total of 7,500 housing units, Carmei Gat’s first residents moved into the neighborhood in 2018, and the community has quickly become a warm, friendly, less expensive alternative for Anglos who want to remain in Israel’s center.
Carmei Gat has welcomed many olim plus numerous second-generation Anglos—children of olim who hail from Jerusalem, Modiin, Givat Shmuel and Beit Shemesh. Interestingly, numerous “mixed marriages”—couples with one Hebrew speaker and one native English speaker—have moved to Carmei Gat, due to the neighborhood’s diverse population.
The reasons why so many Anglos have chosen to make Carmei Gat their home, are similar to the reasons why Modiin has been such a soft landing for Anglos. 1) It is a well-planned city with numerous beautiful parks, including an enormous 100-acre central park, which includes multiple play areas, workout stations, bike and running paths, and athletic courts. 2) It is centrally located, 40 minutes from Tel Aviv by train (that’s a big deal) and by car, and is a 50-minute drive to Jerusalem. 3) Carmei Gat offers strong intra- and inter-city bus service and also has excellent vehicular access to most points in the country due to its location close to major highways. 4) The area has various shopping options and medical clinics. 5) It has excellent educational options. 6) It has good governance, offering numerous after-school options for children of all ages.
Yes, Carmei Gat is not yet a finished product, but it has the infrastructure in place for sustained growth and success.
Most of the Anglos are dati leumi, or Orthodox, and the diverse, tolerant and accepting community has a wide spectrum of religious observance, including dati leumi, traditional, secular, plus Chabad (and honestly, where aren’t they?), including strong representation of both Ashkenazim and Sephardim. Most Anglos are under 50, and now the parents of these families are moving in order to be close to the children and grandchildren.
Most of the Anglos are members and leaders of the thriving and growing Ashkenaz synagogue Carmei Zion. As befitting a shul with many members having grown up overseas in shul-centric communities—where the synagogue serves as a religious and social hub in addition to housing prayer services—Carmei Zion runs communal events, learning opportunities, chesed activities and child-centric programming.
There are currently several lovely projects under construction, offering apartments in both high-rise towers and low-rise buildings. Although prices are considerably higher than when sales started almost 10 years ago, they are still significantly lower than other Anglo neighborhoods, to the tune of 50% lower than Modiin and 25% lower than Beit Shemesh.
We are thrilled to see Carmei Gat blossom into a wonderful community with a laid-back, out-of-town vibe. The neighborhood has become a wonderful option for many families, and we are excited to watch it continue to grow and flourish.
Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www.myisraelhome.com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market updates, contact him at [email protected].
