New Chareidi City to Be Established in Northern Negev

By Hamodia Staff

On Sunday, the government approved Housing Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Goldknopf’s proposal to establish a new chareidi city, named Tila. The city will be built north of the Lehavim settlement, within the jurisdiction of the Bnei Shimon Regional Council, covering an area of approximately 4,000 dunams and designed to accommodate around 80,000 residents. The future city will be close to transportation infrastructure (Highway 6) and near the existing urban fabric in the area.

The establishment of the city is expected to strengthen the geographical periphery in the Negev, increase the supply of housing as part of the solutions to the housing crisis, encourage migration from the center to the Negev, and create a critical mass of population in the area, leveraging the accessibility to existing road and rail infrastructures.

During discussions in the district and national committees, the National Council decided to recommend to the government the establishment of a city specifically for the chareidi population, out of concern that a new city for the general public would compete with Be’er Sheva and other cities in the Negev. This decision was also influenced by the high demand and lack of housing solutions for the chareidi population, as highlighted in the 2022 State Comptroller’s report.

The establishment of the new city is part of the housing solutions promoted by the Ministry of Construction and Housing for the chareidi population. Some solutions will be provided in designated cities for this population, while others will be in designated neighborhoods within mixed cities.

The establishment of Tila, alongside the chareidi settlement of Kasif, which is currently undergoing approval processes, and the chareidi neighborhoods west of Kiryat Gat, will create a new “chareidi triangle” – a dedicated metropolis for the chareidi population uniting Tila, Kiryat Gat, and Kasif. Until now, the main concentration of chareidi housing was in the Yerushalayim-Bnei Brak-Ashdod corridor. Now, a new chareidi area is being created with connectivity between different population centers, close to transportation and mass transit infrastructure.

Housing Minister Rabbi Goldknopf said after the proposal was approved at the Cabinet meeting: “This is a historic day. After many years of neglect and lack of attention to the severe housing crisis in the chareidi sector, as highlighted in the State Comptroller’s report, we are now adding another layer to the new charedi triangle. We are moving beyond the Yerushalayim-Bnei Brak-Ashdod corridor to a new area: Tila-Kasif-Kiryat Gat. Beyond the four walls and roof, the chareidi community needs a space and a complete framework of community life, educational institutions, employment centers, and more. The new chareidi metropolis can serve as a central hub for chareidi populations in the area and provide answers to all the needs of the chareidi population.”

Director of the Israel Land Authority, Yaakov Quint, said, “The establishment of a new city in the Negev is part of the policy promoted by the Israel Land Authority in recent years, emphasizing the development and settlement of the Negev and Galilee. In this context, we managed to reverse the trend in collaboration with the authorities, and within four years, we increased the housing supply from 10,000 units to 27,000 units. Soon, b’ezrat Hashem, we will bring additional new settlements for government approval. We intend to continue promoting settlement in the Negev and addressing the housing crisis and the cost of living in Israel.”

Director-General of the Ministry of Construction and Housing Yehuda Morgenstern, said: “We are working to create a wide range of housing solutions for all populations in Israel. The city of Tila is part of the solution to the housing shortage in the chareidi population, alongside chareidi neighborhoods in existing cities and the expansion of chareidi cities. We will continue to lead the increase in housing units across the country for all residents of Israel.”