What Does It Take to Feel at Home in Eretz Yisroel?
There was music in the air at Givat HaShalvah this Sukkos.
Against the backdrop of the hills surrounding Givat Ze’ev, families gathered for a Simchas Beis HaSho’evah led by Ishay Ribo, an evening of music, celebration and the special atmosphere of Zman Simchaseinu.
No detail had been overlooked. Guests were treated to an elegant evening, with freshly barbecued meats, a lavish dessert table and beautifully arranged hospitality throughout. The aim was to make current and prospective homeowners feel genuinely welcomed, valued and well cared for.
For many of those present, however, the setting gave the evening an added dimension.
They were standing in the place they hope to call home.
Givat HaShalvah is a new residential community being built in Givat Ze’ev with a particular understanding of the needs of English-speaking families, whether they are planning a move to Eretz Yisroel or looking for a second home.
Its goal is straightforward: to make it possible to feel at home in Eretz Yisroel while enjoying the comfort and sense of community families value.
“This is the largest project AMIM has undertaken, and its scale comes with a real responsibility,” says Itay Hershkovitz, CEO of AMIM Group. “Behind every plan are the families who will eventually call this place home. We want the finished neighborhood to exceed their expectations, from their own apartments to the community around them. Our ambition is that when they arrive, they will find something even better than they imagined.”
For Anglo families, that matters.
Living in Eretz Yisroel is a privilege and an aspiration, but it is also a major practical undertaking. Choosing a community means thinking about chinuch, shuls, neighbors, housing standards, transportation, outdoor space and countless details of everyday family life.
Givat HaShalvah has been planned with those considerations in mind.
Spread across approximately forty acres, the development includes plans for ten acres of parks, landscaped areas and walking paths. Parking throughout the project is designed to be underground, allowing the neighborhood itself to remain pedestrian-friendly and giving children safer access to parks, playgrounds and communal facilities.
The plans also include ten shuls and extensive indoor communal space for events, co-working and neighborhood activities, alongside educational infrastructure from early childhood through Cheider and Bais Yaakov.
The wider plans also include a substantial health club, a large shopping center and a future retirement community.
The idea is not simply to construct apartment buildings, but to create smaller, connected neighborhood pods in which families can develop a genuine sense of belonging. This is “Living with Intention”: homes and communal spaces planned around the way families want to live, connect and grow.
For buyers coming from abroad, another major concern is navigating the Israeli purchasing and construction process.
“We strive to bridge the gap between the Israeli system and what Americans expect,” explains Nissan Pshemish, Director of Buyer Relations at LYO Group. “We want to make sure people don't feel lost in the shuffle.”
The project is being developed by AMIM Group, with Solel Boneh, one of Israel's longest-established construction and infrastructure companies, constructing the first two phases.
For families considering Givat HaShalvah, that combination of community planning and professional oversight is an important part of the appeal.
“We were looking for quality and a community feel, but most importantly, the confidence that things would be taken care of,” says Givat Ze’ev resident Dovid Toledano. “At some point you realize that this is about much more than a standard purchase. It is about building a future where your family can thrive.”
That sentiment is echoed by prospective and current buyers who have spent years searching for the right balance.
“We wanted to experience the kedushah of Eretz Yisroel without giving up the hashkafah and culture of American Torah life,” says homeowner Avraham Danziger. “You want your children growing up in Eretz Yisroel, but you also want a home that works for your family and a community where you feel you belong.”
The community is designed to accommodate a broad range of frum Anglo families, each able to maintain its own identity while sharing the advantages of a thoughtfully planned neighborhood. “Where Belonging Meets Becoming” captures that balance: feeling part of a community while continuing to grow as a family.
For Givat Ze’ev Mayor Yosef Asraf, the project is also part of the continued growth of the wider community. “Givat Ze’ev is a place for all of Am Yisroel,” he says. “I am thrilled to see this project taking shape and welcoming new families.”
Back at the Simchas Beis HaSho’evah, Ishay Ribo spoke about the significance of Am Yisroel returning home and about the value of every step taken in that direction.
For the families looking out across Givat HaShalvah that evening, those words were particularly meaningful. The warmth and generosity of the event itself offered a small taste of what the developers hope to create here: a community where families are not merely buying homes, but are made to feel that they belong.
“Seeing these families come together was very special,” says Sruly Lev, CEO of LYO Group. “It has been a real privilege to work alongside Ahron Mertzbach and see his vision take shape. The professionalism of the AMIM team and the expertise of Solel Boneh are evident throughout the project. An undertaking of this scale is only possible through the dedication of many people, and that spirit of partnership was very much part of the evening.”
Making a home in Eretz Yisroel, whether full-time or part-time, is ultimately about both ideals and the practical decisions that turn them into daily life: a home, a shul, a school, a neighborhood and a community.
At Givat HaShalvah, the homes are rising, and the community is already coming to life.
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