WHY MOVE TO ASHKELON?
When you ask someone from Ashkelon, “why did you move here?”, the most common response is “the sea”. The sea is such a strong draw that prices of homes are commensurate with proximity to the sea. There are many other reasons why people choose Ashkelon, one of Israel’s fastest growing cities. This site explores the many reasons why Ashkelon is attracting residents from other Israeli cities as well as new immigrants.
LIVING THE DREAM —
EVERY DAY
“The first time I visited Ashkelon, I knew that this was the place for our family.”
“After we moved, we wondered why it took us so long to make the decision.”
Ashkelon is one of Israel’s best kept secrets. It used to be considered a sleepy old town, far from the center. And even though it had a beach, there were closer places to “play”. Today, many people are opting to live where they can “play” and there are not many communities that are affordable and commutable to work.
Today, with Israel’s fast highways, trains and new roads — not to mention the increase in “work from home” positions, Ashkelon has become a major contender in providing a wonderful, full-service community for both young and old.
Rachel
Rachel has lived in Israel since 2002 and relocated from Ramat Beit Shemesh to Ashkelon in 2013. She describes her Hebrew as “minimal” but is able to get along. Rachel said: “I know firsthand that a new resident can live here not being fluent in Hebrew, but it is challenging. There are times it takes longer to get things accomplished and it can be frustrating. But it can be done.” Read more…
Zev and Esther
Zev’s ties to Ashkelon go way back. Zev, a graduate of Yeshiva University and a student of Rabbi S. Riskin, never lived in Ashkelon. Zev lived in Baltimore Maryland, but his parents lived here for 20 years and he used to visit them often. So, after he retired and decided to make Aliyah, Ashkelon was a natural choice as a place to live. Read more…
“The trust of a city street is formed over time from many, many little public sidewalk contacts… Most of it is ostensibly trivial but the sum is not trivial at all.”
Marvin and Oshrat
Marvin and Oshrat moved to Ashkelon in 2015. Marvin made Aliyah from the U.S. in 2007 and Oshrat was born in Israel. Prior to living in Ashkelon, they had been living in Ramla, a medium-sized city in the Shfela, located in between Lod and Rehovot. As teachers (Marvin teaches English and dance, Oshrat also teaches English), one of the things that they were looking for was a solid educational system for their children. Their priority was a city where the educational needs of their kids would be met. Read more…