Why now? Because the time has come
“What am I still doing here?” That’s the question increasing numbers of Jews worldwide are asking themselves in the wake of Oct. 7 and the ensuing rise in antisemitism, on seeing the shocking success of Zohran Mamdani in the New York mayoral primary, and on hearing that so many of their “home” countries are planning to recognize a Palestinian state, even without the return of the hostages.
For many, the answer to “What am I still doing here?” isn’t just a question of safety – it’s a matter of destiny.
Since the beginning of 2024, aliyah numbers have surged. According to The Jewish Agency for Israel, more than 46,000 people made aliyah in 2023 alone, with a nearly 64% increase in applications in the months following the war. French aliyah is also on the rise, with a 400% increase in interest reported by aliyah organizations after Oct. 7.
Jews around the world are looking to Israel with both longing and urgency. For some, it’s the culmination of a lifelong dream, a dream of their ancestors. For others, it’s a wake-up call they never saw coming. Either way, a growing number of families are turning that question into action and beginning the journey home.
But as many quickly discover, making aliyah is not a real estate decision. It’s a soul decision. The moment your feet touch Israeli ground, that soul decision collides head-first with paperwork, bureaucracy, contractors, permits, contracts, and a thousand unfamiliar terms in a foreign language. For many olim, buying a home in Israel becomes one of the most emotional – and certainly expensive – decisions they’ve ever made.
And yet, ask any of them why they did it, and you’ll hear the same thing: “We just wanted to come home.”
Here are four stories of English-speaking buyers who navigated the Israeli real estate maze with courage, vulnerability, and a lot of faith. Their experiences are different, but the message is clear: This journey is not for the faint of heart, but it’s worth it.
Mali’s story: Not so perfect
“We were young, American, and desperate to stop throwing away money on rent. We’d had it with calling our landlord every time something broke and wondering if repairs would mean a rent hike. But we couldn’t afford much more than a shoebox-sized apartment in Israel.
“Then we heard – through the American grapevine – about a young couple eager to sell their place in a Jerusalem suburb. They had already moved back to the US, and the brother was handling the sale. The price was within reach. We were dazzled by the space, the garden – it all felt so perfect, so bashert [predestined].
Since the beginning of 2024, aliyah numbers have surged
“The brother pressured us to act quickly and told us that other families were seriously interested. He suggested we share a lawyer to save costs. We declined and rushed to hire someone we had heard of. Unfortunately, she didn’t check the permits properly, and when we tried to sell years later, we learned that key documentation was missing.
“Resolving it took over a year, numerous tears and headaches, and landed us in the beit din [rabbinical court]. Had we used a vetted lawyer or a buyer’s advocate like The Getter Group, so much heartache could’ve been avoided.”
Reuven’s story: ‘We trusted the wrong people’
“We had already bought and sold an apartment, but our Hebrew was still inadequate, and moving north meant starting over. The American realtor told us there was only one property that matched our needs. We trusted her.
“The villa had been on the market for years, and the price was repeatedly reduced by the sellers. Our lawyer managed to negotiate the price down further. But after the lease was signed, the realtor kept coming back with requests on the seller’s behalf. We agreed to most changes until she asked us to pay for things already listed in the contract – like the A/C and even the gas hookup. We refused.
“On move-in day, we found that the kitchen cabinets had been ripped out. Our lawyer was shocked but admitted that those details hadn’t been explicitly written into the contract. We had to spend NIS 90,000 to redo the kitchen.
“We later learned that the seller had felt resentful about the price reductions and our refusal to pay extra and had sought ‘revenge’ by tearing out the cabinets. In hindsight, we shouldn’t have blindly trusted the professionals around us. We should have had a real estate advocate standing by our side. Still, we love our home and are grateful we bought it.”
Shani’s story: ‘We were collecting zip codes, not peace of mind’
“We made aliyah 13 years ago but only settled down five years ago. Before finding a permanent place to live, we tried Betar Illit, Rechasim, and Haifa. My husband was a full-time student, and I had a full-time ‘We need to buy!’ voice in my head. Our budget was barely hanging on.
“In Karmiel, we finally found a community, but the rentals were dismal. Think 1970s décor and ‘furnished’ with leftover junk. Then one day I posted in a WhatsApp group and someone replied, ‘Why are you throwing money away on rent?’
“I met with a broker, expecting to be laughed out of the room. Instead, he told us we could make it work – if we moved quickly. My husband, who had been uninterested, saw one apartment with an office and jumped in.
“It’s not huge, but it’s going to be ours. We’re buying a home with little money, a lot of nerve, and plenty of bitachon [trust in God]. We’re still in the process, but we’re hoping this small starter home will be a stepping stone to something bigger and better one day.” This is one of The Getter Group’s biggest pieces of advice for those who can’t afford their dream home: The time is now. Buying something is better than nothing!
Shmuel’s story: From bedbugs to a life’s mission
“I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, but I knew that Israel was my true home. It was where my father, a child of prewar Morocco, had longed to live and die. It was where I had returned repeatedly since my youth.
“I made aliyah the day Operation Protective Edge ended, in late August 2014. My wife and I met four years later and moved into a tiny Jerusalem apartment we jokingly called “the bracha [blessing] of the bedbugs.” Three months in, we’d had enough.
“We found a beachfront apartment in Acre, which we rented for a year. It was right before COVID, and buying felt like a leap. But renting felt like burning money. We wanted to buy, and we began to search. When we found a suitable place to purchase there, the process was stressful, and we encountered several issues, like discovering that the property’s parking spot was reserved for disabled parking, resulting in tickets and headaches.
“Still, we got through it.
“When we eventually moved back to Jerusalem, we rented out the Acre apartment on Airbnb. It covers payments for the 70% mortgage we took to buy the Acre apartment, and the apartment’s value has gone up tremendously. After Oct. 7, we offered it to displaced families – first from Ashkelon, then Kiryat Shmona. It became a bracha in so many ways, and none of them involved bedbugs!
“There was a lot of siyata dishmaya [divine assistance]. I learned a lot, but I definitely could have used someone to help, someone like The Getter Group. I didn’t know about them at the time. But buying that first home after aliyah changed everything.
“That experience became the first step in something much bigger. Today, I help other Americans purchase property in Israel.
“I believe this is where all Jews will ultimately come to live and that this is where Mashiach [the Messiah] will come. Helping other Jews find their home in Israel isn’t just a career to me. It’s a life’s mission.
“That’s why I work for The Getter Group. The work we’re doing, the way we’re guiding our clients individually to find what’s best for them, to take them through each step of the property search, contract, negotiation, and registration – it’s a real accompaniment. It’s creating a soft landing, giving them the chance to move here with complete peace of mind.”
There’s no place like home – but getting there can be complicated
The road to owning a home in Israel is paved with hopes, mistakes, miracles, and messes.
Each of these stories holds a truth: Buying in Israel is different, and it’s different for each individual. The system is different. The norms are different. The stakes are high. And most of us don’t know what we don’t know until it’s after the fact.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
When you have someone who’s truly on your side, like The Getter Group – who know the process inside and out and who will advocate for you like they would for their own family – then buying in Israel becomes more than possible.
It becomes a gateway to something bigger. Because this isn’t just about square meters and mortgages. It’s about coming home, with confidence, clarity, and yes, peace of mind.
Stay tuned for information about The Getter Group’s upcoming webinar, “Why now is the time!” Hear about five ideal communities for traditionally observant Anglos in Israel.
Contact The Getter Group for more information on how they can help you come home and buy in Israel with security – and serenity. Call 077-234-6011 (Israel) or 718-473-3950 (US), email contact@thegettergroup.com, or visit thegettergroup.com.
This article was written in cooperation with The Getter Group.