Neighborhoods near Tel Aviv- advice please

My husband was just offered a transfer to Tel Aviv through his firm. It would be for one year as of now, potentially longer but we don't know.
We both think it would be a really nice opportunity for us, even if it is one year only. We would like to find a community that would be a fit for us, and maybe some Israeli's on this forum can help me with ideas.

Basically, we are from Antwerp (which is the primary reason I am anonymous, it is not such a big community, and nothing is final), we both speak Hebrew fluently, and so we would be okay with an all Israeli neighborhood, but we would prefer something with more of a European feel or presence so we would not be out of place as "the foreigners." But this is by no means a requirement -Israeli's are much more welcoming than European's anyhow Wink

. We have one daughter who is 1 year old. My husband wears a black hat, but I wear denim skirts and will go out without tights (but not sandals- if that makes a difference). We watch movies, and we both went to University. Even though we are definitely on the left of what is considered Chareidi in Israel, we would not be comfortable in a dati liumi community. And being that for now, this is only for one year, schools are not a consideration. I hope to find a job (I am an accountant but I work for a smaller company, not one that has any connections to Israel) and I would leave my baby at home.

Our budget for the rent is up to about 1500 Euros per month- which from what I have seen in Israel before, should get us more than we need.

What we have come up with, from what we know from our years in Sem and Yeshiva, and from speaking to some friends is: Either Petach Tikva or Bene Brak. Does anyone agree or disagree? And can anyone recommend any specific neighborhoods in either of these cities for us to check out?

Posted: Tue, Aug 17 2010, 4:03 pm Post subject:

Before I got to your last paragraph I was going to say Petach Tikva! I am out of touch, but I think Kfar Ganim or Kfar Avraham have a mixture of different kinds of frumkeit.

Don't go to BB IMHO - you have to box yourselves too much, although it might not be such a problem since you don't have school age children.

You could also try Rehovot - although it's a little further, but there's a direct train service and people commute.
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Hi Shalhevet

Kfar Ganim was recommended to us (that sepcific neighborhood)! good to know more than 1 person feels that way Smile

. If we go, it would be in October, and with the Yomim Tovim coming up, we have little time to make an initial trip to check places out, so we will stay w/ family in Bene Brak until we find a place most probably- so the more information I am armed with before, the easier it will be. my husband needs to give his answer by Monday.

Anyone know anything about Bene Brak? the cousins we have there live in a more Chassidish neigborhood that would not be for us. But I know there is some variety there, though not much.

I am thinking Petach Tikva might be a better fit, but I want to keep my options open anyhow.

Thanks Israeli's!

I am not sure Petach Tikva is the place for you, but I wouldn't recommend Bnei Brak to anyone. Everytime I have to go there on errands I cringe. It must be one of the most neglected, dirtiest, full of graffitti cities in Israel. Maybe on a deeper level it's great, but if you like a nice clean and green city, BB is not for you.
Givat Shmuel is adjacent to BB but it's probably too dati leumi for you. Still, that is nice, clean, green (huge and I mean huge park in the middle of the town).

Remember that commuting from all these places to TA takes time in morning traffic jams. You might be better off looking along at train routes and seeing if any towns that have a direct train to TA are suitable for you. Better yet, with your budget you could probably live in TA proper. I'm sure there must be at least one mixed dati neighbourhood there? Maybe others will know.

If you are Francophone (my Antwerp cousins are), I think you would love Bet Vegan (if you can afford it, that's another problem).

I know of a few places with "Belgian pockets"... Moshava Germanit, Natania, Herzlia but may be not "yeshivish" enough for you (more Brussels style you see what I mean?). A pocket a charedi Antwerpenaars in Givat Shaul and of charedi Belgians in Betar Ilit, my dh tells me.
You need to check.

I find Antwerp to be a huge community btw Wink

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Posted: Wed, Aug 18 2010, 10:37 am Post subject:

Ruchel, she asked for places near TA. Why are you recommending Yerushalayim neighbourhoods?

As she said nothing is set. I'm giving her other options just in case.

amother: givat shmuel seems (from the people I know that are there) to be too dati liumi for us, I doubt we would fit though please correct me if I am wrong
I wouldn't actually care so much about greenery or a pretty city for one year - if I want pretty- the tel aviv beaches are not too far. I care about a pretty apartment and getting my money's worth much more if you understand. I know there are nice neighborhoods in Bene Braq that seem like they almost don't belong in the city, but I think renting (rather than buying) in such places is uncommon? Guttmacher street is not so "fanatic" that is one, and the area near the "iriya" - I once had a friend who lived in an apartment there, a new apartment building, very elegant and pretty. I don't remember the street. But they since moved to NY so I don't know.

where could I find a map of the trains to judge from that? It sounds like a good idea. This is all I can find, but it is not really a map so it is hard for me to make a / t of it as a non-Israeli. http://rakevet.co.il/HE/STATIONS/MAP/Pages/RouteMap.aspx

a commute of less than 40 minutes would be ideal of course. When I (hopefully!) find a job, it would be something more local, probably not in Tel Aviv, unless I could find something right near my husband so we could come and go together. It is not important right now. I could not sit home for an entire year, so BE"H eventually I will find.

Ruchel- Bayit Vagan is in Yerushalayim. so is Moshav Hagermanit, which is too modern for us anyway. The communities I know of in Netanya and Hertzliya where people from Belgium live, are much too modern for us. (and Antwerp is a large community, I just mean the # from Antwerp on imamother)