Editor's Letter

No Place To Live

F

oreign investors who own homes and apartments in
Jerusalem can do a mitzvah for 20- and 30-some-
things hoping to live in the Israeli capital. These
absentee owners can become rental landlords, giving college
students and other young adults a chance to stay in the city
and strengthen it. In return, these young people will help dis-
courage burglars and provide upkeep
at the rental units.
Foreign investment has driven up
the cost of housing, making the dream
of becoming a toshav Yerushalayim, a
resident of Jerusalem, harder to realize
— especially for younger people, who
represent the city's future.
Consider this: About 280,000 Jews
have left Jerusalem since 1990, half
because of the outlandish real estate
prices. Still, the 40,000 students in
Jerusalem face a shortage in apart-
ment dwellings. Continued flight will threaten Jerusalem's
continuation as a Jewish city with vital commerce and a grow-
ing economy.
"As an Israeli young adult thinking of a life in Jerusalem,
I'm worried about the future says Shirley Rapoport, 22, an
incoming student at Hebrew University who lives in a dormi-
tory. "Jerusalem is very dear to our hearts."

Israeli midrashah in Mon.
With poor long-term municipal planning, Rapoport says,
Jerusalem boasts few housing projects for new families.
"Non-Jewish and non-Zionist populations are increasing;'
she says, "making the city even less tolerant and friendly for
the Jewish young adult."

Spirited Opportunities
Rapoport is drawing on the energy of New-Spirit, which
represents the student community of Jerusalem. Like her,
the 4-year-old nonprofit is trying to save the Jewish and
Zionist future of Jerusalem's neighborhoods.
One of New-Spirit's most spirited programs is called
Housekeeping. It promotes pro-active participation in
reshaping Jerusalem by encouraging foreign owners to rent
their apartments to Israeli young adults, who would live
under the jurisdiction of Hebrew U's Faculty of Law. The
young adults would pay a relatively low rent and would
vacate residences temporarily during the owners' visits.
While not ideal, the circumstances still could stem the tide
of excellent law students bypassing Hebrew U because of
spiraling rental costs and not enough student housing.
Postgraduate young adults are looking beyond Jerusalem
for more opportunity in where they live and work. This
phenomenon is weakening the creative and productive
workforce of the city, Israel's eternal capital. Enhanced
Jewish student life in the city is bound to spur economic
and commercial vitality, eventually allowing
A Telling Message
for greater opportunity for students to stay
In a thoughtful letter to the Jewish press in
and study there.
America, this psychology and science major
The Hebrew U law faculty, together with
talked about how rising real estate prices in
New-Spirit, will select and screen applicants
Jerusalem are posing a risk to a Zionist Jewish
and undertake every assurance that students
core.
participating
in the Housekeeping program
The letter echoes.
are eminently suitable and responsible
"I am writing this letter in order to increase
for taking care of the units they are rent-
awareness of the housing crisis in Jerusalem
ing. Jerusalem Property Management Ltd.
— in part caused by Jews from the diaspora
will
provide professional supervision. The
— and to offer a solution:' Rapoport writes.
Chamber
of Real Estate Brokers of Jerusalem
Her idea, having diaspora landlords rent to
and
the
reputable
law firm of Hacohen-Wolf
young adults, even with the prospect of the
bolster
Housekeeping's
credibility and influ-
renters temporarily having to leave during the
Shirley
Rapop
ort
ence.
year, has the earmarks of a win-win situation.
The Housekeeping brochure tells clients:
It would put Jewish young adults in the neigh-
"You
will
be
working
with us to keep Jerusalem more
borhoods and help protect the property owners' assets.
Jewish,
more
economically
viable, more alive — and help-
A consequence of the real estate spiral in Jerusalem is fewer
Yerushalayim."
ing
the
future
generation
of
young people. And that's alarming.
Jews
the
world
over
have
lots
of things to worry about
Nearly 20 percent of the apartments in Jerusalem's central
relating
to
Jerusalem.
But
little
else
is going to matter
and potentially most bustling neighborhoods — almost
if
this
Zionist
city
of
gold
loses
the
one
thing that helps
10,000 units — have foreign owners. Most of these folks
secure
its
future:
young
people
with
heart.
Their pres-
spend summers and holidays in Jerusalem but live abroad.
ence
and
promise
are
indispensable
building
blocks for a
Their apartments in Jerusalem stay vacant most of the year.
vibrant,
prosperous
Jewish
Jerusalem.
"This turns the neighborhoods into a ghost town for long
periods:' Rapoport says.
Contact New-Spirit's housing coordinator, Amit Poni, at
Further exacerbating the problem is a scarcity of available
poni.amit@gmail.com.
apartments in the biblical city.
Determined and focused, Rapoport is passionate about her
cause. She comes from a family of four in Kfar Saba. She just
How important are young people to sus-
finished her service in the Israel Defense Forces. Her main job
taining Jerusalem's long-term vibrancy?
is as a private tutor, teaching English.
This summer, Rapoport served as an Israeli culture spe-
Should the city of Jerusalem consider
cialist at a Jewish summer camp in St. Louis. Her Jewish and
housing subsidies for full-time students?
Zionist studies include a semester at Ein Prat Institute, an

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September 4 • 2008

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