Developing Israel’s periphery is vital for economy, aliyah

Israel is blessed with a Western world-leading birth rate and a focus on family formation that is far earlier and more prevalent than elsewhere in the West.

At the same time, we are reeling from the high cost of housing, both purchase and rental, as well as high costs of food, childcare, and other necessities.

While we can point to inexpensive medical care and higher education, we more than make up for it in other facets of living.

In the wake of both the Israel-Hamas War and the growing global jihad that is increasingly terrifying Jewish communities in the Diaspora, we are also seeing a concerted push from the government to encourage aliyah.

This is desirable and appropriate, but it must be accompanied by more substance than just the call to move to Israel.

Simultaneously, we need to recognize that the shekel is trading at its strongest level against the US dollar in the past three years. From its high point over the summer, the dollar has declined more than 15% against the shekel.

Therefore, prospective olim must factor in the reduction of their purchasing power here. The traditional destinations for Western olim are increasingly expensive and out of reach for all but the most established Diaspora Jews.

Of course, the bigger dilemma with unaffordable housing and overall living expenses has to do with our upcoming generations. We very much welcome, embrace, and extol our birthrate and the proliferation of wonderful and large families.

Still, we need to make sure that this trend is institutionalized and not subject to diminution or reversal because of cost.

As one looks at all the considerations, it becomes inescapable that the development of our periphery must be an integral part of both our near-term and most certainly our long-term growth plans.

Israel’s key to growth and opportunity

Living in the periphery allows people to connect more intimately with the Land of Israel, a tremendously important factor in promoting and making aliyah.

However, connecting with the land is also a dream for young Israeli families who want their children to have space and opportunity for exploration and growth.

Most peripheral areas are bargains compared with prices in the center. Prices are not only lower, but values are much higher in terms of what can be bought for a more reasonable price.

The big ‘what if’ in all this is what the government decides it needs or wants to do in terms of developing these areas.

The Golan is jaw-dropping in its open beauty; it also begs the question of why it is so unsettled.

The Western Galilee is losing its Jewish population, and the Negev is increasingly being encroached upon by Bedouin who feel empowered to appropriate land with impunity.

The irony is that Israeli development increasingly smacks of a Diaspora mentality: close quarters, dense and denser development, and a disregard for the benefits, beauty, and allure of the land.

Of course, development of the periphery must be driven not only by the availability of affordable housing but also the availability of viable employment.
While there have been some exciting private ventures and initiatives designed to bring industry and employment to these areas, it is the government that can and needs to step in, providing incentives and, if required, subsidies for economic development.

The more than appropriate focus on building Israel’s self-reliance in armaments, weaponry, and defensive technology is also an opportunity for the government to foster peripheral development by encouraging new facility construction in these areas.

Having said all this, we need to be clear-eyed and to recognize that the periphery, both the North and South, became the front lines in the recent war. The devastation of the Gaza border area has been etched into our national consciousness.

Less visible perhaps, but not much less pervasive, was the massive migration, prompted by incessant Hezbollah attacks, that sent somewhere between 60,000 and 80,000 northern residents to safer locales.

There has been a significant, but hardly complete, return to these towns and cities. Continued insecurity is one factor; another is the recognition that the center offers more by way of employment and educational opportunities for those who can afford to stay there.
The inescapable response is to foster a sense of security in these peripheral areas and, even more so, make them economically attractive.
So, the gauntlet has been thrown down. The periphery is vital to Israel’s security and self-image. Just as we leave no soldier behind, we cannot abandon or leave behind any of our communities.

Quite the opposite; we need to double down on them, embrace them, nurture them, and make sure that our people, including those who would make Israel their home as well as their homeland, understand the importance and the attractiveness of living in the periphery.
As Israel plans for the arrival of its next 10 million, the periphery must play a leading role. The region is hiding in plain sight. Now is the time to see it.