Grassroots district

Attracted by its rural atmosphere and high-quality education, some young families are still moving to Beit Hakerem despite its soaring prices.

By JOHN BENZAQUEN
Beit Hakerem 521 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
Beit Hakerem 521
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
If any area of Jerusalem can be called rural, it is Beit Hakerem, a green, pastoral neighborhood in southwest Jerusalem. This charming area of the capital was once vineyard country, and a rendering of its Hebrew name into English would make it “the house of the vineyard.”
Beit Hakerem is somewhat far from the center of the city, nestled as it is between the neighborhoods of Kiryat Moshe and Bayit Vagan. But with the new light rail now in operation, there is quick and convenient transportation to many parts of Jerusalem.
In addition to the light rail, there is also convenient bus service.
For those who choose to live in Beit Hakerem, the distance from the city center is perfectly acceptable.
The selling point of the area is its rural beauty.
The beauty of Beit Hakerem is evidenced by the pastoral streets and lush parks and playgrounds. Many people moved to Beit Hakerem seeking a more suburban lifestyle, away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city center.
Like many parts of Jerusalem, Beit Hakerem can trace its history back to biblical times. Remnants from the period of the First and Second Temple, as well as remains of Byzantine and Mameluke structures, were found in 2006 in an archeological dig on Hasatat Street.
Beit Hakerem was established in 1922. At the time it was a desolate, faraway suburb of the Mandatory capital of British Palestine. The founders of Beit Hakerem hailed from Eastern and Central Europe.
They were secular Jews whose aim was to build a community that would provide a place to live and work.
To achieve the aim of establishing the area, the founders set up an organization called The Association of Home Builders, which solicited funds from abroad to build the infrastructure and assist the settlers financially.
Richard Kaufmann, the well-known Jewish German architect and city planner, was in charge of building Beit Hakerem. He designed a rural community of homes with farms nearby that would provide the residents with the means to make a living. Up to the early 1950s Beit Hakerem had its own local government, but then it was annexed to Jerusalem.
Today, the population of the neighborhood is approximately 15,000. It has 25 kindergartens, four elementary schools and three high schools, which are considered among the most prestigious in Jerusalem.
David Yellin College of Education, established in 1913, is located in Beit Hakerem.
Taking all this into consideration, it is easy to understand why it is expensive. Prices are on a par with the more central and veteran Jerusalem neighborhoods such as Rehavia.
Orly Raz, a real-estate agent with RE/MAX Vision in Jerusalem, told In Jerusalem that prices range from NIS 18,000 to NIS 25,000 per square meter. This means that a 100-square-meter apartment can cost between NIS 1.8 million and NIS 2.5m., depending on the location and the condition of the property, etc. The higher prices are usually for semidetached homes or apartments with private gardens. Detached homes can fetch up to NIS 30,000 per sq.m.
The area attracts many academics who want to live near the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University, as well as medical personnel who want to live near Hadassah-University Medical Center in Ein Kerem or Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
Raz adds that “many of the buyers are actually residents already living in the neighborhood who are looking to upgrade their lifestyle by adding a room or moving from an apartment to a villa. Those who move to Beit Hakerem usually stay for at least five years. Young families are attracted by the high-quality schools and extra-curricular activities at the local community center.”
One of the landmarks of Beit Hakerem is Gan Ha’esrim Park which commemorates 20 residents who died in Israel’s War of Independence.
Kikar Denya (Denmark Square) honors the Danish people for rescuing 80 percent of its Jewish population during the Holocaust. The monument in the square is shaped like a boat, recalling the boats on which Jews were smuggled to Sweden.
It is important to stress the secular characteristics of Beit Hakerem, which are maintained to this day, even though it is located between the religious neighborhoods of Kiryat Moshe and Bayit Vagan. Housing prices have escalated, as Beit Hakerem has maintained its desirability among people who want to live in a non-haredi neighborhood in Jerusalem.
Some well-known figures who live in Beit Hakerem include Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, and lawyer and campaigner for women’s rights Alice Shalvi.