After the High Court of Justice ruled that ultra-Orthodox "dodgers" should not be included among those eligible to participate in the Ministry of Housing's 'Apartment at a Discount' lottery - the question arises: What do we do? • Yaakov Reinitz, real estate consultant with the answer
The new reality forced upon us by the High Court of Justice's ruling, in which the Haredi public finds itself de facto excluded from the 'discounted apartment' lotteries, is much more than a political injustice.
It is a wake-up call.
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There is no doubt that in the past decade, thousands of Haredi families have won the lottery. The "Price for a Homeowner" lottery was a financial lifeline for them, allowing them to own an apartment - with minimal equity - and establish themselves in a way that would not have been possible through any other route.
But the writing was on the wall even before the final decision.
The reality has changed: the level of competition has soared, the chances of winning have dropped, and the economic benefit inherent in lotteries has eroded significantly.
The High Court's decision to close the door to the ultra-Orthodox sector is merely the official signing of a chapter that was already in its twilight stages.
So what do we do now?
For those who have equity of 200,000 shekels or more, it's time to recalculate your course and change direction: go to the periphery.
For residence or investment - it doesn't matter, the main thing is to fix it.
The Israeli periphery currently offers reasonable entry opportunities into the real estate market, alongside a quality of life that has improved immensely in recent years.
But beyond the dry economic consideration, there is a greater strategic opportunity here.
The Haredi public, with its demographic and economic power, is capable of determining the character of the periphery in the north and south. It can become a dominant social and economic force there, shaping the face of the city. For generations.
To this day, many have avoided this step. They preferred to wait "on the fence" for the next lottery, the one that will solve all the problems.
But that's it, this era is over.
The High Court slammed the door? It's time for us to open a much bigger door, and start conquering the periphery with ten fingers.
• Yaakov Reinitz is a real estate consultant and lecturer. To schedule a consultation - click here
