The gardens of Israel where your dreams can bear real fruit

impact on the city when a billboard on the main boulevard starts advertising a neighbourhood Irish bar.

In fact, Modiin is considered to be the “new Ra’anana”.

Boasting a direct rail link to nearby Ben-Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv and as far north as metro Haifa, Modiin has turned into a distinctive “city in the country”, where residents can enjoy the amenities of a major conurbation (such as quality housing, educational and religious services) alongside wide green spaces and a central park with a lake.

HAIFA

“Go North” is the motto of a growing number of Anglos, as Haifa rapidly becomes a major centre of learning and commerce in Israel.

The southern tier in the lower city is home to one of the most successful high-tech zones in the country, with global companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Yahoo, Google and others siting their development offices here, as well as the Technion and Rambam Medical Centre.

Living costs are far cheaper than Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, creating ongoing interest among Anglo singles and young couples.

BEERSHEBA

Though it doesn’t boast pristine beaches like Haifa, the capital of the Negev is

Singles and young couples go north to Haifa, for afforable living costs in the midst of a tremendous growth spurt.

The Anglo community that has existed for several decades near the Soroka Hospital and Ben-Gurion University continues to attract newcomers, owing to growth at the hospital and university and the development of a cyber-security start-up zone, funded by the Israeli government.

It’s also a very affordable city in which to live in and raise a family.

GIV’AT SHMUEL

A city in Israel’s Center District, Giv’at Shmuel is perfectly positioned, being directly across from Bar-Ilan University, five minutes away (by car or bus) from Sheba-Tel Hashomer Hospital and less than 20 minutes from downtown Tel Aviv by public transport.

This quiet community now boasts a wide array of new apartment towers, where young Israeli and Anglo families are making their homes. OR MANY people, the thrill of establishing a home in Israel is not just about the bricks and mortar but also about the outdoor space. After all, in a country where the climate is so different from that of the UK, and lounging outdoors is an option for much of the year, we Brits savour the opportunity to do so.

But the attraction of the outdoors runs deeper than this. There has always been something special in Jewish minds about the prospect of getting things growing in the soil of the Land of Israel.

So much of Jewish tradition relates to working this land. And for many people, the traditional “seven species” of Israel are one of the strongest motifs of the country. They come straight from the Bible, which describes the Promised Land as a “land of wheat and barley and vines, and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey”. From the moment they receive the keys to their properties, many immigrants and purchasers of holiday homes in Israel dream of growing some of these iconic species — and in the main they are not disappointed.

Gardens are hospitable and newcomers often find the climate and the soil encouraging.

Olive trees are famously slow growers, but buy a vine or a pomegranate tree from a garden centre and you can soon be enjoying fruit from it and a spectacular Bible-themed sight out of your window.

You can also go for some of the more modern tastes and sights of Israel, with any of a range of citruses that Israel has become famous for exporting, such as the sweet Israeli orange and the pomelo. Home-grown lemons, for lemonade and lemon tea, are a favourite. N e w c o m e r s f r o m E ur o pe are amazed at how quickly these species, as well as plants andshrubs, g r o w i n Israel.

The land and the clim a t e , y o u could say, turn everyone greenfingered.