HaShomer HaChadash CEO Outlines Vision for New Border Settlements in Israel
Yoel Zilberman, CEO of HaShomer HaChadash, spoke at the Yedioth Ahronoth conference about plans to establish 150 new settlements and engage Haredi youth in border development.
The "People of the State" conference, organized by the Yedioth Ahronoth group, featured a keynote speech by Yoel Zilberman, CEO and founder of the HaShomer HaChadash organization.
The Vision for New Settlements
Speaking at the flagship conference of ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth, Zilberman addressed the housing crisis in central Israel and the potential of peripheral regions. "For an ordinary citizen like me who wants to build a home, there is no chance of establishing a normal house in Gush Dan—but the open spaces near the country's borders allow me to build a dream home there," he stated.
Zilberman elaborated on the organization's vision to establish 150 new settlements across Israel. He noted that a month ago, the first new moshav in Israel in 20 years was established. The organization operates student villages, Nahal nuclei, educational campuses, and the "Adam ve-Adama" school network.
"Israel can and should be the place that leads the world's water and food solutions," Zilberman emphasized, pointing to the potential along the Egyptian border and the Jordan Valley.
Engaging the Haredi Community
Zilberman also discussed efforts to integrate the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community into this settlement drive. He shared that within three weeks, the first Haredi yeshiva is set to be established on the border at a point called "Machane Shetach," north of Jericho, near a planned new Haredi city to be named "Ir HaTmarim" (City of Dates).
According to Zilberman, the initiative holds the potential to engage between 20,000 and 50,000 Haredi youth. He concluded with an optimistic outlook on national resilience and border development, drawing parallels to thriving cities abroad.
