Live here does that mean move their family here to work here and vacation here (live here as most of us do). Or does it mean own property a place to send family on a vacation. Or to spend more time out of Israel working than in. Or having your family live in the Israeli home while one of the spouses commutes up and back from the U.S. so they can afford to live (exist) here? But than why should they live here most of the Prime Minister’s Family dose not live here.

Let all Jews buy in Israel and this land will be a better place. I could care less if they worked part time in america. I know people who think it is very important for their families to grow up and live in israel. Unfortunalty the work opportunities are not good here so the only way people can do it is by working in america for 6 months and live here 6 months. Its better then nothing. By the way, I hope your coment doesn't reflect your level of inteligence.

I want more US immigrants to come, but if they are wealthy as the article states, then why do they need "more affordable rates for land appropration"? Maybe non-wealthy US immigrants (and there are plenty) should be getting those benefits instead. Besides a small Mas Rechisha discount, no one gave me my land at a more attractive rate, but then again, I'm not wealthy.

ANYONE HIIRING RIGHT NOW, I CAN DO AND SELL ANYTHING, MY HEBREW IS GOOD ENOUGH TO GET BY, BUT WILL OBVIOULSY NEED MORE. NOT WEALTHY SO DON'T HAVE A STRONG FINANCIAL BASE, BUT USED TO BEING PAID WELL......ANYTHING AVAILABLE IN THE LAND? SEE, ITS MY DREAM TO LIVE IN ISRAEL, HAVE CHILDREN AND RAISE A FAMILY, BUT W/OUT OPPERTUNITY FOR SUFFICIANT EMPLOYMENT, THIS DREAM WILL BE HARD TO ACHIEVE

As a young, educated and upwardly mobile American, why would I: a) want to live in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the Negev and b) what type of employment opportunities could possibly exist in that area? I love Israel and would consider making Alliyah, but if I do so, it most certainly wouldn't be to the Negev.

It's only a matter of time before they will be disengaged or converged (or whatever the next 'pc' word will be) out of there. Lest we forget, the people in Gush Katif were sent there with the government's blessing, too...once upon a time.

most american olim that i know want to go to jerusalem or to an established "american" town in the center of the country(e.g. renaana, beit shemesh). unless this is the past of the negev close to the center of the country, it sounds a little surprising

I'd live in the Negev...it's beautiful there. My only issue is I would worry about finding employment as everyone there is super degreed and I am but a humble tech :)

... and commutable distance to Kiryat Gat (read: to Intel Israel). So there are some major employers: Ben-Gurion University (and some emerging hitech and biotech around it), Soroka Hospital, Intel,... Now if the train line Tel Aviv to Be'er-Shev`a could be extended a bit, you could be in the heart of the country in a bit over an hour. Really, it's not a bad location at all. Nearby Be'er-Shev`a suburbs Omer and Meitar have upscale demographics. Whoever wants a quiet outing can drive a fairly short distance to Mitzpeh Ramon, or to the Jerusalem hills.

"The target residents are mainly lawyers, engineers, doctors, and CPAs" In other words, the target is at least 75% of American Jews. Although, there're few wealthy engineers. Would they also finance private police force to keep the undesirables our of their little town - in this case their far poorer Jewish bretheren - as they do in the US? To be fair, keeping the "riff-raff" out is a goy WASP thing that was adopted by the US Jews and other as they were acquiring class consciusness along with their money. Disgusting and totally contradictory to the very spirit of Israel's founding.

This is hilarious. Lady Justice, in a passionate display of utter ignorance, seems to think that Negev is "occupied territory" too. I'd like to send her a gift: an Israeli bulldozer pin.

I'm 100% with you, Mr. Upwardly Mobile,. I too love Israel and would like to make aliyah but let's get serious, who'd want to live in a country that doesn't believe in the constitutional right of every Jew to have unfettered access to fresh bagles, cream cheese and lox.

Don't loads of Bedouin tribes already live in and own the land here...

The vision for Carmit, under the development plans of the Chicago Israel Philanthropic Fund (CIPF), is for the development of a pluralistic community of Israelis and Anglos of mixed religious ideology and economics. For more information on the development plans for the community, visit www.cipf.org.