By Izzy Leizerowitz, CEO and Senior Broker, Keter Advisors Ltd.
Among British Jews—particularly in London—the question comes up with remarkable consistency: Is now the right time to buy property in Israel?
It’s a fair question. The pound fluctuates. Israeli prices feel high. Interest rates rise and fall. And the headlines, both here and abroad, rarely offer a sense of calm.
Yet despite all of this, one truth has quietly endured for generations: there has never been a perfect time to buy property in Israel—but there has always been a meaningful one.
For Jews in the UK today, that meaning feels sharper and more relevant than it has in years.
Israel Is Not Just Another Investment for British Jews
Property ownership in Israel has always occupied a different space in the mindset of UK Jews. It is not simply about returns or timing. It is about identity, continuity, and choice.
For families in London, Manchester, and elsewhere, Israel often represents:
- A long-term family anchor
- A place of belonging
- An option for the future, even if not immediately exercised
That reality has not changed. What has changed is the environment in which British Jews are making these decisions.
Antisemitism in the UK Has Become a Daily Consideration
In recent years, antisemitism in the UK has shifted from something discussed abstractly to something experienced more visibly—on campuses, in public discourse, and across social media. Many British Jews who never imagined questioning their place in the UK now find themselves doing just that, even if quietly.
This does not mean everyone is packing their bags. For most, it means something more measured: the desire for reassurance.
Reassurance that there is a place to go.
Reassurance that one’s children have options.
Reassurance that a connection to Israel is not theoretical, but tangible.
Property ownership provides that reassurance in a way few other decisions can.
“Prices Are High” Has Always Been the Warning—and Always the Regret
Speak to any UK family who bought property in Israel 10, 20, or 30 years ago, and you’ll hear a familiar story. At the time, they were told prices were unsustainable. That the market had peaked. That waiting made more sense.
And yet, in hindsight, the greatest regret voiced by British Jews is rarely buying too early. It is not buying at all.
Israel’s property market is driven less by speculation and more by structural realities:
- Limited land supply
- Consistent population growth
- Ongoing demand from both Israelis and the diaspora
Waiting for prices to “come down” has historically meant waiting oneself out of opportunity.
Sterling Fluctuations Are Real—but So Is the Cost of Waiting
Currency concerns are understandably front of mind for UK buyers. When sterling weakens, hesitation follows. But currency risk cuts both ways.
Many British Jews who delayed purchases in the past due to exchange rates now face:
- Higher shekel prices
- Fewer available properties
- Greater competition
Those who bought earlier—despite imperfect currency conditions—secured something invaluable: certainty. Ownership fixes your exposure. Waiting does not.
Flexibility Is What Today’s Buyers Are Really Purchasing
Perhaps the most important shift for UK buyers is not pricing, but flexibility.
Today’s British Jewish buyer is often not making an immediate move. Instead, they are:
- Planning 5–10 years ahead
- Buying for children or future family use
- Securing vacation homes that may later become primary residences
- Creating optionality rather than urgency
Many new developments in Israel now reflect this reality, offering staged payments, extended timelines, and homes designed for long-term flexibility rather than immediate relocation.
Timing the Market vs. Securing Choice
Trying to “time” the Israeli property market assumes that the future will be calmer, clearer, and more predictable than the present. For British Jews watching global and domestic trends, that assumption feels increasingly fragile.
What is predictable is this:
- Israel will remain central to Jewish life
- Demand for property will persist
- Those who own will have options that others do not
Buying property is less about forecasting markets and more about removing uncertainty from one’s personal future.
The Better Question for UK Jews
Perhaps the question is not “Is now the best time?”
A more honest question might be:
If not now, then when—and under what circumstances?
For many in the UK Jewish community, buying property in Israel is not an act of fear or haste. It is an act of confidence. Confidence in identity. Confidence in continuity. Confidence that having a tangible stake in Israel is not a luxury, but a form of preparedness.
Markets will continue to fluctuate. Currencies will rise and fall. Political climates will shift. But the underlying reasons British Jews buy property in Israel have remained strikingly consistent.
Which is why, generation after generation, the conclusion so often reaches the same place:
Now is never perfect. Now is simply the moment you choose certainty.
