We are forging ahead with the construction of our new campus on the ancient Patriarchs' Road adjacent to Neve Daniel, replacing our 50 year old mobile home campus in Kfar Etzion. Practical Considerations:
1) It’s not like we have much of a choice – the kibbutz wants to expand into our area and once we have the land to build on, they are now losing their patience with us. Sooner than later, we
will have to move no matter what.
2) We are throwing away 600,000 shekel a year on rent. Imagine what a 20 year mortgage of 600,000 shekel annually could have built for us!
3) We are spending another 340,000 shekel a year on electricity - heating and cooling uninsulated, leaking caravans. It will be considerably more efficient in the new campus.
4) How much longer can we last in these old shacks? A few years ago, we suffered 540,000 shekel of worth of damage to our buildings due to a snow storm – 17 roofs collapsed. We had insurance, but think about the premium price hikes, the deductibles we had to pay, the Bitul Torah, time lost and disturbance to the students! The new campus will allow us to open a third class in each grade.
2) We want to expand our influence on Israeli society by copying our success to other places and the lack of proper facilities is keeping us back.
3) We have no room to host the activities of the Beit Midrash L’Hitchadshut (Spiritual Renewal Outreach Center). The demand is great, but we need a base to work from.
4) Another example is ”Lifnai V’Lifnim” – our alternate teachers training program which has 40 students. We have nowhere permanent to host them and the demand is growing.