A year has passed, a year has come, and the corona is still with us.
Representatives of the construction industry summarize what has been, predict what will be and share hopes for the future
A year of challenges and tasks
Photo:
envato elements
Produced by the Department of Special Supplements
The Land Building
Yair Pines, Director General of the Ministry of Construction and Housing:
The past year has been full of challenges and constant changes, and it is likely that next year for the better will also pose us no less challenges.
In the deployment of the new year, I wish a year of fruitful action, construction, renewal and sound health for all the people of Israel.
All of us, employees of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, will continue to work all the time next year to continue to build the country, with vigor, innovation and creativity.
Contractor support
Raul Srugo, President of the Association of Builders of the Land:
The past year and the one before us are some of the most difficult our country has ever known, and probably the most difficult that the Israeli economy has experienced since the establishment of the state.
Everyone knows what happened here, so I will use the stage here to write about the future.
The State of Israel, like the rest of the world, will see the end of the corona epidemic in the coming year.
Even if the exit from the health crisis is delayed a little, it will come.
But we are going to experience the economic epidemic long after that.
To accelerate as much as possible the exit from this huge economic crisis, the government must act in stark contrast to the instinct of stopping spending and preventing growth.
The investment in three areas is the key to dramatic relief for the economy immediately and subsequently for accelerating its recovery: infrastructure and construction, vocational training and the small business sector.
The investments must be made with no common sense and quickly.
The time has come for the government to stop securing aid out of its mouth and to put its hand in its pocket - deep.
In the field of infrastructure, the scourge of Chinese-owned companies taking over Israel must be eliminated.
Encourage construction and purchase of apartments, light a coma now and immediately the RMI and release land for construction cheaply and quickly, with an emphasis on areas of demand. At the same time, immediately cut most of the taxation on first apartments and investment apartments.
The government must now inject large sums of money into vocational training in our industry, alongside making the important decision of the Ministers of Housing and Finance to double the quota of foreign workers in the industry.
On top of all this, the government must produce a huge fund to support contractors and developers, to enable them to meet needs and participate in supporting the general public affected by long months of dramatic decline in industry output.
These are the duties of the Israeli government towards us - contractors, developers and citizens in Israel.
Happy New Year to the whole house of Israel.
Growth and creation
Dafna Harlev, owner and CEO of the Aviv Group:
Happy New Year, a year of construction and creation, health, safety and saving the lives of employees.
A year in which the government and planning bodies will support the real estate and construction industry, the industry that is the locomotive of the economy, while streamlining and shortening planning and construction procedures.
A year in which vigorous projects of renewal in the central cities and promotion of construction in the developing periphery will be vigorously promoted.
A year in which the authorities will promote construction, infrastructure, transport and education projects.
A year in which significant positive priority will be given and encourages growth for Israeli construction contractors.
A year in which talented and creative young men and women will integrate into the real estate and construction industry, where they will find their future. A year in which saving the lives of workers will be a candle to our feet. Employers and workers will adopt safety rules to keep and preserve. A good livelihood for the whole house of Israel.
A year of returning to routine // Photo: envato elements
Brotherhood in the people
Shlomo Grofman, Chairman of the Pierre Foundation:
I wish to wish the whole house of Israel good health and a safe return to routine as soon as possible.
In the coming year he was forced to continue learning how to lead as normal a life as possible, in the shadow of the corona virus, along with the necessary adjustments.
I hope and anticipate that an effective vaccine for Corona will indeed be found in the second or third quarter of 2021 and a recovery will begin in the Israeli economy.
With decades of experience working in real estate, I believe the industry will be one of the least affected by the current crisis. In the short term we are feeling the impact, however in the medium and long term the industry will flourish and return to prosperity.
At this time, I recommend that the government use the best brilliant minds we have in Israel to formulate an exit plan tailored to each industry in the economy.
The outline should operate on the basis of scientific data only, without destructive political considerations, and minimize the feeling of uncertainty.
We are missing this year the love of man and brotherhood within the people.
Even the leaders did not always show the proper concern.
We have formed a Corona government, in which, unfortunately, disagreements and quarrels constantly break out.
We must go through a significant renunciation.
A year of mutual guarantee // Photo: Eyal Margolin
Time to be sure
Eli Eleazar, Chairman of the Eleazar Group:
In the deployment of the new year, I wish the people of Israel good health, a good economy and a good life for all the citizens of the country.
As for the business sector in general, one of the most serious ailments in the Corona era is screaming to the skies, and that is uncertainty.
This is the number one cause of damage today to Israeli society, health and economic.
I wish each and every one of the residents of the State of Israel, businessmen, entrepreneurs, employees and everyone - a year of certainty, which allows us all to prepare for tomorrow, planning future actions to move the economy and the business sector.
Certainty will allow the economy to move, will bring about the mental and physical health of the citizens of Israel.
Mutual responsibility
Ami Peretz, CEO of High School Builders:
With the deployment of the next new year upon us for good, I would like to wish each and every one of us: that we know what mutual guarantee is because in this crisis we see every day that this is the most important value.
Let us learn to reinvent ourselves, because creativity is the name of the game.
The world is changing before our eyes every day, and those who do not recalculate a route often lose their way.
Let us think about how alongside the business and economic conduct of each of us we remain human, helping the other, not afraid of the exception and opening our eyes to identify the weak and shoot for them.
May it be a year of new beginnings, of growth, of free love and of peace.
And most importantly, of course, health!
Happy New Year.
Love of work
Roni Mizrahi, President of the Chamber of Contractors and owners of the Mizrahi Group:
Over the past year I have been increasingly reminded of the saying of the mythical Chinese sage Confucius who said that "a job you love and enjoy is not a job at all."
Well, until this year Confucius' adage was very valid for me, but in the last year things have clearly changed.
Precisely in the age of the corona and the recession in the deepening economy, the bureaucracy and approval procedures have become one big Dolorosa companion.
The Israeli economy in general and the real estate industry in particular are in need of growth engines these days and a significant increase in construction starts. Instead, the industry is stagnant, decision-makers are zigzagging and many contractors, especially small and medium-sized contractors, have run into difficulties.
Decision-makers must produce renewed growth engines, increase building rights for contractors, especially in the demand area in the center of the country, find a suitable alternative to the price per occupant, encourage urban renewal, bring investors home and bring back the glory days of the Hebrew worker.
Young people from the military should be encouraged, and in general, to integrate into the construction industry, subsidize academic studies for them and significantly improve the branding and image of the industry.
Wishing us all good news and that we will begin, as Confucius writes, to love our occupation anew.
Moving to the periphery
Eli Avisror, Acting President of the Bonni Haaretz Association, Chairman of the Negev Contractors Association and CEO of Avisror Moshe & Sons:
May it be a good year, a year of construction, renewal and development, a year of planning and creation, full of new beginnings.
Next year for our good, I call on the government to continue developing the periphery, so that it becomes a real alternative to the center of the country for young people, high-tech companies and industry.
Investment is required in developing and promoting employment areas, encouraging and stimulating large firms to move their headquarters to the south or north.
Medical services in the periphery must be significantly improved, an airport opened in the south and more.
The government should also encourage contractors to build in the periphery and make moves that will increase the economic viability of construction in these areas, as part of the overall treatment of the housing crisis in Israel.
I wish all the people of Israel a happy holiday, that we will emerge strengthened from all the challenges that lie ahead.
A year of opportunities // Courtesy of Yad Yaari
common goal
Ofra Hadad, one of the owners of Euro Israel
:
Next year for the better is a challenging year.
We wish the construction industry and all the people of Israel that those who are in power and in key positions in the authorities, especially the officials, will forget about politics and power struggles.
Let women face one common goal for all sectors: religious, secular or ultra-Orthodox, Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Ethiopian or Arab.
Because we have one country, and we need to build and develop and provide apartments, infrastructure and roads for everyone.
Power will be directed only to this purpose - to alleviate bureaucratic difficulties, to facilitate the contractors and the state to promote Forms 4 and building permits.
Despite the disagreements, we say thank you to everyone who is in the public eye and wish the good things that were last year will be our troubles next year.
Lots of doing and success.
Huge opportunity
Roni Palmer, CEO of the Or movement:
These days we are facing challenges in all possible areas of life, undermining everything we thought or believed in it.
The plans, investments and also the results are curving before our eyes.
The individual, the authority, the organizations and the state are looking for the direction and the overall solution - how to make the state of survival a routine of life and strive for an opportunity for quality of life.
There is no doubt that there is an opportunity here for a different socio-economic-values contract, which produces other products.
I believe the coming year will be characterized by 3 main trends: declining demand for housing in city centers, creating continued white housing solutions in units based on existing properties and high demand for ground-level units and apartments in buildings with public and community infrastructure.
The trend of staying, crossing and returning to the Negev and the Galilee will only intensify, on the way to becoming Israel's new centers.
The trend that began in the last decade and accelerated during the corona crisis will continue in the coming year.
The desire to fulfill a dream, live close to nature and raise yourself and the children most health and space, without the center mouse race and with much less money, will meet the quality and multiplicity of employment, education and culture options available anywhere in the Galilee and Negev.
I estimate that paradigms will continue to be broken and new housing routes will be built.
Those who are able to build urban models, which combine options for rent, employment and mixed uses - will benefit the audience and demand.
The failure can only be in the fear of people taking a step, and of the state not being educated to invest in the right time and place.
Next year is a huge opportunity, personal and national, for the Negev and the Galilee. "
Careful planning
Yehuda Ketab, Chairman of the Tel Aviv and Central District Contractors Association, Vice President of the Builders of the Country Contractors Association:
Unlike previous years, in which we had more or less a forecast for next year on us for the better towards what we are going, unfortunately next year will mainly be characterized by various disruptions and a lot of uncertainty about the future to come.
Uncertainty is felt in our lives - following the corona epidemic that produces uncertainty at the health level, the economy dealing with a lame economy following the epidemic, a dysfunctional government that has not yet passed a budget, new regulation in the field of urban renewal, lack of working hands and the like.
All of these show us that today it is difficult to plan ahead in all areas.
If we thought so far that the construction industry knows how to conduct itself in situations of uncertainty, we have understood and learned in the last six months that we have not yet seen everything and that it is important to plan the steps in a measured and careful manner.
I wish all the people of Israel first and foremost health and good health.
That each of the people in the industry, and all of us together, will know how to get the best out of the situation, we will be flexible and creative, we will think outside the box, we will continue to look ahead with optimism, vision and ambition, plan, build and pave the future and the country.
happy holiday and happy new year.
We became creative
Mario Koppel, CEO of Oron Real Estate of the Oron Holdings and Investments Group:
The outgoing year has been saturated with challenges, chief among them dealing with the challenges of the corona and the change of governments.
All of these have made us more creative, people who know how to think outside the box and find solutions out of thin air, in order to continue to push the real estate market forward.
I am glad that we were able to meet the challenges, even when the reality changed significantly.
I wish all of us, that the new year will bring with it stability, renewal, greater certainty in general, and in everything related to the worlds of planning and construction in particular.
Only then will the industry be able to continue to grow.
A safe year // Courtesy of Yad Yaari
Safe beach
Hanan Moore, Chairman of the
More
Group
:
The State of Israel is entering a new, challenging and very complex year with a number of trends.
The first trend is a continued increase in demand and the need for housing solutions in the State of Israel, along with a significant decrease in the rate of housing production.
To these is added a change of policy in all the institutions that handle real estate in the State of Israel, as a result of the recent elections.
Another major trend that will not go away soon is the corona plague and a complex health situation with no solution at the moment, which accompanies our lives in all aspects, including the economic situation.
We see that companies that adapt to the situation continue to grow.
Other whole areas affected by the corona, such as tourism, aviation and hotels, are in a problematic and sensitive situation.
To this must be added security complexity with the possibility of flare-ups in the northern sectors, Gaza and Iran, with the prospect of a confrontation in the near future and political instability with problematic governance.
Recent trend - the super trend of the global economy of lack of growth, regression and the impact of the corona in the world.
Within this world, Mivtachim Beach is the real estate market in Israel. Foreign residents will recognize it and investors will recognize it and free money will flow into it.
Unfortunately, the buyers of the first apartments will recognize this last and therefore it is the duty of the state to build new plans and keep the buyers of the first apartment, in order to continue to allow housing solutions in areas of demand.
Window of Opportunity
Danny Moore, CEO of Best Initiative:
The beginning of a new year entails plenty of opportunities for renewal, creation and growth, with aspirations and hopes for improving the professional coping with the challenges that lie ahead.
A new page opens in the window of opportunity.
The business sector faces ongoing challenges, the main ones being: lack of available land supply and streamlining urban renewal procedures;
Increasing planning certainty in the interface between planning and building committees and private developers;
Expanding planning flexibility.
From the aspiration of the real estate business sector in its pursuit of excellence, meeting goals and bringing growth to the country's economy and economy, solutions to the above challenges are proposed: Focusing effort on permitting planning barriers to marketing available land by the state and urban renewal Strengthen the professional and quality discourse between the private sector and the public sector, strengthen the professional power of professionals in the composition of planning and building committees alongside elected officials, and provide incentives to encourage excellence in the public sector.
Wishing us all at the beginning of this new and complex year first and foremost good health, a year of peace and tranquility, security and economic well-being, a year of fulfillment and prosperity.
Let's come out strengthened
Zuri Dabush, Chairman of Klil:
I wish the country to reach stability soon, that the truth will come out and the Pike News will come out.
That unemployment will fall to 3% and social disparities will be reduced.
Fewer and fewer families will need food packages during the holiday and in general.
That we will be privileged to celebrate multi-participant events without face masks.
That in the time left we will know to take advantage of the challenges of the corona and will eventually emerge strengthened.
May the first and second Israel merge into one, respectful and egalitarian Israel, and may peace rest upon us and our regions soon.
Back to normal
Bernard Raskin, CEO of the Remax real estate network:
In the deployment of the new year, I wish the Israeli economy what will have already happened to the real estate market, which has returned to a normal state. I sincerely hope that the same normalcy and growth that characterizes the real estate market will characterize the entire economy this year.
I expect that in about six months' time, we will witness the return of the economy to this normalcy.
Releasing psychological and business barriers will give their signals and contribute to a return to a state of prosperity and growth.
As for the additional closure, the government will be educated to do so if it declares the real estate brokerage industry as an essential industry (something done in Canada and in large parts of the US).
The real estate industry is a locomotive that leads the activity of the entire economy, and therefore, the continuation of real estate activity is important during these periods for the Israeli economy. "
Convenient investment
Eyal Handler Chairman and owner of the Canaan Group:
The corona epidemic and its spread in Israel and around the world permeated all areas of our lives, our routine and our daily conduct, which had to change.
The change also permeated the construction and real estate industry in general and the field of urban renewal in particular.
Nowadays, when we come to promote a project in front of apartment owners in different complexes, more thought is given to the comfort and home space shared by the building’s occupants.
This conflicts in a sense with the policy of the planning director and the various planning committees in recent times, which advocate reducing the compensation areas in new apartments received by tenants as part of evacuation-construction processes or TMA 38 and focusing on the foundation - strengthening the building's foundations, security and green and communal areas.
As a result, we are working harder to focus on planning the common areas, creating spaces for work in the apartment or building, which will serve people who work from home or may work for an extended period of time in this way in the future.
Spacious and larger balconies Separate housing units, investment in a club or meeting place for tenants and an open park or garden adjacent to it.
Continue to build
Shalom Sheetrit, owners of a drinking company:
The people of Israel are currently at a difficult time, at the beginning of a holiday, a new year and closing, against the background of the corona that has enveloped us for the past six months.
We are in medical uncertainty and many of us are also in financial uncertainty.
But in the midst of all this chaos and uncertainty I found it appropriate to congratulate everyone that we remember that the Zionist enterprise continues to exist and we will continue to build the country, continue to build homes and community and become optimistic that the Jewish mind will soon find a cure for Corona.
The country will continue to be built, in the hope that everyone will return to work and growth will return to prevail in the country, while the construction industry will continue to lead the growth.
Israel has known crises in the past, and has always come out strong with a strong and growing society.
The country will continue to flourish and we will continue to build it.
I have blessed each and every one of the inhabitants of this land: a year will be spent and its curses will begin a year and its blessings.
Enough intervention
Roni Cohen, CEO of Elder Marketing:
May we have a year of health and a year of certainty.
We live in an area where certainty is a very significant factor in its day-to-day conduct.
I wish this year will be a certainty for both developers and apartment buyers.
A year in which the relevant authorities will internalize that supply is really the name of the game, and allow market forces to operate without intervention.
It has been proven that whenever the government intervenes in the market, distortions in the industry are created, such as massive construction in areas without demand.
Apart from those entitled to homelessness, there should be no preference given to certain sectors over the whole market.
The housing market should be allowed to reach an equilibrium point according to natural market forces.
This is on the assumption that enough land will be released for construction.
Looking ahead
Haim Karadi, CEO of Praszkowski:
May we have a year of health, a year of certainty.
A year of construction, renewal and construction of new projects.
That will be a year in which we will finally get to see the real estate industry planned over the years, with the presentation of a solution to the housing crisis, with the relief of bureaucracy and the shortening of significant construction processes.
I believe that a multi-year plan should be built regardless of the composition of the government, which will be able to create planning stability at all levels of the residential real estate market from a national perspective: thawing new land, facilitating urban renewal projects, expanding commercial space, offices and hotels. It can only be done from a national perspective.
Flowering of the branch
Lior Bardugo, Chairman and Owner of Bardugo Group:
In light of the events of the past year, I would like to wish all the people of Israel good health and a good livelihood.
Who will give and really a year will begin upon us and its blessings.
There is no doubt that the last time has brought with it not simple challenges, but history has shown that despite the difficulties we come out strengthened and united.
I sincerely hope that the decision-makers will be determined to implement the plans and goals they have set for themselves and to revive the real estate industry, which was severely damaged by the Corona crisis. Plans must be implemented to strengthen and build the periphery. Encourage entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs and remove as much as possible bureaucratic barriers by sensible legislation that can be implemented in the field.
Refuge in Eilat
Avi Karel, Eilat Entrepreneur:
May there be a year of domestic and foreign tourism, a year of construction, growth and prosperity in Israel and in the city of Eilat in particular, a year of vacations and a quick return to the pre-Corona routine.
We learned from the crisis that Israelis seek refuge from a stressful routine, and there is nothing like refuge in Israel's resort city and eternal tourism.
Eilat has many opportunities for residence and investment, with beaches, mountains and spectacular views, perfect weather for the dream vacation and a variety of attractions and places of entertainment for the 2 million tourists who visit it every year.
Alongside all these, there are huge development plans that are still in various planning stages, such as the Terminal Park, the Ein Sof beach strip, the MRA plan, a strategic plan for urban renewal, the construction of hotels, the development of development centers, an international congress center, a sports complex and more.
Next year, I call on the government to continue to support and promote Eilat.
It replaced abroad for all Israelis looking for a summer vacation and was a perfect solution for them.
When the sky opens, it will continue to be a major attraction for tourists to Israel.
The sanctity of life
Alon Pell, Acting Director General of the Institute for Safety and Hygiene:
On the occasion of the new year, I wish good health to all the people of Israel and express hope and wish that in 2001 we will continue, together with employers and employees, to instill a culture of safety and occupational health in the workplace in Israel.
This year, the Musal will continue to visit the workplaces in the field, in construction, industry and agriculture, to guide and teach employers and employees the safety rules and to be a central address for information, training, information and research.
We have engraved on our banner the value of the sanctity of life and established the National Focus Line of Life, with the intention of harnessing the fight to reduce work accidents for all Israeli citizens.
A culture of occupational safety and health contributes to the stability and productivity of the economy, and the behavioral change inherent in it makes it possible to contain and overcome crises, even that brought about by the corona virus.
Wishing you a happy, safe and healthy New Year to all the people of Israel.
Avoid procrastination
Roni Brick, entrepreneur, chairman of the Association of Sharon and Samaria Contractors and outgoing president of the Bunei Haaretz Association:
That there will be a year of urban renewal, an increase in construction starts and a unification of forces of government ministries to deal with the real estate market.
With the entry of the new government, the toolbox collected by former Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon was dismantled, uniting all the powers to deal with the market under one ministry.
In the new government, this box was divided into three separate headquarters: a housing headquarters in the Ministry of Construction and Housing, a planning headquarters in the Ministry of the Interior and an infrastructure headquarters in the Ministry of Finance.
This is a safe recipe for delays and continued uncertainty for all market participants.
If there was one positive thing in Kahlon's term - it was the unification of all powers under his hand.
As he left, each minister pulled in his direction and the forces were separated - the Planning Administration returned to the Ministry of the Interior, an apartment rental company and Rami moved to the Ministry of Construction and Housing, the housing headquarters headed by Zeev Bielski was completely dismantled.
For next year, I hope that the ministers will be able to understand that in order to avoid delays and procrastination, it is better to have one body in charge of handling the real estate market, which will be an address that can be turned to a comprehensive solution of the problems.
Continue to buy
Nir Shmol, owners of Snir, a real estate marketing house:
The Corona period brought us a new kind of challenge.
No more challenges of government programs changing new mornings, but a cunning virus that harms not only health but also the economy.
We discovered during this period that apartments in Israel are a basic consumer product.
The pace of sales is not only unaffected in some areas, but in many cases also increased.
The long stay in the houses has led the people to pinpoint their need for an apartment that suits their needs, if it has already been closed and insulated then let’s be in a property that we will be comfortable living in.
The Israeli economy is strong.
The people in Israel are exceptional.
In a country where 200,000 babies are born a year, 50,000 people die a year and only 49-48,000 apartments are built a year, the trend is clear.
The Corona, too, unfortunately, will not be able to bring down prices.
After each period of closure there is a period of increase in consumption, just as after a war.
I am very optimistic about real estate in Israel. Pain for three small children, I also expect and hope that apartment prices will fall, so that they too can purchase an apartment in the future.
We wish all the people of Israel a happy new year, a year of health, joy, love and giving.
Artist.
Getting out of the crisis
Moti Kozhinoff, owners of Bereishit Tower in the Bavli neighborhood:
I wish all the people of Israel health, that we emerge from the corona crisis quickly strengthened.
I wish the country a year of growth, a year of construction and international relations.
May we all have a year of doing, of renewal, of building and developing.
A year of good livelihood for all, abundance, reciprocity and cooperation.
In conclusion, the real estate industry will continue to be the locomotive of the economy.
New challenges
Ilan Gur, CEO of Extel
:
There is no doubt that the past year has presented us with new challenges, such as we have not had to face in the past.
The corona plague has affected the economy in general and the real estate industry in particular, forcing us to get out of the box and create new solutions and added value that will ensure our and our partners' success both during and after the crisis.
To this end, this year we signed a cooperation agreement with the German aluminum giant Vicona, which together with the team of experts at Extel will allow the construction companies in the country to enjoy the most advanced aluminum solutions in the world.
I anticipate that the global trend of high-rise construction and mega-projects will continue to grow.
The historic agreement with Dubai and the other principalities that will join it, known for their fondness for skyscrapers, opens up the Israeli real estate industry and experts where Paz has the opportunity to start the new year with great fanfare.
Companies that know how to take advantage of the opportunity will very quickly emerge from the forced crisis towards a year of success and prosperity.
Wishing us all a year of success, innovation and working together.
Produced by the Department of Special Supplements
