Tel Aviv is Israel's largest metropolitan center, the economic engine of the country, and the city that most closely resembles major global cities in lifestyle, culture, and attitude. For Anglos, it presents a paradox: it's the most familiar-feeling place in Israel for those coming from New York, London, or other major Western cities, yet it lacks the organized Anglo community infrastructure found in places like Ra'anana or Modi'in.

Sderot is a small city of about 35,000 people in the northwestern Negev, less than a kilometer from the Gaza border. It's a community that has lived under rocket fire for over two decades, a reality that defines almost everything about life there. For Anglos considering it, Sderot represents an extreme choice that requires honest reckoning with what daily life actually involves.

Petah Tikva is one of the oldest Jewish settlements in Israel, founded in 1878, which gives it the nickname "Em HaMoshavot," mother of the colonies. Today it's a large city of over 250,000 people, sprawling and diverse, with neighborhoods ranging from ultra-Orthodox to secular, old and worn to new and gleaming. For Anglos considering it, Petah Tikva presents a complicated picture that depends heavily on which part of the city you're looking at.

Or Yehuda is a small city of about 40,000 people wedged into the eastern part of the Gush Dan metropolitan area, bordered by Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Yehud, and the Ayalon highway corridor. It's one of those places that many Israelis drive past regularly without ever thinking about as a place to live, yet it sits in an extraordinarily central location and has been undergoing quiet transformation.

Ofakim is a small development town in the northern Negev, about 20 kilometers west of Beer Sheva, with a population of around 35,000. It's one of the most peripheral and economically challenged communities in Israel, and it has essentially no Anglo presence to speak of. Understanding why someone might consider it requires understanding both the town's struggles and the recent factors that have brought it unexpected attention.

Netanya sits on the coast about 30 kilometers north of Tel Aviv, a mid-sized city known for its beaches, its large immigrant population, and a reputation that varies dramatically depending on who you ask. For Anglos considering it as a place to live, it offers a different proposition than the major Anglo centers, with both advantages and significant considerations.

Netivot is a small city of about 40,000 people in the northwestern Negev, roughly 20 kilometers south of Ashkelon and about 10 kilometers from the Gaza border. It occupies a unique place in Israeli society as a center of Sephardic religious tradition and pilgrimage, built around the legacy of the Baba Sali, one of the most revered Moroccan Jewish rabbis of the twentieth century. For Anglos, it's an unlikely destination that essentially no one considers unless they have very specific religious or ideological motivations.

Kiryat Gat is a development town in the southern coastal plain, about halfway between Ashkelon and Beer Sheva, roughly 60 kilometers south of Tel Aviv. It's a city that has undergone significant transformation over the past two decades, driven largely by the presence of major tech employers, yet it remains off the radar for most Anglos considering where to live in Israel.

Kiryat Bialik is a small city in the Haifa Bay area, part of the Krayot cluster of towns that sit north of Haifa along the coastal plain. It's a quiet, residential community that rarely appears on Anglo radar, which makes it an interesting case study in the options available outside the well-known Anglo centers.

Givatayim sits just east of Tel Aviv, essentially functioning as an extension of the city while maintaining its own distinct character. It's one of the smallest municipalities in Israel by area but densely populated, with a reputation for being clean, safe, and well-managed. The city has historically attracted secular, middle-class Israeli families, and in recent years it's become increasingly popular with young couples and families who've been priced out of Tel Aviv but want to stay close.

Givat Shmuel is a small city wedged between Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, and Petah Tikva, just east of Tel Aviv. It has transformed dramatically over the past 15 years from a quiet, somewhat sleepy residential area into one of the most sought-after locations for young families in the Gush Dan region, with prices to match.

Beer Sheva has developed a notable Anglo community over the past couple of decades, largely driven by affordability, the presence of Ben-Gurion University, and intentional efforts by organizations to attract English-speaking immigrants to the Negev.

Ashdod is Israel's fifth-largest city, a port city on the southern coast that has transformed significantly over the past two decades from a somewhat gritty industrial town into a more developed urban center with growing appeal for young families, immigrants, and people seeking affordable coastal living.

Jerusalem has several well-established Anglo communities, each with its own character and price point.

Welcome to this exploration of what it's really like to live in Ashkelon as an English-speaking immigrant. Whether you're seriously considering aliyah or just curious about this Mediterranean coastal city, I want to give you an honest picture of daily life in one of Israel's most affordable beachfront destinations.