Shiloh is Growing- See The New Streets

This week one of my walking buddies and I  decided to explore the new streets in Shiloh. We've both been living in Shiloh since almost the very beginning. In those days and even the entire first decade or more, it wasn't hard for us to know absolutely everyone who lived here including their children and "back stories." But now, over forty years since the return of Jewish Life to Shiloh, we've long passed the tipping point. Shiloh is a town of neighborhoods. I'm thankful to Gd that I, at 70+, can still walk from the "bottom" to the top where I live, but I have neighbors, even younger, who can't.

Most of the new housing is being built by Amana, but it's still possible to buy land and build your own home in addition to the option of purchasing an older home.

Like every place else in the world, each street/neighborhood has its own personality and quirks. When  my friend and I moved to Shiloh with our young families, we didn't even have phones in the beginning. At that time, such a situation wasn't a rarity in Israel. But today with all the smartphones and computers there's great communication and much easier contact between people. Most neighborhoods have their own whatsapp groups to share information, instead of knocking on doors or meeting outside or at the grocery store or in the bus or the schools. And concerning education in Shiloh, today a child can start as a baby in the local daycare center and continue in Shiloh until high school graduation.

Today there are two large supermarkets in Shiloh and two clinics. Also most people have cars. My husband and I are in the tiny minority of those totally dependent on public transportation and the goodness of others. This new neighborhood has been built with driveways for each house.

Since most people travel by car, whether their own or tremps/rides in others, getting to Petach Tikva takes no longer than to Jerusalem, and to the Jordan Valley can be a much shorter ride. Actually, Shiloh is in the true Center of Israel.

I've lost track of how many people live here in Shiloh. Many of the families are what's called "dor hemshech," continuing generation, having grown up in Shiloh and wanting to raise their children as part of a larger family. Others grew up in different yishuvim and want the community life you can't get any place else. We have new and more veteran immigrants from all over and of course those who grew up in different parts of Israel.

Of course, I shouldn't leave out the fact that Shiloh is the biblical Shiloh where the Mishkan, Tabernacle was located for close to four hundred 400 years. There's a lovely archeological park called Shiloh Hakeduma.

For anglos who may be curious, there are certainly enough English speakers to make one feel comfortable, but here in Shiloh you'll learn Hebrew. It's not an anglo "bubble/ghetto." You can always contact me if you have any questions.

Here are some pictures. Enjoy.