ByJERUSALEM POST STAFFSEPTEMBER 10, 2026 10:06Thousands of Jews from Diaspora communities are expected to visit Israel over the High Holiday period, prompting Israeli real estate developers and aliyah organizations to target visitors who may be considering purchasing property or moving to the country.The Israel Home Expo, organized by the Israeli Building Center, is scheduled to take place on September 30 during Chol Hamoed Sukkot at Jerusalem's International Convention Center.Organizers said the event was designed specifically for Jews visiting Israel for the holiday who are considering aliyah, buying a second home, or establishing a more permanent foothold in the country.The expo will bring together residential and investment projects from across Israel, alongside professionals in mortgages, taxation, legal services, and other areas involved in purchasing property in the country.Aliyah and integration services are also expected to be represented, including organizations such as Nefesh B'Nefesh, according to organizers.Sukkot visitors become potential homebuyersThe Israeli Building Center said it expects strong Jewish tourism during the coming holiday season, particularly from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and France.It described the expected influx as the most significant High Holiday arrival of Diaspora Jews in six years, following a period disrupted first by the COVID-19 pandemic and later by wars and security crises that sharply reduced foreign travel to Israel.The expected arrivals come amid a surge in aliyah from North America. More than 1,100 North Americans made aliyah through Nefesh B'Nefesh in August, a monthly record for the organization, which has said it expects some 4,000 North American olim to arrive in Israel during 2026.Organizers said many of the Sukkot visitors are increasingly interested in examining the possibility of living in Israel, alongside those coming primarily to spend the holidays in the country.Rising antisemitism abroad and increased interest in aliyah have also led some Diaspora Jews to explore purchasing homes in Israel, according to the Israeli Building Center.The expo is expected to feature projects in communities across the country, from Nahariya and Karmiel in the North to Ra'anana, Jerusalem, and other areas with significant English- and French-speaking immigrant populations.Bringing Israeli real estate to Diaspora buyersThe event reverses the model typically used by Israeli developers seeking overseas Jewish buyers.Israeli real estate companies frequently hold exhibitions and sales events in cities with large Jewish populations, particularly New York, Miami, London, and Paris. This time, the Israeli Building Center is seeking to reach potential buyers while they are already visiting Israel.The organization said the Sukkot expo would be the first event of its kind held in Israel during the holiday specifically aimed at connecting Diaspora visitors with real estate, professional services, and aliyah resources."The arrival of thousands of Jews in Israel during the High Holidays is an exceptional national opportunity," Israeli Building Center chairman Eran Rolls said."The close relationships we have cultivated in recent years with community leaders, rabbis, and organizational leaders in the United States and around the world make one thing clear: The desire to build a home in Israel is not merely a dream, but a real and growing need."Rolls said the aim was to connect visitors directly with Israeli communities and developers while they were in the country."While the airlift brings thousands to hotels across Israel, the expo at the International Convention Center is designed to connect them directly with communities, towns, and Israeli development companies," he said."We are offering them the opportunity to build the next chapter of their lives here."Follow us on Google