Canadian housing is unaffordable. Jewish housing is even worse

(Photo by Blake Wheeler/Unsplash)

Housing affordability is not a uniquely Jewish issue, but Jews face a unique challenge. Practising Jews, in particular, have certain geographic requirements—being close to synagogues, kosher markets and other community members—that make housing especially unaffordable. As home prices across Canada soar, ground zero remains its major urban centres—and therein, Jewish communities tend to be pricier than the city average.

What are the implications for young Jews priced out of the market? What changes need to happen to ensure Canadians can afford their homes in decades to come? What does a breaking point look like—or have we reached it already? To help answer these questions, we’re joined by Zev Mandelbaum, CEO of Altree Developments in Toronto.

Show Notes

  • Register for the fifth annual celebration of Leonard Cohen’s songbook at Eventbrite
  • Read the first instalment of The CJN’s new weekly column by Ilana Zackon: The Jewish Nomad

Credits

Bonjour Chai is hosted by Avi Finegold and Ilana Zackon. Michael Fraiman is the producer. Andrew Goulet is the technical producer. Our theme music is by Socalled. The show is a co-production from The Jewish Learning Lab and The CJN, and is distributed by The CJN Podcast Network. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.