In the first competition of its kind, the Am Yisrael Chai Foundation is raffling off a $1 million apartment in the heart of Jerusalem.
Yes, you read that correctly.
According to Rabbi Shmuel Sackett, Founder and CEO of the Am Yisrael Chai Foundation, on December 10th, the last night of Hanukkah, someone will become the owner of a luxury apartment with a view of the Temple Mount, Mount of Olives and grave of Samuel the Prophet – just three blocks from the new American Embassy.
“Imagine the sun rising as you are having coffee on the balcony with this view,” Sackett posed to Breaking Israel News. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own land in Israel.”
The grand prize is not the only unique part of the raffle contest. According to Sackett, 80% of the raffle’s profits will be going to Am Yisrael Chai Foundation’s unique pro-Israel projects.
Recently, the foundation has purchased more than 200,000 sapling fruit trees and paid for censing, bull dozing and drip irrigation, thereby enriching the land with vines and olive trees. Doing so has provided a livelihood for farmers whose farms have been plagued by recent kite terrorism and keeps the land in Jewish hands.
To date, the Am Yisrael Chai Foundation has also funded projects such as Build Up Israel, a project that gives people the chance from anywhere in the world to select a building project in Israel and “send” a brick towards its completion.
Build Up Israel also informs the public about positive building projects in Israel, focusing on the building of hospitals, new schools and new life. Funded projects have included the building of: the United Hatzalah call center; a children’s center for special education in Immanuel; an IDF combat soldiers’ cultural center for Ultra-Orthodox soldiers; a mikveh (ritual bath) in the town of Eish Kodesh near Shiloh; a medical and rehabilitation center in Sderot; a community and youth activities center in Revava near Ariel; a synagogue in Beit Shemesh; a welcome center in Hebron and a nursery and day care center in Otniel. “For a young country like Israel, bui
lding means growth,” said Sackett, who claimed that in the next few years, Israel will build new highways, double the number of train stations, add a new wing to Ben Gurion Airport, build dozens of new buildings for the hi-tech industry, plant millions of new fruit trees and build over 100 new schools.
“That is the kind of building people like to hear about but is never reported in the news,” he said.
The Am Yisrael Chai Foundation also funded the training of the Israel Dog Unit, whose volunteers train patrol dogs in counter-terrorism exercises, working hand-in-hand with search and rescue teams as well as security teams in Judea and Samaria.
“The dogs have saved many lives of people who have gone missing,” said Sackett.
He hopes that the profit from the raffle, which Sackett believes is the first of its kind, will bring even further funds to such important causes.
Tickets start at $180 each, but the price goes down to $120 if multiple tickets are purchased.
Am Yisrael Chai Teaser from Dovi Schamroth on Vimeo.
The prized apartment is located on the 18th floor of a luxury building in Arnona on the corner of Derech Hevron and Asher Viner, just three blocks away from the new American embassy, with a Shabbat elevator and gym downstairs.
“This is an opportunity to be a part of the Jewish past, present and future,” posed Sackett. “Owning a piece of real estate in Jerusalem, whether it is a studio apartment or a 10-bedroom house, is owning a piece of history,” he said.
“The apartment will be yours forever to give to pass down to future generations – and not just an apartment, it’s a dream and privilege to take part in Jewish history and all that Jerusalem means to the Jewish nation.”
While Sackett says there are no strings attached, he hopes that the winner of the raffle will agree to have him over for “coffee and a view” after he taking him or her to see the programs that are being funded with the raffle profits.
“I am truly looking forward to handing over the keys,” he said.
