page_title: Kiryat Unsdorf
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Kiryat Unsdorf / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Original apartment buildings in the Unsdorf neighborhood of Jerusalem, Israel, with extensions.
context_page_description: Kiryat Unsdorf, also known as Sorotzkin, after its main street, is a Haredi Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem. It is located along the northern edge of the mountain plateau on which central Jerusalem lies. Constructed between 1970 and 1985, Unsdorf is home to several landmark educational centers. A large percentage of residents are American-born.
context_section_description: The land for the neighborhood was purchased by Rabbi Moshe Halevi Horowitz, the son of the Unsdorfer-Frankfurter Rav, Rabbi Yonah Tzvi Halevi Horowitz. He engaged Rabbi Akiva Ehrenfeld, who established the nearby community of Kiryat Mattersdorf, to assist with planning and construction. The initial plan called for construction of 250 apartment units and public institutions. Construction took place from 1970 to 1985. The residential buildings averaged six stories in height. Further expansion of apartments, including the addition of new wings, was undertaken in the 2000s. Like Kiryat Mattersdorf, Unsdorf has a lack of urban open space.
  In the 2000s, Unsdorf saw an influx of newly-wed Haredi couples from the United States and Europe. The Unsdorf Renter's Union was formed at this time, to control excessive rent hikes and halt the practice of inflating rental prices for new tenants. An English-speaking N'shei (women's social group) called N'shei Sorotzkin organizes shiurim (Torah lectures) and social evenings.
  The majority of residents identify with the Litvish style of life and Torah study. A large percentage of residents are American-born. The foreign-born population increases noticeably over the Sukkot holiday when tourists rent flats in the locale, which is an hour's walk from the Western Wall.
caption: Original apartment buildings with extensions
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