From Diamonds to Roof Tiles – Why Central Europe Could Become the New Home Base for Prosperous Jewish Communities

1. A Turning Point for Europe’s Jews

In Western Europe, worries are piling up: sluggish growth, chronic budget deficits and a moral debate that polarises rather than unites. On top of that comes a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in major Jewish centres such as Paris, Berlin, London and Antwerp. The ADL Monitor reported a “dramatic” increase in violence and intimidation in all seven of the largest Diaspora countries in May 2025, while Belgium had already recorded a peak in vandalism and threats in early 2024. The result? Thousands of Jews are reconsidering their future on the continent.

2. Economic Oxygen in the East

Meanwhile, Central and Eastern Europe are shining economically. Inflation is under control, debt-to-GDP ratios are well below the EU average, and the construction sector is enjoying a renaissance thanks to foreign investors. The clearest proof? Real-estate yields. In April, insurer William Russell published a 2025 European ranking:

† Italy owes its spot mainly to tourist short-stays.

The horizontal bar chart at the top shows these differences at a glance. Note how the three “CEE countries” (Moldova, Serbia, North Macedonia) clearly outpace the classic markets.

3. A New “Antwerp Moment”?

Antwerp’s Jewish community—once the beating heart of the global diamond trade—survived a century on entrepreneurship and property. Now that diamond deals are largely digital and conducted in Dubai, ever more families rely on welfare and charitable funds. Yet the success formula is well known: economic vitality + relative safety = a flourishing community life.

Central Europe offers exactly that today:

• Lower antisemitism scores – Despite historical sensitivities, the number of incidents in Moldova, Serbia and Lithuania remains below the West-European average. Moldova’s first national survey (2023) showed mixed feelings but no structural violence.
• Affordable real estate – Apartments in Chișinău start around €1 000 per m², a fraction of prices in Antwerp or Amsterdam.
• Emerging Jewish infrastructure – Synagogues, kosher restaurants and Chabad houses are reopening in Chișinău and Belgrade thanks to Israeli and American support.

4. Moldova: Back to a Forgotten Home

At the start of the 20th century, Jews made up more than 11 % of the population in Bessarabian cities such as Chișinău, Bălți and Tiraspol. Pogroms and the Shoah tragically ended that. Today the country has only about 15 000 Jews, but the government actively supports restoring cultural sites and grants tax breaks for religious non-profit projects. Add Europe’s highest gross rental yields (8.38 %) and EU candidate status, and a strategic rebuilding of Jewish life suddenly looks realistic.

5. Investment as a Catalyst for Community

Whether it’s a new yeshiva, kosher food-tech start-ups or a senior residence—every initiative stands or falls with land and bricks. History shows that Jewish communities become active developers, not passive tenants. Property is their favourite asset class, from Brooklyn to Beit Shemesh and from Antwerp 2018 to… Chișinău?
The graph above proves the yield potential is the highest in years. Moreover, Eurostat predicts an additional 10 % price rise in Lithuania and comparable double-digit growth in Moldova for 2025-2026. In other words: whoever buys now lays the economic foundation for tomorrow’s schools, mikva’ot, social housing and high-tech hubs.

6. Don’t Ignore the Risks

Every relocation, of course, has pitfalls:

• Political uncertainty in non-EU countries (Moldova, Serbia)
• Inefficient legal systems and occasionally corrupt notaries
• Integration issues—language, schooling and job prospects for the young

Yet many families find these risks lighter than daily antisemitic violence or the hopeless housing market in Western Europe.

7. Conclusion: Time for Vision and Action

A century ago Jews moved en masse from East to West in search of freedom and prosperity. In 2025, the wind may be blowing the other way. Central Europe combines low property costs, high yields and—so far—fewer antisemitic tensions. The question is no longer if an Antwerp-like revival can come, but who will lay the first stone.

“The prudent see danger and take refuge; the simple keep going and pay the penalty.”

Perhaps it’s time to take that wisdom literally—with brick, concrete and a fresh look at the heart of Europe.