Elqana for English-speaking olim
Elqana (אלקנה, also spelled Elkana) is a religious-Zionist (dati-leumi) community in Samaria (the Shomron), founded in 1977, and it actively looks for new immigrants. The local council publishes an English page for olim, and Nefesh B'Nefesh's community guide carries a profile in the same words. Both are written by the community itself and carry no date, so read what follows as Elqana's own description, checked on 30 October 2026.
Getting around
By the council's own estimates, Highway 5 gets you to Tel Aviv in about 30 minutes and Jerusalem is about 45 minutes away. Rosh HaAyin and Petah Tikva, with the bigger supermarkets and shops, are 15 to 20 minutes away, and Route 6 and Rosh HaAyin train station about 10 minutes. Regular buses run to Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva and Jerusalem. Test the drive at the hour you would actually commute before you rely on those times.
English speakers and help for olim
The council says most residents speak English. The English-speaking community runs a long-standing weekly Tanach (Bible) class in English and several tiyulim (day trips) a year, and its members take part in the life of the whole community rather than keeping to themselves. Elqana's "Elkana Ba'aliya" initiative accompanies new immigrants through the aliyah process and helps them settle in, and the Nefesh B'Nefesh profile describes all of its neighbourhoods as olim-friendly and lists an Anglo olim coordinator. The council's English page gives an email address for questions, so start there.
Community life
Elqana has an active volunteer network. Its programmes include "Adoptive Families", the "Garin Ariel" club for new mothers and newly married couples, chesed (mutual aid) volunteers who help neighbours through difficult times and support families with special needs, and a non-profit second-hand shop whose proceeds go to tzedaka (charity). For other towns with established English-speaking communities, see our guide to Anglo communities in Israel.
