Caravan (Israel)

Caravan (Hebrew: קראוואן‎‎; pl. קראוואנים, caravanim) is an Israeli term referring to a portable building used as a living space, school classroom, synagogue, or community center.

Caravanim are constructed of aluminum or other metal siding with a corrugated metal roof, and are often attached to a cement-block base. They are not insulated but can be outfitted with heating and air-conditioning units, water lines, recessed lighting, and floor tiling to function in a full-service capacity.

The establishment of caravanim on disputed land by Jewish activists is considered the first step toward the establishment of an Israeli settlement. In its initial stage of a few caravanim, the establishment is called an "outpost." As more settlers move in, the establishment is upgraded to a "settlement".

Alternately, caravanim have been established on disputed land by Israeli and Palestinian activists as a sign of protest.

Caravanim are popularly employed by schools — especially in Haredi neighborhoods of Israel — that are unable to finance a permanent structure. A 2008 report by the State Comptroller of Israel reported that 125 out of 186 Haredi schools in Bnei Brak, Elad and Modi'in Illit were situated wholly or partially in caravanim, some older than 15 years. The report criticized these structures for lack of ventilation, lack of bomb shelters, and lack of proper yards or playgrounds for the children. Though the construction of some caravan schools violate local planning and building laws, the government does not dismantle them.

Many start-up religious congregations establish their synagogues in caravanim rather than the more expensive permanent concrete-and-stone structures. Synagogues housed in caravanim are common sights at Israel army bases.

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Wikipedia