Our Vision

MANOF Social Urban Renewal (formerly Jindas) is a nonprofit real estate developer. Our mission is to help families break the cycle of poverty and expand their opportunities through long-term social urban renewal in Israel’s periphery.

MANOF operates in neighborhoods ranked 1-3 on Israel’s national socio-economic index. These neighborhoods are also characterized by low land values that prevent the market from initiating viable urban renewal projects.

We commit to 10-15 years of work in each neighborhood, to ensure a lasting transformation across three layers:

Social Programs: Every neighborhood receives a dedicated and focused social program, offering individual and community support.
Redevelopment of housing: We initiate and advance housing renewal through demolition-and-rebuild (pinui-binui) projects that also integrate affordable housing.
Improving public spaces and services: We advance the renewal and upgrading of public spaces and community facilities.

The organization specializes in creating unique blended-finance

Our Story

2013

Jindas was founded in Lod to support communities experiencing poverty, through individual and community-based programs.

Jindas advocated for government funding for housing projects in Lod.

2019

We expanded to additional cities in Israel’s northern and southern periphery.

2022

We launched Israel’s first real-estate impact model, adapting the McCormack Baron Salazar approach to neighborhood renewal. Jindas, now MANOF, began initiating real-estate projects using a blended-finance model.

A Proven Model for Social Urban Renewal

MANOF’s approach is based on a model developed successfully in the United States by McCormack Baron Salazar, which has renewed neighborhoods for more than 40 years.
McCormack Baron Salazar has redeveloped approximately 25,000 housing units and served as the foundation for federal U.S. urban housing programs.

MANOF adapted this model to the Israeli market and local regulatory environment.

FAQ

What is unique about MANOF’s model for Social Urban Renewal?

MANOF is a nonprofit real-estate developer. MANOF is the only organization in Israel that combines real-estate based urban renewal with social programs for neighborhoods ranked 1–3 on Israel’s national socio-economic index.

Unlike traditional urban renewal projects that are driven mainly by financial feasibility, MANOF focuses on neighborhoods the private market ignores, areas in Israel’s geographic and social periphery.

And unlike conventional social mobility programs, we believe that escaping poverty requires a holistic approach, providing intensive individual and community support: benefits access, material assistance, employment advancement, and community building.

Inspired by a proven American model adapted to Israeli realities, our approach is resident-centered. Together with the community, we rebuild the physical, economic, and social fabric of the neighborhood.

You changed your name from Jindas — are you the same organization?

Yes. MANOF is the evolution of the Jindas Social Urban Renewal.

In November 2025, we chose a new name that reflects our growth, our expanded national mission, and broader social impact. Our goals, team, and partnerships remain the same — but our scope of work has grown.

“MANOF” in Hebrew means “crane”, or “a lever for lifting”. The name MANOF represents our mission: to up-lift communities, strengthen their quality of life and expand their opportunities, driving long-term change in Israel’s periphery.

How long do urban renewal processes take?

Urban renewal in Israel is a long-term effort that requires deep collaboration with residents, municipalities, and planning authorities. A full process typically takes 6–10 years and includes:

Community engagement and early planning: Selecting the site, forming a resident committee, conducting a social-community needs assessment, and getting preliminary collaboration and approval of the local municipality.
Planning and approvals: Statutory planning until the plan is approved (TABA) and a building permit is granted.
Financing and construction: A developer raised the required funding to execute the reconstruction. Residents relocate to new or temporary housing, and construction of the new buildings are built.
Return, occupancy, and community support: MANOF support will continue after residents return, ensuring strong community bonds and healthy integration between long-time and new residents.

What characterizes the neighborhoods where MANOF works?

MANOF works in neighborhoods across Israel’s geographic and social periphery. These areas typically include:

Low socio-economic status: Ranked 1-3 on Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics index with an acute social need for change
High potential for growth: Suitable for large-scale urban renewal projects
Low land values: Making redevelopment economically unfeasible and unattractive for private developers, at the starting point of the project
Peripheral or under-resourced areas: mostly in northern and southern regions. Each neighborhood has its own demographic and social characteristics, such as a high presence of new and veteran Olim, mixed Jewish-Arab communities, organized crime, and physical neglect. All of our neighborhoods suffer from low levels of trust between residents and local authorities.

What barriers and challenges does MANOF address through its model?

MANOF was created to bring lasting change to families living in long-neglected neighborhoods. Key challenges include:

Lack of economic feasibility: High construction costs combined with low land values prevent private developers from operating in these neighborhoods.
Low trust and information gaps: For residents, their home is typically their most important and stable asset. After years of hardship and neglect, rebuilding trust is essential.
No integrated social-economic models: Traditional approaches fail to combine real estate development with personal and community empowerment, resulting in solutions that are partial and insufficient for communities in need.
Building-level planning instead of neighborhood planning: Most plans focus on new apartment buildings, not on the public spaces and services that create real value to the living quality of the neighborhood.
Lack of affordable housing solutions: Existing projects benefit homeowners, but renters are often pushed out of the renewed neighborhood.

MANOF’s holistic model – combining housing, community, and social programs – creates renewal that lasts.

How do you involve residents in your projects?

We believe real social urban renewal is possible only when residents are full partners in the process. From day one, we conduct meaningful community work through:

Neighborhood resident committees: Engaged residents who help plan for both short- and long-term needs, such as public spaces maintenance and developments, community events, and community advocacy.
Elected resident representation: Is required by law in redevelopment projects. But MANOF ensures broad and inclusive representation of the different groups living in the neighborhood.
Monthly community events: MANOF’s team initiates Holiday celebrations, family activities, lectures, tours, and more. All our activities are co-led with residents.
Immediate physical improvements: Together with residents, we repair hazards, upgrade stairwells and shelters, create community gardens, and more.

This creates genuine community ownership, which is the foundation of long-term trust.

What is MANOF's added value of integrating real estate with social programs?

Traditional social programs are essential but insufficient. When neighborhoods remain physically neglected, families who improve their economic situation eventually leave, replaced by new families who enter the same, poor conditions.

Without quality housing and a safe physical environment, poverty cycles continue.

MANOF’s unique integration of housing, social services, and community infrastructure addresses all layers of the problem:

Short term: Increasing disposable income, reducing debts, and improving financial stability
Medium term: Building strong community networks, nurturing local leadership, and creating new hope for real transformation
Long term: Physical renewal that will strengthen the economic position of all residents and bring new families to the neighborhood

Most important, a new home will increase a resident’s household wealth by 500,000-1,000,000 ILS, the equivalent of 10-15 years of work in our neighborhoods – this will be an unprecedented social mobility leap.

Who are MANOF’s partners and what is their role?

MANOF operates through a unique, multi-sector model involving:

Diverse funding partners: Providing philanthropic grants, in-kind contributions, impact investments, and private-sector financing

Local authorities and government ministries: Planning, construction, and social service providers; advancing national policy for social urban renewal

Private-sector developers and professionals: Ensuring our planning meets high professional standards; once our projects will be approved for construction, private developers will execute with strong social and planning commitments

Social-sector partners: Delivering employment programs, benefits access, and community-building activities

We thank all of our partners who help build a better Israel together.

Who stands behind MANOF and who funds the organization?

MANOF is a nonprofit committed to tackling poverty and inequality through social urban renewal. Our professional team specializes in urban planning, economics, community development, and public policy.

Our work is guided by an experienced board of directors that includes leaders from Israel’s real-estate, business, social, and planning sectors.

Our funding model includes:

Philanthropic donors in Israel and abroad
Impact investors who support planning and pre-development
Private-sector partners who fund planning
Once our projects will reach maturity, they will be supported by public grants that create economic feasibility

Our annual financial reports are published on GuideStar, more information about our partners can be found here

How can I contact you about a project in my city or neighborhood?

ecause each neighborhood that MANOF operates requires a 10-15-year commitment and significant capital, MANOF unfortunately cannot accept resident-initiated requests for new neighborhoods.

However, local authorities and private developers interested in partnering with us are welcome to reach out through our Contact page.

We specialize in building trust between residents, municipalities, and developers, which are all essential for successful projects.

We would be happy to meet, learn about your local needs, and explore whether MANOF’s model fits your community.

How can I support MANOF?

There are several ways to get involved:

Stay updated: Visit our News & Updates page for job openings, publications, and community events. Subscribe to our newsletter.
Partner with us: Municipalities, businesses, and social organizations are invited to contact us to explore collaboration.
Support our work: MANOF is currently raising funds for projects in Lod, Ashkelon, Ofakim, Akko, and Haifa. Support can be made through donations or impact investments that help create lasting change in under-resourced neighborhoods.