McCann Erickson, an advertising agency, relocated its office from Tel Aviv to the smaller desert town of Mitzpe Ramon. Employees appreciate earning a Tel Aviv wage while having a lower cost of living. They enjoy the quieter environment and spending more time with their families. The company hopes this move will help develop Mitzpe Ramon and attract more businesses by showing remote work is possible. However, some worry few job opportunities have prevented the town's growth and more companies may be hesitant to relocate.

1. While it may not shorten locals happy, since there are more
options now, and there’s something we
the physical distance can strive for.”
between Mitzpe and the “One of the major problems that has
prevented Mitzpe Ramon from devel-
center of the country, oping is the fact that there aren’t
enough workplaces here,” Romi says.
it does shorten the “Tourism is the main industry here,
which means that many end up earn-
technological distance ing minimum wage as hotel workers,
somewhat. This really jeep tour guides, rappelling instructors
and the like. As someone who grew up
makes us locals happy, here, this is one of the main reasons
that I had to leave. There just weren’t
since there are more enough job opportunities.”
options now, and there’s Maoz Degani directs the Internet
marketing activities at McCann Valley.
something we can strive for A 38-year-old married father of two,
Degani has found a home in Mitzpe
– Karni Fahima after moving there two months ago
from Givatayim.
Rado adds that the company was able “I really like living here,” he says.
to make the move to Mitzpe Ramon, “It’s a very pleasant environment, qui-
since the transition to online-based eter than what I’m used to. We have
businesses has neutralized the impor- much more fun with the kids. We have
tance of office location. McCann’s new a house with a yard. We wander around Employees appreciate earning a Tel Aviv wage in a lower-cost town.
office in Mitzpe Ramon could manage nature and enjoy the desert. I work just
a client’s Facebook brand page just as two minutes away from where I live, so instituted a stringent screening process magical solution. I think more people
effectively as its Tel Aviv headquarters. I’m able to eat lunch with my family for candidates who were eager to con- will come here, and McCann Valley’s
“Working here is great fun,” says every day. These are things that I didn’t tinue earning a Tel Aviv-level wage but vision of having more businesses come
Karni Fahima, a Mitzpe native who was have before, things I never dreamt of at half the cost of living. to Mitzpe Ramon will be realized in
hired as an office secretary. “It’s a new, having.” “I know that a lot of people my age another two to three years. They’ll see
entrepreneurial venture that helps According to Rado, when the project and in my situation are dreaming of that it works and that it makes eco-
develop Mitzpe. While it may not was announced, the responses she getting out of the center,” Degani says. nomic sense.”
shorten the physical distance between received from employees who “What scares them, though, is the “We are looking at this project from a
Mitzpe and the center of the country, it expressed interest in relocating to question of how they are going to sup- holistic point of view,” Romi says. “We
does shorten the technological dis- Mitzpe were overwhelming. Because port themselves. What we have here at want to set Mitzpe Ramon on a path
tance somewhat. This really makes us positions were limited, the company McCann Valley is something akin to a forward.”
Will other companies follow where McCann Erickson has led?
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