What Is a Shtar Mashkanta (Mortgage Deed) in Israel?

A Shtar Mashkanta (שטר משכנתא) is the legal deed that registers the bank's charge against a property in the Land Registry once a mortgage is granted. It's the document that gives the bank a formal, registered claim on the property until the loan is repaid.

Signing the Shtar Mashkanta typically happens near the end of the mortgage process, once the loan is approved and the bank is ready to transfer funds. Registering it in the Tabu is what makes the bank's mortgage charge visible on any future Nesach Tabu extract.

Why it matters for a buyer: the bank generally won't release mortgage funds until the Shtar Mashkanta is signed and submitted for registration, so this step directly affects your closing timeline — coordinate it closely with your lawyer and the payment schedule in your Heskem Rechisha.

Source: Land Law 5729-1969; Israel Land Registry