Making Aliyah

Aliyah starts long before the plane. You will open a file with an Aliyah organisation, gather civil documents, and have them apostilled in your country of origin. Build a folder with birth certificates, marriage certificates, proof of Jewish status, police clearance and passports. Start early: apostilles and letters from clergy are the most common cause of delay.

On landing you receive your Teudat Oleh and begin the process for your Teudat Zehut, the Israeli identity card that unlocks almost everything else. Expect to visit Misrad HaPnim, open a bank account and register with a health fund within your first weeks.

Most olim rent before they buy. Israeli leases typically run twelve months, ask for post-dated cheques or a bank guarantee, and are quoted in shekels per month. Deciding between Jerusalem, the Sharon, Beit Shemesh or the coast is usually about community, commute and budget in that order.

Every resident chooses a health fund: Clalit, Maccabi, Meuhedet or Leumit. Basic coverage is national and identical; the differences are supplementary plans, clinic locations and English-speaking staff.

Bring documentation and patience. Israeli banks require in-person appointments and will ask about the source of transferred funds. Many olim keep a foreign account open for the first year.

The week runs Sunday to Thursday, Friday is a half day, and everything slows before Shabbat. Ulpan is free for olim and the single fastest way to feel at home.