5 Reasons Why a Pre-Aliyah Pilot Trip is Mission Critical

After countless hours of thinking it over, discussing the possibilities with your family, exploring options for working remotely from abroad, and Googling Anglo-friendly neighborhoods, you’ve finally done it – you’ve officially made the decision to make Aliyah and move to Israel. Mazel Tov!

Perhaps you’ve already gathered your paperwork together and submitted your application to the Jewish Agency or Nefesh B’Nefesh. Maybe you’ve sat down with your financial advisor and boss or business partners to figure out what makes the most sense for your post-Aliyah career and finances.

But even if you’ve put in much of the work to make your Aliyah happen, there’s a critical step that you must take in order to have the softest landing possible: a pilot trip. That means making the time to fly to Israel before your Aliyah date. 

Some people figure that a pilot trip isn’t worth the hassle. You can explore neighborhoods via Google Maps and learn about the atmosphere of a particular neighborhood through Facebook groups, right? Well, the reality is that your new life in Israel may look and feel very different on the ground than it does from the comfort of your living room on the other side of the world.

A pilot trip can help you understand the benefits, challenges, and idiosyncrasies of Israeli life and culture that you’ll encounter once you move here. A pre-Aliyah visit to Israel with the mission of scoping out communities, and schools, and making connections is crucial for ensuring that you can transition to life in Israel as smoothly as possible.

Here’s why a pre-Aliyah pilot trip is an absolute must for potential Olim before moving to Israel.

1. Cut through the noise and see for yourself

When you come to Israel on vacation, it’s easy to get caught up in the novelty of being away from home and the responsibilities of your everyday life. While Israel is wonderful, you will face challenges like bureaucracy, finding the right frameworks for your kids, searching for a home, seeking out healthcare providers who are a good fit, and more, which simply aren’t on your radar while you’re visiting the Holy Land on a leisure trip.

And while online research is tremendously valuable (we encourage you to ask questions in Facebook groups, read reviews of local shuls and businesses, etc.) there is a huge difference between reading about a community online and seeing it in person. A pilot trip helps you get a sense of what your day-to-day life will look like in Israel so that you can look beyond the rose-colored glasses and initial excitement of the move.

There are a number of practical issues which are best addressed by physically visiting the communities you envision as potentially suitable for your new home. 

• How long will it take for your kids to get to school? 
• Are the streets in the neighborhood steep, uphill, or difficult to walk for longer distances? 
• What are the nearby public transportation options, and how frequently do they run?
• Is there ongoing construction in the area that’s creating noise pollution and traffic jams? 
• Do you need to take the car to the grocery store? Is there easy street parking?

A pilot trip helps you get the answers to these important questions and more before you commit to a community that could end up not being a good fit. You’ll understand the physical, geographic layout of an area, and whether that works for you. Being in Israel, on the ground, before your Aliyah is the key to choosing the neighborhood that’s the ideal home for you and your family.

2. Check out the vibe of schools, teachers, and communities

One of the most important factors when picking a community is the local schools and educational frameworks that will serve your family. While this is a huge priority for all families, for parents of children with special needs or learning disabilities, understanding the educational resources available in a specific community is especially important. During your pilot trip, you can tour schools, meet with teachers, and get a sense of the general atmosphere at the local educational institutions. 

Walking the streets of your potential neighborhood will also help you understand the vibe of the area. Intangible things that you can’t discover through Internet research, such as the number of people flashing you a friendly smile or willing to give you directions to the nearest Falafel stand, have a huge impact on quality of life. 

Are there children walking by themselves and families out and about, or does it seem like most of the area’s residents are young single professionals? Your pilot trip gives you a crucial opportunity to experience life like a local, and decide if a particular community just looks good on paper or is actually a perfect match for your family’s unique needs. 

3. Network now, enjoy an easier job search later

Starting your job search from scratch in a brand new country can feel daunting. This also applies to people who are self-employed or planning to start their own business in Israel – without connections with industry colleagues, vendors, or suppliers, it’s tough to get your venture off the ground.

In Israel, while credentials and experience do matter, the truth is that who you know is extremely important. 

Israeli companies often prioritize the CVs of job applicants who are recommended by current employees of their business – even if the candidate in question is a casual acquaintance. If you’re an entrepreneur or business owner, personal connections with industry colleagues can be a make-or-break factor for success. 

A pilot trip is the ideal time to meet face-to-face with colleagues or people working in your industry. Whether you propose a 15-minute coffee meeting with industry insiders you’ve found on LinkedIn, chat with a family friend’s cousin who works in your area of interest, or visit your current employer’s Israeli office, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of what you can expect in both the Israeli work world and for businesses in your industry.

4. Shabbat as a connection-builder and litmus test

Spending Shabbat in a community that you’re considering for your new home will give you a deeper understanding of the neighborhood’s general atmosphere, level of religious observance, and more. With so many degrees of religiosity in Israel, from secular to national-religious to ultra-Orthodox, you may want to consider finding a community that’s reflective of your family’s lifestyle and values.

Shul-hopping gives you a glimpse into local Jewish life in the community. You can better gauge how well you and your family will potentially integrate into the neighborhood based on the people you meet at the synagogue. This is also a great way to introduce yourself to future friends and neighbors before your Aliyah date, so you’ll already have connections in the local community when you arrive.

If you’re not religiously observant and looking for a community with restaurants and stores open over the weekend, spending Shabbat in your potential neighborhood will help you understand the extent of your options. Although most businesses in Israel are closed on Shabbat – even in secular communities – some convenience stores, cafes, and eateries remain open on Saturday. 

No matter your religious perspective, spending Shabbat in a community (or communities!) essentially serves as a crucial litmus test as to whether or not you will feel at home in that neighborhood. You’ll also speak with locals who can give an unbiased, honest opinion into potential advantages and drawbacks of living in a specific area.

5. Understand what matters, from a real-world perspective

When planning your Aliyah, it’s hard to know whether your priorities for your new life in Israel will end up matching the reality on the ground. 

Perhaps you’re dreaming of taking public transportation to work, but after a few weeks of commuting, you discover that it’s no longer feasible and you need to purchase a car. Or maybe you believe that a ground-floor, garden apartment with a yard is a non-negotiable for you and your family, only to find that the available properties in that category are located in areas without sufficient public transportation.

Until you spend time in your potential new city or town, it’s impossible to know what works and what won’t. Your pilot trip is the best time to discover the practical and logistical realities of the neighborhoods you’re considering, so you can make smarter decisions both in terms of where to live and choosing your community.

For more on how to plan an effective pilot trip, you can contact Olim Advisors here. We’ll be happy to plan out your pilot trip, day by day, so that you can make the most of your time in Israel. We’ll schedule for you critical appointments with our network of vetted professionals, including realtors and school administrators, to ensure that you see and meet everyone on your list during your visit.

Want the best pre-aliyah toolkit you’ll find? Download our free Pre-Aliyah Toolkit: 55 Tips You Need to Know When Moving To Israel.