Aliyah- Where to start????
Thinking of making Aliyah? Not sure where to start? Don’t know how to decide where to move to? How to find a home? Where to learn Hebrew? How to find out about schools and daycares for your children? What about older kids and army service? How does healthcare work in Israel? What is the best way to transfer money? How do the banks work? So many questions. The dream can seem beyond your reach… But it’s not.
Break it down to smaller goals and then it will feel more attainable. Plan, plan and then plan some more. The more research you do, the more in control you will feel of your decision.
1. Make contact with the Jewish Agency and Nefesh B Nefesh (if applicable) and go through their process of filling out an application and hand in all the documents they request.
2. Contact us at Olim Advisors to set up a time for a free phone consultation. We will hear about your Aliyah plans and help direct you and answer all the questions you have. We can also help you plan a pilot trip. We will then explain our services and how we can help you. We help you sort out your Aliyah within a few weeks of Aliyah rather than it taking a full year or more…And time saved is money saved.
We make sure you open a bank account, visit the Ministry of Absorption to get Ulpan vouchers as well as your Sal Klita payments, set utilities in your name and organize automatic payment if so desired, get your Israeli license and so much more right after your Aliyah.
3. Plan a pilot trip – this is a crucial step for a successful Aliyah process. This trip is an opportunity to visit different communities, meet with Olim coordinators, visit schools and day cares and speak to families that live in each community. Finding the right community for you and your family that gives you the support you need can make all the difference with your Aliyah. Olim Advisors can help you plan your pilot trip down to the smallest detail. We can set up appointments for you and make sure you make the most out of your time in Israel..
4. Begin going through your home and sorting out what you want to give away and what you want to bring with you to Israel. Take into account homes in Israel are much smaller and storage space is hard to come by.
5. Ask different shipping companies to come and give you a written quote. We will be happy to share our Olim Advisors shipping guide with you.
6. Make photocopies of all medical and school records and keep them in a separate file. Do not ship these important documents. Keep them with you in your hand luggage.
7. It is recommended to keep a file with all paperwork that was handed in to the Jewish Agency.
8. When it comes close to the date of Aliyah, contact all your current utility companies to settle your bills and finalize arrangements for terminating each contract.
9. It is highly recommended to come with an international credit card that has no Overseas fees. Not all companies in Israel accept a foreign credit card, but many will.
10. Compare different car rental companies in Israel – make sure the quotes include all insurance costs. FYI, a monthly rate is cheaper than a weekly rate. Many people decide to rent until they are ready to make a decision of which car to purchase.
