r/aliyah

Hi! For context me (23F future olah) and my spouse (25M returning citizen) are planning on moving to Israel within the next two years. I know I'll be taking Ulpan, but I'm still anxious about my Hebrew fluency and how it'll impact me in the job market. Does anyone (Besides for Nefesh B'Nefesh and the Employment Center) know of any job websites or something that I can research in English? Or are those really the only two? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Hi everyone,

I’ll be moving to the Ye’elim Absorption Center in Be’er Sheva soon as a new olah, and I’d love to hear from people who have actually lived there or know someone who has.

What was your experience like?

I’m especially curious about:

- the rooms/apartments and their condition

- sharing the kitchen and bathroom with other residents

- cleanliness and laundry facilities

- the general atmosphere and people living there

- staff/support at the absorption center

- monthly costs and utilities

- whether the 700 NIS monthly price for a single person is accurate

- the surrounding neighborhood and supermarkets/public transport nearby

Did you generally feel comfortable living there? Is there anything you wish you had known before moving in?

Any recent experiences would be especially helpful. Thank you! :)

Hello,

I am making Aliyah next month, but am getting a little bit overwhelmed with all the information from the 5 major banks.

I will be living in Ra'anana, I speak English and Russian, but no Hebrew.

I am looking for the bank that will be offering the largest fee discount or longest fee-free period. Not looking at taking out loans of any kind within the next 5 years, so that is a non factor.

Also, I use crypto to pay for certain (legal) services so a bank that allows me to buy and send crypto to other wallets that would be nice.

So far Bank Leumi seems like the best bet because they offer English in app translation and also they are partnering with a crypto firm, I read.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

If a single person is moving with minimal items and they don’t need to bring furniture or appliances does it make more sense to just pay for extra suitcases rather than pay for shipping?

It’s been 2 months since I paid for the driving license at Doar of Israel. I haven’t received it yet, I also called the Ministry of transportation. They gave me some another number to call to. But these guys keep giving me someone other numbers. How can I know where is my driving license?

Hi r/AskIsrael,

This is my first ever Reddit post here. I'm from North America, East Asian (~20 male), converting through the Conservative stream and planning on making Aliyah. Finishing my Bachelor's degree in a technical major. I have visited TLV on a group tour once, so I didn't have much opportunity interacting with the Israelis because the trip agenda was so full.

I was wondering, if I were to make Aliyah, and move to TLV, what my life would be like as someone who's East Asian, ~20 M, gay, non-orthodox convert in TLV? In terms of dating, making friends, racism, etc.

This question was last asked about half a year ago, but it wasn't necessarily specific to East Asian gay dating. Because my plan is to stay long-term, as in 15~40 years+, I hope Aliyah is worth it.

I have learned foreign languages before and consider myself to be pretty good at it. I have begun learning some Hebrew and know it'll be 3-5 years before I reach a reasonable level.

I was also wondering just in general, because you physically can't convert through Orthodox if you're gay, then when some posts say "oh quite a lot of gays only want Jewish partners," then technically "jewish = born jews ≠ conversion" since the orthodox route isn't available. Do you have any anecdotes to share?

I know my situation is too unique. Would be very very grateful if you have anything to share. I also hope that this post is high-quality and has answers that are high-quality for a few years to come (so that they can reference this post). To do that, I hope you can format it in:

1. Your background: city, upbringing (born in Israel?), industry, race if applicable, in school/army/etc/etc;
2. What you observed;
3. And how applicable do you think #2 observation is to the general public.

Thanks a ton!! And thank you for replying to a post that's quite a bit niche.

If going with nefesh be nefesh, how do you actually get your things that you shipped?

Do you have to pick them up from somewhere?
Are they delivered to you?
Are there moving companies to help you move them into your actual apartment?

EDIT: SOLVED!

Twenty-five minutes (😳) after I posted this, my waiver came through by email. I'm going to leave it up for encouragement for anyone who's facing frustrations. Many thanks to those of you who have already replied, and to those of you who were going to give your advice but haven't had time yet. In the end, this is a microcosm of why I'm making Aliyah. Strangers who I will never know taking their time to read a long, not terribly interesting post, and then using their time to help me. I know it's not all unicorns and rainbows and shit over there (far from it), but this why I'm uprooting my life to make Aliyah.

____________________________________________________________________________

Hi everyone,

I would really appreciate your advice and ideas. This will be a long post, so I think the best way to handle it is to divide it into three parts. First, I'll ask my three main questions below. Second, I'll give three main points of key information. Finally, third, I'll explain in more detail about my Aliyah issue.

Let's start with number one, my three main questions:

1. What, if anything, can I do about the fact that it is impossible to obtain my Japanese police report? (more below)
2. Would there be any point to just drop the process from my home country, the US, and to apply from inside Israel? Please note that in May, I tried to get an appointment in Tel Aviv, but I couldn't because I don't have a citizen number.
3. Does my Aliyah process, which I describe below, seem like just normal challenges, or does this go beyond the frustrations that almost everyone experiences in the Aliyah process?

Now, let's go to number two, which is three points of key information that I ask you to keep in mind to decide if you can help me out with answers or advice for my three main questions (above):

1. I lived in Japan for two years in the 1990s. I have no criminal or arrest record there, but I cannot prove it.
2. The only thing that's holding up my Aliyah application is my police report from Japan. It is simply NOT possible to get a police background check from Japan. I haven't been there for 30 years, so I don't have the necessary documents anymore, and even if I did, my former Japanese prefecture does not issue background reports unless you apply from inside Japan. Please take this at face value - I speak and read Japanese, and I've tried everything, It is impossible to obtain the police report. This is not a request for information on how to get my Japanese police report, it's a request for information on how to get approved for Aliyah
3. The Jewish Agency has approved all of my other documents for Aliyah, including apostilled police checks from the US (FBI report), Spain, and Portugal. I had my interview with the Jewish Agency in late July.

Now, let's move on to the third and final part. I'll describe my Aliyah situation in more detail. Much of this is adapted from an email conversation with Nefesh B'Nefesh (NBN) and the Jewish Agency (JA).

I began the Aliyah process in 2022, but I stopped it. Then I applied again this year. I was extremely careful to ask both NBN, and the JA about my Japanese police report, since I knew that I would not be able to get it. Both told me that it was nothing to worry about, and that I would receive a waiver for it.

Flash forward to July and August of this year. All of my original documents have been formally approved, and I had my interview with the JA. Twelve days after my interview, the JA emailed me to say that I did, in fact, need my Japanese background report, in addition to the ones from the US, Spain, and Portugal that I had submitted. WTF 😳⁉️

As noted above, there is NO way that I can get my Japanese background report (if I could, it would show no arrests or charges).

In early May, just over three months ago, I was staying for a few weeks with my Israeli girlfriend (now ex) in a Tel Aviv suburb. Before I left the US for Israel in April, I checked to be sure that I had all of my documents ready so that I could apply for Aliyah from inside of Israel.

You can imagine my shock when NBN advised me to leave Israel (something I still can't wrap my head around - NBN told a Jewish person that he had to leave Israel to apply for Aliyah 🫪). The reason they told me to leave was to return to the US to order another apostilled divorce certificate (I have no children). For reasons that no one has ever explained to me, my earlier apostilled divorce certificate, which the Jewish Agency in Madrid accepted in 2022 after I presented it to them in person, was now unacceptable. I was not convinced that I needed a new apostilled divorce certificate, and I am not now, but I did as ordered.

 

Then my Israeli girlfriend and I broke up, which made staying in Israel on a tourist visa much more complicated. I left Israel - as advised, and then I ordered my new divorce certificate. I waited weeks for it to arrive. After it arrived, I ordered a new apostille. Then I waited for that that to arrive.

 

Since my application was taking much longer than I had reasonably expected, I asked NBN in July if it would cause any problems if I went to visit friends in another country for a little while. They told me that it would be no problem.

 

It was a big problem. At that time in July, I still had to present my physical documents to the JA. I put everything in an envelope, ready for a family member in the US to mail to the JA when requested. But I was in another country with my passport. Long story short, I had to buy yet another flight, this one to return early to the US to show my passport. I wanted to complete the interview as soon as possible in order to make Aliyah once and for all, to start to build a permanent life in Israel.

Last week, early/mid-August, when my contact at the JA told me about that I'd need my Japanese police report, I asked her to re-read the document that I had sent in May, in which I had explained in painstaking detail why I will never be able to get a Japanese police report, and that I was all but promised a waiver.

I asked NBN and the JA for advice. They told me to contact the Japanese consulate. As if I hadn't already done that 🙄, and twenty other things to try to obtain it!!!

She also told me that she's contacted the Ministry about my Japanese police report, and that "she'll let me know when she hears something".

She'll let me know when she hears something 🤔. That's not a sentence that inspires much confidence. Now, the problem is that I haven’t been able to sign a lease for a place to live, or to look for a job since I was advised to leave Israel in May. I had quite reasonably believed that I’d be back in a month or two for Aliyah, after my interview. Now, as I write this in mid-August, I’ve effectively had my life on hold for over three months as I wait to make Aliyah. Because of a new divorce certificate that I probably didn't need, and a background check that they said I'd receive a waiver for.

And now I'm being asked yet again to wait until…well, I actually have NO idea when I'm being asked to wait until! It's not really the wait in itself that's the issue, it's the fact that I need a place to live. I need to find a job. And they keep seeming to pull new requirements out of their ass, and giving me really bad advice.

 

I'm 100% Jewish on both sides of my family. I have no criminal record anywhere. The Right of Return is crystal clear about my right to move to Israel. But all I'm getting are unexpected reasons why I can't. I've used most of my savings. I don't know what to do.

Is this normal? And what do I do if they deny my appeal about that Japanese report? Is there any point in applying from Israel? Do they even want a middle-aged divorced guy who doesn't yet speak Hebrew? I teach university, and I think I'll find a job fairly easily in Israel, even if it's not necessarily my dream job. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I'm really good with languages - I'll learn Hebrew pretty quickly, but I don't speak it yet. I can't stay in AirBnBs without a job for another three months. I simply don't know what to do anymore.

Thank you for any advice you might have. 

Got a job opportunity for warehouse management in Israel.The agency convinced me so much that I really want this job. Will there be any problems? How can I verify if they're telling the truth? Can someone guide me so that I make the right decision.

Hello everyone,

I know I’m eligible for aliyah on paper. I have Jewish family history but not fitting the halakhic standards required for the grandparents rule. I converted 5 years ago when I was in high school because I wanted to become observant (which I did and still am), and have since been very active in the communities I’ve lived in (mostly being at my college which has a very substantial Jewish community). The conversion was with a rabbi affiliated with the Rabbinical Assembly (the organization for conservative Judaism at least in the US). In college I was involved with my campus Hillel, JLIC, and Chabad and was in positions of leadership in Hillel. I’ve continued my Jewish education with various classes over the years, can read Hebrew, have been to Israel twice (once on Birthright in 2023, the other time was for a wedding this past spring). I’m fully shomer kashrut and shomer Shabbat and am now a regular attendant of the local conservative shul now that I’ve finished college. I asked the rabbi at this current synagogue I attend if he would write me a letter confirming my involvement and he said he would, but also said

“Let me tell you in advance though, that the chances of them accepting your application right now are slim to none, especially if you have not been continuously involved in a Jewish community since your conversion. I can explain more in person - the State requirements are constantly changing, and applications are being scrutinized more and more.”

This was before I clarified that I have been generally very involved and am just new to this shul specifically. However, I worry that this might be an issue I’ll run into over the aliyah process. My Aliyah advisor hasn’t said it could be an issue, and I’m planning on getting letters from this rabbi as well as my converting rabbi (who has since moved to Israel to teach at a yeshiva there but were still in touch, I’ve taken a few classes with him over zoom over the years). I have documentation of the trips to Israel, of some of the courses I’ve completed, of my involvement on campus, and of course my conversion documents.

So I guess I’m just wondering if it’s true that the Jewish Agency isn’t really accepting applications of people in my situation currently? Does anyone have any experiences with this?

Thanks and Shabbat shalom/chodesh tov

I have been interviewing for a job. Have my final interview next week. It seems promising and they do not seem to care much that I have not made Aliyah yet as they are a global company. They are more keen on my experience which is about a year but very unique data center engineering experience with MSFT.

They haven’t said anything about money besides the fact they won’t match American salaries but idk what that means. Is it a 50% pay cut or 30% pay cut etc. to be fair my current pay is about 30% more than I should be making in my role in America because of negotiations etc

Curious what I should be expecting for salary if anyone has any insight.

Education: chem engineering degree
Experience: 1 year designing and testing data center (similar role to this is what I’m applying for)

Thanks in advance

​

Hi everyone 😊

My name is Rachel, I’m 40 years old and from Germany. I made Aliyah last week and I’m already in Israel.

Right now I’m staying in temporary accommodation in Ashdod, but I can only stay here for about two more weeks. I’m therefore looking for a room, shared apartment or sublet for a few weeks or a few months.

I’m quite flexible about the location. Tel Aviv and the surrounding area, Holon, Petah Tikva, Jerusalem, Be’er Sheva or other places with good public transportation would work for me.

I’m currently looking for a job and I also want to attend Ulpan. I’m clean, respectful, quiet and I don’t smoke. I’m really just looking for an affordable and safe place where I can stay while I get settled here.

I’m already looking in Facebook groups as well, but because my Facebook profile is new, unfortunately I can’t post in many of the groups yet.

Maybe someone here knows of a room or sublet, or knows someone I could contact. I would be very grateful for any help or recommendation 🙏

Thank you 😊

Rachel

Hi, we have six kids under bat mitzva age and are looking for a community in israel to move to.

We want a stand alone house.

We want religious school options.
And we want an under 5 million nis for a home price range.

This ring any bells?

Hi everyone!

So we got approved and have an aliyah date in October. However, El Al and NBN have informed us that you have to sit in certain pet designated seats now and the carrier size limit is basically bordering on animal cruelty.

I looked at possibly putting my cat in baggage so she can have room to MOVE at least, but I was told by the NBN flight team she would have to wait for 4 to 5 hours at Ben Gurion during our processing. That is 20 hours in a cage without a litter box. Insanity.

So i was wondering: has anyone had a relative bring their pet a few months later? How did that work with paperwork and visas etc?

Thank you!

The kids and grandkids joined my wife and me in Gan Sacher in Jerusalem this evening. The heat of the day was lifting. It seems that the entire city was happy to take advantage of the more reasonable temperatures and the park was packed. At one point I was sitting on a low wall by the swings, enjoying my kids and grandkids and just taking in the scene.

As I was people watching I noticed that the family sitting to my right was speaking French. The family to my left was speaking Spanish. My family and I were speaking English. Two older Ethiopians passed on the walking path behind us speaking Amharic while parents pushed a toddler on a swing speaking Russian.

Last Shabbat we said the blessing for Rosh Chodesh which includes the following:

מי שעשה נסים לאבותינו וגאל אותם מעבדות לחרות. הוא יגאל אותנו בקרוב ויקבץ נדחינו מארבע כנפות הארץ. חברים כל ישראל ונאמר אמן

Amen, indeed!

​

Hey everybody!

We wanted to introduce ourselves and share a bit about our Kibbutz Ulpan program.

We are a 5-month immersive Hebrew Ulpan program for Olim Hadashim and tourists, located right on the coast at Kibbutz Maagan Michael. Whether you’re ready to make Aliyah or just exploring the idea, our program combines language study, living, and volunteering in a unique kibbutz community.

🌟 What the Program Includes:

Study & Volunteer: 5 days a week, featuring 4 hours of Hebrew classes and 4 hours of volunteering on the kibbutz each day.

Living & Food: On-kibbutz housing and a living allowance for meals are provided.

Two Yearly Tracks:

Spring Session: February – June

Autumn Session: August – December

Who Can Join? You can join as a tourist through Masa (if you're still deciding on Aliyah) or as a new immigrant through the Jewish Agency.

🤝 Bureaucratic & Absorption Support for Olim

We know navigating Israeli bureaucracy can be daunting, so we support our Olim Hadashim every step of the way—including helping you set up health insurance, acquire your biometric ID, and navigate the IDF drafting process.

We’d love to connect! Feel free to ask us any questions right here in the comments, or reach out directly:

Email: ulpanmm@mmm.org.il

WhatsApp / Phone: +972 53-928-0910

Our instagram -https://www.instagram.com/ulpan_maagan_michael/?hl=en

Looking forward to meeting you!

Middle aged couple, dati leumi, looking to make Aliyah in next year or 2. Have kids but they are older and will probably come after finishing college within a year or 2 of our Aliyah. Where is the best place to move in the center of the country that would help us with making friends? Not really interested in a bedroom community. Money is not the issue because it’s super expensive all around and will rent for the first few years. Where do middle aged olim go? And which are the best communities which have volunteer activities and learning? Thanks in advance.

My mother and I made aliyah from Brazil a month ago. Both highly qualified, but still job-hunting, starting from zero without much help. We only had one week in the misrad haklita before they made us leave.

So we rushed to find an apartment that fit our budget. We're in a small rental in Haifa with just a mattresses (beds coming soon via Keren Leyedidut) and literally nothing else (No table, chairs, sofa, whatever makes a home). We had a good life in Brasil, and we planned our aliyah the best we could. But this is way way harder than expected.

Buying new isn't an option right now, and even secondhand prices have been out of reach so far (we have some savings, but these need to stay as an emergency fund as my mother is 64 and we need some security).

For those who've been through this: where did you find furniture and basics for cheap or free? Gemachim, Buy Nothing groups, Facebook marketplaces, municipal resources, anything that actually worked for you as a new oleh/olah would help a lot.

Not trying to furnish a mansion, just trying to make this feel like a livable home for my older mother. Appreciate any pointers, truly.

Hi! I made Aliyah in November and haven’t left the country since. I’m flying to New York to visit family at the end of August. I don’t have my passport yet so I’ll be using my American passport and I’ll be coming back before the end of September so I’ll be using my teudat zehut to enter Israel. Has anyone done that before? What was the process like when you entered Israel? Did you go through the international side or the Israeli side? Thank you in advance, any advice is welcome :)

Hi everyone,

I recently made Aliyah and I have an appointment next week to apply for my first biometric Teudat Zehut and Israeli passport.

I need to travel back to my home country for a while and will later return to Israel, so I would like to get my Israeli travel document sorted out before I leave.

I received the Visa card from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration when I made Aliyah. Does anyone know if this card can be used to pay the passport fee, either online on gov.il or at the Population and Immigration Authority office?

I don't currently have another Israeli credit card.

Has any recent oleh/olah actually used this card for the passport fee?

Thanks! 😊