To state the obvious: driving in Israel as a tourist or as an oleh chadash is scary. Mix middle eastern driving, middle eastern roads, and good ole Israeli chutzpah, and you’ve got the perfect storm for disaster. Unfortunately, you can’t take a bus everywhere. And sometimes it’s just more practical to take a car for a long-distance trip or to schlep all of your groceries from Rami Levy/Osher Ad. You can drive on your foreign license for one year from the day you entered Israel (as long as it isn’t expired). After the first year, you’ll need to have converted your driver’s license or face taking driving tests from Israeli driving instructors.
How to Tell Your Family You’re Making Aliyah
So you’ve decided to make Aliyah. You’re sure that this is the best thing you can do in your life, and that Israel is where you are meant to be. But how do you tell your family you’re moving to Israel?
On the Occasion of Our First Aliyah Anniversary
.ברוך אתה ה’ אלוקינו מלך העולם שהחינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who has kept us alive and sustained us and brought us to this season. Last Rosh Hashanah, I uttered this blessing in Tel Aviv’s Dan Panorama Hotel, confined to a 20 m² room for…
Your Story: Frieda Katz
I made Aliyah in 2019. I have distant family in Israel, but I had no immediate family when I made Aliyah. Now my brother is in his second year of yeshiva here, and it’s been great having him close!
How to Choose a Place to Live in Israel
Getting approval, saying goodbye to family and friends, and stepping off the plane is only half the battle in making Aliyah. The other half is creating a new life here for yourself and your family. One of the first things you’ll need to do is find a place to live. It is preferable to know where you’ll be living beforehand, especially if you’re bringing a lift (shipping container). But if you don’t know where you’ll be living pre-Aliyah, don’t panic. My husband and I thought we knew where we would be living and well, things changed (for the better). We stayed at an Airbnb in Jerusalem for a couple of weeks while we scoured yad2 for apartments in Yehuda & Shomron. My parents did the same thing when they made Aliyah and put their lift in storage (expensive, not ideal). That said, here are some things to look for in a community: