Israeli Aliyah Navigator

Israeli Aliyah Navigator

Instructions

Step 1: Assess the Oleh's Situation

Before providing guidance, ask about: stage (pre-arrival / first week / first month / first year / beyond, determines relevant steps), family status (single / couple / family with children, affects sal klita amount and housing), country of origin (USA, Russia, France, Ethiopia, etc., affects license conversion and professional recognition), profession (determines licensing path), Jewish Agency involvement (Nefesh B'Nefesh for English-speaking countries), and Hebrew level (determines Ulpan recommendation).

Based on responses, generate a personalized checklist using:

python scripts/aliyah-checklist.py --stage  --family  --country  --profession 

Step 2: Pre-Arrival Checklist

Guide the user through pre-arrival requirements:

Jewish Agency and Consulate Process:

1. Open a file with the Jewish Agency for Israel (Sochnut)
2. Schedule an appointment at the Israeli consulate
3. Choose your visa path: Oleh visa (immediate aliyah under the Law of Return, full benefits) or A1 temporary residence (1-year renewable trial, no aliyah benefits, no military obligation). A1 holders can switch to oleh status later via Shinui Ma'amad (see Step 2b). See references/aliyah-additional-procedures.md for the comparison table.
4. Receive Ishur Chok HaShvut (Confirmation of Eligibility under the Law of Return), the formal letter the Jewish Agency issues once your file passes review. Bring the original to the consulate and present it on arrival.
5. Gather required documents:

• Proof of Jewish identity (birth certificate, parents' ketubah, letter from rabbi)
• Valid passport, recommended at least 2 years remaining validity; dual-citizen olim bring all passports and coordinate with the Jewish Agency on which to use
• Marriage certificate (if applicable). Effective Sept 30 2024, the certificate must show the applicant's pre-marriage civil status (single / divorced / widowed). Any prior marriages also need supporting divorce or death certificates with apostille.
• Children's birth certificates (if applicable)
• Police clearance / Certificate of Good Conduct from country of birth, every country of continuous residence over 1 year after age 14, and every country of current citizenship. Effective Nov 2024, applicants doing Shinui Ma'amad (status change to oleh from inside Israel) must also present background checks from every country they lived in for 6+ months.
• Professional diplomas and transcripts (apostilled)
• Medical records and vaccination history. Bring 3 months' worth of any regular medication and complete vaccination cards (required for children's school enrollment).
• Apostille requirement: every public-record document (birth, marriage, divorce, background check, academic diploma) must carry an apostille from the issuing country's Hague Convention authority. Non-Hague countries require consular legalisation instead.
• Converts (giyur): in addition to the standard list, provide 4 letters: rabbi's letter on pre-conversion preparation, rabbi's letter on communal participation, external Beit Din letter (if applicable), and a personal letter from the applicant. All dated, ink-signed, and stamped. Reform / Conservative converts: Misrad HaPnim accepts the conversion for aliyah but the Israeli Rabbanut does NOT for marriage/divorce/burial; consult ITIM (itim.org.il) before marriage decisions. See references/aliyah-additional-procedures.md.
• Edge-case applicants (special-needs adults aged 21+, adopted children, families bringing pets) follow modified document and process tracks. See references/aliyah-additional-procedures.md for the per-case requirements before assuming the standard flow applies.

Nefesh B'Nefesh (for English-speaking countries):

• Free aliyah assistance for olim from USA, Canada, and UK
• Flight subsidies and group flights
• Pre-aliyah employment guidance
• Airport welcome and first-day assistance
• Website: nbn.org.il

Before Departure:

• Notify banks about international transfers
• Obtain certified translations of key documents (Hebrew or English)
• Research health insurance options (kupat cholim selection)
• Consider shipping personal belongings (tax-free container for olim)
• Download Israeli banking apps and government service apps

Step 2b: Shinui Ma'amad (Aliyah from within Israel)

If the applicant is already inside Israel on a tourist, A1, student, work, or family-reunification visa, they apply for status change to oleh chadash via Misrad HaPnim (Population and Immigration Authority), not at Ben Gurion arrival. Step 3 below does NOT apply to this path: the Teudat Oleh and initial sal klita are issued at Misrad HaPnim and Misrad HaKlita branches inside Israel.

From November 2024, Shinui Ma'amad applicants must present background checks from every country they lived in for 6+ months (broader than the standard rule). Document set is otherwise the standard aliyah list from Step 2. See references/aliyah-additional-procedures.md.

Step 3: Arrival and First-Week Essentials

At Ben Gurion Airport:

1. Proceed to the Ministry of Absorption (Misrad HaKlita) desk at arrivals
2. Receive Teudat Oleh (oleh certificate), valid for identification until Teudat Zehut is issued
3. Receive initial sal klita cash payment
4. Receive a free SIM card with starter credit
5. If arriving via Nefesh B'Nefesh group flight, representatives will be present

First-Week Priority Actions:

| Priority | Task | Where | Documents Needed | |----------|------|-------|-----------------| | Day 1-2 | Register at Misrad HaPnim (Interior Ministry) | Local branch | Teudat Oleh, passport, photos | | Day 1-2 | Receive Teudat Zehut (Israeli ID) | Misrad HaPnim | Automatic after registration | | Day 1-3 | Open bank account | Any major bank branch | Teudat Oleh/Zehut, passport | | Day 1-3 | Register with a kupat cholim (HMO) | Clalit, Maccabi, Meuhedet, or Leumit | Teudat Zehut | | Day 1-7 | Register at Bituach Leumi (National Insurance) | Local branch or online | Teudat Zehut | | Day 1-7 | Get Israeli phone number | Any carrier store | Teudat Zehut | | Day 1-7 | Open a MyGov account (gov.il Ezor Ishi Ezrach) | gov.il portal | Teudat Zehut + Israeli SIM for SMS verification | | Week 1 (families with children 3-18) | Enroll children in gan / beit sefer | Local municipality education department | Teudat Zehut + birth certificate; Misrad HaChinuch oleh program (Sela) provides absorption classes + free tutoring | | Week 1-2 | Register for Ulpan | Misrad HaKlita or local municipality | Teudat Oleh |

Refund of pre-aliyah government payments: olim sometimes pay government fees (passport processing, document apostille, consular fees) before they hold a Teudat Oleh. Some are reimbursable by Misrad HaKlita against original receipts; file the request at the absorbing branch within the first year. See references/aliyah-additional-procedures.md.

Step 4: Sal Klita (Absorption Basket)

The sal klita is a financial grant provided by Misrad HaKlita to help olim during their first months.

Eligibility:

• All olim who arrived under the Law of Return
• Must register with Misrad HaKlita within the first year
• Paid in monthly installments to the oleh's Israeli bank account

Payment schedule: lump sum at airport, monthly installments for months 1-6, and a final payment in month 7 for couples and families (singles end at month 6). Amounts are updated annually by Misrad HaKlita; calculate estimates:

python scripts/sal-klita-calculator.py --family-size  --year 

Tracking Payments:

• Log in to the Misrad HaKlita personal area (ezor ishi) at klita.gov.il
• Check bank account for monthly deposits
• Contact Misrad HaKlita branch if a payment is delayed beyond the expected date
• Keep Teudat Oleh and bank details updated

Important notes: Sal klita is not taxable income, does not need to be repaid, varies by family composition, and is linked to cost-of-living adjustments. Olim who delay opening a bank account may experience delayed payments.

Step 5: Ulpan (Hebrew Language Program)

Free Ulpan for Olim:

• Every oleh is entitled to a free 500-hour Hebrew course (Ulpan Aleph)
• Must begin within 18 months of aliyah date
• Attendance requirement: 80% minimum; missing more days can drop the oleh from the subsidized track
• Second subsidized course (e.g., Ulpan Bet) available within 10 years of aliyah; only one of the two courses can be at a private/recognized institution, the rest must be at a Misrad HaKlita-recognized public ulpan
• Registration through Misrad HaKlita or local municipality

Ulpan options: Morning Ulpan (boker, Sun-Thu 8-13, 5 months, full-time learners); Evening Ulpan (erev, Sun-Thu 17-20, 10 months, working olim); Kibbutz Ulpan (immersive, 5 months, ages 18-35); Online Ulpan (flexible, for remote workers and parents); Private Ulpan (paid, custom schedule, for profession-specific vocab).

Levels: Aleph (א׳, beginners, free), Bet (ב׳, intermediate, sometimes subsidized), Gimel (ג׳, advanced, usually paid), Dalet+ (ד׳+, academic/professional).

Step 6: Housing for Olim

Finding a rental: Yad2 (yad2.co.il) is the primary Israeli classifieds site; city-specific Facebook groups (e.g., "Secret Tel Aviv") supplement. Real-estate agents (metavchei nadlan) typically charge one month's rent. Mercazei klita (absorption centers) provide temporary housing.

Rental requirements: guarantees (arevut) of typically 3 months' rent via bank guarantee or guarantors, post-dated checks (chekim dechuyim) for monthly rent, arnona (municipal tax), vaad bayit (building maintenance fee).

Oleh housing benefits: arnona discount up to 90% for the first 12 months, means-tested rental assistance from Misrad HaKlita, temporary housing at mercazei klita, reduced mas rechisha (purchase tax) on first property. See references/tax-benefits-olim.md for the mas rechisha oleh brackets.

Buying property: lawyer (orech din) required for all real estate transactions, tabu (land registry) registration, mortgage (mashkanta) available with oleh benefits from Israeli banks.

Step 7: Banking for Olim

Opening a Bank Account:

Major Israeli banks:

Major Israeli banks for olim: Bank Leumi (large network, English staff in major cities), Bank Hapoalim (largest, dedicated oleh programs), Bank Discount (digital-friendly, competitive for young olim), Bank Mizrahi-Tefahot (strong mortgage department), Bank Mercantile (smaller, more personal service).

Required Documents:

• Teudat Zehut or Teudat Oleh
• Passport
• Proof of address (rental contract or utility bill)
• Proof of income or employment letter (if available)

Banking considerations: open the account as early as possible (sal klita requires an Israeli account). Request online banking + English app if needed. For large transfers use dedicated services (Wise, OFP) over bank rates. Chekim (checks) are still common for rent. Set up standing orders (horaat keva) for arnona, vaad bayit, utilities. Foreign income has the 10-year exemption (Step 8).

Bringing money declaration: cash and bearer instruments brought into Israel must be declared at customs if the total exceeds the threshold (NIS 50,000 standard, higher for first-time-entry olim per ITA guidance). Verify current threshold before traveling. See references/aliyah-additional-procedures.md.

Step 8: Tax Benefits for Olim

Israel offers significant tax benefits for new immigrants under Section 14 of the Income Tax Ordinance.

10-Year Foreign Income Exemption:

• Olim are exempt from Israeli tax on foreign-source income for 10 years from aliyah date
• Covers: foreign pensions, rental income abroad, dividends, capital gains from foreign assets
• Important (2026 change): Olim arriving from January 1, 2026 onwards must report all worldwide income and assets, even if the income is tax-exempt. The reporting exemption was abolished while the tax exemption remains
• Olim who arrived before January 1, 2026 retain both the tax exemption and the reporting exemption
• Applies to both olim chadashim (new immigrants) and toshavim chozrim vatikim (veteran returning residents, 10+ years abroad)

Tax credit points (nekudot zikui): 3 additional points for months 1-18, 2 for months 19-30, 1 for months 31-42 (3.5 years total). Apply automatically when the employer is notified via Form 101. Each point reduces monthly tax by approximately NIS 235. Cumulative benefit roughly NIS 30,000-50,000 over 3.5 years. See references/tax-benefits-olim.md for the full schedule.

Additional tax benefits: reduced customs duties on importing personal belongings (including a vehicle, within time limits), tax-free container shipment of household goods, potential VAT exemption on certain purchases (first car, appliances) within eligibility windows.

New-oleh Israeli-source income exemption (2026 incentive window):

A new tax incentive grants olim and toshavim chozrim vatikim who establish Israeli residency between November 5, 2025 and December 31, 2026 a tiered exemption on Israeli-source earned income (employment salary and self-employment only, NOT passive income), on top of the standard 10-year foreign-income exemption.

| Tax year | Exemption ceiling on earned Israeli-source income | |---|---| | 2026 | up to NIS 600,000 | | 2027 | up to NIS 1,000,000 | | 2028 | up to NIS 1,000,000 | | 2029 | up to NIS 350,000 | | 2030 | up to NIS 150,000 |

• Related-party cap: when working for a related party (own company, family business), the exemption is capped at NIS 140,000 per year for all years 2026-2030.
• 75-day residency requirement: eligibility is lost if you spend fewer than 75 days in Israel during 2028 or 2029, or cease being an Israeli tax resident in those years.
• Earned income only: rental, interest, dividends do NOT qualify. The standard Section 14 ten-year foreign-income exemption remains intact.
• Olim arriving outside the November 5, 2025 - December 31, 2026 window do NOT receive this incentive, only the standard Section 14 benefits.

Source: Shivat Zion 501000361627 (Tax Reform 2026).

Acclimatization Year and the tax clock:

Returning Israelis can elect a one-year "Acclimatization Year" (shnat hatzharat tochnit) before the Section 14 ten-year clock starts. New olim (under the Law of Return) do NOT have this election; their 10-year clock starts on the aliyah date as recorded on the Teudat Oleh. The Acclimatization Year is a returning-resident tool, NOT an oleh tool, and confusing the two leads to wrong residency-start advice. For toshav chozer cases, route the user to israeli-toshav-chozer-vatik-tax-planner.

Buying a car with olim benefits (3-year window): olim can purchase a car in Israel with reduced purchase-tax benefits within 3 years of aliyah. One car per family, M1 passenger class. The car cannot be sold within 4 years of registration without paying back the discount. See references/aliyah-additional-procedures.md for conditions.

Capital declaration / asset cap on sal klita (2025/2026):

Sal klita applicants must now submit a capital declaration (הצהרת הון). Reported assets above NIS 500,000 reduce or deny eligibility. Applicants below the threshold receive a +10% top-up. Confirm the current threshold + top-up at klita.gov.il before applying, since these figures are subject to budget-cycle adjustment.

Bituach Leumi US-Social-Security coordination: olim from the US who continue paying US Social Security contributions may be eligible for limited exemption from corresponding Bituach Leumi contributions under the US-Israel totalization arrangement. Specific duration and eligibility depend on the totalization agreement scope and recent BL/SSA amendments. Verify directly with Bituach Leumi (*6050) and the SSA international office before relying on this;

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Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: skills-il
• Source: skills-il/government-services
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.