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Moving to Israel with little savings?
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heidi




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 20 2018, 9:43 am
amother wrote:
Would you ask about any other country?

I'm not sure that's fair.
Israel has notoriously low salaries and notoriously high cost of living.
I think it's a fair question.
OP, we came with a job and flipped a house to buy a house here mortgage free.
I think you need to decide how you want to live. If you want to live by American standards you need the kind of money I mentioned.
If you're willing to live in an apartment, have one or no cars and both work, it's doable.
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shabbatiscoming




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 20 2018, 9:44 am
amother wrote:
Would you ask about any other country?
amother, why is this important? She wants to know about aliyah. so why would any other country be important?
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BadTichelDay




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 20 2018, 10:07 am
I came as a single to Israel with the equivalent of 8000 (eight thousand) $ and a few suitcases. That was it. Lived in a mercaz klita (absorption center) and started working as soon as I could.
The first year I had obviously no car and no air conditioning, only a small electric heater for the winter and only cheap food, unless people invited me for Shabbat, which a lot of them did, bless them. But I was happy and ecstatic about being in Israel. The year after I got married and bought an old crumbling lemon of a car. We lived for rent in a small place. Fast forward a decade: We have bought a small semi detached house with a small jungle like garden in a remote area, with air conditioning, yay, have a car that's only 4 years old, a bunch of kids and we're happy.
But the key is having jobs. Absolute necessity.

Edit: we are a bit laid back and not the world's most ambitious people. I'm sure someone more career oriented would have gotten further here in Israel in that time span.
But again, jobs are absolutely necessary in any event, whether you want to reach the sky or are happy to hippie about in the boondocks, like we.

I love living in Israel and want to stay here for the rest of my life.
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amother
Chartreuse


 

Post Thu, Sep 20 2018, 6:27 pm
Thanks for the replies.
I know this has to be my decision, but I was wondering if there were any others who went to Israel with little money. I know that it is definitely easier to go there single, but unfortunately, it won't happen in my situation. I wish it would have been easier. I know my husband can start looking at prospect jobs, but doesn't mean they'd hire him (by the way, anyone had any luck with the international schools? my husband is a teacher). It would be soooooooo great if he'd get a job before actually moving there so then I wouldn't feel so scared about the money issue. My occupation isn't great. Right now I'm working as an administrative assistant. I could probably work office jobs (btw, I do speak hebrew, I was born in Israel but grew up in the US since I was a teenager) or find a different job...even in daycares. Since I lived in Israel, I know what I'm getting to. I was never spoiled and never really cared much about the big things. Yes, it is more convenient with shopping over here and finding everything I need, but I know I can manage. My husband (American) is the one who'd have a harder time, probably. My kids are already speaking hebrew fluently with me. However, I do know that it will get difficult for them in an Israeli school the longer we stay in the US.
I wish I could just leave everything and move to Israel. I know it's not easy, but I've always loved Israel and I should have moved back a long time ago, now it's harder with a family and without any savings Sad
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grace413




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Sep 20 2018, 10:34 pm
Good news! There are always jobs for teachers. Many Americans who come here become English teachers regardless of what they taught before. Not the highest salary but not terrible.

There are always also office jobs. Especially for people with fluent English and Hebrew. You may want to teach yourself to type Hebrew if you don't already know.

Re day care jobs, in my area they are desperate for workers. Again not the best paying but not terrible.

Hatzlacha.
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amother
Copper


 

Post Fri, Sep 21 2018, 3:43 am
We're Charedi, and made aliyah to Yerushalayim with young children. We choose Yerushalayim because this is a big enough city that we could find a place to fit in, but not so Anglicized that our children would be in an Anglo bubble.

We moved when the oldest child was in gan chovah. After a year the children in school were Baruch Hashem able to converse in Hebrew. Socially the integration was the hardest for the gan chovah child: I cannot imagine moving here with a child over 10. It took a year before the oldest talked to anyone, even though she could speak Hebrew, because that child didn't really get their Israeli peers. That was a very hard time. You're only as happy as your most unhappy child as they say.

The younger children began school just fine Baruch Hashem. Now all children are very happy here and don't want to go back. But let me tell you, it was a lot of struggle for the children (and here I'm only talking 3-6 year olds) to get on with their Israeli peers.

So, if you're thinking about moving: do it now for your kids' sake. Because every year you wait makes their social integration exponentially harder. No that it can't be done with older kids- obviously it can. But why wait? If you haven't saved the money you want to save by now, you probably won't have it saved next year or the year after that and so on, if your expenses stay the same or rise.

We had several thousand dollars saved when we moved. However the sal klita money received from the absorption ministry was over 10,000nis a month for the first 6 months (amount depends upon family size- check with Nefesh B Nefesh or The Jewish Agency to find out how much you could receive), not including a 10,000 bonus the first month here (so 70,000 total over 6 months) was such a help. Until we found a source of income with Hashem's help, that and the savings we had kept us afloat financially.

If you and your husband can work from home, I highly suggest doing that. The hours are long and pay is low with many companies here. Working from home, living frugally (without a car, meat only on Shabbos, etc.) you could probably get by for 10,000nis a month in Charedi areas of Yerushalayim. 12,000nis would be a much more comfortable lifestyle. Outside of Yerushalayim is certainly cheaper, but you have to find a place where you fit in of course. That health insurance is super cheap and schools are too (Yeshiva day schools cost about $100-$150 per month, most Haredi 1st-8th grade girls schools cost a small nominal fee) is a huge help and major drive for many to make aliyah.
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DrMom




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Sep 21 2018, 4:18 am
amother wrote:
Would you ask about any other country?

I would.

It is a perfectly reasonable question.
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amother
Coral


 

Post Fri, Sep 21 2018, 4:19 am
Your husband is a teacher? Why does he need an international school? He can teach at a regular public school (there are dati, torani and even charedi public schools).
He needs to get his BA and teaching certificate recognized in Israel (schools are desperate enough that they will hire him even if his certificates arent recognized, but he will be paid less). If he only has a BA there are subsidized programs to help him get a teaching certificate. The country is in sore need of English teachers.
In fact, if you have pretty native English, can also teach English if you have a BA in anything really, although you will get paid less than a certified teacher.
Starting salary for a certified high school teacher with a BA is 8000 NIS per month for 40 hrs a week (hours are 45 min each I think. And only 24 hours out of the 40 are frontal teaching).
Salary goes up if you have an MA in anything, and also goes up if you take courses in your field. Also every yr of work increases your wage.
Might be something to consider.
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amother
Chartreuse


 

Post Fri, Sep 21 2018, 5:16 am
Ok, I know teaching jobs can be great but the one thing I left out is that he’s a music teacher and he actually doesn’t have a BA in education ☹️. It is also limited for job opportunities over here. I know, he should have had a certificate, but now we really can’t afford paying more student loans if he goes back to school. He is VERY talented and has a lot of experience but I don’t know if they’d look at that. I feel stuck.
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amother
Coral


 

Post Fri, Sep 21 2018, 5:22 am
amother wrote:
Ok, I know teaching jobs can be great but the one thing I left out is that he’s a music teacher and he actually doesn’t have a BA in education ☹️. It is also limited for job opportunities over here. I know, he should have had a certificate, but now we really can’t afford paying more student loans if he goes back to work.


Is he willing to be an English teacher? He can have a BA in anything. There used to be a fully funded way of getting a teaching certificate for academic olim. Might still be. Theres also the Mteach, also used to be funded, which gives a masters and teaching diploma together. (In both cases he would need an extra semester at least of make up courses, as his BA is not in English).

He can get a job teaching English three or four days a week, and do the certificate or Mteach two days a week. Takes 2 yrs this way. (Of course he wouldnt be earning a full time salary).
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grace413




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Sep 21 2018, 6:39 am
https://www.dyellin.ac.il/re_t.....glish

Check this out.

Also is he able to give private music lessons on a specific instrument? That's a big money maker.
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amother
Coral


 

Post Fri, Sep 21 2018, 6:47 am
grace413 wrote:
https://www.dyellin.ac.il/re_training/accelerated_english

Check this out.
.


This. Similar programs offered throughout the country. Some with a masters also (Mteach), which also raises your salary.
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amother
Chartreuse


 

Post Fri, Sep 21 2018, 12:42 pm
Thanks. I’ll also check with nefesh. I’m not sure if we’d get the study for free (my husband is over 30) and then he won’t be able to do school unless he gets a great job... we just have so many expenses. Living in the USA hasn’t been like “living the American dream” for me so far. We’re living in a small one bedroom apartment... we work too much and just pay bills after bills. I know israel isn’t easy, but I feel like that’s where we belong.
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