Where would my LWMO family fit in EY? Plus lots of questions

amother

Tue, May 07 2019, 4:13 pm

As the title states, my family is LWMO. I cover most of my hair with a tichel, I wear pants, usually only in cold weather because in hot weather, loose, flowy skirts are soooo much more comfy, we have a tv, internet, okay with secular things. OU hechscher is fine for us and whatever the Israeli equivalent of OU is.

Ideally would love to be in a community of like-minded people. Don’t mind at all being around secular Israelis as long as they are accepting of us. Not sure if we should look at potential areas first and then job search or the opposite way, job search and then home search. Any advice in that area appreciated.

Our kids range from 10 to 19 years old. My eldest is in college and then the next one is graduating HS in one year. How does a student from an American HS get accepted to an Israeli college after making aliyah? What’s the process like? Or do most Israelis after HS go into the army and then college? Can post-high school teens who make aliyah join the army right away or…? And how about transfering from American college to Israeli one? My eldest already has a year of college done and won't be joining us if she has to start all over Sad

Do kids learn Hebrew in school if they are olim? My kids know some Hebrew, not fluent or anything, and certainly more than dh and I. They can introduce themselves, ask for directions, names of objects, things like that. We definitely will try to learn more here in the US so we can speak even the basics when we get there.

As far as finances, my dh and I make a very good living here in the US, so much so that making aliyah and possibly take a huge pay cut is terrifying. We’re trying to save up for the possibility of not having a job for at least a year, but I know that savings can be eaten up depending on different areas. I'm assuming most jobs are in cities and bigger towns and that means rent and other necessities are more expensive. As for credit cards, can we use our credit cards in Israel? Do people take their money out of American banks and transfer them to Israeli ones? Ahhh so many questions At wits end

Don’t really want to be isolated from a bigger city (or at least a large town), but also don’t really want to be in the city, if that makes sense. Right now we live in Riverdale and tired of apartment life. Really want a house (or townhouse) with backyard so I can garden, we can let our dog out whenever, maybe get another dog. I would also love to be by the water, not necessarily ocean front or anything, but close enough that maybe we can get to a beach without an incredibly long drive. I grew up on an island so being near the water is something I would love. Not a deal breaker but always nice.

What is the process like for bringing dogs into EY? Would our dog have to go into quarantine?

I apologize if this is a lot of questions! Just trying to start researching and brainstorming as early as possible. I’ll probably think of more questions along the way
embarrassed

This is all a bit overwhelming!

grace413

Tue, May 07 2019, 4:17 pm

We Israelis are going to bed now. I have a few answers but sorry too tired now. I suggest bumping this up before you go to bed so we'll see it in the morning here.

amother

Rose

Tue, May 07 2019, 4:19 pm

Modi'in would suit you well I think (but 45 mins to the beach in Tel Aviv).

amother

Tue, May 07 2019, 4:27 pm

grace413 wrote:

We Israelis are going to bed now. I have a few answers but sorry too tired now. I suggest bumping this up before you go to bed so we'll see it in the morning here.

Will do! I'm at work now and should be working so later on is best for me too embarrassed

amother

Tue, May 07 2019, 4:29 pm

amother [ Rose ] wrote:

Modi'in would suit you well I think (but 45 mins to the beach in Tel Aviv).

Thank you! 45 mins is not too bad. Will definitely look into this and ask more questions later (I'm assuming you are in Israel and going to sleep soon Very Happy

)

Lizzie4

Tue, May 07 2019, 4:31 pm

Sounds like Efrat would be a great fit for you

WitchKitty

Tue, May 07 2019, 4:35 pm

Ra'anana?

IrenaFr

Tue, May 07 2019, 4:36 pm

My husband came to Israel at 19 and he went first to university and then to the army. But it's for the boys only. Girls were release from the army if they made Alia after 17. So I didn't go to the army. I went to university. I hope the rules are the same. About transferring - it really depends , you have to check it yourself with the university itself .

heidi

Tue, May 07 2019, 4:49 pm

Ranana sounds like a good fit for you.
I know zero about finances, but I do know that our capital one card from our American bank account works fine in Israel.
Nefesh bnefesh can probably answer the technical army/college questions.
בהצלחה!!

Eureka!

Tue, May 07 2019, 5:29 pm

Herzliya

IrenaFr

Tue, May 07 2019, 6:25 pm

Raanana and Herzliya - very expensive to live with a garden

amother

Lime

Tue, May 07 2019, 8:10 pm

Karnei Shomron

Rappel

Tue, May 07 2019, 9:23 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I'm up, and I'll happily try to answer your questions.

First of all, welcome!!!!

Second: you sound like a lovely family. There are a lot of communities which may suit you. I'm unfamiliar with the coast line cities, and really only know well towns and cities in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan River Valley. There are many wonderful towns here - off the top of my head, Alon, possibly Shiloh, and Maskiyot all come to mind. They're all about an hour's drive from the Mediterranean, though. (Alon is 20 minutes from the Dead Sea, though).

I'm assuming you're at least a 6 person household, and would want to rent a full house when you land, if you're going to wait on buying (I recommend waiting at least a year, until you're sure you're where you want to be.). In this region, a full house and garden can rent for 3-5 thousand shekel a month, depending on the size and which town you're in.

For buying: brand new houses with large gardens run up to 1.5 million shekel range now - much lower than the national average. Older (40 years ish) large houses can cost as little as 300,000 shekel. If you live in a hilltop community, then your property size increases tremendously, while the costs of constructing your own house decrease tremendously, by there's a catch: there aren't any building permits being handed out to hilltops right now, so you'll have to legalize your home retroactively once the "construction freeze" ends.

I'd say pick your home, and then find a job. Jobs change, especially toward the beginning of Aliyah, but you're community should be supportive and welcoming, and suited to you. You'll need that as you make the transition.

Quote:

Our kids range from 10 to 19 years old. My eldest is in college and then the next one is graduating HS in one year. How does a student from an American HS get accepted to an Israeli college after making aliyah?

Individual application information is available for each university online. Overall: their transcript is fine, SATs count instead of the psychometric test, and they'll have to pass some sort of Hebrew qualifying test. If they don't pass the Hebrew, then most universities have a "mechina" year where they'll have a very light course load, and will mostly catch up to speed on their Hebrew - I highly recommend it.

If someone makes Aliyah before he's 18, then he is obligated to draft and serve his full term. That is what all his peers will be doing - IDF, travel/work, then university. I personally think that it's very challenging to make Aliyah directly into the IDF, since the army molds you in their image, and new olim lose their identity and sense of self for several years. Everyone I know who did that, though, made Aliyah alone; having you guys together with your DC in Israel will definitely anchor him. (FYI - different army branches have different "personalities," which can very much affect your DC's experience and shape his new, Israeli personality. Above and beyond, the nicest, most grounded guys can consistently be found in the Tank Corps.)

You can get exempt from the draft, but it doesn't sound like your the type who would want to. Serving in the IDF/sheirut leumi is definitely a gateway into integrating into Israeli society.

There is a program called Atuda, which allows you to push off army service long enough to complete a useful degree (engineering, medicine, politics), and then afterward serve 5 years in the IDF in that field. For olim, applicants are basically automatically accepted.

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What’s the process like? Or do most Israelis after HS go into the army and then college? Can post-high school teens who make aliyah join the army right away or…?

I guess I already answered most of this Smile

there will be around a three-month delay until the IDF processes your children's citizenship files, and then they will issue a draft order to anyone of relevant age. There are several dates around the year when people are drafted, so it can easily be 6-8 months until an 18 year old is actually drafted. There are ways to expedite it, or to push it off, and I can go into more detail if you're interested.

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And how about transfering from American college to Israeli one? My eldest already has a year of college done and won't be joining us if she has to start all over Sad

The credits usually transfer, assuming your DD is in a fully accredited university. What is her major, and what does she want to be her profession?

Also, if she makes Aliyah before she's 20, she'll also be obligated to draft. After 20 - completely exempt, and would have to volunteer if she wanted to serve. The timeline for men is a little longer.

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That's great! Many schools will tutor new olim to help them catch up to speed. There is also Ulpan in the beginning, for formal knowledge of grammar and style. The thing that will help them the most, though, is just interacting with society, and making friends. Be prepared for some heavy language shock - the bravest of people quail when they suddenly speak less well than a baby. Still, give it 3 months of real immersion, and all of a sudden, your brains will start absorbing words at a rapid rate, beezrat Hashem. Your family presence will both help and hinder you: you'll all be there to support each other, which is super important emotionally. You'll also be tempted to withdraw into your familiar, English speaking bubble, though, once the real shock hits. Resist the temptation. It's very stressful, in the beginning, to not know how to speak, but you'll be much better off in the long run if you keep working at it hard. You can also make a game of it: make flash cards, carry notebooks, draw pictures next to new words and hang them up somewhere noticeable in your house. You'll learn, and you'll be glad you did Smile

Israelis are the best kind of family - friendly, welcoming, easygoing - and you'll want open access to that world.

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As far as finances, my dh and I make a very good living here in the US, so much so that making aliyah and possibly take a huge pay cut is terrifying. We’re trying to save up for the possibility of not having a job for at least a year, but I know that savings can be eaten up depending on different areas. I'm assuming most jobs are in cities and bigger towns and that means rent and other necessities are more expensive.

I made aliyah single, and it was very stressful to plan how I was going to live. You're moving with kids, and I only imagine how scary the finances issue is.

Do try to make a budget, with wiggle room for surprise expenses.

Do try to save up at least a year's worth of living.

Once you get here, if you don't work in an English-speaking field, then take any job you can get in your general arena. You'll be exposed to vocabulary relevant to your work, and the systems/ways of dealing with things in your field. It's basically paid Ulpan and vocational training, all rolled into one! Once your Hebrew and ground knowledge are up to speed, you can look for a good job in your field of choice, and do very well.

Some people don't even engage in the Israeli job market. People like businessmen, programmers, and writers can all run their work remotely in other countries. There are advantages and disadvantages to that, obviously. Do what works for you.

Quote:

As for credit cards, can we use our credit cards in Israel? Do people take their money out of American banks and transfer them to Israeli ones? Ahhh so many questions At wits end

Many olim maintain a foreign bank account, for business purposes or for financial communication with family whom remain there. Talk to your bank about getting a credit card which doesn't charge you a lot of fees when used internationally. If you're still earning money in the States, you can transfer it to your Israeli bank account using OlehPay, which only charges a 2 percent fee for exchanging the currency and moving it internationally. Best bang for your buck.

Note: the IRS has access to your financial information in Israel. Even if you felt so inclined, you need to fully report your income in all countries you earn.

Its illegal to have brokerage accounts in a country you don't live in. If you need a workaround, talk to an expert if you have investments in the States which you want to keep.

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This is a great description of what you're looking for. Other than the Golan or deep Negev, just about everywhere is close to a city hub of some kind. Like I said, I can tell you about many yishuvim which would suit your needs - except for for Mediterranean aspect, since they're all on the East side of Israel. If you want more information, though, I'd be happy to help!

Dogs, there are plenty in Israel. Note that legally, a dog here must be microchipped, and there is a drastic cost difference in the annual license for a neutered vs un-neutered dog (neutered is cheaper). You should vaccinate your dog. Many dogs in Israel aren't chipped and vaccinated, and many wander loose. But that's the law.

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What is the process like for bringing dogs into EY? Would our dog have to go into quarantine?

I don't know. Anyone?

Quote:

I apologize if this is a lot of questions! Just trying to start researching and brainstorming as early as possible. I’ll probably think of more questions along the way
embarrassed

This is all a bit overwhelming!

[/quote]

. Don't apologize! I'm sure everyone here is glad to help however they can. Welcome, again, and may you have an easy and successful Aliyah!

tichellady

Tue, May 07 2019, 10:42 pm

Lizzie4 wrote:

Sounds like Efrat would be a great fit for you

Efrat is very isolated imo. Doesn’t sound like a good fit for op to me

Tue, May 07 2019, 10:59 pm

tichellady wrote:

Efrat is very isolated imo. Doesn’t sound like a good fit for op to me

Efrat is a half-hour from Jerusalem.

Israeli_C

Tue, May 07 2019, 11:07 pm

I think Givat Shmuel would be ideal for you. There's a very sizable Anglo MO community and it's central.

essie14

Tue, May 07 2019, 11:50 pm

I would suggest Modiin (1/2 hr from rishon beach which I prefer over TA 🙂)
Or Ra’anana , Rehovot, karnei shomron

Rappel, you’re amazing!

We use the chase sapphire card. No foreign fees and we earn points.
There’s also capital one credit cards. Don’t use bank cards here. The fees are insane.

amother

Wed, May 08 2019, 12:03 am

Thank you thank you thank for all of your replies!! I’m off to sleep soon but have written down every single suggestion on areas. I guess Google would be a good start for further researching but any additional info would be great, like ballpark estimates for renting a 3-4 bedroom apartment/house. Although I dream of a house, we could make an apartment work.

Also, what is considered expensive in Israel? I know this depends on so many things, but would expenses be on par with a MO, NYC life? We pay $3000 for a 3 bed, 2 bathroom apartment. Can we expect to pay around the same for something similar in any of the areas listed so far or should we expect to pay more? We pay tuition out the wazoo, but I believe Dati Leumi schools are free? Or at the least, nowhere near what we pay now?

I have so many more questions but have to get to sleep lol! Thank you all again for your help!! Sooo appreciate it!!

amother

Purple

Wed, May 08 2019, 12:18 am

A few random points.
In Israel you would be considered regular dati leumi, not left wing or anything (unless you are into expanding women's roles in shul etc). You cover your hair, you barely wear pants, you have a tv - regular dati leumi.

Second, someone suggested the option of building a house on a hilltop and hoping one day it will be recognized as legal....ummm, no, not the best idea.

There are lots of great coastal cities. Tel Aviv (the most expensive), its surrounding towns, Netanya, Hadera (wont advise the southern cities for a new oleh, as they have been having some rockets).
It all depends on what your jobs are. Did you say, and I missed it?

The best thing is to live in a city with easy train access to Tel Aviv, if you need it for jobs.
Neranya, Rishon, Herzilya, Hadera. Amazing beaches. But not huge amounts of anglos. (Maybe Herzilya has?)

$3000...you can rent somerhing very nice with that. Look at yad2 (Hebrew though).

Israeli_C

Wed, May 08 2019, 12:19 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

If you're looking for something urban or even semi-urban, it's an apartment and not a house. If you want a house you need to live on a moshav or yishuv. And you measure its size by counting overall rooms rather than bedrooms. This website will give you a good idea of what you can get for your money https://www.yad2.co.il/realestate/rent I paid about 1.7 million shekels for an apartment in the merkaz (5 room). Dati Leumi (called here Memlachti Dati) schools are free