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Forum -> Inquiries & Offers -> Israel related Inquiries & Aliyah Questions
Moving to Israel for one year-with kids
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 9:44 am
Thinking of moving to Israel for a year (with my kids). DH would stay back and work. (He has no interest in staying so long in Israel). I have always wanted to make aliyah and move to Israel however my DH has never wanted to. So, aside from occasional trips to Israel, I thought of this as a compromise. I know of one family who did this but I'm not close with them so I have not talked through the details with them. If I'm not a olah, can I enroll my kids in school? Can I buy local health insurance and be seen in clinics, if needed? As a long term "tourist", what disadvantages can I expect? Are there any advantages? Of course, I would love to be able to stay in Jerusalem however I know we will probably not have the funds for that. My kids love Tzfat but I don't know if I do. I am assuming the kids, upon our return to the States, will be behind a whole school year; maybe not.

Comments, suggestions?
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amother
Tan


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 9:51 am
I think living in Israel for a year would be a great experience for kids, but not getting behind a year. Look into that, hopefully they would be able to stay in their age group. If not, ask them how they would feel about moving to Israel for a year if.it meant getting held back a year in school when they return. I would NOT have been okay with that as a child.
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amother
Tan


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 9:53 am
BTW, I love Tzfat, and feel like it is a good alternative to Jerusalem and cheaper. What do you not like about it?
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dena613




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 9:53 am
I'm a poster who always tries to be nice, so I'll say this as nicely as I can:
Are you Israeli? Do your kids speak fluent Ivrit?
I don't understand this at all.you aren't thinking of making a pilot trip. Do you realize that you are planning on uprooting uprooting yourself and your kids and put them in a foreign country for a year, making them struggle socially and academically both there and when they get back? Causing them instability without a husband and father?
I love EY, don't get me wrong!
But this idea you have sounds more like wishful thinking.
How about you go every summer?
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amother
Khaki


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 9:57 am
You will be going to EY with kids for the year and dh would be in your home country? Would he join you for holidays? Just curious because all the families I know who did this went as a couple.

I think schools for kids is an issue, especially if you live in a tough school neighborhood. I know my kids school would put us through the wringer over this and possibly not take them back. Its probably easier if the kids are younger.
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trixx




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 9:58 am
You want to single mom it for a year with your husband in a different COUNTRY? Why? How old are your kids?
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 10:11 am
The kids will be somewhat older. I'm thinking of doing this in a few years. By then my youngest will be 13 and oldest 17. We all have a sense of adventure. My DH would visit for holidays. I traveled alone with my kids before plenty of times. But yes, being in a foreign country with kids, for so long, is totally different.

I don't need the "you're crazy" comments unless they come with practical statistics such as, medical insurance is impossible to get and you will pay out of pocket 5 x the going rate to be seen in a clinic.

Or, kids can't be enrolled in school unless they are "citizens"...

I need practicalities. Not emotional reactions.
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amother
Copper


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 10:29 am
I would love to do this as well but also worry about uprooting kids. I think I would be fine. If my kids would have to be held back a year I wouldn't do it.
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amother
Tan


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 10:38 am
amother [ OP ] wrote:
The kids will be somewhat older. I'm thinking of doing this in a few years. By then my youngest will be 13 and oldest 17. We all have a sense of adventure. My DH would visit for holidays. I traveled alone with my kids before plenty of times. But yes, being in a foreign country with kids, for so long, is totally different.

I don't need the "you're crazy" comments unless they come with practical statistics such as, medical insurance is impossible to get and you will pay out of pocket 5 x the going rate to be seen in a clinic.

Or, kids can't be enrolled in school unless they are "citizens"...

I need practicalities. Not emotional reactions.


I would have loved it as a kid, as long as I wasn't held behind a year. I totally get your sense of adventure and don't think you're crazy at all.
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singleagain




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 10:43 am
When. I was a kid.my best friends family moved for a year. Never came back.

The mom and kids made Aliyah. The dad never did. He travels back and forth to Israel. Roughly every week. Like he's in USA Sunday to Thursday. Flies to Israel for shabbos. Then flies back motzai shabbos /Sunday and does the whole thing over. Short USA weeks, like Monday holiday/Thanksgiving etc he stays in Israel. And his schedule has changed a bit in the 20+ years since they moved.

It works for them. It can work for you.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 10:47 am
For school, one option might be for them to do online K-12 program since we are technically still US and state citizens. And I pay property tax. But this would rely on trustworthy internet connection. As far as I know,the free K-12 programs only require logging on but not in "real time". Though not sure how it would work with the time difference if a child needed a "one on one" help session for a specific class and I don't really know the specifics of what is required as far as logging on.
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trixx




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 10:52 am
OK it's really different if your kids are teens. They can technically afford to lose a year of high school as long as they have enough credits or classes to graduate, and they can do online stuff (in theory - idk how it actually works per state). Your best bet may be googling for travel blogs? People do this for a living.
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amother
Honeydew


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 11:18 am
Just for practicalities you asked for- health insurance would not be a big deal at all. If u got visas you can get onto state insurance/Kupa otherwise private insurance in Israel is not expensive.
School would be a different question but I also can’t imagine it being an issue. I know plenty of Americans that did not make Aliya sending their kids to school etc.

For the stuff you didn’t ask for— u have to know your kids, for most teens I know this would sound great in theory but can be very hard to pull off in a healthy way. Be wary of social and academic ramifications, possibly religious ones as well.
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Boobasheli




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 11:25 am
The families that I know who have done this, have either had their kids learn Hebrew before going, or enrolled their kids in English speaking schools (geared for American olim). Good luck! I think it sounds like a wonderful adventure!
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 11:31 am
In my experience, when learning a foreign language, it's not really learned until living in the country. Even my very oldest who was so called "fluent", he still had a lot to learn when he moved to Israel. (He no longer lives in Israel).

I agree I don't want them to be immersed in social turmoil by going to Israeli school for a year and struggling to fit in and communicate yet on the other hand, if we are just on "vacation" for a year, it's a whole different experience they will have. And not the one I'm envisioning. So, perhaps I'd have to focus on finding schools for English speakers...
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DrMom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 11:38 am
If your kids are on board and understand what they're signing up for, then cool.

I could point out some problems with this plan, but you don't seem to want to hear it, so good luck!
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essie14




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 11:51 am
You can get healthcare as non citizens.
You can enroll in schools as non citizens, but as non olim they will not be eligible for ulpan or any other remedial help.
I would suggest to come for a summer, or multiple summers. or wait until your youngest is finished high school.
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amother
Ruby


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 12:02 pm
You can get healthcare and enroll the kids in school, no problem. But I would strongly recommend going to a place with lots of Anglos. (Not Tzfat.) It will be important to have schools that can accommodate English speakers, and a social network of other women whose husbands commute.
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ora_43




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 12:10 pm
I do know of non-citizens studying in local (public) high schools, but I'm not sure how it works, bureaucracy-wise. I wonder if the nearest Jewish Agency branch would help with this sort of thing?

Tzfat is gorgeous but also fairly small, without a lot of job options (if that's an issue) or entertainment. It has a lot of upsides (not too hot, really a lovely place, artsy, etc) but definitely think 2-3 times if you're city people.

Also, I'm not sure how many school options you'd have there.

I wouldn't assume your kids will be a year behind. If they want to keep up in English, they'd have to be self-motivated to do independent study, because English classes here won't challenge them. But OTOH I assume their Hebrew and Jewish studies skills will be at least at (US) grade level. A lot of schools here have strong math and science programs, too - although for a 17-year-old, they'll be teaching for a different set of tests than what your kid will need (Bagrut, not SATs or SAT II - although of course there is overlap).
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Jul 24 2019, 12:37 pm
DrMom wrote:
If your kids are on board and understand what they're signing up for, then cool.

I could point out some problems with this plan, but you don't seem to want to hear it, so good luck!


I do need to hear about potential problems. But not a blanket statement that it will be too stressful or potentially unstable for the kids. I know those things. That is inherent with such a plan. I'm still in the evaluating process. We are not leaving tomorrow.

I need to hear about practical barriers though.
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