How much time is needed to make aliyah?

amother

Thu, Apr 28 2022, 8:54 pm

We are thinking of moving to Israel. Just decided now that it's something we want to do. Is it crazy late? Is it still possible to move in time for the new school year??
Any and all advice and tips are greatly appreciated!
Leave all furniture, linen, toys, appliances, pots/dishes behind and buy everything new from scratch in Israel?
Or pay to port everything - is that worth it?

Where do we start finding yeshivas? Schools? Playgroup? Babysiiter?

Which neighborhood is right for regular boro park frum family?

Where can I start looking for a job? For me? For DH?

Is it realistic ir even possible to only start now and move already for the new zeman??

Any tips or suggestions

amother

Electricblue

Thu, Apr 28 2022, 9:02 pm

What do you do? What does your DH do?
How old are your children?
Do you speak Hebrew? Only yiddish?
Are you chassidish, litvish, sefardi, yerushalmi?
Do you have any savings?
Any friends there?

Can you tell us a little bit about your family?

frumama

Thu, Apr 28 2022, 9:28 pm

It could take months to get all the paperwork and documents you need. We haven't made aliyah yet so I can't tell you about the practical aspects of packing up and finding jobs/school/place to live etc, That depends a lot on your specific circumstances. But the first thing you should probably do is call nefesh bnefesh and find out what you need as far as documents. That could be the biggest issue if you want to be ready by August. You would have to get the ball moving asap with that stuff for sure.

amother

Celeste

Thu, Apr 28 2022, 10:11 pm

It's more important to go successfully than fast.
Check Nefesh Bnefesh website and call them. They will recommend a pilot trip first. You can't just choose a community based on imamother.
You have to go and see for yourself.
Also check out https://naavakodesh.org/

You need your birth certificate, do you have that? It can take months to get it from the government. You need letters from your rabbi certifying that you are Jewish. Etc.

It's not too late to organize a family pilot trip for this summer. But I don't think its realistic to move in for the school year.

amother

Vanilla

Thu, Apr 28 2022, 10:25 pm

The quick answer is no. It takes a few months to get through the process.

You can move without formally making aliyah and make aliyah from within Israel after you've gotten your paperwork together. That's what we did. But it's a bit of a hassle to live here as non-citizens and you almost certainly won't be able to work while you're on a student or tourist visa. Can you afford that?

Call nefesh b'nefesh now. (Actually, not now, they're closed on Friday but open on Sunday.) You'll get a clearer idea of the time frame. Schedule a visit - preferably during the school year so you can visit schools- and start planning.

We'll be waiting!

LovesHashem

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 12:17 am

I know people who've moved in less than 6 months. It's pretty crazy and intense but possible.

Also know many people who have moved in middle of the school year.

We'd need a lot more info about your family to reccomend things. What's a normal Boro park family?

Rappel

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 12:33 am

1) open a file in nefesh bnefesh
2) gather all the documents they ask for, and submit them
3) schedule an aliyah interview
4) pilot trip to check communities
5) Aliyah interview
6) random things that happen during paperwork processing ("hi, is this how you want your name spelled on your Israeli documents?" Etc)
7) receive your aliyah visa
8) schedule your aliyah flight
9) fly
10) finish some paperwork on this side of the ocean (receive teudat zehut, open a bank account, get a sal Klitah, set up your kupat cholim etc)
11) experience culture shock
12) curl up into a little ball, and wish that simple things like peanut butter were still peanut butter
13) be brave. Forget your English before you finish learning useful Hebrew.
14) make your first joke in Hebrew, and realize that it's possible that you'll acclimate someday
15) more headaches
16) more successes
17) get so good at managing your life here that you forget what the problems were.
18) watch your children grow here, and realize that you are part of our national history, and you couldn't live anywhere else if you tried
19) הודו לה' כי טוב, כי לעולם חסדו

amother

Anemone

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 3:39 am

My dad has started the process. He has almost all the paperwork in just missing two things he has actually mail. There is quite a long list of things that you need. His advisor told him that once the paperwork is in he cannot give him a date of how long it would take. I'm hoping because it just one person it will go through quickly because he really wants to get here as soon as possible. But he said up to 6 months is considered pretty normal. I'm not sure if there's strings that could be pulled to make the process quicker for someone. It feels like that's how everything works in this country but I don't have any connections.

amother

Vanilla

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 3:51 am

amother [ Anemone ] wrote:

There's a huge backlog at Nefesh b'nefesh because so many people decided during corona that they wanted to make aliyah, but that's exactly when government offices in the US and Canada cut back their hours. So everything is taking longer than it used to. Even getting an FBI background check, which you need if coming from the US, takes a while.

Refugees move pretty quickly through the system for obvious reasons. I'm sure there are some VIPs who glide through the process as well, but unfortunately, it really is just slow.

If you were applying for citizenship anywhere in the world, it would take a long time. Don't be discouraged. You're wanted here.

SG18

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 5:44 am

If you're committed to getting it done, it can be done in 6 months. That involves a lot of going to offices and waiting to be seen. The FBI background check was quick for us- except the first day we went, no one was in, and we had to go back. Expect each document to take a day to take care of.
If it's your primary focus, you can get it done.
I don't think a pilot trip is necessary, but for your family it might be. We found a temporary place and looked for our permanent location once we got here.
The first step is to sign up with NBN. Start uploading documents to their database and seeing what you need. They're incredibly helpful.
The jobs and lift and all that will come after. First get the ball rolling and see how practical it is to get it done quickly in the current climate.

amother

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 7:34 am

Rappel wrote:

I love this!!!!!!

We already applied to NBN. Almost have all the documents and paperwork. Was pretty simple.
Need to take a pilot trip? Definitely don't have time for that??

grace413

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 8:06 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

We already applied to NBN. Almost have all the documents and paperwork. Was pretty simple.
Need to take a pilot trip? Definitely don't have time for that??

Great, you are well on your way!

Many people make aliyah without a pilot trip.

As far as where, schools, jobs, you'll need to give us more info so we can hopefully help you.

Hatzlacha!

amother

Anemone

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 9:25 am

amother [ Vanilla ] wrote:

Thank you for the encouraging! Well he has kids in Israel so he is definitely motivated to get here and hopefully the apartment that he's looking at will go through. I figure it will take him time to go through his whole house and I went to take him to get his health and life organized before he comes. But he would like to be here in 6 months so I guess I'll just have to daven!

amother

Tangerine

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 10:23 am

Hi my daughter works for NBN. They are right now dealing with August and September cases so technically your timing is fine, if cutting it a little close. She advises starting an application online immediately so that you can be given an advisor and be told what you need. Bear in mind it will be harder to find schools for your kids this late in the year. Also start doing research on where to live and working on documents. You will need aspotilles on everyone’s birth certificate and your marriage certificate as well. The BC for anyone born in the five boroughs needs a Letter of Exemplification which can only be issued on a BC issued in the past month. You may need to order new ones which can come with the letter. The sooner you complete your application the sooner you can be advised in what exactly you need. Hatzlacha and shabbat shalom.

amother

Cornsilk

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 3:02 pm

It's definitely a lot easier if you're a refugee. Russian refugees were being prioritized and many (approximately a third of those who "made aliyah" in the last while) enjoyed the system and left. They were placed in comfortable, nice hotels, given money by the Israeli government to start them off in their new country, and enjoyed other benefits such as free, excellent health care. Then when they ate their fill and were satisfied they had milked the welcoming Israeli taxpayers for all they could, they returned to their homeland. (That has to make you wonder exactly what their refugee status meant to begin with.)
As a non-refugee you won't be eligible for all those benefits OP, but I wish you a speedy happy aliyah!

amother

Electricblue

Fri, Apr 29 2022, 3:06 pm

amother [ Cornsilk ] wrote:

ive never read a more PA post...
they're literally escaping a war zone lol