Schools, banking & the first six months
nobody talks about

The first six months in Israel are genuinely difficult for almost everyone — not because of any single thing, but because of the accumulated weight of a hundred small tasks, each requiring a document you don't have yet, or an office that's only open Tuesday and Thursday mornings, or a form that exists only in Hebrew. Knowing the sequence in advance doesn't make it easy, but it makes it survivable.

Landing day — what happens at Ben Gurion

When you arrive as an Oleh Chadash, there is a dedicated absorption process at Ben Gurion Airport. Follow the signs for new immigrants — don't go through regular passport control. The whole process takes a few hours and is generally warm and well-organised. By the time you leave the airport, you will have received:

Two things to do immediately after leaving the airport: photograph your Teudat Oleh and email it to your shipping agent. This is the document that allows your container to clear customs — every day it takes to reach them is a potential day of demurrage fees. The second is to save every document you receive in a dedicated physical folder and a cloud backup. You will need copies of these repeatedly over the next six months.

Week one — the sequence that matters

The first week is dense. Israeli bureaucracy has a specific order of operations — many tasks require documents you only receive after completing a prior task. Understanding the sequence prevents the frustrating loop of arriving at an office and being sent away because you're missing something.

Opening a bank account — which bank and what to bring

Opening an Israeli bank account as a new immigrant is more straightforward than it sounds, but bring the right documents and have realistic expectations about timing. Most banks take 3–5 business days to activate an account after initial opening.

What to bring to open an account

Bring your Teudat Oleh, foreign passport, temporary Teudat Zehut, and proof of Israeli address (your lease agreement or a utility bill in your name). Some banks also ask for your absorption counsellor's contact details. If you have an appointment booked through Nefesh B'Nefesh or your Aliyah organisation, mention it — it often smooths the process.

Sal Klita — your absorption basket, explained

The Sal Klita (absorption basket) is Israel's financial support programme for new immigrants. It is not a single payment — it's a phased series of monthly transfers over 12 months, designed to help you establish yourself without financial panic.

Months 1–6: Higher monthly payments, designed to cover initial settlement costs. A single oleh typically receives around ₪2,700–3,000/month; a couple receives more; families with children receive higher amounts. Exact amounts change annually — check the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration website for current figures.

Months 7–12: Lower monthly payments, conditional on regular Ulpan attendance (75–80% minimum). Around ₪1,300–1,500/month for a single oleh at this stage.

Beyond the monthly payments, new immigrants are also entitled to: an Arnona (municipal tax) discount for 2 years, free health coverage for the first year, reduced public transport fares, free Ulpan, a purchase tax discount on property (with a time limit — use it), and various professional licensing benefits. Your absorption counsellor at Misrad HaKlita should walk you through all of these — but ask specifically, because not all of them are automatically activated.

Schools — what families with children need to know

The Israeli school system is more complex than most countries families come from. Understanding it before you enrol your children saves significant stress.

The four school streams

The enrolment timing trap

The Israeli school year begins in September. Enrolment for the following year typically opens in spring. If you arrive after September, your child may need to wait until the following September for a formal school placement — or you need to find a school that accepts mid-year intake, which is possible but requires active searching.

If you are planning to arrive for a September school start, begin the enrolment process at least 2–3 months before. Popular schools in Anglo areas fill up. Contact your municipal education office (misrad hachinuch ha'ironi) and speak to the school directly — don't assume the process is automatic.

Language: what to expect

Children pick up Hebrew faster than their parents, almost universally. Most children in a Hebrew-medium school are conversationally fluent within 6 months, and academically fluent within a year or two. The first few months are hard — don't underestimate this, and don't push children to suppress their feelings about it. Schools with dedicated immigrant integration programmes (tichnut klita) are significantly better at supporting children through this transition.

Ulpan — free Hebrew for new immigrants

Ulpan is Israel's intensive Hebrew programme for new immigrants, and it is genuinely free for new olim for the first 5 years after Aliyah. Almost every city has at least one. The standard programme runs 5 mornings a week for approximately 5 months, covering basic through intermediate Hebrew.

Start as early as possible — ideally within the first month of arrival. There are two practical reasons: first, your Sal Klita payments in months 7–12 are conditional on attending at least 75–80% of classes. Second, and more importantly, even basic Hebrew changes your experience of daily life in Israel profoundly. The families who invest in Ulpan in the first six months integrate faster, feel less isolated, and report significantly higher satisfaction with the move at the one-year mark.

For those who work during the day, evening and afternoon Ulpan programmes exist in most cities, though they're less intensive. Online options (including through the Jewish Agency and private providers) are available but less effective than in-person study for most learners.

Healthcare — choosing and using your Kupat Cholim

Israel's public healthcare system is excellent and accessible. As a new immigrant, you receive free coverage for the first year. After that, contributions are deducted through payroll (if employed) or paid directly to Bituach Leumi (if not employed).

The four health funds — Clalit, Maccabi, Meuhedet, and Leumit — offer broadly similar coverage under the national health basket, with differences in supplementary insurance, specialist networks, and specific services. For Anglo families, the most practical consideration is English-speaking doctors. In Ra'anana, Jerusalem, Modi'in, and Herzliya, English-speaking GPs are readily available through all four funds. In less Anglo areas, Maccabi tends to have the strongest English-speaking network.

Once registered, find your primary care doctor (rofe mishpacha) and register with them directly — don't just show up at a clinic. Same-day appointments are often possible once you have an established relationship with a doctor. The specialist referral system is straightforward: your GP refers you, and most specialists are covered under the national basket with small co-payments.

Tax in 2026 — what's changed and what it means for you

Israel's tax regime for new immigrants has historically been extraordinarily generous — and it remains so, but with a significant change from January 2026 that every new oleh should understand.

The 10-year exemption — still in place

New immigrants continue to receive a 10-year exemption from Israeli income tax on foreign-sourced income — foreign pensions, investment income, rental income from overseas property, and earnings from non-Israeli employers. This exemption is unchanged and remains one of the most significant financial incentives for Aliyah anywhere in the world.

The new 2026 disclosure requirement

Starting 1 January 2026, new immigrants who arrive after this date must report all worldwide assets and income to the Israel Tax Authority — even if that income is exempt from Israeli tax. Previously, new olim did not have to disclose foreign assets at all during the exemption period. This reporting obligation is new.

What this means in practice: you still pay no Israeli tax on foreign income during the 10-year period. But you must now declare it. Families with foreign trusts, foreign companies, foreign real estate, or complex international financial structures should speak with a licensed Israeli tax advisor before (or immediately upon) making Aliyah. The implications vary significantly depending on your specific situation.

Community — the fastest route to actually belonging

This is the section most practical guides skip, but families who settle well consistently say it's more important than almost anything logistical. Community in Israel is built faster than in most countries — but it requires showing up.

The Anglo community networks are exceptional. WhatsApp groups for olim in every city, Facebook communities with tens of thousands of members, AACI offices in Ra'anana, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and other centres, Nefesh B'Nefesh post-Aliyah support programmes — all of these are genuinely useful and staffed by people who have been through exactly what you're going through.

Two specific things that work particularly well: find your local synagogue (even if you're not particularly observant — the Shabbat morning and kiddush culture is where Anglo social networks are built in most cities), and find a sports or activity group. Running clubs, tennis groups, fitness classes — Israelis are welcoming to newcomers in these settings in a way that feels natural rather than organised.

The families who struggle most in the first year are often those who tried to manage everything alone, didn't ask for help, and didn't invest in the social side until they were already feeling isolated. Israel is a country where asking for help is expected and welcomed — from strangers, from neighbours, from the person ahead of you in the queue at the bank. Use it.

The week-by-week reality — what to expect