(A Blog Post from 2015)
Countless people encouraged me to fly to the states and make Aliyah from there. I didn’t listen. I took it as a challenge. While I did inevitably make Aliyah, and accomplish most of what I needed to, it was a Pyrrhic victory. I honestly had no idea how hair-pullingly frustrating getting anything done in Israel can be.
I was told internal Aliyah would require me to deal with bureaucracy and take a lot of my time. I thought, I’m not working for the next month, I’ll have time. Making Aliyah from Israel, in August, turned out to be one of the worst things I have ever done. It is now November and I am still not finished with everything. If you do choose to make Aliyah from within Israel here are some tips…
1. Make Aliyah before August and after October. All of Israel shuts down for the holidays. If you are not careful you could be waiting for over a month for appointments.
I was told internal Aliyah would require me to deal with bureaucracy and take a lot of my time. I thought, I’m not working for the next month, I’ll have time. Making Aliyah from Israel, in August, turned out to be one of the worst things I have ever done. It is now November and I am still not finished with everything. If you do choose to make Aliyah from within Israel here are some tips…
1. Make Aliyah before August and after October. All of Israel shuts down for the holidays. If you are not careful you could be waiting for over a month for appointments.
2. Make several appointments with your local Misrad Haklita (Ministry of Absorption). I made Aliyah August 3rd and was not able to get an appointment until October 14th because of the holidays.
Pre-booking is important. I was not able to make an appointment until after I received a Teudat Zehut number. As soon as you receive that number make three appointments. You may not need them all but it can’t hurt. The first and second should be as close to your Aliyah date as you can manage. During the first appointment you will be getting your Teudat Oleh, Health Insurance voucher, and filling out bank information for your absorption package. I was then told I needed a second appointment to receive the ulpan voucher. The third appointment should be a month and a half after the first. If there are any complications with your Sal Klita or miscellaneous issues you will probably find out about them then
3. Already have a bank account set up with using your passport information. You will be able to go in and have the account information changed to your Teudat Zehut after.
4. If you are looking to take ulpan make sure you have found one in your area and spoken to them. See when the classes start and if they require an entrance placement test.
And
5. Make sure you have health insurance coverage for the in-between period. It will take at least a week after making Aliyah before you get the form, submit it, and have them recognize it. After you register with a kupat holim you will want to go in and get a health insurance card.
Pre-booking is important. I was not able to make an appointment until after I received a Teudat Zehut number. As soon as you receive that number make three appointments. You may not need them all but it can’t hurt. The first and second should be as close to your Aliyah date as you can manage. During the first appointment you will be getting your Teudat Oleh, Health Insurance voucher, and filling out bank information for your absorption package. I was then told I needed a second appointment to receive the ulpan voucher. The third appointment should be a month and a half after the first. If there are any complications with your Sal Klita or miscellaneous issues you will probably find out about them then
3. Already have a bank account set up with using your passport information. You will be able to go in and have the account information changed to your Teudat Zehut after.
4. If you are looking to take ulpan make sure you have found one in your area and spoken to them. See when the classes start and if they require an entrance placement test.
And
5. Make sure you have health insurance coverage for the in-between period. It will take at least a week after making Aliyah before you get the form, submit it, and have them recognize it. After you register with a kupat holim you will want to go in and get a health insurance card.
