‘Coming Home’ with an Israeli Aliyah benefits when one spouse is American and the other is Israeli It’s the perfect love story. Israeli guy living in the United States meets American girl (or the other way around). They fall in love, get married, and decide to start their new life together in Israel. In general, the rights this couple receive when making Aliyah are standard. The American receives full Oleh rights and the returning Israeli receives the more basic ‘toshav chozer’ rights (which can obviously be shared since they are a couple). However, the status of this couple changes if they make Aliyah with at least one child who was born in America. This is known as a mishpachat Olim (a family with Olim status). There are certain differences and benefits that a Mishpachat Olim is entitled to, that differ from a family where both spouses are new Olim: •
Free ticket to Israel: Unlike other returning Israelis who just receive a discount on their flight back to Israel, the Israeli spouse in a Mishpachat Olim, receives a free flight.
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Sal Klita: Returning Israelis do not usually receive sal klita (monetary payments to help with absorption). However, a Mishpachat Olim is entitled to receive the same amount of sal klita as any new Oleh family (calculated according to the amount of people in the family). This benefit is dependent on the amount of time the family has spent in Israel in the seven years prior to Aliyah.
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Health insurance: A returning Israeli may be subject to a waiting period before being eligible to enroll for health coverage through Bituach Leumi (the National Insurance Institute), unlike new Olim, who receive this immediately on arrival. Customs benefits: If the spouse who is a returning citizen has already used customs benefits in the past, there may be differences as to what the family is entitled to upon returning to Israel. A Mishpachat Olim would therefore need to consult with their Aliyah advisor beforehand.
For more information, please see the Nefesh B’Nefesh website:
www.nbn.org.il
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THIS IS MY ISRAEL: Life on Aliyah
A definite advantage to the singles scene in Israel is its eclecticism. Not only is there a large and diverse Oleh community made up of young Jewish singles from literally every corner of the world — including North and South America, the UK, France, Australia, South Africa, and many other places — but there is also the Israeli crowd. This allows for a more culturally-refreshing dating experience! “Just before I started my master’s in clinical nutrition at NYU, I decided to come to Israel for the month to check out different programs here,” remembers Tamar Rohatiner, from Los Angeles. “I’d wanted to make Aliyah since I spent my gap year in Israel and throughout college my love for the country only grew.” The weekend before she was due to return to the States, Tamar met Chezki at a synagogue in Jerusalem. “I was standing there with a friend and somehow got talking to this cute Israeli guy called Chezki, who was there with his twin brother. We spoke for about fifteen minutes and I actually ended up extending my flight to spend more time with him. It sounds crazy, but I’m happy I did it!” Chezki grew up in Israel to American parents and works as a pilot in the Israeli Air Force. “Although I love him for many reasons, the fact that he’s a pilot and devotes his life to his country was enough to win me over,” smiles Tamar. Tamar and Chezki continued to date long-distance after Tamar headed back to the States and a few months later she made Aliyah. They got married last summer and live in Tel Aviv, where Tamar is studying for her master’s and teaching at a school in Herzliya. “Before I moved, Israel seemed like a dream. Now I see it as a very special reality, albeit a challenging one. I miss my family and friends in the States, and I’ve had to reestablish myself in a new environment and learn a new language. The recent Pillar of Defense operation also made me feel the intensity of living here.” Nonetheless, she feels that it’s definitely worth it, and the support that she receives from Chezki’s family certainly helps. “Chezki’s family is amazing. They are so loving and super supportive. His mom sends me food that can feed an army! I feel incredibly close to them and they make me feel really at home. Although I know it will take time to get used to living here, I’m so happy and appreciative that I’m able to live the life I’ve been dreaming about for so long.”
Moving to Israel? Find out why more olim ship with Sonigo than any other shipper …
www.Sonigo.com Toll free: IL 1800-230-232 US 1-866-978-5224 UK 0-800-097-5563 FR 0-800-900-111
On the Right Course By Darryl Egnal and Anna Harwood
Studying in Israel has many benefits for new immigrants (olim), including free or heavily subsidized tuition options. The possibilities are numerous and every city in Israel offers choices that can give you the start in life you need.
as well as candidates for master’s degree programs. There are eight major universities in Israel, as well as Students study Hebrew intensively and a range of other more than 30 other institutions of higher education relevant subjects. The duration is and nearly 30 teacher training The Israel Student Authority grants between one and two semesters of colleges. These institutions all offer tuition scholarships for up to three five to 10 months. under-graduate and post-graduate degree courses and/or diploma years of higher education The Israel Student Authority, courses in a variety of disciplines. operating through the Ministry to eligible new immigrant students The options are endless. of Immigrant Absorption in Although the language of instruction in most colleges and universities is Hebrew, several offer a few courses and/or programs in English. English language programs enable students to begin integration into Israel slowly without the pressure of becoming fluent in Hebrew immediately.
collaboration with the Jewish Agency for Israel, grants tuition scholarships for up to three years of higher education to eligible new immigrant students. The grant is dependent on academic achievements and the fulfillment of a volunteer community work requirement in the last year of the scholarship.
For students wishing to begin their undergraduate studies in Hebrew, Mechina or preparatory programs are available for people with non-equivalent Israeli high school diplomas or who do not have a strong enough grasp of the Hebrew language. The duration of the program is one academic year, comprised of two semesters and a summer ulpan in Hebrew. Some universities require students to complete a Mechina before they can register for regular studies and will only accept students from their own Mechina programs.
To qualify, students must study at a recognized institution and be a new immigrant (or a returning minor or citizen born abroad), and begin academic studies within 36 months of making Aliyah (or receiving this status). This does not include any time spent in the army or national service. Students must also start their studies before their 23rd birthday for a Mechina program, their 27th birthday for an undergraduate degree, or their 30th birthday for a graduate degree. Before making Aliyah, young adults can receive information and advice on study options in Israel from Nefesh B’Nefesh:
The TAKA pre-academic program is meant for students with equivalent high school matriculation or an academic record which exempts them from Mechina,
1-866-4-Aliyah • www.nbn.org.il
THIS IS MY ISRAEL: Life on Aliyah
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