Challenges faced by Olim

Olim do face many challenges that sometimes lead them to return to their home countries. Hope you will not be one of them.

Here are some of the common problems faced and we hope that through the various website links listed by us on this site, you will be able to get the necessary help for yourself and your family.

• It is not easy migrating to Israel. You have to give up everything that you were familiar with and start over again. You have to look for accommodation, open bank account, convert your driving licence, look for school for your children, look for a job, learn the Hebrew language, navigate the different government departments and healthcare system, find a community to belong, etc. The list is not exhaustive. You may feel frustrated, lonely and isolated.

• As most of you are not fluent in speaking Hebrew, you may have language barrier, resulting in problem moving around on a daily basis. However, do not lose heart. The Israeli government has different uplan programmes for you to learn Hebrew. Ulpan is a Hebrew word meaning "studio," "teaching" or "Instruction". The uplan is designed to teach the Olim for free, the basic language skills of communication--conversation, reading, writing, and comprehension. It normally last for about 5 months.

• Getting a job and an apartment is not easy because every year thousands of people make Aliyah. Jobs are hard to come by and apartments not always affordable. Some organizations that we have listed in our site and Making Aliyah app may be able to help you. Check them out.

• It is challenging managing Israel's bureaucracy. It often takes a long time for records to be processed. So before making Aliyah, make sure you get ready all the necessary documents and know your benefits that you are entitled to ahead of your arrival to Israel.

• The Israeli culture can be very different from the country you come from. So do some homework. You need to learn and assimilate into the Israeli society and culture the soonest so that you won't feel so overwhelmed.