The best websites and apps for new repatriates in Israel

When repatriates find themselves in a new country, it is always hard for them to adapt and find the necessary information and useful resources to help them get used to their new surroundings.  This causes stress and uncertainty about the future. Often, searching for information on your own does not yield positive results. In this article we will look at a list of the most relevant and useful sites that will help repatriates. We will touch on government resources, medical services, transportation companies, services for ordering food at home and much more.

Government services and official resources

First of all, anyone arriving in Israel should recognize the websites where official information, assistance and government services can be obtained. Here are some of them:

Gov.il. On this website it is possible to solve any question that has something to do with government services. For example, you can find information about benefits, pets, your car, real estate and so on. In addition, here there is an opportunity to change the propiska. Works with the tax office and customs. The portal provides official information about changes in the law.

Ministry of Immigration and Integration. Another important site for the repatriate. Thanks to it, it is possible to enroll in the Ministry of Interior or the Ministry of Absorption. The website of the Ministry of Agriculture provides detailed information about the rules for transporting pets. If you plan to transport pets across the border, it is worth paying attention to the rules!

Jewish Agency for Israel. Here you can find information about the current program for new repatriates, how to get a visa and what free flights are available for repatriates.

GoVisit. This ministry can assist those who are immigrants or Israelis who plan to return home after a long stay abroad. It helps with finding housing, jobs, and other important areas of life.

Tools for language learning and translation

Mastering the local language is one of the most important and prioritized tasks. Let’s talk about the best tools that can help you learn Hebrew, as well as help you translate unknown words or sentences:

Duolingo. An excellent application that helps in learning any language, including Hebrew. Among the pluses is the fact that learning takes place in a game form, thanks to which it is easier for the brain to perceive information.

Hebrew with Nemo. This application works like a personal teacher. Any word, phrase or sentence will be pronounced by a real native speaker, so the student gets used to the speech faster.

Write It! Hebrew. A convenient and functional option to learn Hebrew faster. For the most part, it is designed to help a person learn to write.

Job search and employment platforms

The Ministry of Aliyah is committed to assisting returnees in finding employment, retraining or starting a business. When the diploma is legalized, it is possible to contact a supervisor who will help you find suitable offers that match your education.

LinkedIn. Quite a popular social network that has spread all over the world. Among Israelis, the platform is also popular and they use it to find a job. Great for people who are specialists in a certain field, have high qualifications, work in IT or website promotion. Many Israeli companies are registered on this site or are representatives.

AllJobs. Another site where you can find a job. Every day a large number of vacancies are published here. Many Israelis turn to this website. However, it should be clarified that each job is checked and it will not be possible to find those offers that were published today.

Drushim. A web resource where vacancies are posted daily and employees publish their own CVs. This means that every time you respond to an advertisement, there is confidence that it is the employer’s representatives who will respond. The site is completely safe and reliable. Each proposal is unique, because after 30 days all old posts are deleted. Among the conveniences can be noted that there is a search for specific regions of Israel.

Websites dedicated to housing and real estate

Staying in a hotel for a long time is not profitable and the first thing to do recently arrived is to find a good place to live. In Israel has its own sites on which it is possible to rent or buy real estate. Consider the best options:

Yad2 – one of the best options where you can find a good option for living. In addition to the fact that there are ads for rent / sale of real estate, you can still find ads with the sale of furniture, strollers for children, household appliances, cars and the rest. Among Israelis this site is very popular and in a wide variety of cities it is popular.

Homeless is a site that is designed specifically for buying an apartment. There are a lot of offers from owners, which means that the risk of being cheated is extremely low.

ISRAELA – this website was created by Russian developers. Here, too, you can find different ads in addition to housing. For example, there is an opportunity to buy an apartment, car, household appliances and even pets. Most of these ads are written in Russian, making it easier for Russians to choose.

Transportation and navigation applications

Every repatriate is recommended to buy a transportation card called Rav-Kav as soon as he or she arrives in Israel. Thanks to it, it is possible to pay for travel, riding on any type of transport: whether it is buses, trains, streetcars and so on. Free transportation for children not older than 5 years old. You can get a Rav-Kav card at a special kiosk or a cell phone salon.

If it is already available, you can recharge it using a Casponet ATM or in the same kiosks. This card has a personal official website, where you can find more information. The site has a large number of languages, including Russian. Immediately it should be clarified that one person can have only one Rav-Kav transportation card.

Let’s consider the main applications that will help navigate the map:

Moovit. An excellent assistant that can compose a convenient route around Israel using public transportation.

GETT Taxi. This app offers the ability to order cabs throughout Israel. In addition, the application is available in English, which is convenient for those who have not yet had time to learn Hebrew.

Wind (Yango). This app was created to make it easier for users to rent city scooters. The interface is also translated into English.

FindHello. The program was created to help newcomers to Israel find out where the nearest stores, kindergartens, schools, lawyers and so on are. There is basic information that will come in handy for any refugee or immigrant.

Financial and payment applications

Now let’s talk about money and how you can rent an apartment, pay for parking or just transfer money. For all of this there are proprietary apps. Immediately it is worth clarifying that most Israeli payment apps work only in Hebrew. In this case, a google translator or dictionary will help well. Here’s a list of the main banks for money transfers:

Hapoalim. This is one of the largest banks in the country. Many Israelis use it.

Leumi. Another major bank that was founded much earlier than Israel. It is also in demand.

Discount bank. This bank has gained popularity among entrepreneurs and businessmen.

To transfer money residents of Israel mainly use 4 services. First of all, it is PayPal, which is known worldwide for its reliability and the ability to make transfers between countries and exchange currency. The second service is Revolt, which does the same thing as PayPal. It differs from the first one by its low commission. Another service is Wise. Again, it allows you to do the same options as the first two. The advantages are transparent conditions and lower commission. The last on this list is CurrencyFair. It is in demand for money transfer and currency exchange with minimal expenses.

Platforms for communities and social networks

Let’s talk about the most popular and well-known application called Homeis. It was created by an Israeli immigrant with the goal that everyone who returned to his homeland would have the opportunity to communicate in a social network. It combines features that are available in other social networks. For example, the ability to create a group or a page that is focused on residents of a certain region. Here there is everything you need for people. You can organize an event, share a recipe and communicate with people you know. Helps newcomers to gain new acquaintances and get used to new conditions faster.

Easy. Thanks to this site, the user has the opportunity to see what services are provided nearby and information about these establishments. In addition, in this application, the rating is indicated at once. Thanks to this, it is possible to get together with friends in the best places in Israel.

Health and medicine

In any country, it is very important to have constant access to medical centers to get medical treatment on time and protect your life. In Israel, there are many websites available to help you make an appointment with a doctor and get timely treatment. Here is the list of some famous medical centers:

Thanks to these resources, a repatriate will be able to find any necessary medical center and make an appointment with a specialist and receive the necessary medical care.

News and media in English and Hebrew

Surely everyone would like to keep up to date with the news that is going on. Let’s take a look at a list of the best news resources that are popular in Israel:

The Jerusalem Post is a popular website that publishes news on a variety of topics, from politics to health news and archaeological excavations. Helps you stay up-to-date with the latest news.

7Israel National News – another well-known platform that has been alerting about all the famous news that is happening in the world for a long time. Also provides reliable information and allows you to familiarize yourself with all the events.

Israelis use the internet and the resources it offers very often. Today, we looked at a variety of sites and applications that will help returnees get settled while moving to Israel. In this summary, we have gathered the most essential sites that will help in times of need.