Jerusalem for new olim and newcomers
The first year, in order: an apartment, a bank, a health fund, bills, gan and school, Hebrew, and what you are entitled to.
Start here
In this order — each one assumes the one before it.
- 01 Living in Jerusalem: Honest Pros and Cons, and How It Compares with Tel Aviv 5 min
- 02 Your First Month in Jerusalem: A Checklist for New Arrivals 5 min
- 03 Renting an Apartment in Jerusalem: Listings, Contracts, Deposits and What to Check 4 min
- 04 Opening a Bank Account in Israel: What Olim and New Residents Need 3 min
- 05 Kupat Cholim: Choosing and Registering with a Health Fund in Jerusalem 3 min
- 06 Hospitals in Jerusalem, and Pharmacies Open at Night and on Shabbat 3 min
- 07 Arnona, Va'ad Bayit and Utilities: Paying the Bills in Jerusalem 4 min
- 08 Gan in Jerusalem: Types, Costs, Registration Dates and What to Expect 9 min
- 09 Schools in Jerusalem for English-Speaking Families: Streams, Registration and What to Expect 4 min
- 10 Ulpan in Jerusalem: Learning Hebrew as a New Arrival 3 min
- 11 Bituach Leumi for New Residents: What It Is, Who Pays and What You Get 3 min
- 12 Cost of Living in Jerusalem: A Line-by-Line Budget 5 min
- 13 Parking in Jerusalem: Kerb Colours, Apps, Residents' Permits and Parking Near the Old City 3 min
Sort these out
Things with a deadline, a rule, or an entitlement worth claiming.
-
Register with a kupat cholim on arrival
Every resident picks one of the four health funds. New olim get basic cover free for the first six months, after which health contributions begin — a change that catches people out.
-
Start ulpan within 18 months of aliyah
The state ulpan entitlement expires 18 months after your aliyah date. You can take a public course or a voucher towards a private one; every ulpan begins with a placement test.
-
Apply for the olim arnona discount — it is not automatic
Olim can get a large discount on up to 100 m² for one 12-month period inside their first 24 months. You must apply, with a lease of at least a year and the bill in your name, and it is not backdated. Confirm this year's cut-off with the municipality.
-
Convert your driving licence within 12 months
A foreign licence must be converted within a year of aliyah. It is a short process that becomes a long one once the year passes.
-
Plan for the gap before rent assistance starts
Rent support for olim begins around month seven and runs to month 30 for arrivals from March 2024. Sal klita has usually finished by then, so months six to eight are the tight ones.
-
Use your customs rights within three years
Olim get three duty-free shipments within three years of the aliyah date, covering one of each major household appliance. A car and professional tools are counted separately.
-
Register for gan and school in the winter window
Municipal gan and school registration for September happens in a fixed window during the winter, by registration zone. Miss it and you are on a waiting list until places are reallocated.
Where to look
Where to go
All the plans
Gazelle Valley Park Parks & nature · Givat Mordechai / Katamonim A 260-dunam urban nature reserve in the middle of Jerusalem with a free-roaming herd of mountain gazelles, a lake, bird hides and a flat paved circuit. Entry is free and no booking is needed. No dogs are allowed anywhere in the park. Kiftzuba Kids' activities & family fun · Kibbutz Tzuba (Jerusalem hills) A children's amusement park at Kibbutz Tzuba in the Jerusalem hills, mixing air-conditioned indoor halls with outdoor rides, slides, a ninja course, a food court and a mini zoo. It opens on Fridays, Shabbat, holidays and school holidays. Weekdays are for booked groups only — check the calendar before driving out. 
Sacher Park Parks & nature · Rehavia / Nachlaot / Givat Ram Jerusalem's largest green space, running between Nachlaot and Rehavia and the government and museum precinct at Givat Ram. It has the city's biggest lawns, a large modern playground, sports courts, an exercise park and a bike path. Picnics are fine anywhere; barbecuing is only allowed in the designated areas, which have coal-disposal bins.