Reality check?

Posted: Wed, Apr 21 2010, 3:25 am Post subject: Reality check?

Ok I am going to TRY not to ask an open-ended, impossible to answer couple of questions.

Is the klita basket enough to live on initially. Assuming you arent living in an expensive city and you are not looking at buying up lots of stuff, is it enough to cover your basic expenses (food and rent).

How long do you think you realistically have to find employment for at least one spouse before you hit the rocks financially. Lets assume you dont have a little nest egg tucked away to pinch from.

What sort of things are Israeli employers looking for on resumes? Do they want lots of contactable references, detailed prior job descriptions...??? What sort of skills are they generally looking for from olim? (Supervisory, qualifications, work experience...)

Say you dont get work in your chosen profession, how hard is it to come by something basic when you dont have any hebrew?

Can a person really survive and be gainfully employed if they are terrible at languages and unlikely to ever become truly fluent in hebrew?

I think thats all of DH's complaints....

Posted: Wed, Apr 21 2010, 4:14 am Post subject: Re: Reality check?

Is the klita basket enough to live on initially. Assuming you arent living in an expensive city and you are not looking at buying up lots of stuff, is it enough to cover your basic expenses (food and rent). I can only tell you from my experience. I came as a single girl but the sal klita from the sochnut was not even enough to cover my rent. it helped with my rent, a little bit, that was all.

How long do you think you realistically have to find employment for at least one spouse before you hit the rocks financially. Lets assume you dont have a little nest egg tucked away to pinch from.I think you have to come with a little bit of savings. I came with enough money to get by while I did ulpan and found what I wanted to do in terms of employment, that was 6 months. but I think that you HAVE TO come with a bit of a back up or you really are up a creak with no paddle.

Say you dont get work in your chosen profession, how hard is it to come by something basic when you dont have any hebrew?

Can a person really survive and be gainfully employed if they are terrible at languages and unlikely to ever become truly fluent in hebrew? dont worry about the hebrew so much. get here and then take ulpan or start taking ulpan now. my husband had maybe 2% hebrew. BH he was hired as a network administrator - computer related) for a big accounting firm. they were not worried about the hebrew as much as his ability to do his job. his work environment is 98% hebrew speaking (there are some english speakers around, but not even in his department) and that in itself has helped TREMENDOUSLY in his hebrew speaking.

Posted: Wed, Apr 21 2010, 8:20 am Post subject: Re: Reality check?

Posted: Wed, Apr 21 2010, 8:31 am Post subject: Re: Reality check?

Posted: Wed, Apr 21 2010, 11:53 am Post subject:

I agree with Shabbot, it depends on the field. As to your other questions, I think it depends on what you are willing to do. Cleaning will pay AT LEAST 35 NIS / hour. I've heard in Y-m it's as high as 50. If you are willing to clean, you can make a nice living. Yes, it's hard work, but I did it the first few years of our marriage and it does pay quite nicely. My Hebrew is so so and in a year I plan on opening an official mishpachton. Yes, it's a lot of hours, but it can be a steady job if you are good at it. I know here they will allow you to run the group in English, not sure if that's a nationwide rule or just here. Assuming you are decent, there shouldn't be a shortage of clients if you go official (working mothers get a good discount from official places and at least here most people are private. The few I know who work with the matnas are always full, while the private people are often scrambling for kids).
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Posted: Wed, Apr 21 2010, 10:35 pm Post subject: re: Reality check?

Thanks for the feedback.

My DH would make every effort to learn, and I think all olim should. BUT, it will be hard for him. Are you implying that people who may not be able to pick up hebrew should not make aliyah amother??

The other info is all great, thanks, very useful. I'd be happy to do about anything to make things work. I am looking into doing a grad dip before we go and if we can afford it I will be doing some formal hebrew study as well as I am much more able to pick up languages and I think it would be good if one of us was conversational.

If I were to do a Grad Dip in any area, what do you think would be most sought after? Business or something like that? I really want to do archaeology/anthropology/earth science subjects, because they fascinate me, but maybe thats just stupid? I am guessing there is archaeological/geographical work happening in Israel, and yea, I'd clean houses til I found a job in my preferred field, but....

Argh!! Very Happy

Posted: Fri, Apr 23 2010, 3:12 am Post subject:

Posted: Fri, Apr 23 2010, 3:21 am Post subject: Re: Reality check?

Moderator Joined: Dec 04 2005 Posts: 6171 Location: israel

Moderator Joined: Dec 04 2005 Posts: 6171 Location: israel

Posted: Sat, Apr 24 2010, 8:42 am Post subject: re: Reality check?

Hmm, my preference is to move near Yerushalayim, so that may mean that geography or archaeology is not really an option for me. Its so hard to find info...my head is spinning. I know business studies would be good, but I find it soooo boring Smile

I have a science background - biological/molecular but not so keen on the work. I just have to figure what I could combine my background with to get a career I'd enjoy and one that will not leave me getting paid nothing. Joy. Anyhoo, back to my research.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 12 2007 Posts: 20496

Posted: Sat, Apr 24 2010, 7:28 pm Post subject: re: Reality check?

Pharmaceuticals. Good point...not my fav idea of a job, but yea, probably more in my existing area. Thanks Tamiri!

Posted: Sun, Apr 25 2010, 2:53 am Post subject: re: Reality check?

pharmaceuticals is a great idea! I would love to do this in israel, and I even spoke to pharmacists here about it. if only I could get back to school...
Good luck!

Posted: Sun, Apr 25 2010, 4:42 am Post subject: re: Reality check?

Ok so when ou say pharmaceuticals, are you talking sales for big drug companies, or working as a pharmacist...?? Working in a laboratory??

Posted: Sun, Apr 25 2010, 4:51 am Post subject:

Teva is probably one of the largest employers in Jerusalem (they keep adding more buildings!). The kupot also hire pharmacists; though that might be a slightly different field that straight pharmaceuticals.
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Posted: Sun, Apr 25 2010, 4:52 am Post subject: re: Reality check?

All of those are good options. Working at a pharmacy makes the least amount of money (but still decent) of all the choices that you listed.

Posted: Sun, Apr 25 2010, 10:30 pm Post subject: re: Reality check?

Ok, so pharmaceuticals you mean working for a pharma company either in R&D or sales. I think I've actually managed to find a local course, govt funded where I can do a pharmacy post grad diploma. Theres a hospital/clinical pharmacy stream and a pharmacuetical science stream. I am guessing by the comments the science stream would be the better option...do hospital jobs pay ok in Israel? Anyone have any suggestions of websites I can look at to get an idea of pay rates (just something general) in these sorts of fields?

Thanks so much for all the input, its a massive help Very Happy

Posted: Sun, Apr 25 2010, 11:20 pm Post subject:

easy solution. Move to the US. I hear Albany, NY is nice.
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Posted: Mon, Apr 26 2010, 2:20 am Post subject: re: Reality check?

I love you too Very Happy

We are very serious about putting some plans in motion to make aliyah though. On a practical level, there is no way we could afford to move all the family to the States, nor afford US school fees or anything else. If it were just about the people tho, Albany would be at the top of my list Razz

Perhaps you just need to follow me to EY?!!