Making Aliyah? Here are Some Financial and Other Realities: Problems and Possible Solutions (Guest Post)

Biggest Issue for Those in Need of Gainful Employment

The biggest issue for those in their 30's to 60's is jobs - being employed in a job that uses their skills and pays a living wage.

Biggest Obstacles

• The biggest obstacle is not having a high level of Hebrew, written (both block and cursive), comprehension, and speaking.
• The second biggest obstacle is the illegal ageism which gets worse as the person ages.
• The third biggest obstacle is having skills that were in demand in another region of the world but are not in demand in Israel.

Possible Solutions

• Online Ulpan starting a year before Aliyah.
• Once in Israel having a buddy who you can teach your primary language and they can help you with Hebrew.
• Lobby the government to enforce current laws, educate employers.
• Have NBN, JAFI and other organizations produce skills matrixes so people can retrain before Aliyah.

Other Obstacles

• The biggest obstacle for a portion of Olim and most Israelis - the cost of housing, the cost of living in general. 
• A large issue for those who come in their 50 and 60's - who have no family in Israel - don't have the issue now but can have the issue in another 10 to 20 years is the dearth of native language assisted living, nursing home, and hospice facilities around the country. Continuing Care Communities (active to death) are expensive and out of reach to most of us. As you age, and if dementia happens you revert to your native language - most places don't have staff that speak different languages. Look at how the elderly Holocaust survivors are treated then look at the world baby boomer population.
• General language barriers - when you are sick, infirm, disabled, it is hard enough - not having personnel available to aid someone when they need it, be it clinics or the hospital needs to be rectified. Personally, Maccabi does have many people where I live that speak enough English for me to get by - and almost all the signs are in Russian along with Hebrew so people do get by but it's not optimal. The French and Ladino communities are still small but growing and they too need help in the health care related functions.

So here are 3 - I've heard many others - problems? Possible solutions?

Please feel free to share your own difficulties, challenges and solutions you have come across in your journey in making Aliyah by emailing us. We would be happy to include your own experiences and stories on our page.

~ With thanks to Stevie Sacks for this clear and direct post giving an insight into some of the challenges, difficulties and problems encountered in making Aliyah, and offering some possible solutions.

Stevie Sacks made Aliyah just over 11 months ago - in July 2014. She is the founder of the Lone Seniors Landing Pad Aliyah for 50+ solitary people making Aliyah - an information sharing and support group on Facebook.

Minimum Wage in Israel - You Can Make It Here (But How?!) - Radio Interview Included

Questions and discussions addressed in this post include:

1. What is the minimum wage in Israel?

2. What does minimum wage mean for the average worker?

3. What will my financial situation be if I end up earning only minimum wage?

4. Realistically - will minimum wage - without any additional financial assistance from family / friends give me the freedom to be able to purchase my own apartment (ever?)

4. If I am too old for the main work force or if I lack skills will that mean I am stuck with minimum wage forever?

Minimum Wage: It's not the type of expression anyone wants to hear on a regular basis - especially when it has to with yourself personally! Somehow, it doesn't have a good sound to it. This article addresses the topic as seen by the average person. While the article explores the reality of what minimum wage means to you - a regular worker in Israel - it must clearly be pointed out that even with little skills, there are other avenues to earning an income in Israel - and these should indeed be explored with every effort possible.

There was once a headline in a top American newspaper which stated "Minimum Wage $0.00". Not everybody got the message. Economists pointed out that this was what the government needed to implement in order to bring some stability to the economy - to give more people the opportunity to work. They indicated that when the government institute a wage which must be paid as a minimum amount to all employees, that those who could not perform basic job work would not be employed because nobody would be prepared to pay them the minimum wage! As a result, these people - often older teenagers and those in their early twenties, would end up on the streets, committing crime and in general being a trouble for society.

Though such individuals may wish to work, even for less, Government would not allow the employer to employ them because by law the employer will be forced to pay more - which they are not prepared to do based upon the skills these young people have. But think about the "other side of the coin"... While it may be true that without a minimum wage, everyone could theoretically get work - it could also be true, that employers would be permitted by law to have a worker work for them at absolutely no cost to the employer!!! People - especially in desperate times - find themselves prepared to work for anything - a meal, a dollar, 20 cents - anything. (A general look at Internet sites offering "job opportunities" including Content Writing and other "If you can do it, we will employ you" work opportunities, show clearly how the average person is prepared to exploit the worker to an almost slave level of work - all for their own profit. Payment is also often not given, though work is done, leaving the worker feeling totally despondent and desperate, and prepared to now do even more, for even less!)

Those who do in fact work for minimum wage well know the many frustrations encountered. Are employers ever really prepared to pay more for those who lack the skills for highly specialist work? Once the employer is given a license to pay a worker "x" amount - does he ever have to pay him more? The answer is a resounding "NO!" It is also unlikely that the worker will ever get more. He can end up working in the same company for years on end - inflation always on the increase - with his being stuck at the minimum wage he began with ten years earlier!

This brings us to our topic. Currently, the minimum wage in Israel sits at about 23 Shekel per hour. For some reason the economists wish to express it as a dollar figure - $6 - even though this is Israel which works in Shekels. In Israel, a work week is 6 days. The week is a long one for those forced into working this entire time - for at least 8-9 hours (more likely the latter) every day. While they have no choice, such a lifestyle makes huge demands on one's health - and just taking a look at the news, it seems that most cannot cope!

As of today - the bottom line is that a full month of full time work will earn you just ₪4300 a month. It's impossible to explain to those earning the "average" salary of ₪9000 the impossibility to actually live properly. Incidentally, the "average" amount is simply a figure which only actually exists as average based upon the literal average amount between all income earners - and not the actual amount earned!) The average earner in Israel is not in fact earning ₪9000. The average earner is stuck earning minimum wage - and hence the reason why this topic is constantly in the media (and makes no sense to high income earners as being a problem for anyone!)

The good news (at least that's how I felt hearing it at first) is that Government do in fact realise that the minimum wage is below a minimum living amount. It's taken many years for them to see this. Sadly - as the radio interview (below) will make it clear - Government is  looking into increasing the amount by just ₪200 per month. I did not do the mathematics, but it translates to something at about just ₪1 more per hour of labour. While people may be ecstatic to hear the "good news" and how many weeks and months are being invested in terms of implementing this new (revolutionary?) law - it is sad to see the lack of regard for being able to live life in at least in a respectable manner.

I point out again, that in today's times - even if you purchase a home in a settlement area (far away from your workplace and a place you may feel uncomfortable in and not best suited for you) you may still be paying some ₪500 000 at least for a very small apartment. (See Yad 2 under the Nadlan section for a realistic view on the cost of housing in Israel.) While banks need at least 30-40% down-payment for a home (usually the latter) you would still need to save up some ₪200 000 in order to purchase a home to live in. 

A small calculation of your minimum wage earning will tell you that it would take you at least 4 years of earning without eating, drinking, travelling, speaking on a phone, buying clothes or paying for anything medically related - to save up. Of course it's not realistic, because there are still taxes of a variety of kinds on your actual income (Bituach Leumi - for example) which reduces your gross amount even further. Realistically - it would probably take some 15-20 years of full time work before being able to earn enough for a down-payment on that very small home in a settlement - if you are starting from scratch - like many in fact do. Realistically - it may in fact take longer - and may not even be possible at all - even for the "settlement apartment." Unfortunately in 15 years time, the home will have gone up at least 100% in price - leaving you exactly where you started! Those earning bigger incomes in Israel once again neglect to see the impossibility of this painful situation often offering "helpful" advice such as eating potatoes every day as your main meal - three times a day, and other often ridiculous alternatives that can apparently save one thousands of shekels a month(!) which can be used to save up for one's dream home.

If you're living in Israel or planning to live here, consider the reality of your financial situation. If you are still young (read: 20-30 years old) with decent skills that are needed - you may indeed stand a chance of being able to actually settle here with a job that pays a livable income. Keep in mind that past the age of around 40 - without the high skills and experience that are needed - it is extremely highly unlikely to obtain any work more than a minimum wage job (if lucky!) - in terms of the regular market. As a result - your quality of life just in terms of finance, must be assessed realistically.

I present a radio interview from TLV1 radio (which presents some great shows on a variety of subjects, including understanding the Israeli economy in a much clearer light). The link can be found at: Israel's Minimum Wage Has to Come Up... But By How Much? The interview is about the new law concerning the increase in Minimum Wage and it is highly recommended listening!

The REALLY Good News!!!

If you feel that a minimum wage job is the only recourse you have in terms of earning an income in Israel but would like to approach earning income generation - for your personal lifestyle - from another angle, feel free to be in touch with us directly. We will help to give you a realistic look on how you CAN make it in Israel - even if you cannot manage on your minimum wage job!

Jobs in Israel - and What You Really Get Paid

The new (and old) Oleh/Olah may well be surprised to find out both the cost of living in Israel as well as what a job actually pays. For those reading this blog regularly - you may have seen this issue addressed before - but there's never enough said on this subject and it's vital to educate yourself in understanding what you'll be doing to earn an income in Israel - and what you will be paid for your efforts. 

There's a well known fallacy that you get paid what you're worth and that if you're not getting paid enough, it means you need to get a better education. Let's set things straight... The general Israeli outlook is one of socialism. It encourages working for a boss and being a part of a working team that arrives at work at 7:30am and leaves at 6:30pm every day - 6 days a week. In real terms what this means is that the "boss" receives the majority of the income generated by the business - and most employees receive an "average income" which in real terms is known as "minimum wage".

It may seem like everyone is doing okay - but minimum wage really means you'll be earning less than ₪25 an hour. Again - in real terms, you'll be generating some ₪4500 per month before taxes, Bituach Leumi (national insurance) and other other basic deductions that happen before you actually access any of your income. To qualify these figures and the situation at hand - if you'll be working in the main central Jerusalem area - you'll most likely need to be living there. Roughly speaking a 2.5 room apartment - that means one bedroom and one and half other rooms (i.e. the main Salon and a corner) will set you back some 1.1 million Shekels. Do the mathematics on your monthly salary and you will quickly realise it will take you almost 15 years of constant saving to earn the minimum deposit required to purchase that home. I neglect to mention being unable to eat, stay anywhere, use transport or communication methods of any kind during that time - as you continue to save your money. If on the other hand you're considering rental, a one room apartment may well set you back some ₪3700 per month - or in real terms your entire salary after your basic taxes (if you are lucky!)

Yes, this is the real cost of rental and housing. I was happy to hear of another outstanding radio program recently - podcast linked below (you'll be directed to the site it is on.) It is here to educate and to make you aware of just what the job market is actually doing to the average person in Israel.

Remember, you can often earn a lot more working on your own - even if you incur the wrath of friends who cannot understand why you are not "working" - as above that all people should be part of a socialistic society. Yet, ironically as an educated person, working a full time job will often see you earning less than an uneducated person with no experience. 

Choosing your type of work in Israel means choosing to be honest about what you need to do to earn a livable income - as opposed to fitting in with the crowd. Many coming to Israel will either give up highly specialised fields to opt for house cleaning, bus driving and guard work outside of shopping centers - all jobs which often earn at least the same, if not more than the jobs going for highly educated people with many years of experience. It's a phenomenon that makes absolutely no sense. But the faster one gets to understand the process here, the easier one's integration can be.

In this radio podcast - Why are the Wages in Israel Alarmingly Low - you'll get to hear more about what is actually going on, giving you the ability to reconsider the type of work you'll be wanting to do when living in Israel.  

Being Paid On Time

When moving to a new country, a natural part of getting settled is to find work, preferably in your chosen field. For those wanting to work in the Health related fields, especially, the Para-medical / Allied Health Professions (ie Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy) finding work that pays on time is quite a challenge.

Through my own path in this area, I can share a few experiences, to help to make new Olim aware of what they are up against. When networking to find work within the Kupot Cholim, one doctor warned "try not to work there if you can as the pay is problematic". He would not ellaborate. A nurse explained that when she begain working in a certain Kupat Cholim, she waited a few months to start being paid. She did not have huge savings to rely upon and was forced to borrow from friends and neighbours just to pay basics like food.

One school I worked in delayed verrifying my years of experience purely to be able to pay a lower salary. Requesting that they call Misrad HaChinuch to find out that the years of experience I said I had are legitimate and acknowledged in a file with Misrad haChinuch met with much resistance. A few months of trial and trepidation and they did finally agree to my years of experience but then hit me with having to wait 2 months to be paid. They were not happy that I turned to one of the many organizations that helps Olim for assistance. The organization's response was that legally, every worker should be paid monthly and they wrote a letter in Hebrew on my behalf, requesting my rights of receiving my salary. To this I was shown the door. Evidentally there are newly qualified Israeli therapists who are willing to wait for their salary and will turn to parents, banks, gemachim for assistance while waiting for their salary.

Another facility, when requesting monthly pay, responded, "you will wait like everyone else till the 10th of the next month or the 15th or whenever"

What is the truth about being paid? Hallachah states that we have to pay our workers on time and are not permitted to wait even for the sun to set without paying our workers, especially when the worker depends on their salary for basic living expenses. The rabbis of Rabbi Shmuel Salant and Rabbi Yosef Chaim Zonnenveld's time took this seriously. There are stories of how rabbis would return to a families home 2, 3, 4 even 6 times to make sure they received their salary or Kollel stipend on the very day it was supposed to be paid.

The secular law of Israel states that companies have a window period until the 9th of the following month to pay a salary. Since taking a business course here in Israel, I am told this is can be extended to the 10th of the month. However, from what I understood, it is only a window for those special circumstances in which paying at the end of the month is difficult. Most facilities though, take advantage and will ONLY pay on the 10th of the month or later. The "or later" part is actually against both Torah law and secular law and you have a right to request that your salary be paid on time.

When asking advice from certain rabbis regarding accepting work, those I approached advised not to work for an amuta as they have a reputation of not paying on time.

When asking a lawyers advice, his first responce was to see the contract and have him look it over to verify whether the contract proposed is in agreement with the law of the country. I was also advised to speak to other therapists who work or have worked in the same facility to find out what conditions are like, especially paying on time and according to the amount initially agreed upon. Some lawyers advise only working in a job that provides an acceptable contract up front. Others say, start working, you can always fall back on taking them to small claims court if (or when) they don't pay.

It is obviously advisable for matters to be settled via a Din Torah first, and only if this is not possible to turn to secular courts, however, here too there is conflict of opinion.

If you depend on your salary each month, do enquire when going for an interview as to when they will pay and what the method of payment will be. Make sure too, to get all "promises" in writing. Many employers promise a nicer salary per hour or more numbers of clients or, or, or, until you begin working and will then lower the rate.

Many will avoid letting you know what the salary will be until you begin working. You are entitled to know what your salary will be, this informaiton can assist you to decide whether the job will be suitable to you in terms of your earning what is necessary to pay your basic expenses.

Do your homework, and get everything in writing. The more informed you are, the more effectively you can plan your life and budget correctly.

Hatzlachah