Radio Interview: The Costs of Renting in Israel - From the View of a Minister of the Knesset

If you're not yet living in Israel and thinking of making Aliyah - you'll need an introduction into the housing market. To clarify one thing, this blog is about sharing things as they are. We don't hide anything - and want to make it clear, we're here to help and assist. Mostly this blog is real because we understand what being a real person is all about - when it comes to making as large a move as coming to live in the Land of Israel.

As for housing, everyone knows you can either buy or rent - but few acknowledge the real costs involved. Having watched a variety of forums said to assist one in making Aliyah I've personally seen a two-sided approach. There are those who are a part of the "haves" who have little mercy when it comes to acknowledging the needs of those others who are a part of the "have nots." Though this is not the place for discussing the actual costs of purchasing a home, a brief look at some of the main sites on the Internet sharing prices throughout all Israel points to the need of being exceptionally wealthy to be able to own one's home in Israel. For those from the USA they have the advantage (even with the lower dollar!) that their money goes up. Those from such locations as South Africa (and there really are those type of people living here!) receive far less for their any money they have earned overseas. In perspective, an American coming to Israel with $100 000 will at least have some ₪350 000 to use in purchasing a home. A South African coming with R100 000 will have all of ₪30 000 to his name. On a basic home of one million shekels it is clear, the American will have an advantage. He will never understand the South African. Let alone one who arrives with literally nothing and who is tied in to a minimum wage job paying just over ₪4000 per month!

Back to our survey... What's fascinating regarding the responses of the "haves" is their very often angry feelings towards those of the "have nots", as they feel that having usually comes about through starvation, deprivation and a variety of other "important good attributes" to master. I was personally told by a young lady of about 22 recently married, who explained that she and her husband were able to make the down-payment on their home by purchasing food that was on special only. She maintained this behaviour for all of about the two to three months of her engagement and was able to pay some 350 000 Shekel (at least as I had calculated it) towards her new home. She suggested we do the same. 

Recently I heard of another young family man who had managed to save his down-payment up by simply eating bread for breakfast, lunch and supper and treating himself to eggs once a week! I'm not sure how long he went on like this for, and he didn't share how much he was actually making nor his job, but on that minimum wage job - even without eating, renting, using communications, transport, medication, clothing and other necessities, one could save the necessary deposit if one maintained this for about 10 years at the very least (for a very small room/apartment,) let alone he did it by just eating bread!

In vain I had tried finding some sort of comfort from someone who would speak the truth about how one can ever raise the sort of money needed for a down-payment without either having worked seriously hard beforehand and earned it (perhaps overseas) or by being given a gift (something which I felt well applied to the first young lady in the story above!)

For the rest of us - we are subjected to the rental market. It's a jungle out there. But don't believe me. I haven't actually done the liquid-only diet for three months to say honestly that I'm not able to come up with the huge deposit money. I heard this interview just last night and was most grateful to hear a Minister of the Knesset (MK) speaking about HIS own battle in owning his own apartment and the terrible jungle out there in terms of rentals. It's a world where landlords may raise rents to their hearts' content. They may throw one out onto the street (literally) when payment does not come through (forget the law so many will tell you about!) Rental homes can be anything from a hole to a place with three walls. Mold may be common and never attended to. Electricity fittings, windows and other home necessities may never be fixed - even before one moves in. But the renter has no choice - because if he cannot afford his own home and he needs a roof over his head, he must take whatever comes his way. Many never understand this. Many never see it - especially when they are overseas, and especially when they are already taken care of.

There needs to be some sort of law for rentals. Something that gives honour and respect to the renter as much as allows the landlord his opportunity of renting his home. There needs to be some sort of standardization. With some 2 million out of some 7 million people renting in Israel, the issue is an urgent one. The renting situation is draining the lower-earning individual from every shekel he owns - all at the expense of his health and his ability to ever save for buying his future home. Yes, it's a jungle!

Don't believe me. Take a listen to this powerful interview and get another realistic look at things. I hardly believe Minister Hilik Bar has ever considered the liquid/bread diet only, but I'm sure if it was realistic, he might let listeners know more about it. If nothing else, at least he could also own his own apartment!

Just click here to be taken to TLV1 radio and listen to "I'm an MK, I'm a tenant and I want the law to protect tenants rights."

Welcome Home!!!

You may know that we are involved in assisting singles to marry through the Shidduch service we offer. We spend a great deal of time involved in (all) our activities and many hours speaking to singles - all in the hope of helping them to find their "partner for life!"

Yesterday I received a call from a middle aged fairly recently-divorced man with a big family. Being divorced now meant his pursuing a Shidduch again. Those - not so new to Shidduchim, know well just how much is involved in assisting anyone to marry, let alone someone with a large family and a divorce "under one's belt." What made this harder included an expectation to marry a much younger lady still able to have children because - to him - nobody else would be acceptable. There are many areas in Shidduchim that need to be addressed in the correct framework and structure. This is one of them. While everything is done for every person to find the perfect match for them, someone in a situation such as this may well need to compromise if having a relationship with someone for the rest of his life - is more important than adding another child to an already very large family. (This post is not the forum for addressing these issues. We do indeed do our best to assist everyone as much as we can even when we realise that some Shidduchim can be much harder to make happen than others!)

Not knowing who I was when I had called him earlier, and not answering the call, he called back some time later asking if I'd called for him. Not knowing who he was (he gave no name) at this stage and hearing him speak Hebrew, I asked if he could speak English. Indeed, he came from one of those English speaking countries in the world, but seemed to lapse into Hebrew again. I tried getting on track with the English (which he certainly spoke fluently) - which I succeeded in doing with much difficulty. He was not happy with the "Shmues" and wanted to hurry the call along since he had all of two minutes to talk. When I finally heard his name and realised he had responded to an advert of ours, I informed him that I was simply returning his call and asked how I could help him! He seemed to suddenly have a lot more time than the initial two minutes he could promise me. It was now I that hurried him along and asked him to call later when he did indeed have more time!

In the early evening, I received a call from someone speaking Hebrew again. It was the same gentleman who felt that Hebrew was the only way to go. His Israeli accent would surely reveal him to be a Sabra in the fullest sense of the word, but I didn't get that feeling that he actually was! I know people who have made Aliyah and living in Israel for over 50 years - and who still speak with their original overseas accents! He was obviously seriously attached to everything Israel.

After getting back on track with English - he asked me how long I had "been home." I laughed and asked if he meant "Israel". He struck me as someone committed to some sort of home here where Jews live together and really connect in unity.

I gave him about ten minutes of my time as I listened to his requirements for a Shidduch, but explained how much is involved and that we offer a very comprehensive interview at a charge. We work professionally and this is indeed a part of our Parnassah here. He was highly offended, clearly expecting us to work for nothing or with a definitive guarantee of success - something impossible to give over. I have heard even G-d has difficulties with Shidduchim comparing them to the same difficulty as the Splitting of the Reed Sea! (Note: Unfortunately many singles feel that those assisting in a professional capacity do not deserve payment. It is a wonder to consider the amounts they will pay for dates, phone calls, transport and other necessities towards the Shidduch - but fail to take into account the real efforts, cost and time of a human being putting in tremendous effort to help them in the best possible way - for nothing less than a "best friend for life!")

Personally, I've advertised in Israel media tens of times and more - each time costing large sums of money - never once being told if these adverts would meet with success. Many have received no replies at all - but I value the graphic artists time, the printing costs, distribution costs and just about everyone else involved in helping to get my advert out there - and so I pay fully - up-front without so much as a hesitation! I do this, because I realise they're "putting out" - so that I can get ahead too!

So why the title of the post "Welcome Home!!!"? Going back to my callers' question, "So how long have you been home?" It's just this. It's a kind of strange thing that happens here. Everyone is "friendly." Everyone is "connected." Everyone feels brotherhood and a hundred and one other synonyms that show Jewish unity. That is - all until it comes to someone earning a living and being able to actually live here! There's something missing in the Aliyah story. There are so many with smiles on their faces when they want something from you... but when it's you making your own living - there are thousands of excuses why payment will not be forthcoming.

So Welcome Home!!! But remember friends - if you're serious about unity, serious about connecting and loving a fellow Jew as much as your love for the Land of Israel - then when it comes to living issues -  paying for an honest service given is not just a painful grudging, "I guess I have to!" but rather it's a "I am in love with supporting another Jew trying to live here - just like everyone else, including me." "I pay him because he is giving over something to me through his own honest efforts." "I am honored to support him - right here in the Land of Israel, because I truly want him - my brother (my sister) and my friend - to live here with me, in his very own home - just like I do!

I can't wait for the day when I can offer my service and be paid for it - not with a sour face, not with a need to bargain me down to nothing, not with a "I'll pay you when you guarantee me (this or that)". I can't wait for the day, when a fellow Jew can turn around and say - "My friend, I honour and respect what you do - because I know you're helping me and others too." I can't wait to one day feel - I'm really home!

Changing Internet and Other Service Providers in Israel

It seems that today we are all connecting to each other through a variety of ways - from using the Internet on our computers to connecting via smartphones. It is the "carrier" or "agent" who takes our "information" from one location to another. Better yet, or more commonly, we call that carrier a Service Provider.

If you're in Israel, you'll notice a host of service providers eager for your sign-up! Once you're in, they'll want to keep you forever. You'll be set up on a debit order or a recurring debit on your credit card once a month. With that comes their authority to simply debit you whenever they want, with whatever amount they want(!) It's hard to believe it, but this is true. This post will tell about our own personal experience and then tell you just how to get out of your current deal if you're not entirely satisfied, and how to break free into a whole new life with someone you feel may be more trustworthy.

Recently I noticed another change in my Smile (Internet Service Provider) debit amount. Actually I have been connected with them for years. Have I felt personally satisfied with them all this time? I'm not entirely sure. I had joined them when they were still known as "Zahav." Actually Smile was another separate company - as far as I understand - and Zahav then merged into Smile. It seems that our original agreement with Zahav (which was working nicely,) was terminated, and we never again got back to that wonderful agreement. Since then, I've found my own connection (especially in recent months) to have slowed down tremendously with no reasonable explanation on their part. I've called once before to cancel, but they "suckered" me in to a new and "better" deal, which service providers here are fond of doing. I stayed on, but noticed the deal wasn't quite what they said, and within a few months, my credit card was slowly being debited with a higher amount yet again! I still stayed, as "holding on" while I listen to the same music for an hour at a time just isn't worth the few extra shekels added each month. 

After the amount continued to climb, I called in again, totally frustrated at their apparent permit to simply debit me with whatever amount they wanted to. The service provider checked out that I had been with them for some time, and offered me 20 shekel off the original amount. Okay - so I stayed! Incidentally they called the next day to find out if they had given me good service. When one asks the day after the discount - one can only assume it was good. But when the monthly amount was debited, they had taken off only 5 shekel! They had not kept their word, and I had had enough of their inefficiency. 

I called to complain concerning their two-faced approach to keeping clients - and I did indeed wait for over half an hour, only to hang up after not receiving a response. I called again a little later hoping things would move faster. Unfortunately I waited an hour - literally - for service. When I told the representative I was disappointed with their service (and about to explain what I wanted now) she immediately hung up. I was livid!

Later we did actually manage to contact someone who did not hang up - but refused outright to ut us through to a manager or cancel our account - instead offering us her special deals. Threats of any kind make no impression on such people. Once you're on their books being debited monthly, you may well remain that way forever unless...

We did our checking into some other service providers, and have selected a provider that we feel will give better service. For those interested in seeing a list of providers, do see the Israel Science and Technology page of Internet Service Providers. What caught my eye especially was the line that follows immediately underneath the list. Do check it out, and you'll understand what I mean! I wished I had seen this sooner!

The new provider we called answered the phone within a short period of time, spoke English, and explained how their offerings work and how easy it was to join. We went online, joined up within 5 minutes, and made the change to the new provider. This was a far cry to what I had experienced with Smile. When I went online with the new provider, something else changed drastically! The speed of the Internet! It seems that my previous connection was indeed kept down mysteriously by Smile - though I cannot understand this, and they will obviously not explain!

NETEK - DISCONNECT ME!!!

The problem of disconnecting the previous provider still remained. It was just at this point (before formally making the change) that we found out about a terrific service called Netek ("Disconnect") which does all the work for you! There's no need to lose hope or even talk to a provider to do the work for you - and best of all, it's free!

On the site, you'll see a list of Israel's service providers and be able to select the provider you'd like to disconnect from. After just three easy steps, they will fax a legal document to the provider concerned informing them that you wish to be formally removed (including the monthly debit on the credit card of course!) and warning them of the legal consequences should they not respond within three days! GREAT! It's clean, no mess, no fuss and keeps everyone away from the need to shout, speak to "managers" or lose hope that you'll be stuck with your old provider for ever! Indeed, the law in Israel today is that a service provider must disconnect you at your request. The concept of lengthy contracts no longer applies, and it is your right to choose to change over to someone more suited - whenever you'd like to!

Of course, my experience with Smile is just that - it's mine. You may well be getting great service from them. But as for me, the frustration of staying with this provider with the constant change of terms and prices (without notice) was beyond honest (and perhaps even illegal!) 

It's been quite an experience, but I've gained much! If you find you're not satisfied with your provider, send a powerful and strong message to them using this service. Disconnect! Find someone better - and encourage proper honest service in Israel. That's what we need, and it's time we stand up for our rights!