Moving to Israel???

Question

Well me and my husband and children of three have a deep desire of moving to the holy land, we are thinking of relocating to Tel Aviv or Haifa or any nice suburb , we have talked about this and we both know of the terror that happens in Israel but we don't care, the problem is, we are not Jewish nor have any Jewish family roots, we are Christians , and well we really really would like to live there, How hard is it to move there? What do we need to move there? Do we have to be Jewish? We , my family, knows Hebrew so communicating and or reading road signs is no difficulty , so any tips on how to move to Israel? Money is no problem , and would my children be able to go to school? Can i buy real estate in Israel being American? Before moving should i apply for a Visa? Thank you all very much i really appreciate this :]

Well i want to move to Israel because I 've been there twice and love it, the people are nice and educated ,etc.. and well there goes my dream down the tube lol, i really don't have any reason to live in Israel other than i just want to live there and i'm guessing israeli's don't really need an entertainment lawyer or a bank accountant

allergic_to_morning hun, i don't know who the hell gave you those thumbs down you don't deserve them you deserve a thumbs up but i can't give you one since i'm only on level 1 :(

Answer 1

I am an American Christian and I have lived in Israel for more than a year. It was fairly easy for me, but I had several reasons to be there, such as a degree in Middle Eastern Studies and a teaching job in Herzliyya.

So, why you want to move to Israel will be the first question you will have to answer. If you want to go as a missionary, forget it. If you are of Arab descent, good luck. Also, moving there permanently will be very difficult if you are not Jewish, especially with your whole family.

My advice would be to take a long vacation to Israel first, see if you really like it. Then, talk to the Ministry of the Interior. You can apply for visas and such there if you do decide you would want to have an extended stay, and you would also have to work with them on citizenship if it ever came to that. Of course, they have a right to deny your requests, especially if they feel you have no real reason to be there. Thus, finding a job that requires a foreigner and not an Israeli would be very helpful.

I hope this helped a little, feel free to e-mail me if you more questions!

Good luck!

Answer 2

I am British, but during my gap year, some time back, I spent six months in Israel and absolutely loved it. I went back the following summer for another three months, and have been there for several shorter holidays also. I would not definitely rule out a move to Israel, especially because in the UK at present things are going from bad to worse and there is a lot of anti semitism. But if as you say you are 'in love' with the USA, then clearly you are really happy there, which is nice to hear! Moving to a different country is of course a massive step. In an ideal world, I guess being able to have two homes, one in each country, would be rather nice...!

Answer 3

As far as terror goes dont worry about it. Los Angeles is more dangerous than Tel Aviv. Israel is a great place to raise kids, the people there are truley warm hearted (well most of them). You dont have to be Jewish, In fact, there are many churches in Israel, especially in Jaffa, right near Tel Aviv. I dont know how hard it would be to move there, I dont imagine that it would be too hard. I really recommend going there, but make sure you are really sure about moving there. Like mentioned before me, take a long trip there for a few months perhaps. By then you should know if you want to move there. As far as safety in the city, there isnt a place on earth much more safe than Tel Aviv, for example a girl can walk in at 2 AM in the city and absolutely nothing wuld happen to her. The only issues with Israel is there relationship with other countries and government stuff.

Great Idea to move there! good luck, it will make a huge impact on your children's lives for the good! Regardless to if your children speak hebrew or not, there will be no problem going to school for them. There are many english schools there

Answer 4

You will be very welcome in Israel. It is very much a secular society and your Herbrew abilities will help you a lot. There are about 300,000 "others" on the Israeli population which include Christians. Many Christian groups are in Israel and there are many Christian interests, sites and schools.
As someone suggested, a visit prior to the move would help you. Israel is tiny and has all the traits of a small country. For example in Hawaii, you're not considered a local until you have lived there at least 10 years. If your heart tells you to go, go. Check out this site for some interesting information. www.lookisrael.com
Shalom!

Answer 5

Relocating To Israel

Answer 6

I think you can't do that now, maybe 20 years ago ya ... but now Israel can take less people than before, and probably israel will put jews as their first priority.

Go visit there for couple of months ... try to really live there... feel the atmosphere ... if you like it do it ... but i personally don't recommend of doing so...

I'm a Christian living in Israel, and i find it hard for me to adapt there ... i have a jewish wife, but still.

Answer 7

Not being Jewish will make it hard, but not impossible.

Many Christians have immigrated to Israel without any Jewish heritage.
What I would suggest first is take a few trips and try to find some employment for you and your husband. After that find a place that you would like to live and try to get a long term visa.

After living in the country for a few years you should be able to apply for citizenship.

best of luck

Answer 8

It is very unlikely you will be allowed to move to Israel if you are not Jewish. I suggest you contact the Jewish Agency and ask them. btw, all road signs are in Hebrew, Arabic and English. It sounds like you don't have much familiarity with Jewish Israel, so I suggest you cool your heels and take a trip there and explore that aspect of Israel--a JEWISH nation. There are many, many things you must understand before you take off--for one thing, during the extensive interview process, they will quickly realize you aren't very familiar with basic stuff about the land and people. Research, and find out things, go there and explore...then decide. Christians are somewhat shocked to realize that the Jewish nation of Israel doesn't give a rip for your Christmas pagents, etc. It is my understanding that presently Israel is not admitting residency for nonJews, but I could be wrong on that. And of course, whenever you move to ANY country a visa will be required for entery--especially if you plan to live there.

Answer 9

Twenty per cent of the Israeli population are not Jewish. Many of them are Arabs, but not all. Although the country is of course predominantly Jewish, non Jews are very welcome. I think your best course of action would be to approach the Israeli embassy in America, and seek their advice. Also, if you've never spent a fair bit of time in Israel, this would be a good idea. I have both been on holiday, and also lived, in Israel and trust me, the two are very different!

So if possible, perhaps you and your family could arrange a long holiday there, if that's practical for you.

Your other option would be to go to a kibbutz. Many non Jews do this and it's a pretty enjoyable experience, though personally I wouldn't want to live on one permanently. But it's an option you may want to consider if nothing else falls into place.

I wish you the best of luck with it and hope that all goes well. Please don't worry about the fact that you are not Jewish - believe me Israelis are incredibly hospitable and kind people and you will have no problem making friends.

EDIT: why on earth have I been given two thumbs down - what on earth in my answer could have been offensive to anyone???!

Answer 10

there are some christians in israel, i think you would definately enjoy living there, i would recomend living in maybe Ramat Hasharon, or Petah Tikvah, ramat hasharon is a nice small town with good schools, about half an hour away from tel aviv. ceasaria is my favorite place in israel, but i dont think the schools there are that great.