They aren't building any affordable homes in any of the major cities like Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. (There was a meeting about 2 or 3 years ago between the Jerusalem municipality, the real estate board and the student union discussing affordable housing. The solution the municipality decided on was that the students should go live in Mevaseret.) The municipalities are only catering to the rich by building an endless supply of luxury homes than nobody seems to live in. A warning to new comers. Don't come without LOTS of money because that's the only type of immigrant Israel seems to want these days. If you don't have a serious down payment on a home, don't come until you do. I came in 2005, most of the olim that came at the same time are now back in the diaspora from where they came, as am I. Some hated it there, some just couldn't make it. High cost of living and low wages forced me out and I can stretch a shekel as far as anyone. If you're going solo, don't go without 80-100 thousand in the bank. I really wish the Jewish agency and Nefesh B'nefesh were more honest about the turn over rate. 9 of my personal friends left within as many months and more are either leaving as we speak or planning to leave very soon. Good luck and see you when I win the lottery. Oh and If your an unmarried convert, don't go. Not even orthodox conversions are recognized by the rabbinate these days. (The rabbis can't seem to agree on something, surprise surprise.Thank G-D for sending us such a confusing Torah) There's many articles on the subject, read them before you decide to go.

Why would anyone want to move to a country surrounded by armies that want them annilated? Plus, the only Jews they let in are the ones who adhere to Judaism-they rebuke citizenship for Jews who believe in Jesus.

I'm sorry things are not going well for you, but I've heard the same thing from others, specifically from acquaintances, who tried it. Having sold everything they owned over here, they were ecstatic and excited to "go home." They lasted all of 18 months in Israel, and came back stone-broke and beaten. They were somewhat reluctant to speak of this, but more than the money, housing, and income situation seems to have been the attitude of the locals. When they came to the US many years ago, their neighbors, Jews and Gentiles alike, couldn't do enough to help them get on their feet, In Israel it was, supposedly, mostly "gimme, gimme, gimme." I don't know to what extent all of this was true, but their disillusionment was very real. When their previous congregation, including former neighbors,organized a "Welcome Back" benefit, these people were moved to tears. I think, these agencies are doing Israel and prospective immigrants a great disservice by not painting a realistic picture of what to expect. I don't know whether or not the agencies get paid based on the number of immigrants they persuade to move to Israel, but maybe they should have to refund double the fees for everyone that leaves again within X number of years.

Why bring more people here when the government can't take care of those already here? When we are facing the most severe drought this coming summer why add more people to share a smaller resource? The poverty rate here is higher than what the Gov is telling the public because the gov makes it hard for anyone to receive aid,and noone tells you how or where to apply for help. Take care of those of us here already before adding new people. Since I have been here we have gone from a middle class family inching towards poverty,barely making ends meet. Where is the help for us? If I had the money to leave I would, anything has to be better than living in poverty here!

How unusual that Israel would be primarily interested in helping Jews who maintain a Jewish identity to immigrate. Surely they should be encouraging more people who don't identify as Jewish and don't share Jewish national values to immigrate! now... how do I get that to print in *sarcastic* typeface? Christians and others can immigrate if they wish, by coming and demonstrating their commitment to Israel. Jews have a different system, a demonstration of Israel's ongoing commitment to the global Jewish family.

Many immigrants such as myself have had a very happy aliya. I arrived from Canada in 1999. I was single,alone and I had no job. Yet I did have a Medical degree. After completing ulpan I was hired by the Kupot Holim(H.M.O) In 2002 I met my future wife, a beautiful Ukranian Jewish immigrant. We married in 2003 and our first daughter was born in 2006 and our second in 2008. In 2008 we left the center of the country and bought a house in the Golan and we love it here. My brother who is also a Medical doctor stayed in Canada. He married a non-Jew and his children are being raised celebrating Christmas and Channukah. When I speak to him on the phone he tells me that the smartest move I ever made was making aliya and he wishes that he had joined me.

The more that try the better as some will stick here. But it is not easy. You have the money issue as it is a very expensive country despite that earnings are very low. And then you have the "locals". While there are very many charmful and warm Israelis its quite hard to avoid meeting the rude type whom will try to cheat you and behave badly towards you for no reason. The easiest of things here are complicated matters as service is personall and what you get from bank etc totaly depends on wich person you are lucky to meet. Ad to this a quite ugly country filled with concrete and decaying buildings and you will start questioning what you are doing here. But try it, some succsed very well and those people are the hope for the zionist project.

It means acquiring skills that the country needs and going to the parts of the country that need them, really mastering the language, and being committed in action, not in slogan. Olim who do those things find the whole country receptive to them. And as for the American way of receiving immigrants, well, it includes a couple of generations of ethnic slurs followed by genteel discrimination.

We made aliyah and live on a settlement. We do not have as much money as we had in the States, but we manage and most important of all, our kids are marrying Jews. That's worth everything to us. Friends in States have kids marrying non-Jews.

Anyone that immigrates to a new country such as Israel, and leaves after just 9 months, hasn't given it a chance. If that's the time you give yourself, then don't come. Do you think immgrating to any other country will be any easier? Acually it will be far more difficult. 100,000's of British have moved back to to the UK from Spain, US and Australia over the last couple of years because of financial difficulties. You need to give yourself at least 2 years, come with enough money for the first year whilst you learn Hebrew, and before you start to work, and then you'll love it here. We do. And to #2-anyone that has ever visited Israel knows that it is probably one of the safest places to live in the world in terms of personal safety-superb place to bring up kids.

Jews for J and other missionaries do not belong in Israel. We want to keep this a Jewish country and have our kids marry Jews. Jews for J are trying to destroy us from within. This is the only Jewish country in the world, so just go away!!!!!!

The truth is all real Jews deserve to be in Israel. I've got two kids there and quite honestly nothing can persuade them to come here.Trust me I've tried every angle I could think of.THey must either love Israel or really hate their father...Who knows? I must be getting old and the long Montreal winters may be starting to bite my ass, but the truth is living amongst the goyim here in the new Quebecstan is nothing to write home about. Yesterday Shabbos, it was sunny and beautiful day all of 5C and I walked around the area in a light spring coat. Montreal does have its charms but I am only kidding myself. I as a Jew dont belong here. In due time I may just move to Israel, but with the cold Montreal winters running thru me and being used to living in a cool 15C house all winter long, I may just end up in the golan. I cant handle hot weather.

I think it is you, and not Nefesh b'Nefesh or the Jewish Agency who need to paint a more accurate picture. Yes, there are those who go back, and the difficulties sometimes prove too much for some people. But the hard statistical reality is that far far fewer go back than used to be the case. And many, many of us have made aliyah and are very happy here. If you don't believe, then come visit my neighborhood near Jerusalem-or I could show you lots of neighborhoods throughout the country where this is true. And believe it or not (just shocking), there are some things here that acutally are BETTER than in the U.S. If you're going to be so negative, at least take the time to get the facts from the majority of olim who stay.

Great advice. Now tell us where you were when 3 of your relatives left the country.

probably having a medical degree helps, all countries need doctors, also what will you do if the Golan is ever returned to Syria?

(some) winters in Israel, I'm in a unique position as I am not required to make a fulltime commitment and I have family in Canada, Israel and the USA. However, for what it's worth, following are a few observations, views and thoughts: 1) If I were a young man, I'd move and settle in the Galilee or the Golan as it is cooler in both areas and, like a previous poster wrote, I cannot manage the heat. Also, there are trees in both areas, especially in the Galilee. In addition, do not worry about the Golan, it will never be returned. We cannot afford to. And there is an abundance of room there. 2) I used to carry my granddaughters to cafes and little stores in downtown Ashdod. They were dressed adequately as far as I was concerned, maybe the way a Canadian would dress children being used to the cold as we are. I was stopped on the street more than a few times by other elderly people, even by men, admonishing me for not covering up my granddaughter better because she might have gotten cold. These admonishments were well meant, rather gentle and sincere. I always chuckled a bit inside. In Canada, people don't pay that kind of attention and would be too polite to say anything anyway. 3) Israelis adore children and it shows. As one poster noted, children are much safer in Israel than in other western countries. While child snatching and child (sexual) abuse occurs, of course, it appears to be far less prevalent than elsewhere and one doesn't fear leaving an older child outside to play or to walking over to his/her friends' house the way it used to be in the USA and Canada. 4) Israelis are about the rudest people I have ever met. Butting into line at banks and grocery stores is normal. You can't exit an elevator before someone else tries to enter. Interminable arguments are the norm. I suppose this is due to the normal Jewish habit of argumentation. Rudeness and excitability may be due to the constant unease due to fear of attack as well as the constant social disruption caused by frequent large immigration from disparate cultures. 4) As a Jew, it is the place where I learned to be proud of my heritage and an end to my psychological ambiguity. How that occurred is a much longer story, however. With all the inherent difficulties in Israel, I now feel bound to the country. I never expected this to occur as I had only gone originally to stay with my daughter and her family.

israeli society is not open to "outsiders" look at all your immigrant groups. they stick together and speak their language.

One of the benefits living in Israel is that your children can get a good (religious) education for almost free. Also, their friends will all be Jewish, and they will end up marrying other Jews. I know families in the USA who send their children to public schools because Jewish schools are so expensive, especially if one has more than one child. In the public schools, their kids usually end up with mostly non-Jewish friends and activities. This leads the way to assimilation and intermarriage.

The answer to olim remaining in Israel is A DECENT JOB WITH A DECENT SALARY. If you have this, other things will fall into place. We made aliyah 35 years ago and love it here!! This is our country!! Also, aside from the religious Jews in the Diaspora, all the others will disappear as Jews. The future is here in Israel.

All Jewish University students should plan on becoming citizens of Israel after graduating! (Unless they have two sick parents, are mentally unable to learn languages due to having lost half their brain in an accidents, ect...) Everyone should, of course, start studying Hebrew before going to Israel.

Not everyone has negative experiences here. I arrived for a trial visit after a divorce; found a job immediately, and a group of friends. I became a citizen 2 years later, and within a year was married (to a Sabra) and in another year had a new car, a new car and a better job. Today I'm celebrating 30 years in Israel, and coudn't be happier. Life is expensive, and we 'do without' many luxury consumer goods. But we are blessed with good health and a wonderful support system of friends and family. I urge everyone who wants to come to make a pilot trip, and take the plunge!

Have a daughter who made aliyah over 25 years ago with a group from NYC. Group included 30+ youngsters. Currently approximately 5 remain; including my daughter. Those who remain, and have met most of those who remained, have made a life for themselves there. Most are still members of a kibbutz they came to. Not wealthy, but Israelis with families; whose children served and are serving in the IDF. Let's not kid each other; there are those who go to Israel on a lark. There are those who go with the understanding that they will make Israel their home. There are those who go to Israel based exclusivily on religious beliefs. Israel needs them all.