For anyone making aliyah, the first few weeks in Israel are filled with excitement and endless questions. How do you register for healthcare? Which doctor should you see? How do you book an appointment? And where do you even begin when everything seems to be in Hebrew?
Help is just a Whatsapp message away
At Clalit, one of the simplest answers starts with a familiar icon: WhatsApp. Rather than sending new immigrants into an automated chatbot or endless phone menus, Clalit offers something increasingly rare, a real person on the other end of the conversation. English-speaking customer service representatives personally guide olim through Israel's healthcare system, answering questions, booking appointments, explaining procedures and helping solve problems, all through WhatsApp. For many newcomers, that personal connection makes all the difference.
More than customer service
One of the people behind those conversations is Tsiyona Yerus Yeshanah, 25, who immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia in 2005 and now lives in Ma'ale Adumim while studying criminology and sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
As a senior English-speaking customer service representative at Clalit, she sees her role as much more than answering messages. "I know firsthand how confusing it can be to arrive in a new country and suddenly have to navigate an unfamiliar healthcare system," she says. "When you don't speak the language, even simple things can feel overwhelming."
Go to Global Aliyah and click on this Whatsapp icon for direct communication with a Clalit special representative for olim
Having experienced those challenges herself, Tsiyona understands the uncertainty many new immigrants feel. Her goal is to ensure they always have someone they can turn to, someone who explains, guides and reassures them throughout the process. "It's not just about healthcare," she explains. "People often ask about everyday things connected to settling in Israel because they're simply trying to find their way."
A real person, not a bot
While many organizations rely heavily on automated systems, Clalit's WhatsApp service connects users directly with trained representatives.
Whether someone needs help registering with Clalit, scheduling a doctor's appointment, understanding required medical documents from their country of origin or learning how Israeli healthcare works, the conversation happens with an actual person.
Tsiyona Yerus Yeshanah, 25, who immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia in 2005, sees her role as much more than answering messages
The representatives also introduce immigrants to Clalit's additional digital services, including English-language AI support and healthcare resources available in multiple languages, including English, French, Russian, Amharic and Arabic.
For olim who may already feel overwhelmed by bureaucracy, knowing there's a real person responding, not automated replies, can provide immediate peace of mind.
Understanding the immigrant experience
Tsiyona remembers her own family's aliyah vividly. "When we arrived, my parents didn't know Hebrew. Everything was frustrating because we didn't understand how things worked," she recalls. Learning the language took time, and supportive teachers helped her gain confidence, not only for herself but also so she could help her parents navigate daily life.
Today, those experiences shape every conversation she has with new immigrants. "They need someone to point them in the right direction," she says. "Sometimes people don't even know what they need to ask."
When every minute matters
Sometimes those WhatsApp conversations become far more than routine customer service. Tsiyona remembers receiving an urgent request from a family whose father was making aliyah in August. He required dialysis immediately after arriving in Israel, and his daughter contacted Clalit in a panic, unsure how to arrange such critical treatment.
Together, the team walked the family through every step, explaining exactly what documentation was needed and how to ensure dialysis would be available as soon as he landed. "That's the kind of service we provide," Tsiyona says. "We understand what people need, and we help make it happen."
Moving to a new country always comes with uncertainty, but navigating healthcare shouldn't add to that stress. By combining multilingual support with real human interaction through WhatsApp, Clalit helps new immigrants focus less on bureaucracy and more on building their new lives in Israel. Sometimes, all it takes is knowing that when you send a message, a real person is there to answer.
In cooperation with Clalit Healthcare services