Who receives olim benefits?
New immigrant (oleh) status is granted by the Population and Immigration Authority under the Law of Return. Once you hold it, government ministries offer assistance to new immigrants, each under its own criteria. The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration lists the absorption basket, assured income, Hebrew ulpan, housing assistance, vocational help, support for new businesses, higher-education scholarships and assistance to soldiers.
The absorption basket (sal klita)
The absorption basket is financial assistance for living expenses during your first six months in Israel, the period of ulpan study. According to the Ministry, you are eligible if you first enter Israel on an oleh visa with full new-immigrant eligibility and have not lived in Israel for more than 24 months during the three years before receiving that status. It is not means-tested. Immigrant citizens and returning minors who meet the same criteria can also receive it.
Part of the first payment is given at Ben Gurion Airport on a prepaid bank card; the rest goes to your Israeli bank account, followed by six monthly payments. The Ministry's 2026 table shows:
| Single | Single-parent family | Couple | |
|---|---|---|---|
| At the airport | ₪1,250 | ₪2,300 | ₪2,500 |
| Balance to your bank account | ₪1,544 | ₪1,631 | ₪4,023 |
| Each of six monthly payments | ₪3,150 | ₪5,190 | ₪5,806 |
| Total | ₪21,694 | ₪35,071 | ₪41,359 |
Separate tables apply to olim who will reach retirement age within five years and to those already of retirement age, and the amounts are updated over time, so check the Ministry's current table for your family. Couples should open a joint bank account soon after arrival; both spouses must be present at the bank. If you leave Israel during the first year, payments stop, and they resume only if you return within a year of your aliyah.
Health and national insurance
Every Israeli resident is covered by national health insurance through one of four health funds (kupot cholim), and you can register at the airport. According to gov.il, new olim who are not working, or whose income is below the National Insurance Institute's threshold, are exempt from health insurance contributions for 6 months, extended to up to 12 months for months in which they receive a living allowance from the Ministry, and exempt from national insurance contributions for 12 months. When the exemption ends you must register with the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) and start paying, or you may face fines.
Learning Hebrew: ulpan
Government and municipal ulpans for new immigrants usually run in the mornings and are free of charge, and a standard course lasts about five months. The Ministry's guide for new immigrants says that under the current temporary order, ulpan eligibility lasts ten years from aliyah; Nefesh B'Nefesh describes the same ten-year window. Ask an absorption counselor for a referral, which exempts you from tuition.
Customs and tax benefits
- Customs. Nefesh B'Nefesh says olim can import three tax-free shipments of appliances and household items within their first three years, and pay a reduced tax rate when buying or importing a car.
- Income tax. Olim receive reduced Israeli income tax on income earned in Israel. gov.il also describes a 10-year exemption from Israeli income tax on income produced abroad for people who become Israeli residents for the first time. Tax rules change, so confirm your position with the Israel Tax Authority or a qualified adviser.
Key dates to watch
Nefesh B'Nefesh publishes a timetable of aliyah benefits. Among its milestones: at 6 months the absorption basket and the basic health insurance exemption end (you may then apply for a living allowance if neither spouse is working), and at 3 years customs benefits, including shipments and car rights, expire.
Common questions
Is the absorption basket based on income?
I made aliyah from inside Israel. Do I still get it?
Does Get Out Now pay or decide any of these benefits?
Why we are petitioning for a registry
These rights only help people who reach Israel. In a crisis, the slow part is often proving eligibility in the first place. Our petition asks the Jewish Agency and Nefesh B'Nefesh to establish a national registry where people can pre-verify their Law of Return eligibility in advance. This is a proposed structure. No such arrangement exists today, and nothing here implies endorsement by the Jewish Agency or Nefesh B'Nefesh. Read about emergency aliyah and the documents to gather now.
Sources: Ministry of Aliyah and Integration (absorption basket, rights guide for new olim), gov.il first steps in Israel, and Nefesh B'Nefesh. Checked 30 October 2026.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Eligibility and procedures are decided only by the official process; always confirm current requirements with the Jewish Agency or Nefesh B'Nefesh.
Related guides
- Emergency aliyah: how it works todayWhat emergency aliyah means, how the Jewish Agency expedited aliyah during the 2022 Ukraine crisis, what to do if you are in danger, and what a registry would change.
- How to make aliyah fasterThe official aliyah steps, the documents the Jewish Agency asks for, and practical ways to avoid delays. The process usually takes 3 to 6 months.
- Law of Return eligibility: who can make aliyah?Who is eligible to make aliyah under Israel's Law of Return, 1950: Jews, children and grandchildren of Jews, and spouses, plus the exceptions in the law.
- Aliyah from France, the UK, the US and CanadaWho handles your aliyah file depends on where you live: Nefesh B'Nefesh for the US and Canada, the Jewish Agency for the UK, France and most other countries.
- Is there a Nefesh B'Nefesh or Jewish Agency emergency registry?What exists today (aliyah applications, the Jewish Agency questionnaire) and what our petition asks for: a national registry to pre-verify Law of Return eligibility.
- Proof of Jewish status for aliyahHow to prove your connection to Judaism for aliyah: what the rabbi letter must say, what to do if your claim runs through a father or grandparent, and conversion documents.