Technical Notes on Making Aliyah - 1 month prior
Husband here. Going to admit that things are a little bit fuzzy at this point. But the truth of the matter is that this is crunch time. Now is the time to buy your appliances (if you have a place to live), set up your phone (Annatel is a good choice if you plan on needing to keep in touch with the US/Canada), and get all of your documents in order. Buy a portfolio with lots of pockets so you can be super organized. This will save you time when you get off the airplane and get to the absorption office.
If you're selling you home, and staying in it until the very end, I highly suggest renting furniture (if your budget allows) so that you have couches and beds to live on while your stuff is on the ship crossing the ocean (again, try not to think about it). Having/creating normalcy is what will make for a smooth transition. If making aliyah in the summer, try and find camps for your kids (if you have) so that they will have friends when they start school in the fall.
Make sure you purchase adapters and transformers so that you can use your phone and the like as soon as you get off the plane. Also, make sure your phone will work in Israel. Some phones are produced only for a certain region and will not connect to networks outside of that region. I believe the FCC runs a site which will tell you which regions a phone is compatible with. If your phone is not compatible, buy an unlocked phone before you arrive, or buy one once you get here (prices for everything coming soon). You will also need to get unlock codes for your phones at this point (pay off everything you owe on the phone in one shot and the phone will be yours).
Have you been davening? Have you been davening for your other friends who are making aliyah?
A week or two before, it is worthwhile to do a "test pack" to make sure all of your remaining belongings fit into all the bags you are allowed to take. Borrow, or buy, a luggage scale (we borrowed two) and then also make sure everything fits into the way you plan to be transported to the airport. You'll definitely repack like 10 more times, but once everything is weighed out, at least you don't need to worry about that. You may even consider using a box or two as a piece of luggage, though make sure they are labeled and clearly marked.
You will also want to bring some cash with you. Exactly how much is hard to say, but enough that you can get yourself food for a few days. Call your credit cards and let them know you are going abroad. Confirm with your life insurance that your policy/ies will be paid out if living abroad. Also figure out your plan for getting/accessing all of your money. This is easily a blog post unto itself, and there are some good websites out there that describe all of the options in detail, but options basically range from "find a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees and do everything (or as much as you can) in dollars" to "let's make everything work in shekels". I'm more towards the second option, but being paid in America right now complicates that a bit. Be aware that at least one exclusively-online bank does not allow you to make foreign wire transfers (not sure if this is a rule; if you want the name of the bank, get in touch with me privately).
Gotta go run and get the kids, so costs and other stuff to come soon! Keep davening!
If you're selling you home, and staying in it until the very end, I highly suggest renting furniture (if your budget allows) so that you have couches and beds to live on while your stuff is on the ship crossing the ocean (again, try not to think about it). Having/creating normalcy is what will make for a smooth transition. If making aliyah in the summer, try and find camps for your kids (if you have) so that they will have friends when they start school in the fall.
Make sure you purchase adapters and transformers so that you can use your phone and the like as soon as you get off the plane. Also, make sure your phone will work in Israel. Some phones are produced only for a certain region and will not connect to networks outside of that region. I believe the FCC runs a site which will tell you which regions a phone is compatible with. If your phone is not compatible, buy an unlocked phone before you arrive, or buy one once you get here (prices for everything coming soon). You will also need to get unlock codes for your phones at this point (pay off everything you owe on the phone in one shot and the phone will be yours).
Have you been davening? Have you been davening for your other friends who are making aliyah?
A week or two before, it is worthwhile to do a "test pack" to make sure all of your remaining belongings fit into all the bags you are allowed to take. Borrow, or buy, a luggage scale (we borrowed two) and then also make sure everything fits into the way you plan to be transported to the airport. You'll definitely repack like 10 more times, but once everything is weighed out, at least you don't need to worry about that. You may even consider using a box or two as a piece of luggage, though make sure they are labeled and clearly marked.
You will also want to bring some cash with you. Exactly how much is hard to say, but enough that you can get yourself food for a few days. Call your credit cards and let them know you are going abroad. Confirm with your life insurance that your policy/ies will be paid out if living abroad. Also figure out your plan for getting/accessing all of your money. This is easily a blog post unto itself, and there are some good websites out there that describe all of the options in detail, but options basically range from "find a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees and do everything (or as much as you can) in dollars" to "let's make everything work in shekels". I'm more towards the second option, but being paid in America right now complicates that a bit. Be aware that at least one exclusively-online bank does not allow you to make foreign wire transfers (not sure if this is a rule; if you want the name of the bank, get in touch with me privately).
Gotta go run and get the kids, so costs and other stuff to come soon! Keep davening!
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