Ohel Sarah – For People with Special Needs in Israel
Ohel Sarah is a non-profit organization that has been serving the special-needs population in Central Israel. Ohel Sarah offers services to children and adults ages 6 to end of life with emotional, behavioral and mental disabilities, including autism and communication disorders. Ohel Sarah helps its students reach their individual potential. All therapies, programs and sessions are geared towards increasing the students’ independence and preparing them for life after graduation. Their approach is unique in that it seeks to integrate its students into mainstream society, while backing and accompanying them every step of the way. Aside from providing its students with the best possible care, Ohel Sarah offers extensive support, guidance and counseling to the parents and caregivers of its students. We see ourselves as equal sharers in the responsibility and joy of caring for their children, and cooperate closely with the parents.
Education – Four schools for children ages 6-21 with various levels of cognitive disabilities.
Employment – Our three employment centers enable adults ages 21-60+ to spend their days in a meaningful way and enjoy various employment opportunities while receiving a monthly salary.
Housing – Ohel Sarah operates 13 group homes, where adults live independently as a family unit in groups of six. Assisted by a housemother, social workers, nurses and counselors.
Contact
For more information, volunteer or donate, please contact Rivky Ostrover
How much will I qualify for when applying for a mortgage?
Your monthly mortgage is based on your earnings and local Israeli banks will not allow you to take out a mortgage loan in excess of 40% of your monthly household income. So for example, if your household income is 10,000 shekels, your monthly mortgage payment cannot exceed 4,000 shekels per month. However there are certain instances where your total assets will be factored into the decision. It is best to consult with a mortgage bank before you sign a property purchases contract.
Are there fixed mortgage rates in Israel?
Yes. Fixed rates are available in both linked to inflation and not linked to inflation products. Prepayment penalties can be a factor when taking a fixed mortgage.
How much can I borrow?
Israeli citizens, first home-owners, can borrow up to 75% of the value of the property. If you are considering an Investment property. Israeli citizens are entitled to borrow up to 50% of the value of the property. Non-Israeli citizens are generally limited to 50%.
Is my mortgage tax deductible?
Israeli citizens are not entitled to a tax rebate on their mortgage. You may be entitled to a tax rebate in your country of origin if you are still filing a tax return there. Citizens of the United States are entitled to a deduction on their mortgage interest. It is best to consult with a local Israeli CPA who specializes in American tax laws.
How long does it take to obtain pre-approval – ‘ishur ikroni’ – on a mortgage?
The pre-approval does not take a long time to obtain. Generally it is just a few days from the time all the relevant paperwork has been submitted. You may even get the pre-approval within 24 hours of application.
How long does the mortgage process take?
Allow for 2 – 6 weeks from the time all the relevant documentation has been submitted
I have a lump sum, can I pay off my mortgage prior to the due date?
Consult with your mortgage bank and verify if there is a penalty clause in your mortgage contract.
Can I pay an additional amount every month to shorten the term of my loan?
This falls into the same category and a penalty clause may need to be paid.
Can I refinance my mortgage?
Should the need arise you can refinance your mortgage in Israel. You will have to pay administration fees.
The Home Front Command – Emergency drills & preparedness for Israel
You are startled by a loud noise, your cup of coffee falls out your hands and the hot liquid scalds your knee as it falls to the ground. It’s an air raid siren!!! Yom Hazikaron, war, missiles, what now? No need to panic. It’s The Home Front Command (פיקוד העורף / Pikud HaOref) conducting a nationwide drill.
In an effort to prepare the community as well as the emergency services, every few months Israel’s Home Front Command conducts a nationwide emergency drill. Air raid sirens will be heard in some places.
How will I know that there is going to be a drill?
A few days before the drill announcements are made across the media that a national emergency drill will be taking place. It will be announced on the radio, television stations and on news websites. In case you miss the Hebrew announcements, Anglo-list will also publish the information in English on the website and across our social networks.
If this is your first emergency drill, please note:
A 90 second-long siren goes off in certain locations or across the country. Certain geographical locations may be excluded from the drill. If so, this will be announced.
One hour before the drill, The Home Front Command sends a text message to mobile phone subscribers. You will receive this announcement on your phone. If you did not receive a notification, you should contact the Home Front Command and ask them to add you to the list.
Contacting The Home Front Command
The Home Front Command can be contacted by dialing 104 from any phone. Phone instructions are available in Hebrew, English, Russian, Arabic, Amharic, French, German and Italian.
Their website: https://www.oref.org.il/ is available in 4 languages; Hebrew, English, Russian and Arabic.
I am an ‘Oleh Hadash’, do I qualify for public housing in Israel?
A typical public housing block in Israel
The cost of real estate in Israel has risen by about 50 percent over the past 6 years. For people with limited incomes and for those who have little possibility of improving their financial situation, this increase has added to the housing crisis in Israel.
State-owned public housing apartments are significantly cheaper but most of the public housing apartments are located in the peripheral areas and the waiting period, if you are eligible, for a public housing apartment can be several years. The number of state owned public housing units is drying up. In 2011, for example, the state owned just over 65,000 public housing units, 50 percent less than in 10 years earlier.
Do new immigrants qualify for public housing?
New immigrants can qualify for a public housing apartment if they fit in the following categories.
2. A minor – up to the age of 18 – who is eligible for the Disabled Child Benefit from Bituach Leumi.
3. The sufferers of certain medical conditions including: a kidney dialysis patients, heart disease patients, people with heart disease requiring a heart transplant, people with a malignant disease requiring radiation or chemotherapy, a liver or lung disease that necessitates a transplant, AIDS patients or patients with chronic mental illness.
4. A person with a “Teudat Iver” – a Certificate of Blindness
5. An immigrant family with at least one severely disabled member
6. An immigrant family with at least one members suffering from severe illness
How do I apply for public housing?
To apply for an apartment and public housing assistance, please consult with your aliyah and absorption coordinator. If you meet all the criteria, your name will be added to the waiting list.
Useful Resources
Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute)
https://www.gov.il
Haifa – 8 Palyam St., Tel: 04-8633666
Jerusalem – 13 Weizmann Blvd., Tel: 02-6709211
Kfar Saba – 34 Weizmann St., Tel: 09-7479888
Bet Shemesh – 8 Hanassi St., Tel: 02-9906111
There also branches in: Ashdod, Beer Sheva, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Eilat, Herzliyah, Kiryat Shmona Netanya, Petach Tikva, Rechovot, Ramat Gan & Rishon LeZion
Ministry of Housing & Construction (Misrad HaBinuy VeHaShikun)
Did you know?In 2012, 67.9% of Israelis lived in homes they owned and 26.9% lived in rented homes.
According to an in-house survey Anglo-List did in 2014, 39% of the Anglo community want to be paying off a mortgage while 45% are happy to live in rented accommodation. Click here for the survey results
Mazaltov! You have finally decided to tie the knot. There is so much to organize before your big day it’s quite overwhelming. But amidst the excitement of shopping for a dress, booking a wedding hall and arranging transport for the cousins from Dimona, you’ll need to get the boring, mundane paperwork organized.
In order to register for a Jewish marriage you need to open a marriage file (“tik nissuin”) at your local religious council or Rabbinate. This needs to be done no less than 3 weeks (21 days) prior to the marriage.
If you are over the age of 18 and planning on a Jewish marriage in Israel you must register for marriage with the Israeli Rabbanut (Rabbinate). This is not applicable if you were married outside of Israel, prior to your Aliyah.
Proof of Judaism – this could be a letter from your Rabbi abroad stating that you are Jewish and born to a Jewish mother. If you are a convert you will need to provide your official conversion papers.
You will also have to bring two witnesses who will testify they know both bride and groom as singles.
Are there any other documents I need to provide to the Rabbinate prior to the ceremony?
Depending on your specific circumstances, and where applicable, you may also be asked to provide a copy of your divorce certificate (“Get”), a death certificate and your parent’s marriage certificate. The Rabbinate will also raise the topic of family purity, instruction and the mikveh as well as the required certifications in this regard.
After the marriage ceremony
After the marriage has taken place you will need to present a copy of your ketubah and your marriage certificate to the Rabbanut. You will also need to register your marriage with Misrad HaPnim (the Ministry of Internal Affairs) who will update all official records and issue the necessary documentation for your teudat zehut showing your marital status and new name. Your passport will be stamped with your new name.
Contacting the Offices of the Rabbanut in the main cities
My common law husband David and I had the crazy idea we would get married in Israel. We forgot the fact that Israeli marriage laws are different than in the United States. In America practically anybody can get married to whoever they want if they are of age. Most states still don’t allow gay marriage, and no state that I know of would let you marry your dog or cat; However, Interracial and interfaith marriages are allowed in all states, even Alabama.
David and I can’t get married in Israel because civil marriage is not allowed. Basically, only Orthodox religious marriages are permitted. Christians may marry other Christians, Muslims may only marry Muslims, and Jews may only marry Jews. Oh, but there’s more, certain ultra-orthodox Jewish sects allow marriage not only between cousins, but even nieces. To top it off, a Jewish convert can only marry another Jewish convert.
Not to worry, love conquers all. Israel will accept marriages that were performed in other countries. Therefore, although David and I can’t get married in Israel, if we married before coming here, or take a trip abroad to elope, the marriage would be accepted. I was told by my gay friend that Israel accepts his marriage which was performed in a country that allows gay marriage.
So the majority of Israelis go abroad to get married. How ironic is that? A lot of this comes from the old Ottoman Empire, and many of the surrounding countries — aka enemies calling for the complete and total destruction of Israel — have similar laws and customs.
Cyprus is the country of choice where most Israelis travel to marry. In fact, there is the Cyprus wedding cruise ship that leaves port about once a week during wedding season and once a month during the slow season. I’ve never been to Cyprus, so I can’t tell you what it’s like, but obviously they allow civil marriages and are profiting from the archaic Israeli marriage laws. There are couples in the US that refuse to marry until gays can marry. As a matter of principle, David and I should not get married until Israelis born in their own native land are allowed to marry their person of choice in a civil ceremony.
Jona Taylor is a freelance writer living in Haifa, Israel. Read her blog
Emergency help lines for children & teens in crisis in Israel.
Teenagers can experience crises and adolescence is a difficult time. Well-meaning parents may feel confused and frustrated. They may disagree and argue about what should be done to help their child. It can take ages to get an appointment with a mental health professional via Kupat Holim and going privately can be prohibitively expensive. It might be necessary to get help via a crisis line. Exam and ‘bagrut’pressures, identity crises, drugs and abuse are just some of the issues that our children and teens sometimes have to deal with. We’ve put together a list of crisis and help lines that can help you and your child through a difficult time.
Infidelity in Marriage – What are the Consequences?
When the Jewish Rabbinical Court or the Family Courts (in Israel) refer to infidelity or adultery, they are referring to sexual relations with another man or woman, outside of the marriage.
Adultery is one of the oldest prohibitions of Jewish morality and Biblical and halachic punishment for adultery is harsh.
What is considered adultery?
A marriage is monogamous by nature and in that lies the idea of commitment to one person throughout our lives.
In the eyes of the law, a one-time sexual relationship of a man or woman outside marriage without any emotional ties is considered adultery. A continuing emotional and sexual relationship of a man or woman outside of marriage is also considered adultery.
Separation & Divorce
While a one-time sexual relationship, outside of the marriage can be forgiven, an emotional relationship with another man (or woman) cannot.
Both these issues are problematic and bring about separation and divorce.
The initiative for a separation or divorce frequently comes from the betrayed spouse; a sense of severe hurt prevents him or her ever wanting to continue living with his or her spouse.
My spouse betrayed me. What are my rights?
This question arises time and time again. What do the implications of adultery mean to the rights of the betrayed spouse / partner concerning all the different issues of divorce; separation of assets, custody and maintenance?
In the past there was a vast difference between the attitudes of the Rabbinical Court toward infidelity to that of the Family Court (in Israel). In the Family Court, in all matters concerning the rights of the spouse in the procedure of divorce, the “fault” element does not really exist. No matter what the background of the divorce or who created the rift, the rights of the spouse or partner will not be harmed. Property and financial assets will be distributed in accordance to the rules of the law of financial relations – which is basically equality of assets regardless to cause of separation or fault.
Child support will be determined according to the rates prevailing in the Family Court and child custody according to the basic rule of “the best interests of the child “. There is almost no connection between the “best interests of the child”, and monetary rights regarding the loyalty (or disloyalty) of spouse or partner.
However in the Rabbinical Court, at least in the past, the picture was quite different. There used to be a much more significant component of ‘guilt ‘in the divorce process. If it turned out that the woman in the case, was having a relationship out of marriage (casual or emotional), the Rabbinical Court often ruled in favor of the “betrayed “party.
Rabbinical Court or Family Court?
The ways the Rabbinical and Family Courts are conducted are very different indeed. The nature and behavior of a Rabbi will tend to vary significantly from that of a secular judge. Rabbis will have had their education in a yeshiva, markedly different from the academic background of secular judges.
Some examples
I recently attended a hearing in Family Court where I represented a man who lived with another woman during marriage. His wife raised the claim to the court that her husband was unfaithful and the judge told her specifically (off the record) that he does not care, thus emphasizing that it is a non-issue. In the words of the court “he can be who he wants as well as you” and thus faithfulness or otherwise is not related to the distribution of rights and obligations at all.
The best known cases are those of betrayal by a woman. In the past it was likely that a woman who had been having an affair out of marriage would be deprived of her rights and moneys accumulated during the marriage, on account of her. There are even cases where the courts deprived the unfaithful spouse from half of all shared property, sometimes even the couples’ mutual home.
In a hearing at the Supreme Court, a betrayed wife petitioned the court to cancel the decision of the Rabbinical Court which determined that the husband’s social rights will not constitute a part of the common property, because of the betrayal of the woman. The Supreme Court overturned the Great Rabbinical Court decision and stated that social rights constitute part of the common property of the spouses, regardless of the woman’s infidelity.
The Court held as follows: “a person should not be punished for his role in dismantling the relationship by economic sanctions, because maintaining family unity can turn out to be difficult and extremely painful. In some cases you can see one of the spouses has a greater responsibility for the dissolution of the relationship it bears to the other spouse. However, do not deal with the fault of either party, by way of economic injury, as part of the division of the couple’s property. Moreover, often it is difficult to speak in this context in terms of “guilt”. Dissolution of marriage is the result of complex circumstances and betrayal in itself does not make one spouse guilty. ”
In fact, in light of the Supreme Court’s decision the Rabbinical Court cannot rule out a person’s rights due to infidelity.
In view of all these factors it is essential in every case for your attorney to carefully check all data in determining where the divorce should be tried (in the Rabbinical or in the Family Court), especially when it is a case of betrayal or guilt.
The essential principle that passes like a golden thread in law, in judgments and in every occasion of child custody disputation, is the principle of “the good of the child”. It is important to emphasize that it is not the good of the mother or the good of the father, these issues are irrelevant to the court in the matter of child custody. The court is only concerned with the good of the child!
The central theme in a divorce agreement between a couple is the matter of custody of the children at the time of separation. Today when there are material disputes concerning which parent is best suited to be custodian, in most cases the court will appoint a psychologist as an expert to examine the suitable custodian, an examination known as “parental suitability”.
Likewise, in law children younger than six years of age are placed in the category of “tender age”, which means that children in this age group will be with their mother unless there are significant reasons for deciding otherwise.
This principle is secondary to the principle of “for the good of the child” and the central test is which of the parents is able to provide the child with a better life.
How is the “good of the child” determined?
The courts in Israel and in the world adopted two parameters for examining this concept:
Firstly, satisfying the material needs, in other words determining which of the parents is best capable of providing a better standard of life for the child in the physical sense.
Secondly, and regarded as really important, is the issue of satisfying the emotional and spiritual needs of the child. In other words which of the parents is most sensitive to the feelings of the child and is best able to fulfill these emotional and spiritual needs?
Judgment also acknowledges that when there is a conflict between these two parameters the latter applies. In the light of the above, one of the central issues determining the custody of minor children and parental suitability is the question of which of the parents will the child have the most consistent and secure relationship possible at the time of separation?
This issue received recognition as being a basic need in the framework of “The Convention of the Rights of the Child, 1989” which determines that the child has the right to be in contact with both parents. This is his basic right as a human being.
Who gets custody? Mom vs. Dad
In the light of the above, prevention of normal relationship of the child with the father because of the mother’s behavior after the divorce or conversely prevention of relationship with the mother because of behavior of the father is a basis for transferring the rights of custody to the parent who is more capable of following the arrangements for normal relationship with both parents.
The court recognizes that the centrality of the motive of “the good of the child” is necessary to impart to the child feelings of love for both the father and mother. They deserve this as a natural right of being parents but also, which is even more important, because nurturing these feelings will enable the child to develop in a tranquil and happy manner.
Ohel Sarah is a non-profit organization that has been serving the special-needs population in Central Israel. Ohel Sarah offers services to children and adults ages 6 to end of life with emotional, behavioral and mental disabilities, including autism and communication disorders. Ohel Sarah helps its students reach their individual potential. All therapies, programs and sessions are geared towards increasing the students’ independence and preparing them for life after graduation. Their approach is unique in that it seeks to integrate its students into mainstream society, while backing and accompanying them every step of the way. Aside from providing its students with the best possible care, Ohel Sarah offers extensive support, guidance and counseling to the parents and caregivers of its students. We see ourselves as equal sharers in the responsibility and joy of caring for their children, and cooperate closely with the parents.
