ISRAELIS ARE RUDE, self-centered and have no use for new immigrants.
Right? Everyone knows that.
“Everyone” is WRONG.
I first came to Israel on May 15, 1975. My Spouse came well before me with her family as an immigrant from Morocco. Things have changed greatly since the 1960s immigration of Jews from Muslim countries, not the least of which is the ruling political party.
I NEVER had a problem with any government agency then (1975), and, so far, ALL my interactions with government agencies today (2Q2021) have been excellent.
Even dealing with a bank (HaPoalim) clerk went well.
For an American who never paid a bank or credit card fee, it was an unhappy realization that the bank will charge ME to use MY money, never mind direct deposit. The bank also will graciously give us a credit card for only a few NIS a month — never mind if the charges are paid on time. We are accustomed to getting money BACK from Visa and Discover. The problem is that there is little bank competition in Israel. We may “shop around” once we are settled.
Everyone, without exception, has treated my Spouse and me professionally and kindly, from the ubiquitous guards at the entrances until the end of our business.
TO BE FAIR, our sabra Son-In-Law, or our Daughter with her 10 years’ Israel experience, have smoothed the way; my Hebrew is (anymore) barely survival level and my Spouse’s, while much better, is not “au currant.” It does help to have a local at your side.
It also helps if the people needing assistance are reasonable and friendly to the clerks.
(This also is true when dealing with personnel at an after-hours Urgent Care clinic.)
Finally, all of our dealings with government and bank clerks to date have been in Ashdod, Rehovot, or Yavne — we have been able to avoid Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
That does not mean everything has gone sans problem. We still are waiting for permanent ID cards that should have arrived days ago, but we have a temporary card that does the job for now.
Make way for the handicapped geezer
I get around either with a rollator (a four-wheel stand-up walker, a/k/a הֲלִיכוֹן or a mobility scooter a/k/a קלנועית)
Since the scooter is a pain to disassemble/pack into a car/remove and reassemble, most of my out of area trips are with the fold-up rollator. Every building I needed or wanted to enter is “handicapped accessible.”
The scooter is for local trips — apartment hunting, jaunts to the nearby mini-mall, etc. I take the scooter to visit apartments since I need to know if will fit through doors. (So far, elevators are all OK.) I may use the walker or a cane inside my apartment, but I have visions of using the scooter as a desk chair for an office — one less piece of furniture to buy.
SHOCKING!
Americans are power mad.
Not mad FOR power, but we have so many appliances — cell phones, computers, printers, tvs; kitchens are cluttered with AC-powered toys. Outlets are every few feet (usually 10 feet).
I don’t know about any places except the U.S. and Israel, but in Israel outlets are single and distant from one another.
Which means that one-to-two, one-to-three, and one-to-four adapters are common. Power strips are less common, but they are an option.
For example, in the room I hope to make into an office, I need power for
- Computer
- Printer
- Scooter
The kitchen is another matter, but that’s The Spouse’s domain. Since we are “starting over” with 220 VAC appliances, it will be interesting.
Why the paucity of outlets is beyond my ken. It is not the voltage (230 ∓ 10%) or the amperage, typically half the amps of 120 VAC household current in the U.S. (~20A). This may be holdover from the Mandatory period.
