Tel Aviv, Israel Report of what it's like to live there - 10/28/19
Personal Experiences from Tel Aviv, Israel
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No, third post abroad with US government.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Direct flights to New York, Washington, Miami - all about 11-12 hours. There are multiple different American airlines that go there daily, along with El Al.
3. How long have you lived here?
A little more than a year.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Diplomatic mission.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
I (along with most families of school age kids) live in the suburbs so can speak more to that. Housing in the suburbs is generally in large houses with a yard. A few US embassy houses have pools. There are a few apartments, but most people are in houses. Some of the houses have layouts that are a little unwieldy depending on family size (for example, some kids sleeping downstairs and the parents upstairs). The beach is a 5-30 minute walk depending on where you are located. Most houses are within 5-10 minutes walking distance of at least some shops/restaurants. Everything in the neighborhood is accessible by bike. The commute to the embassy by car is about 25 minutes in the morning, and 30-40 minutes in the afternoon depending on when you leave. Many people choose to commute by bike - the weather is generally good and most of the way is on a bike path along the sea. This takes 25-50 minutes depending on how fast you go. The commute to the school by school bus is 20-30 minutes both ways for kids, since they go against traffic. If you have to drive with traffic to the school in the afternoon/evening, it can take up to an hour.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
You can get pretty much anything here and often, even specific brands. It seems like half of Israel has immigrated here from the US, so there is a big market for imported American products. Groceries do cost somewhat more; I'd say imagine doing all of your grocery shopping at Whole Foods in the US and it's about the same. Produce is mostly grown in Israel and is seasonal, so you can't always get specific items at all times of year. The flip side of that is that it's exciting to see what's in season each week at the market.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Nothing, for embassy staff with access to DPO. For everyone else, specific toiletries/medications (things that are over the counter in the US are not always here), and if you really care about it maybe paper towels (the ones here are either not good, or really expensive).
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Restaurant food is amazing here; it's very healthy (lots of fresh vegetables) and delicious. It is also expensive; we rarely spend less than $100 at a restaurant for our average sized family. There are not a lot of cheap/fast casual places in the suburbs. Israel's population hails from all over the world within the past few generations and "Israeli" cuisine is a melding of foods from many different places. There are many very creative high end restaurants here, but the everyday places are terrific too. You can also find pretty much any ethnicity of food you are craving. Tel Aviv has the world's third most sushi restaurants per capita after New York and Tel Aviv.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Some people have cockroaches. We've had a problem with fire ants in our house a couple of times, and we see the occasional gecko. It doesn't tend to be a major issue. There are more bugs in the summer, and then they seem to disappear in the winter.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
We use DPO and pouch at the American embassy. DPO is fast (4-8 days) and pouch can be very slow (weeks to months). Israeli post is not that reliable (we had something "overnighted" that took 10 days) and people who live on the local economy often complain about it.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
This is something that has been very different from other posts or from the US. Nannies are available, but they are expensive and are not an all-in-one person who also cleans. It is very difficult to find a cleaner who is in Israel legally, or who does a good job. Many people here just clean their own houses. If you are a diplomat, it is possible to bring a domestic employee with you from elsewhere.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
There's not much need for a gym here, as the weather is generally great, the air quality is good for outdoor exercise, and there are tons of parks and green space, many with free outdoor gym equipment. If you want to join a gym, there are lots of options both in the suburbs and in Tel Aviv. They can be expensive. I have gotten the most exercise of my adult life at this post.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Credit cards and ATMs are pretty safe. I've heard of one instance of credit card number theft in the time we've been here. Buying some things online like concert tickets or signing up for events often requires an Israeli credit card, which is not possible to get without an Israeli ID number (you will not have one if you are here as an expat). This seems archaic and I'd imagine it will go away eventually.
5. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
It's not required (probably 90% of people you will interact with speak enough English that you can communicate adequately, and many people are fluent/near fluent). However, it's appreciated to be able to have a basic conversation in Hebrew, and useful for figuring out what things are in the supermarket, especially the many hundreds of dairy products that are somewhere in the intersection between yogurt, cream cheese, and sour cream and are all just slightly different from each other. English is taught in school here as a required language so most people who grew up here speak it; however since there are many recent immigrants from all over the world who came here as adults, not everyone does. There are intensive Hebrew courses called Ulpans, or other options as well. You will find the photo option on Google Translate to be very useful.
6. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
It's somewhat disability friendly. There are audible walk signs at some intersections, I have seen markers on some sidewalks in Tel Aviv for people who have impaired vision, and curb cutouts are the norm. However, these are certainly not consistent. The sidewalks are sometimes narrow and crowded with trashcans and bikeshare scooters, so it could be hard to navigate in a wheelchair.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Taxis are easily available though an app similar to Uber. They are equivalent to Washington, DC prices, maybe a little more. Intercity trains are modern and reliable, but it always seems to be faster to drive so I've never taken them. I don't have personal experience with buses but many people use them and they are modern and efficient. They do not run from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening. There is a shared taxi-van system that runs along bus routes and does function on Shabbat. It's a small country so you can get anywhere fairly quickly in a car; the farthest point is about 4 hours away. In Tel Aviv, there are many bike share/scooter options to get around.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Having a small car will give you more parking options, as sometimes it can be tight. Larger cars or SUVs are fine, though. For US embassy housing in the suburbs, some larger SUVs may not fit in your garage. If you live in the suburbs, you will need a car right away, so if you are shipping one you should plan on renting until it arrives.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Yes, internet is fast and reliable. I think ours has gone out once for about 5 minutes during the whole time we've been here. Ours was installed by the embassy before we arrived.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
We have Golan SIMs which are inexpensive and reliable. For about $30 a month, we have lots of data, both Israeli and US phone numbers, and international roaming in many countries.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
A nonworking spouse seems to be the most common here. Some spouses are somewhat isolated at home cooking and cleaning given the lack of domestic employee availability, although there are certainly plenty of social/volunteer/exercise opportunities. There are some spouse jobs at the embassy although they tend to be mostly menial. Some spouses do find work on the local economy but it seems more common to telecommute.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
Helping with refugees, orphans, recent immigrants, environmental cleanup, food gleaning, and animal shelters.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
This is a VERY informal country. Like more than the US. People wear jeans to weddings here, and bikinis walking down the street. You can pretty much wear whatever you would like, even if it doesn't fit that well or isn't flattering. I have really enjoyed this aspect of living here - not something I had thought about beforehand.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
We feel very safe here. Other than occasional bike thefts, there is little petty crime, and I've never heard of any violent crime in our community during the time we've been here. The threat of terrorism is in the background, but I feel it less here than I do in DC. There is a lot of security everywhere.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
You can drink the tap water here. Health care is variable - some really excellent clinicians, and some bad ones. I find the younger ones tend to be more medically up to date and savvy than the older ones, but there are many exceptions. The hospitals do not feel like US/European level of cleanliness/care, but are adequate even for complicated issues. Many clinicians have done at least part of their training in the US or Europe.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Air quality is quite good most of the time. Some people have seasonal allergies.
4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
It would be hard to live here with a sesame allergy. For people who cannot eat gluten, there are a fair amount of gluten free restaurants and most grocery stores have a gluten free aisle. If you have a peanut allergy, watch out for Bamba - like cheese puffs but peanut flavored, and ubiquitous here.
5. Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?
Some embassy staffers work long hours, which can be tough on them and families. This has been an issue for our family and something we will take into consideration for our next posting.
6. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
From July to September, it is too hot and sometimes humid. In the winter, it can rain (last year it was about 2x a week but I've heard it's not usually that much). When it rains, it can be quite stormy and last all day. The rest of the time the weather is beautiful - always sunny, and temperate. It is much greener here than I expected - a lot of areas are irrigated.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
Besides the lack of household help, the other potentially limiting factor at this post is the lack of school choice. With a couple of small exceptions, the American International School is the only choice for kids from about 1st grade to 12th. We have found it to be good but not great for elementary school. The classes are small, the teachers tend to be good, and there are a lot of resources in terms of arts, library, and technology. We've found it to be just average in terms of overall academics, and in particular there is not much science. The student population is a really diverse mix of kids from many countries, which has been a highlight for us. There are a few Israeli kids but most seem to have a connection with the US or a European country, and the school does not integrate much teaching about local culture - it seems to be a sort of island, including having a different weekly schedule than the rest of the country, who have a Friday/Saturday weekend (the weekend at AIS is Saturday/Sunday).
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
Different families have had different experiences, partially depending on the administration (which is currently in flux - the previous head of school and elementary principal left last year, and there are interim ones this year) and need. Some report being satisfied and some complain about not having enough accommodation.
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
The preschool at the American school is great - we have been very happy with it. It is Reggio-based with great teachers and a nice mix of kids from all over. It costs about the same as a DC-area preschool. Some families send their kids to the local Hebrew-language preschools ("gans"). These do not start until age 3, can have very large class sizes, and have school Sunday-Friday, but most families are happy with them, and they are inexpensive and an opportunity to experience local culture more in depth. Note that there are very limited options in Herzliya for kids under 3 - mostly just in-home daycares. There are a few more options in Tel Aviv, but they tend to have long waiting lists and are hard to get into.
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Sports: for elementary age kids, not as much as in the US, especially for girls. There is some as afterschool activities, but no actual teams until middle school. There is swimming, gymnastics, horseback riding, soccer, martial arts, and baseball available off campus. Other activities - lots of art/music/dance classes available. Many are in Hebrew, which some kids are ok with and will be limiting for others.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
There are a lot of expats here, and even many Israelis seem to be originally from somewhere else. Morale is generally good - it's a terrific quality of life here.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
The Diplomatic Spouse club is very active. Being a parent at the school, exercise groups, volunteer groups, there are some sports groups, book club, etc. There are so many English-speaking Israelis that you can likely find a local group for whatever you are interested in.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
Yes, I think for all of the above. There is lots of nightlife, outdoor activities, the beach is always there, and for families, kids roam pretty freely in the suburbs. This is a really kid friendly place - playgrounds everywhere, lots of kid-centered activities, kids' menus at restaurants, ubiquitous extra beds and cribs at Airbnbs and hotels, it's ok to pee pretty much anywhere if your kid really has to, and it's definitely a culture of kids are free to be seen and heard everywhere.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Yes, maybe one of the best. There were 250,000 people at the gay pride parade last year.
5. Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
Yes, it is fairly easy to make friends with locals. Israelis are warm and in your business. I have heard several racist statements from Israelis about Arabs. We have a few Israeli Arab friends and expat friends from Arab countries, and they do not report daily harassment or discrimination, but I'd imagine it happens from time to time.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Yes, obviously. We are a bit sheltered from it in our expat bubble, but it's in the news daily. Living here is a bit unique in that it's a country with a government that is reviled by many of my friends back home. There are many parallels here to the US, and like the US, there are a broad range of beliefs here, and, in my opinion, the current government doesn't represent the beliefs of many of its people. Gender equality: outside of ultra religious groups, I find it to be better here than in the US. Women here work in all levels of all fields, are required to be in the military, and don't dress to impress anyone.
7. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Spending much of the time outdoors, going to the beach, easy short weekend trips to national parks and historic sites, water hikes, camping, snorkeling in Eilat, taking in the city vibe in Tel Aviv, eating really well.
8. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Get a national parks annual membership. There are so many great places to visit within an hour or two. Float in the Dead Sea, snorkel or scuba in the Red Sea, hike (or ski!) in the Golan Heights, ride a horse on the beach, walk through water-filled ancient Roman aqueducts, and the list goes on and on.
9. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Yes, there are handicraft markets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and artisan villages elsewhere. There tends to be a lot of ceramics and glass. We often give olive oil and wine as gifts.
10. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Great quality of life, with healthy and delicious food, ample exercise activities, good medical care, tons of fun events, and the beach. It's a small country and there is still a sense of people helping one another and being accountable to each other, even though Israelis complain that this has eroded. It's amazing to see what has been built here in just a few decades.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
Make sure you have a good idea of how much you will be working in your job at this posting, and that it is acceptable for you and your family.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Yes - I think it will be hard to leave here, and a place that we miss a lot.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Winter clothes.
4. But don't forget your:
Sun hat, camping equipment, bike, beach towels, surfboard.
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
Exodus, Amos Oz, Fauda, Shtisel.
