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Israel has a high standard of health services, top-quality medical technology and research, modern hospital facilities and an impressive ratio of physicians to population.

Each of Israel's universities is located near a major Hospital.

A First Aid (Magen David Adom) round-the-clock service as well as emergency rooms in major hospitals are on duty 24 hours a day.

For a complete list of all hospitals and medical centers in Israel, please check

http://www.doctor.co.il/hospitalslink.htm

First Aid (Magen David Adom) Tel: 101

Round-the-clock emergency services, seven days a week, throughout the country. Call 101 in an emergency.

Duty Hospitals (Hadar Miyun)

Emergency rooms in major hospitals are on duty 24 hours a day. A fee is normally charged for emergency room services, unless Magen David Adom refers the patient there or when the case is so urgent that there is no possibility of prior consultation.

Duty Pharmacies

The daily press publishes the address and telephone numbers of pharmacies which remain open in rotation, on Sabbath, holidays and at night. Listings of the duty pharmacies are posted on every pharmacy door.

 Police: call 100 from any phone

fire dep: call 102

Childcare and Education

Israel has a well-developed pre-school educational system, including day-care centers, as well as private caretakers, for infants and toddlers, nursery school and pre-kindergarten and kindergarten (private or partly private).

Compulsory free education begins at age 5. Although primary and secondary education is generally free, most schools require a nominal annual payment to cover incidental expenses.

School Year Calendar:

Elementary schools - September 1st - June 30th

Secondary schools (usually from grade 7) - September 1st - June 20th

Many day-care centers continue through early August, and most are closed during the last two weeks of August. Summer camps or summer sessions are almost always private, and require payment.

Taxation

Israel has signed bilateral agreements with some European countries, permitting income tax exemptions.

Visiting researchers from these countries are exempt from income tax in Israel for a period of up to 2 years, the payment is made in their respective countries usually at the end of their visit.

Please consult your local authorities before departure for Israel.

Value Added Tax (VAT, in Hebrew - ma'am)

A Value-added tax of 17% is charged on purchases and transactions, except for tourists' hotel bills and car rentals paid for in foreign currency. Keep the receipts and ask for a cash refund at the Airport.

Customs

Visitors should acquaint themselves with the latest customs regulations applicable regarding personal or household belongings (especially cars).

Please note that items such as video cameras, personal computers (PCs) and other electronic equipment are not exempt from Israeli customs duties. Such items must be declared to Customs upon arrival in Israel, and must be taken out with you when you leave. Certain visa categories may entitle you to exemptions or reductions in customs on imported items.

For all information on tax, customs & VAT, please check the Israel Tax Authority Guide of the Department of Customs and VAT at the Ministry of Finance:

http://www.mof.gov.il/customs/eng/guidef.htm

Banking and Finances

Foreign visitors are entitled to open a foreigner's bank account in shekels, and/or any other currencies.

List of banks with branches in all cities:

• Bank Hapoalim http://www.bankhapoalim.com
• Bank Leumi http://english.leumi.co.il
• Israel Discount Bank http://www.discount-bank.co.il
• Mizrahi Bank https://www.mizrahi-tefahot.co.il
• Mercantile Discount Bank http://www.mercantile.co.il/Mercantile/English

Driving in Israel requires a valid driver's license and a compulsory insurance.

• Your regular driver's license, or international driver's license, must be replaced by an Israeli license one year after your first date of entry into the country.

For all information on driver's and vehicle licenses in Israel (including converting a foreign

driver's license), please check the Driver's Booklet of the License Bureau at:

http://www.mot.gov.il/wps/pdf/HE_MOT/Hoveret_rishui_EN.pdf

• Driving without a valid driver's license invalidates both compulsory and comprehensive insurance. Check with your insurance company if your home car insurance conforms to Israeli standards.
• Seat belts must be worn at all times by both front and back seats passengers.
• Headlights must be turned on in daylight when driving on intercity roads between November 1 - April 1.
• Children under 12 years old are not allowed in the front seat (unless they are infants in a safety seat).

Helpful Tips:

• Driving in Israel is on the right side of the road.
• Distances and speed limits are marked in kilometers.
• Speed limit:
  • 50 Km/h (31 Miles) in urban areas
  • 90 Km/h (56 Miles) on inter-city roads, unless otherwise stated
• Road signs are normally featured in Hebrew, English and Arabic.
• When renting a car, drivers must be over 21 years old, and hold a valid drivers license. (For most nationalities there is no need for an International Drivers License).
• Crossing the border to Sinai or Jordan in a rented car is not allowed.
• Before renting a car, check if your credit card company covers insurance, as some rental companies' rates include insurance.

Public Transport in Israel:

Israel's main international airport - Ben-Gurion International Airport - is located approximately

halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Flights arrival information by phone: (03)972-3344

Note: Security measures above and beyond what you might encounter in most countries are taken for flights both to and from Israel. These measures are undertaken for your and other passengers' safety and security. Arriving at the terminal at least three hours before your flight is well advised, as Israeli security procedures can be time-consuming.

Getting around Israel:

By Bus

Buses are the most common form of public transportation in Israel. The extensive national bus system is run by a public corporation called Egged (tel 03-694-8888, http://www.egged.co.il/Eng/).

Additionally, a bus company called Dan, operates solely in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.

By Sherut (Shared Taxi Service)

Faster than the bus companies are the minivans, known as monit sherut or "service taxi", that follow the bus routes but can be hailed from anywhere. Sherut fares usually cost the same or slightly less than the bus, but during Sabbath, when normal buses do not operate, sherut fares will increase.

By Train

The train currently runs along Israel's Mediterranean coast, being particularly useful for connections between Haifa, Tel Aviv and the airport.

Central Phone Number: 03-577-4000  or http://www.israrail.org.il/english/.

By taxi

Taxis are very common in Israel. It is advised to ask the driver to use the meter.

Note: In getting around Israel, pay attention primarily to the Sabbath: from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, there is effectively no public transportation available in Israel (there are though taxis and a limited Sherut services).

Ulpan Programs

The "Ulpan" is a course dedicated to teaching the Hebrew language.

Target population: Students of all ages and backgrounds, Individuals and families.

Ulpan programs run from 3 weeks up to 20 weeks.

You may find good Ulpan Programs in:

• Most of the universities
• Kibbutz
• Other private and public Ulpan Programs

For the contact details of all Ulpan programs, please visit our mobility portal at:

http://eracareers.most.gov.il/hebrew

The international access code for Israel is +972.

The outgoing code is 00 (not from public phones) followed by the relevant country code

(e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom).

Public phones are card operated and are available at the post office and local kiosks.

The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international operators; otherwise mobile phones can easily be rented.

Area Codes:

Drop the leading 0 (zero) when calling from abroad:

• Jerusalem area 02

• Tel Aviv-Yafo 03

• North 04

• South 08

• Sharon 09

Cellular carriers

Cellcom (052)

Pelephone Communication (050)

Orange - Partner GSM (054)

Mirs - Motorolla Communications (057)

Internet home & office connections are made by several communication companies.

Internet cafes are available in the main towns and tourist areas all over Israel.

Jewish holiday calendar

The Jewish calendar, which is the official calendar of Israel, determines the dates of the Jewish holidays and is used for religious purposes by Jews all over the world. The "modern" form is a rule-based lunisolar calendar, measuring months defined in lunar cycles as well as years measured in solar cycles, and distinct from the almost entirely solar Gregorian calendar. Because of the different measuring of the Jewish calendar and the Gregorian calendar, the Gregorian dates of the Jewish holidays vary from year to year.

On a more practical level, you should take into account the fact that during Jewish holidays, like during the Sabbath, there is effectively no public transportation available in Israel (there are though taxis and a limited Sherut services).

Rosh Hashanah — The Jewish New Year (September)

Yom Kippur — Day of Atonement (September-October)

Sukkot — Festival of Booths (October)

Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah (October)

Hanukkah — Festival of Lights (December)

Tu Bishvat - New year of the trees (February)

Purim — Festival of Lots (March)

Pesach — Passover (April)

Lag Ba'omer (May)

Shavuot — Pentecost (May-June)

New Israeli/Jewish national holidays (May-June):

Yom HaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance day

Yom Hazikaron — Memorial Day

Yom Ha'atzma'ut — Israel Independence Day

Yom Yerushalayim — Jerusalem Day