I want to move to Israel to be with my boyfriend living there. How can I go legally? What do I have to do? Become a student somewhere? Convert? Get married? What are my options?

Hello Stasha:

Get on an airplane and hang on. They DO let people in, you know. Once you're there, and you want to stay, I'm sure it won't be a problem, and you probably won't have to do anything except want to be an Israli.

excon

It's not really that simple, you do have to apply and be accepted like any other country. Without an application for permanent residence or some kind of status you would have to leave after a certain time, for most countries 6 months maximum.

I personally don't know anything about immigration laws in Israel but I do see that Jewish people are given special incentives and actively encouraged to move to Israel from the US and elsewhere. I don't see any mention of how applications of non-jews are treated.

OK I am going to disagree.. I moved to israel a year ago which is calledmaking Aliyah and they evry strict on letting people move here and you have to have proof of a jewishother orbe married to an siraeli not just a jew. In order to get citizenship.. they are highly resistant to allow people who are not jewish to live here...
Its extra hard. I would say,move here. For the 3 months you can be here... without visa.. and find a man and amrry :) that's your best bet

Thanks for the input tracy32, I kind of figured it would be hard if not impossible since she's not jewish as I can't even find any articles online about immigration to Israel that don't mention being jewish

I understand u.. Because I have the same problem finding information online about immigration to greece withotu being greek in it.. need to move to my boyfriend.. they say you need to convert and be christian and know the language which I do.. so I am not too sure if that is an option for me, BTU as far as israel goes they have many problems with war.. its constant actually.. and the arabs are alwaysa trying to get into israel and so on... so they do try get passports.. but I guess no one can undeertsand unless you a born israeli of the lfie they live.not even I undertsnad after a year.. but I say don't give up! Where there's a will there's a way and if you want soemthing bad enough ti will happena and there is always a way around it.. juts lengthy I guess.. ill do more research

Thanks, I figured there was no way around not being Jewish. I never would have guessed growing up in a non religious household that one day I would need to be Jewish. Ah the ironies of life!

Hello Stasha:

Do a family tree. You never know where Jews'll pop up. If you have one in your maternal lineage, you could be a Yid?

excon

No offence excon.. but you really have no idea about what you are talking about.. you need to havea string of jewish from your mothers side.. even if she had a jewish grandfather it would not count.it only counts in the jewish religion on the mothers side.. and the mothers mother or dad.. not the dads side.. and if your great grandfather or great grandmotehr is jewish it doesn't count.only mom and grandparents on moms side.. so the string further back than that does not actually count...
It is extra diffficult to get citizenship here.. u can definitely live here if you married because you get a permit but you will never have the same rights as an israeli... like you won't get a passport to travel. But you american so why would you want an israeli passport haha..

My mother line go back to ' HARBACH' I had a letter statement that says that harbach is a jewish nane and on my mom, mothers mother last name. Also the engstrom is a swedish jew name on my mother dads mother-mother side. Would that be enough jew in me, for me to move and stay in israel?

My daughter and I are not jewish, even though my mothers father was a Coleman and that is a jewish name.We are born in America. My future son and law is from Russia, and is a isreal citizen. They are getting married in Isreal , and determined to be together. I am going there, and doing whatever I have to do leagally to stay in Isreal, and live there as long as we can. When we get told that we can't stay, the my daughter, myslelf, and my son and law will come back to the Unites States. We are DETERMINED to stay in Isreal as long as we ca, even if I have to marry and Isreal Citizen. Do you have any suggestions?

Making Aliyah would be very easy for me because I am Jewish and my mother's family are all Jews **BUT** if you are not Jewish, your best bet is to visit an Israeli embassy nearest where you live and apply for a visa to live/work there. You could also apply to school while you are there in order to get a student visa. It is correct that they are strict about who lives there but I do know many non-Jews who live in Israel and like it there (it's the felafel, man, I tell you!) Good luck, I hope you made it there. :)

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Originally Posted by JennaC

Making Aliyah would be very easy for me because I am Jewish and my mother's family are all Jews **BUT** if you are not Jewish, your best bet is to visit an Israeli embassy nearest where you live and apply for a visa to live/work there. You could also apply to school while you are there in order to get a student visa. It is correct that they are strict about who lives there but I do know many non-Jews who live in Israel and like it there (it's the felafel, man, I tell ya!) Good luck, I hope you made it there. :)

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This was originally asked in 2007 - anyway, what is Aliyah (for the benefit of those too busy or lazy to look it up)?