Schiff Sovereign's Take on Israel
Israel is a beautiful country with an appealing Mediterranean climate, great food, highly advanced medical facilities, beaches, parks, etc. And for a tiny country, it also offers an astonishing number and variety of cultural experiences.
If you are Jewish and haven't applied for a second passport in Israel yet, you should definitely look into it.
The country makes it very easy for those of Jewish heritage to gain a second citizenship. Every year, thousands of Jews around the world become Israeli citizens through the country’s so-called Law of Return.
And it's totally worth it. Israel permits dual citizenship, and the Israeli passport is a very decent travel document.
(At the same time, as we have written here, you need to spend significant time in Israel each year to qualify for it. Otherwise, you can only count on a “provisional passport” that allows traveling to fewer countries visa-free.)
And while Israel is far from a tax haven, it grants new citizens a 10-year tax holiday on their worldwide income.
Curiously, in some cases you don't have to actually have any Jewish blood in order to qualify. Converting to Judaism can be enough.
Israelis tend to be very entrepreneurial and technology savvy, and the country is a home to a youthful and innovative culture. The country has been nicknamed the “Start-Up Nation” for a reason: Fiverr, Waze, Viber… all of these tech startups were founded in Israel.
The people there are highly educated, sophisticated, and refreshingly blunt. The rhythm of life is set to the Jewish calendar, so the workweek starts on Sunday, not Monday. The cultural zeitgeist fosters an openness and a liveliness in discussions. And Israel is a highly family-oriented society; it’s very close-knit and warm.
Of course, one cannot paint a completely rosy picture when talking about Israel. It is literally surrounded by countries that would love to see it wiped off the face of the planet. Israelis know they are under constant threat, and that’s why they have had to create a highly militarized society. The tension is real and ever present.
We also rank Israel as a “Very Expensive” place in our Cost of Living Index, which means that it’s probably not worth considering the country if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option.
But if you can handle the political tensions, the high cost of living, and especially if you have jewish roots or plan on converting to Judaism, then Israel may make sense for you as a Plan B destination.
If you are Jewish and haven't applied for a second passport in Israel yet, you should definitely look into it.
The country makes it very easy for those of Jewish heritage to gain a second citizenship. Every year, thousands of Jews around the world become Israeli citizens through the country’s so-called Law of Return.
And it's totally worth it. Israel permits dual citizenship, and the Israeli passport is a very decent travel document.
(At the same time, as we have written here, you need to spend significant time in Israel each year to qualify for it. Otherwise, you can only count on a “provisional passport” that allows traveling to fewer countries visa-free.)
And while Israel is far from a tax haven, it grants new citizens a 10-year tax holiday on their worldwide income.
Curiously, in some cases you don't have to actually have any Jewish blood in order to qualify. Converting to Judaism can be enough.
Israelis tend to be very entrepreneurial and technology savvy, and the country is a home to a youthful and innovative culture. The country has been nicknamed the “Start-Up Nation” for a reason: Fiverr, Waze, Viber… all of these tech startups were founded in Israel.
The people there are highly educated, sophisticated, and refreshingly blunt. The rhythm of life is set to the Jewish calendar, so the workweek starts on Sunday, not Monday. The cultural zeitgeist fosters an openness and a liveliness in discussions. And Israel is a highly family-oriented society; it’s very close-knit and warm.
Of course, one cannot paint a completely rosy picture when talking about Israel. It is literally surrounded by countries that would love to see it wiped off the face of the planet. Israelis know they are under constant threat, and that’s why they have had to create a highly militarized society. The tension is real and ever present.
We also rank Israel as a “Very Expensive” place in our Cost of Living Index, which means that it’s probably not worth considering the country if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option.
But if you can handle the political tensions, the high cost of living, and especially if you have jewish roots or plan on converting to Judaism, then Israel may make sense for you as a Plan B destination.
