Bank branches of the same bank do not work the same way that they do in America. If I open an account in a Tel Aviv branch of Mizrahi, I can’t go to a branch in Beersheva and do anything more than deposit and withdraw money. Say I want a printout of my account activity for last year; I would have to request it from my specific branch, and I would either have to go there to pick it up, or request that they send it to the bank branch in Beersheva and pick it up there. Changing branches within the same bank is a nightmare, which is why many people keep the same account in the same branch even if they move. Bank branches are in competition with each other, even in the same bank, so they deliberately make it extremely difficult to switch branches.
I don’t think (and I could be wrong) that opening an account with an Israeli bank in NY would be of any help to them. And as far as I am aware, there are no American banks in Israel.
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