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#715569

I did it on my own. I was 19, had almost no money (WAY less than $5000).

For the first months I was in a yeshiva, then I found a part time job in Jerusalem, eventually moved on to full time, and an apartment there. In the early months, I managed with the absorption grant from Misrad HaKlita (Absorption Ministry) together with some money from my family.

And yes, I married an Israeli, we’ve been married for exactly 3 years now.

Speaking the language is a big advantage. As haifagirl said, as long as you’re open-minded about work, you’ll make it. You don’t even have to clean toilets – especially if you already speak proper Ivrit, you could find a job selling falafel or something like that. I think the main part is being willing to work evenings / nights, motzash, and days such as Purim, Tisha b’Av and Chol HaMoed. Most chareidim shiver at the thought of working on those days, but for working people like me, with 10 vacation days per year, that’s just reality. If anything bothers me about working in Israel, it’s that you only get 10 vacation days per year by law (and almost no employer gives you more) – in Europe, 20 is the law and many give 25 or so.

If you want to you’ll make it for sure! When I came, I had one other very big problem which I had to deal with – and did so, succesfully – I cannot even explain what kind of issue it was here in public. If I managed to do it on my own at age 19, with no family in Israel at all, way less money and a very big problem added, then you, at age 22 with family here and quite some money and no problems, will CERTAINLY make it!