Ok, so our family has opened a tik at the Jewish agency here in London to make aliyah. My husband is Israeli. They have told us that my son needs to get an Israeli passport (he is only a baby) and that I need to get numerous things for them to approve us.

We are trying to work out whether it is actually worth us making aliyah rather than just going there and being residents and if we stay perhaps making aliyah or becoming permanent residents.

The aliyah 'benefits' are not really that great. The aliyah grant will just about covering shipping our furniture to Israel and after that most of the 'benefits' are some slight reduction in taxes rather than any actually positive benefits.

If we do not officially make aliyah, then our son will have a different status and may not be called up for army if we are still in Israel at the time (I feel like the only reason Israel needs him to have an Israeli passport is so that they can call him into the army to be fodder at 18). We would not get the benefits bundle but I think I would be able to claim unemployment benefit which you cannot get if you get the aliyah bundle.

The shaliach has not been very helpful and does not seem to be able to give advice on what is best. Is there anyone out there that can give the pros and cons of being official olim or not (my husband will not get any benefits and will also most likely have to do miluim which I am not too happy about). I don't think he will get anything as a returning citizen, except maybe a bit off some taxes again

Sorry if this sounds really money orientated but it is already going to cost us a lot to move (my husband is more into returning to Israel than I am tbh) and we are going to have a big cut in our income, I will not be working straight away etc.

Anyway, if anyone can give us some advice would be greatly appreciated. We plan to try Israel for one year and then see how it goes.

Have you looked at the Sal Klita Calculator?

More benefits can be found here. Health care is a big one.

If you are worried about your baby making Aliyah and in 18 years going into the army... well who knows what will be in 18 years from now!? And anyway I don't know about your family but there is are many exemptions from the army available - including being in Yeshiva.

How old is your husband? I made Aliyah at age 26, single, and I never got called up for the Army. (Plus if you do serve in the army, like you said, you get more tax breaks.)

thank you for your reply. Husband is 35 but will be 36 when we go. He will be a returning citizen so will probably be called up to do miluim

No chance of our boy getting out of the army via the yeshiva route as we are both halachically Jewish but secular infidels religionwise and don't even belong to a synagogue

Hope that we will be able to see peace in our time as I don't want my boy being fodder for the army.

Well, he could also get into a jobnik position....

36 and they would still take him for milium? Are you sure? Wow...

Regarding the husband, I can't imagine they would want him. I offered myself at 36 (5 years ago) and was laughed out of the office. They want us oldsters earning money and paying taxes. So I volunteer with the Border Guard.

Regarding the son, even if you don't make Aliya, as the son of an Israeli (and an Israeli himself), he is obligated to either serve in the army or get an excemption. So your coming as Olim or Temp Residents won't make a big difference. When he's 18, he'll either serve or not serve, if he has the Israeli Passport or not. If you choose (at the time) to be overseas and do nothing about it, there's nothing that Israel can do, unless he happens to visit (there was another thread on that somewhere). He can always do Sherut Leumi, or some other form of "Mandatory Service" that is not in the military.

So, no we're down to the practical aspects of Making Aliya versus coming as b2:

1 - If you make Aliya, you have rights to do 3 tax-reduced (basically free) imports over 3 years. If you come as b2, your entire shipment (even used clothing and household goods) will be taxable. This will be about 70 GBP per cubic meter, so it can add up over the entire shipment. If you bring over appliances or electronics, it will be more

2 - Health Care. If you come as Olim, you get it. As b2, you need to pay for it

3 - The Plane Ride. If you come as Olim, it's virtually free.

4 - Sal Klita - once again, not a huge amount, but worth considering

5 - Ulpan - Olim get 5 months free, others pay

6 - Reduced income taxes - Olim get points over a 3 year period, which can reduce or eliminate income taxes here in Israel. Check with a British Accountant or an Israeli/British accountant to find out about foreign income credits on British tax. This is usually based on a concept called "Tax Base" which is determined by both where you live and where you earn your money. If you're planning to move to Israel and work in Israel, it is almost a given it will be to your benefit to make aliya, However if you have investments or ncome in the UK, you need to talk to an accountant who is familiar with the UK-Israeli agreements and your personal finances.

7 - Ability to work. Olim can work here, a Temporary resident needs to make sure he comes in on the right visa to be entitled to work here.

8 - Car Discount. Olim can buy a car and only (hahaha) pay 75% taxes. Others pay 106-120%. As B2, you could import your car, leave a deposit with Meches, and get the deposit back when you leave, but with your current left-hand-drive British car, forget it. So if you're thinking of buying a car, this could be a few thousadn GPS alone

9 - Olim get retraining benefits, and Mortgage benefits. Neither are great, but again, a few thousand shekels to take a retraining course can go a long way to settling in.

10 - Obligations - if you come in as Olim, and leave, you will have certain obligations - specifically regarding items that you imported tax-free and don't export when you leave (5 years) the car you buy (5 years) money received for training courses not taken (must be returned), and some other odd-ball things which are relatively easy to clear up. Likewise, if you come in as Olim now, and leave, there will be some limits on your rights should you decide to come back. As the law stands now, if you leave before 3 years, you can "freeze" your rights for later use, but if you leave after 3 years, or just leave and don't tell anyone, you will only be eligible for rights as a "return citizen" after 2 years. As a return citizen, you will have some benefits for import reasons, but you won't be eligible for free health care for (I think) 1 year.

For the terms, your family would be a "Mishpacha Oleh", and if you don't make Aliya but your sone decides to down the line, he would be a Katin Hozer or Ezrach Oleh, depending on his age at the time, and where he was born. If you come in as temporary residents or tourists, your husband would be an ezrach tiyar.

I think the real question here is this - What do you want to do? If the idea is to move to Israel and make a life here, do Aliya. If the idea is to "try it for a few months or a year" come as temporary residents.

As long as the baal habayit is a katin chozer or an ezrach oleh, the family doesn't get the free health insurance, because it's in his name, and he isn't entitled to it.