Nefesh BNefesh

Disclaimer: Misrad Habriut regulations are subject to change without advance notice and are constantly changing. For the most current information regarding licensing procedures, please see: www.health.gov.il. Nefesh B’Nefesh does not take responsibility for inaccuracies on the site or changes to the law.

See Also: Interview with a chiropractor

Chiropractors in Israel work primarily in private practice, as well as through the Kupot. The Israeli Chiropractic Society currently has over 70 members. For more information about the Society, see www.chiropractic.co.il or call 09 882 4396. To become a member, you must have graduated from an accredited chiropractic college. All Israeli chiropractors studied in colleges abroad, as there is no course of study available in Israel.

It is highly recommended that you take all four chiropractic boards in North America and graduate from a CCE internationally accredited school. This is not currently a requirement, but legislation is currently pending, which will make it mandatory.

If you are interested in speaking with North American chiropractors who work in Israel, write to employment@nbn.org.il.

Professional Certification

Following a recent ruling of the Israeli Supreme Court, Misrad Habriut (Ministry of Health) is not allowed to process the licensing of chiropractors. This situation will continue until the relevant medical licensing laws are amended.

In the current situation, medical institutions have been employing individuals holding foreign licenses. Practically, this ruling has not affected the employment of medical professionals who make Aliyah. Most medical professionals who have made Aliyah since this ruling was instituted, are currently employed.

When you make Aliyah, bring all of your academic diplomas and related documentation with you, so that you will be able to apply for Israeli licensing once this situation is resolved. All of these documents will eventually need to be notarized and translated by an Israeli notary. However, we recommend bringing them now, but waiting to notarize and translate them until it becomes relevant (in case further changes to the process are made).

Misrad Habriut offers a customer call center to answer questions about licensing for health care professionals. Call *5400 from Israel or 972-8-6241010 from abroad. The center operates Sunday through Thursday, 8am-6pm, and Fridays from 8am-1pm, Israel time.

Places of Employment

Private Practice: Most chiropractors in Israel work privately. Anyone who has graduated from an accredited chiropractic college is entitled to open a private practice and set fees. When you have a private practice, you see patients on a strictly private basis. In certain areas, if you have an agreement with a Kupah (health fund), you can receive members of a Kupah who pay a discounted fee. There are many practices that combine the two. Some practices include more than one chiropractor, and new Olim might prefer to join an existing practice rather than starting a new practice.

Kupot Cholim: Some chiropractors work for the Kupot, though the number of available positions is very limited. In most cases, chiropractors working for the Kupah must treat patients at the Kupat Cholim offices (and not in their own offices), in order to be covered.

Each of the four health funds, Meuhedet, Macabbi, Clalit and Leumit has branches throughout the country. The differences between the health funds lie mainly in the location of their facilities, the types of supplemental policies offered, and additional services offered within the framework of their facilities. Most large cities have a clinic in almost every district.

Finding Work

One way to begin looking for work, is to directly contact your local health funds. In addition, speak to other chiropractors in your area to learn more about employment options. For a full listing of Israeli chiropractors, phone 1-800-658000.

Job opportunities are also listed online through the Israeli Chiropractic Society (go to www.chiropractic.co.il and click Atar L'Rof'im, the button on the bottom left). Note: This section of the site is limited to paid members of the Society.

If you are opening your own practice, word of mouth is one of the best resources. In addition, community email lists and local bulletins are helpful in publicizing your services. Writing a column for a local newspaper is a good way to establish your name in the community. As with most private practices, it is helpful to have a niche market, such as sports medicine or pediatrics.

Knowledge of Hebrew

A good working knowledge of Hebrew is essential. It is strongly advised to study Hebrew before you arrive and then to take Ulpan upon arrival. Even where a chiropractor works entirely with speakers of his/her mother tongue, it is still necessary to deal with the various agencies that make up the Israeli medical network. For a full listing of Ulpan options, see the Ulpan Guide.

In addition to regular ulpan, Misrad HaKlita offers an ulpan for medical professionals - shlav bet. The class opens provided there are enough people who are interested. Be in touch with your local branch of Misrad HaKlita to find out when the next class will begin. For more information, see Medical Ulpan.

Special thanks to Drs. Tamara Spitz, Arie Tawil and Yitzchack Freeman for their professional contributions to this article.

Interview with Dr. Aryeh Tawil

What is your current position?
I am a chiropractor in a private practice. When I opened up a practice, I gave lectures, and along with word of mouth, I got my name out there.

What degree should someone making Aliyah come with, in order to break into your field?
You need a Bachelor’s degree in the sciences followed by four years of Chiropractic school.

Does it make any difference whether you studied in Israel or abroad?
There are no chiropractic programs in Israel, so you have to study abroad.

What are the benefits of working in your field?
In a private practice you are independent. You are responsible for your own income and hours.

What is the salary range?
In a private practice, the salary depends on how many patients you see. Most Israeli chiropractors work privately.

The Kupot do employ some chiropractors, the chiropractors at Kupot work as caregivers, not doctors. They work under an orthopedist. If you are working for a Kupah, the salary is 5-10,000 shekels a month.

Is there a professional organization in your field?
You should join the ICS (Israel Chiropractic Society). You can find them online
at www.israeldc.com.

What recommendations can you offer Olim looking to work in this field?
It is important to know Hebrew.

How is working as a chiropractor different in Israel than it is in America?
In Israel, the patients are more challenging because they tend to wait until
their conditions are more serious before coming in for help. On the business end, Israel has a VAT of 16.5%, and it is necessary to have a bookkeeper on the payroll to handle monthly taxes. Doctors are also required to keep a doctor’s log for every patient that they see. I would recommend speaking to an accountant before opening a practice.

Thank you to Dr. Tawil for participating in this interview.