Nefesh BNefesh

While Nefesh B’Nefesh Olim generally find shipping to be an uneventful process, we recommend that you research available options and learn as much as possible about what is involved, to ensure that your shipping experience is as smooth as possible. Here are some of the issues that need to be explored when planning a shipment:

• What’s worth shipping? What’s not worth shipping?
• What’s the difference between a lift and a container?
• What’s involved in customs clearing?
• What’s worth purchasing in Israel, and what’s worth shipping from abroad?

For further information, please see the following resources:

• For information about choosing a good moving company, see www.movingscam.com.
• For the Israel Tax Authority's Guide to Customs, click here.
• For further details about the shipping process, please contact shipping companies directly.

Please feel free to call a pre-Aliyah counselor at 1-866-4-Aliyah if you need further advice or have specific questions.

Conduct Market Research

As new Olim, you are entitled to bring three separate shipments to Israel that are customs free, within the first three years after making Aliyah. This is a valuable benefit and therefore, it is important that you plan it properly. Find out issues such as: How much does shipping cost? How much do you need to budget for it? Should you send a lift (which essentially means that a shipper is crating your items), or should you be renting a container?

Research is a crucial part of the shipping process. During your pilot trip to Israel, it is important that -- in addition to exploring communities, housing and schooling options, where relevant -- you do “due diligence” and find out what is available in Israel and what the prices are like, so that you will be able to make an educated decision regarding what is worth shipping. Nefesh B’Nefesh has an online Business Directory (www.nbnbusiness.co.il) with over two thousand Israeli businesses that offer discounts to NBN Olim on appliances, furniture and electronics.  Please note that shippers are not listed on the Business Directory. For a list of shipping companies please visit Jacob Richman's site. Be aware that because of the cost of shipping, when you decide to ship an item, you are essentially repurchasing that item. Do triage; be smart about what you decide to bring with you and what you leave behind, and make choices based on your knowledge of what it costs to buy the same item new, in Israel.

Another angle to consider in planning your shipment is the difference in space available in your current home vs. your new home in Israel. Sometimes people prefer to buy locally in Israel, both because they receive local guarantees and get to know the vendors, but also because, in some cases, products that are made in Israel are more suited for Israeli homes. Generally, people like to ship items that are good quality and that they love; but make sure that what you’re bringing can actually fit into the space where you will be living. You may have less room in your new Israeli home than in your current home.

Keep in mind that at one point, there were customs discounts available for new Olim on Israeli furniture, but this is no longer the case. At the same time, however, most vendors are open to direct negotiation, and you may be able to negotiate a worthwhile price.

Steps Involved in the Shipping Process

The following is an outline of the steps involved in the shipping process:

1. Speak to friends or family who have made Aliyah and ask about their shipping experiences. You can also email your community email list to see if anyone has recommendations.
2. Find out which shippers work in your area, and invite them to your home to give you a visual survey or volume estimate, so that you have an idea of how much it will cost.
3. Research what is worth shipping and what is worth buying in Israel.
4. Time your shipment in relation to your Aliyah date. This is important especially  when you send a container, which must be cleared within 4 days of arrival (after which fees can add up to $25-60/day).
5. Before pickup, make sure that your shipper knows:
   • Addresses
   • Dates and time of day when you wish to have the pickup start
   • Whether you wish to pack yourself
   • Whether you require special crating or packing
   • Whether you are delivering to a warehouse
6. Insure your shipment. Appliances and electronics must be insured for three and a half times their replacement value; household goods for two and a half times their replacement value; and collectibles for one and a half times their replacement value in Israel.

Lifts vs. Containers
There are two ways to organize a shipment.

• For smaller shipments, you can organize a lift, where items are crated and boxed. This option is more expensive per cubic foot, however, once it arrives in Israel you are allowed up to one month of free storage
• For larger shipments, you can send a container, which come in three sizes: 20 foot, 40 foot, or 40 foot high. A 20 foot container offers 1,050 cubic feet of space.

A container must be released within 4 days of arrival (after which fees can add up to $25-60/day). In determining whether to take a lift or a container, keep in mind that the fuller the container is, the better the value. Also be aware that shipments are more expensive, the further you are from a major port.

The steamship company Zim tends to be the most expensive option, but it is also the fastest. Be aware of the differences in steamship companies and ask your shipper which company is used and how long it will take for your shipment to arrive in Israel.

What is Worth Shipping?

The Israeli market today is far more sophisticated than it was 15 years ago, and offers a very wide range of goods. However, it is still financially worth importing large American appliances, if you want to have them with you in Israel and if you will have room for them in your new home. This includes ovens, specialty items, and other appliances and electronics such as high-end television sets, plasmas and LCDs. These items are usually more expensive in Israel and are therefore worth shipping.

We recommend that you join the Nefesh Yahoo list and post your questions regarding which appliances are worth bringing. Other Olim can share their experiences with you. For example, you can purchase an American washing machine in Israel if necessary, but we understand that they only sell certain basic models – not necessarily the recommended versions. These are the types of questions that you can find out from Olim who are already living in Israel, via the Yahoo group. To join the Yahoo group, email nefeshbnefesh-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. (You must have started the application process in order to join the group, and you will need to submit your application before you can post a query.)

We recommend that you measure the doorways of your new home, when you are on your pilot trip. Sometimes, American appliances or furniture won’t fit through the door. There may be ways around it, for example, the Maytag washing machine is made of stainless steel plates that can be taken apart and rebuilt. If not, there may be other creative ways of bringing them in. It is important to be aware of these issues so that you do not have any surprises after you arrive.

Clearing Customs

In order to clear customs, you will need to provide the following documents:

• Teudat Zehut (Israeli identity card)
• Teudat Oleh (Oleh certificate)
• Passport and immigrant visa
• Housing contract listing the size (in meters) of your new home
• List of contents of your shipment, with information about what is new and what is used

If you are sending your shipment door-to-door, request that a customs agent represent you at the port. Be aware that Value Added Tax (VAT) of 16% is something you should expect to pay on all services rendered in Israel. You won’t need to pay it on your actual shipment. but if there are additional services provided including delivery, installation and customs clearing, you will need to pay VAT and this cost will be added to the cost of your shipment.

Customs does spot checks on approximately one out of fifteen or twenty shipments. Discuss this with your customs agent and make sure to create organized, clear packing lists, in case your shipment is checked.

Frequently Asked Questions

• When should I call for an estimate? As soon as you decide that you are interested in making Aliyah, it is recommended that you call and obtain an estimate, so that you can get more of a feeling of who will be packing up your home. You may be calling the shippers themselves, or possibly shipping brokers.
• When will I find out the final cost of the shipment? The volume estimate is merely an approximate number. You will only learn the final cost once everything is packed up. If you purchase new items after the initial volume estimate, the final cost will be higher than the estimate. It is important to triage: Take what you love, take what’s good quality, but don’t take the things that really aren’t worth the money.
• Can I inspect items that are directly shipped to the warehouse? Yes, you can. You can go to the warehouse and see what they’ve shipped. Make purchases well in advance so that your purchases can get to the warehouse in time.
• What items do I need to pack myself? The shipper expects you to pack up your own household goods and the contents of your home. However, the fragile items, such as kitchen supplies, glassware, and furniture that needs to be taken apart, the shippers will do. They will usually provide you with packing material and boxes ahead of time, so that you can do the packing yourself.
• What should I expect at the other side? The shipping company will meet you and together you will prepare all of the documentation that is necessary in order to release the shipment. We recommend that you come with the truck – so that when the truck is delivered, you will be there to ensure everything is there as it should be.

Some Tips

• Furniture: If you can afford it, ship quality; don’t ship junk. The tax privileges are afforded to you once as a new Oleh, and therefore it is important that you ship things that will last.
• Customs: There are no customs discounts on Israeli furniture, but you can negotiate directly.
• Don’t ship junk – unless you love it: When you ship, insure and clear items, you want to be sure that you bring only the things that you are going to use. Oftentimes, Olim end up telling us that they shipped too much.
• Cars: Based on our experiences, Nefesh B’Nefesh does not recommend that you ship cars. There are individuals who do this, but it is not the recommended route.
• Insurance: Buy appropriate insurance.
• Be realistic and give thought to timing: Be aware you must release your container four days after it comes to port.