Nefesh BNefesh

According to Misrad Hachinuch (Ministry of Education), Israel currently has 200-300 children with serious food allergies studying in the elementary school system. The most common food allergies among Israeli children are milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, sesame, walnuts and fish.

Public awareness of life-threatening allergies seems to be much lower in Israel than in the U.S., Canada and the UK. In speaking to many Israeli adults about the risks of an allergic reaction, it is frequently necessary to start from the beginning and introduce the concept of what it means to have a life-threatening allergy. As with many things, however, once people understand the risks -- they are usually happy to help.

Allergies in the School System

Creating a safe school environment for any allergic child in Israel is a process that involves meeting with the principal and teachers well ahead of time, and working together in making decisions about how the school is going to handle your child’s allergy in a safe and responsible manner. The decisions that are made will differ, of course, based on each child’s needs. If you would like to speak with a parent who has experience with this process, please email Nefesh B’Nefesh at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Unlike many schools in the U.S., Israeli schools – with few exceptions – are not peanut-free. However, Misrad Hachinuch does have an established protocol on how parents and staff can work together in making an Israeli public school a safe place for an allergic child. This protocol is available online (in Hebrew) at: http://cms.education.gov.il/educationcms/applications/mankal/arc/se1ak2_2_52.htm

In cases of potential life-threatening allergies to food, it may be possible to request the presence of a Saya’at, a personal aid for the child, who is hired and paid through the public school system. Receiving a Saya’at is dependent on meeting the specific guidelines of Misrad Hachinuch, and may also been affected by the availability of governmental funding. For more information, contact Irit Livneh, who is responsible for health issues for Misrad Hachinuch, at 02-560-3451 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              02-560-3451      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Childcare for Children Under 3

Many Israeli childcare providers are happy to adapt their menus to meet the needs of an allergic child. However, for children who have severe allergies to multiple foods, it can be difficult to find a childcare center that is up to the challenge. For children under age 3, it may be easiest to bring a private babysitter into your home, rather than sending the child to group care.

Relatively recently, a small number of allergy-friendly childcare centers opened in Israel. If you feel that you will need this type of environment for your child, you may want to investigate where these centers are located, prior to deciding where you are going to live. A partial listing is available at: http://www.foodallergy.co.il/P3052 A new option, AllergiGan, is scheduled to open in Jerusalem in 2011. For details, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Support for Food Allergies

Information about food allergies in Israel is available (in Hebrew) through Yahal, an Israeli food allergy organization, at www.foodallergy.co.il. The site includes articles about allergies, forms that you can use in discussing your child’s allergy with a preschool or school, and a discussion forum for parents.

Yahal also runs an active Facebook group (in Hebrew) at http://www.facebook.com/#!/il.allergy?ref=ts where parents can exchange information and give each other advice.

In addition to developing and managing the website and Facebook group, Yahal advocates on behalf of children with allergies, and lobbies to ensure that schools and preschools are appropriately responsive to their needs.

An English-language online resource in Israel is www.allergyinisrael.com, which is run by experienced American allergist Dr. Robert Cohen, M.D.

Medical Care

Allergists are available through the Kupot Cholim, the public healthcare system, as well as privately. Before choosing which healthcare provider your family will use, make sure that you research which Kupah has a good allergist who works in your new Israeli community.

Medical supplies, such as an Epipen (epinephrine autoinjector) and Fenistil (anti-histaminic and anti-allergic) drops, are available at local pharmacies and can be purchased at discounted prices through the Kupah. You will need to make an initial appointment with an allergist in order to obtain a prescription.

Major Israeli medical centers like Assaf Harofeh and Hadassah have allergy, asthma and immunology clinics. (Additional contact information is available online.)

Teaching Other Children About Allergies

If your child is joining a new Gan or school class, you can suggest that the teacher discuss your child’s allergies with the other children in the class. Here are two books which are sold in the bookstores that can be used for this purpose:

• For preschoolers: Ha’uga Ha’meyuchedet Shel Roni (Roni’s Special Cake), by Donna Aluf, published by Etzbaoni Publishers.
• For elementary school children: Hakrav Neged Ha’alergen Ha’akshan (Battling a Stubborn Allergen), by Galila Ron-Feder, #12 in a series called Sayeret Hamada

Medical Bracelets

If your child wears a medical bracelet, you can order bracelets with Hebrew-language inscriptions online through a company called Medical-ID, which can be reached by phone via their website at www.medical-id.co.il or by phone at 050-541-1649.