"Israel Houses" is a Ministry of Absorption project fully coordinated with the Foreign Ministry and operated through Israeli embassies and consulates abroad.
"Israel Houses", as an extension of Israel abroad, are first and foremost a meeting place for Israelis to express their Israeli identity in a Hebrew speaking environment and celebrate Israeli holidays and festivals by participating in Israel oriented social-cultural activities.
Activities include: holiday parties, Hebrew story telling, lectures by members of the media, literature and economy, performances by Israeli artists, screening of Israeli films, and more.
"Israel Houses" are, however, much more than a social-cultural meeting place; they are reliable and supportive source for any Israeli wishing to return home.
Your local "Israel House" coordinator will be able to provide you with information needed to plan your return, such as: Absorption Ministry assistance, customs, National Insurance and National Health Insurance regulations, employment, IDF recruitment procedures, etc.
Your local "Israel House" coordinator can also refer questions on complex matters that require inquiry to the senior department for encouraging immigration and returning residents, and provide you with reliable answers.
Projects to encourage return to Israel initiated by the Ministry of Absorption are carried out by "Israel Houses".
For example: organizing employment fairs, business initiatives – Business IL, "Returning Immigrants" fairs, "Come Home" extension suburbs on kibbutzim, "Dream Opportunities 2006" and others.
"Israel Houses" are therefore an important tool in performing the national policy of encouraging return to Israel.
There are currently 11 Israel Houses operating around the world: In the USA: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Canada: Montreal. .In Europe: Paris.
To contact Israel House coordinators contact the consulate in the relevant city.
For details of names, telephones, addresses and email addresses of coordinators, see: List of Israel Houses coordinators