באנגלית
I could not find a reliable, dated source for Ashkelon rents or sale prices by neighbourhood, so this guide does not quote prices. The cost-of-living worksheet lets you enter your own figures. What I could source is the paperwork, and it matters.
Arnona discounts for new olim
From the municipal discount table:
- New olim: a 90% discount on up to 100 m2, for one year within the 24 months from the date you were registered as an oleh in the population registry. You need a teudat oleh.
- New olim who depend on others' help, as certified by Bituach Leumi: 80% on up to 100 m2 (teudat oleh plus the Bituach Leumi approval).
- Single parents: 20% on up to 100 m2.
- Soldiers in compulsory service: 100% on up to 70 m2, until 4 months after release.
- Senior citizens (income test): 30% on up to 100 m2.
- Residents who fit no group can ask for an income-test discount (up to 100 m2).
The Revenue Division
The Revenue Division is at 1 HaGvura St (Pe'er building), 4th floor. Its arnona phone centre, 1-599-500-280, runs Sun-Thu 08:30-20:00 and Fri 08:00-12:30. Book an appointment online at mast.co.il/57/appointments. The municipality also posts information on tax benefits approved for Ashkelon on its homepage; I did not capture the details, so check there.
Water
Mei Ashkelon, the city's water corporation, opens water meters for new residents at its offices on floor 7 of the Academic Tower, 2 Yoram Veron St; phone 1-800-800-277.
Paperwork you will need for school
To register children, renters need a rental contract valid at registration plus an arnona bill and ID with the updated address; buyers of homes under construction need a lawyer-signed contract with a move-in date. Getting the lease and the arnona account sorted early saves a second trip. See schools and gans.
Notaries and lawyers in your language
The Ministry of Justice notary register lists 143 notaries with Ashkelon as their locality: 13 declare Russian and 3 declare French (one declares both), and 34 more declare English only. The lawyers and accountants section lists a selection with the languages the register states. A French-speaking lawyer appears on the French consulate's list of francophone lawyers.
Government housing help
Government housing assistance for Ashkelon residents is handled by the Ministry of Construction and Housing's Jerusalem district office (23 Hillel St, Jerusalem). The Ministry of Aliyah branch handles public-housing paperwork for olim.
Choosing where to live
Read the neighbourhoods compared and try the neighbourhood matcher.
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באנגלית
