Have you ever thought about working in Israel — but felt overwhelmed by the idea of uprooting your life or finding a job from thousands of miles away?
You’re not alone.
As someone who’s been through this process and now helps others navigate it, I can tell you: there are ways to test the waters before making any big decisions. Whether you’re drawn by Zionism, a personal connection, or just curiosity, here’s how you can start exploring your options — without quitting your job or booking a one-way ticket (yet!).
1. 🌐 Work Remotely for an Israeli Company
Many Israeli startups are open to hiring remote talent — especially in marketing, product, customer support, and tech.
You don’t have to be in Tel Aviv to contribute. In fact, some companies like the idea of having someone in North America for timezone coverage, language, or cultural fit with overseas customers.
Where to look:
- Visit Startup Nation Central’s Finder database and search for Israeli startups that fit your requirements, such as domain, size, funding stage. Build a list of target companies.
- Look up the career pages directly, or set up a Job Alert on LinkedIn specifying your target list of companies, location, role, etc. These will send you new job postings as they come up.
- Join Tribe and get access to their job boards where many Israeli companies post jobs including remote jobs.
Pro Tip: Even if there isn’t a job posted, you can reach out and ask, “Would you ever consider a remote hire with North American hours?”
2. 🧳 Join a Short-Term Career Program in Israel
If you’re between roles, on a break, or willing to take a few months off, there are structured programs that help you live and work in Israel without the full commitment of aliyah.
Programs like:
- Masa Israel Journey (many career tracks)
- Birthright Israel Onward (for college students or recent grads)
- Israel Tech Challenge, Destination Israel, and others
These often include:
- Internships or job placements
- Housing and Hebrew support
- Social and professional networking
- Subsidized or fully funded options
Pro Tip: Some programs are even open to those over 30 — so don’t rule them out without asking.
3. ✋ Volunteer or Freelance for Israeli Projects
If you’re not ready for a formal program or job, consider offering your skills part-time. This could be:
- Freelancing for an Israeli startup on Upwork or Fiverr
- Volunteering your time (think: marketing, content, design, translation)
- Mentoring Israeli founders looking to break into your home market
- Offer your services on Tribe for the broadest reach
This gives you a taste of the work culture and professional expectations — and helps you build connections that might lead to something more.
Pro Tip: Even a 5-hour/week project can give you valuable insight into working with Israelis.
🧭 Want Help Figuring Out Your Path?
I created Hire Me Israel to help people like you — Jewish professionals curious about working in Israel but unsure where to start.
If you’d like guidance, I offer free 30-minute consults. No pitch. No catch. Just a real conversation to help you move forward with clarity.
👉 Book a free call here or email me at jason@hiremeisrael.org