I am a US citizen, who runs a US-based investment advisory boutique, and who now lives in Israel. Rather than write a more financially-oriented piece, I’d like to share my personal experience on living in Israel as an American. The goal here is not to encourage you to pack your bags and immigrate tomorrow, but just to show that it is possible to make life changes, while not abandoning one’s past life.
I’ve written these blogs about Israel which you may enjoy as well:
Checklist for moving to Israel
Living in Israel as an American immigrant: my take
We are in a new era now. More remote work, less professional in-person interaction. There are the obvious advantages and disadvantages. But it is easy in this professional and personal world of online interconnectivity, both social and professional, to feel loneliness and isolation.
I moved back to Israel in 2016 after 23 years in New York. Our company Nardis Advisors is still based there and we have a team in the US. My move back here was for family and for personal reasons.
I feel that a key to happiness is to be surrounded by family and friends and have a sense of community. For me personally this is stronger here than it was for me in New York. I love visiting the Big Apple – but day to day prefer living here. People are generally friendly and helpful – and I feel I have a support system in place.
Pros and cons of living in Israel
Here is my view on living in Israel as an American.
Israel is an interesting and vibrant place in what some people describe as a bad neighborhood. Montana is definitely more serene. But there is never a dull moment here. Israelis are creative and excellent world travelers – so when asked by my state-side friends why i moved back here i always answers that “Israel is the best place to get out of” – yes one needs to travel to take a break from the intense day to day.
I travelled to ten countries in 2019 – pre-Corona – and am planning new trips for this year. We are close to Europe, Asia and also Africa- I am originally from South Africa and it is easier to travel there now to see my family.
As an independent business owner, conditions are different to the US, but one huge advantage is the excellent and relatively inexpensive health care system. Tertiary education is also much cheaper than the US.
Also, people know how to enjoy life – work hard, play hard. I recently took up scuba diving, and have dived in the past size months in Israel, Jordan and South Africa, and have made friends through various activities, in particular culinary and hiking.
Are you considering moving to Israel?
If you are considering moving to Israel, or have questions about living in Israel as an American, I will be happy to share my experiences of moving back here with you. Moving back has been in the whole a good experience for me. If you’d like to chat, please send me a request over LinkedIn or reach out over email.
We are expat financial advisors located in Israel and the US, serving expats globally. If you are moving to Israel or another country and don’t know where to start when it comes to the financial side of things, please contact us.
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Norman H. Chait, CFA, Managing Principal, Nardis Advisors LLC, May 9th, 2022.
Disclaimer: Nardis Advisors LLC (“Nardis”) is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm regulated by the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance and compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations. Nardis does not render or offer to render personalized investment advice through this medium. The information provided herein is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment or legal advice. Investment advice can only be rendered after delivery of the Firm’s disclosure statement (Form ADV Part 2) and execution of an investment advisory agreement between the client and Nardis.
