How Much Does it Take

This is part of the "It's About Aliyah" section on PaulaSays. This was sent to me by a lovely lady living in the north.

By: A Northern Resident
October, 2007

How Much Does it Take to Live In Israel?

Just for the heck of it, I just checked a recent talush maskoret (pay stub). After nearly 15 yrs in the same place of employment, with maximum "vetek"

(seniority) for my educational level (no degree), and experience, my basic salary is nis 2818.65 NIS. In addition to that, I receive various 'tosofot'

(additional payments) including transportation (979 NIS bus fare), 'clothing allowance', 'telelphone allowance' (48.60 NIS), some supplement that brings my basic salary in line with minimum wage requirements, and a few others which I still cannot understand, even after all this time. The additions bring my gross wages (bruto) up to 5827.91 NIS , all of which is taxable.

My deductions include 163 NIS income tax (single woman over pension age, no dependents), 4.80 NIS for the 2 days I ate lunch in the heder ohel, and 458.22 NIS of additional deductions. Because of my age, I don't pay bituach leumi (I receive), and my health taxes are deducted from my bituach leumi entitlement, much as is done with Medicare in the US. This nets out to 5201.89 NIS for an average month's takehome pay. If memory serves, before I reached b.l. age, I took home around 4800-5000/month depending on how many work days were in the month. My hourly rate is 24.75 NIS, considerably less than the 38 NIS/hr I pay for an ozeret.

A check with another clerk in the office (married +3) informs me that she pays a total of 880 for b.l. and health tax monthly.

My salary is in line with other clerical staff and somewhat higher than many because I have been here a pretty long time. Lots of folks make less and raise lots of kids, have cars and go on (domestic) vacations. They don't generally eat in restaurants, but they do go to lots of weddings, bar mitsvahs and birthday parties and give the appropriate gifts for those occasions. One nurse here took out a bank loan in order to be able to give cash gifts to all the celebrants who invited her to weddings. She is Druze and lives in a small village, and to miss a wedding would be a serious breach of manners in her society.

The clerk I referred to earlier recently attended the wedding of her husband's brother's son. She, her husband and 3 kids all bought new clothing for the occasion and gave a sizeable cash gift to the bride and groom. They are a large, extended Sephardi family.

There is no way family honor could have been satisfied with anything less. It was simply absorbed somehow, because that's the way it is. Her husband works in a family business part time plus his own business. She has worked here full time for many years. She has her hair cut/colored by a hairdresser and her nails done by someone. The family owns one vehicle.

A good friend of mine who happens to be a head of a department with 30+ years  earns nis 40/hour. He supplements his work with 4 afternoons a week at kupat holim. His wife recently retired from her full time professional level job. They have put 2 sons through university so far -- one is now a practicing lawyer and the other is taking his medical exams. The third is still studying medicine abroad.

This is real life. No one complains and everyone complains. A lot of people live on credit. Families help one another out.

It's just the way it is and it may take some time getting used to. Personally, I love it.

Signed,
Northern Lady