Business Mentoring Project

AACI is pleased to invite established professionals and business people to participate in a project of the Council of Olim Associations to mentor potential olim in their fields of business.

Volunteer mentors will become networking resources for potential olim. Correspondence with olim about their field will enable them to make informed decisions about their future business opportunities and have a smoother Klitah process. Participants will attend special events and lectures with mentors from around the world.

A few hours of your time can make a big impact on someone’s decision to make aliyah and give him or her an invaluable insight into the Israeli marketplace.

The Council of Olim Associations is the coordinating body of 24 member organizations whose objectives include building synergy and maximizing the capability of all the associations.

Interested? Send an email to jarbel@aaci.org.il  with the subject ‘Business Mentoring Project' and the project coordinator will be in touch with you.

AACI'S New Small Business Loan Program
AACI is pleased to be in partnership with the Koret Foundation’s Israel Economic Development Fund (KIEDF) and to have established a small business loan program for AACI members.

Loans can be for up to 5 years and for up to NIS300,000.  They can be used for either starting a new business or expanding an existing one.

The process begins with an applicant turning to an AACI counselor to review basic eligibility, and make the referral to KIEDF.  KIEDF will provide business consulting services including review, advice, guidance, and the preparation of a business plan for the applicant.  If it is decided to go forward with the loan, the applicant will be introduced to a bank used by KIEDF.

Assuming the bank approves the loan, AACI and KIEDF funds are used to provide bank guarantees and an interest rate subsidy for the loan.  For further details, contact your AACI counselor.

At Home Together” Jewish Agency Project - AACI Invites You to Get Involved! 
The Jewish Agency for Israel, together with the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and Union of Local Authorities have developed an exciting unique national project to bring together new olim and veteran families. By pairing olim and veteran families, we hope to rekindle the spirit of Zionism and strengthen the extended family of the Jewish people in Israel.

OLIM ARTISTS EXPO 2008

The Council of Olim Associations has invited AACI to refer candidates for an exhibition of art by olim artists.  This project of the Council is in cooperation with the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and the Jewish Agency for Israel in honor of 60 years of the State of Israel.  Paintings and sculpture will be on exhibit in the Jerusalem Theater in September 2008.  

Olim artists interested in participating should send:

-          Resume noting year of aliyah, higher education in the field of art studied, and/or other training through private artists, CV noting personal or group exhibits in the past.

-          Photos of at least 4 works, printed on A4 or on a CD

-          Size of works – minimum 40 cm X 40 cm, maximum, 1.5 meter x 1.5 meter.

Works can be on any topic, the organizers will be happy to accept works on topics of Eretz Yisrael, Zionism and Aliyah.

Works containing nudity, political orientation or potentially controversial will not be exhibited.

For more info, contact curators:  Ricardo Lapin 054-6600873 or Roberto Hoffman 052-2030475 or write: Council of Olim Associations, Olim Art Etxhibit, POB 18304, Jerusalem 91182

Buying an Appliance in Israel with Customs Rights

In order to utilize your immigrant (oleh, ezrach oleh, k’tin hozer) customs’ rights you must purchase a model that was manufactured in Israel.  There are two ways to do this.

You may purchase the appliance from a store that will deal with the customs’ paperwork and only charge you the discounted immigrant price. To do so, you may have to take the paperwork to Customs and return it to the store, yourself. 

Or you may purchase the appliance from any store at the full price and then have the Israeli based company send you a “Proform Invoice”.  With the invoice you can issue the purchase papers and claim the refund of the purchase tax from Customs. 

However, with option number two, the store is not always aware of where the appliance is manufactured and may lead you to believe that you will receive a refund just because the company is an Israeli one.  Remember, you will receive a refund, ONLY if the model is manufactured in Israel. 

According to their main office, only Amcor refrigerators, models 3000 and 2558 are eligible for a customs’ refund.