How the absorption basket is paid
Sal Klita is not a lump sum. It is a first installment paid shortly after arrival, followed by monthly payments across roughly the first six months. The total depends on your family composition. For 2025, the published figures were approximately ₪20,491 for a single adult oleh and approximately ₪39,065 for a couple. Single-parent families and families with children receive different totals.
A 2025 rule change added an assets declaration: olim declare their assets, and those above a high threshold may be disqualified from the basket while those below may receive a modest increase. Confirm the current rule and your eligibility at your absorption-ministry meeting.
Why the bank account comes first
The payments are routed to an Israeli bank account that you provide when you open your file with the absorption ministry. This is the mechanical reason the bank account sits on the week-one critical path in chapter 1: no account, no destination for the money.
A worked example for a couple, to make the cadence concrete. Suppose the couple's basket total is approximately ₪39,065. A first installment lands shortly after arrival, and the remainder is spread across the following months:
| Timing | Approximate payment | Running purpose |
|---|
| Shortly after arrival | First installment | Immediate landing costs |
| Months 1 through 6 | Monthly installments | Rent, ulpan period, setup |
| End of basket period | Final installment | Transition to self-support |
The exact split is set by the ministry and confirmed at your meeting. The lesson is to plan your first six months knowing the basket tapers and ends, not as if it were a permanent income.
Opening the account
Many Israeli banks offer olim fee waivers or discounted account packages; the specifics vary by bank, so ask each one directly about its olim package. Bring your passport, your temporary Teudat Zehut, and your Teudat Oleh.
For tracking your Sal Klita payments and reconciling them against what the ministry promised, the israeli-bituach-leumi skill covers the benefits side, and israeli-aliyah-navigator covers the absorption-payment tracking specifically.