Hey,
A busy week. I launched a brand-new directory of Hebrew-first design systems, added 8 new skills on the topics I get asked about most (scholarships, customs tax, war compensation, oncology), and opened a WhatsApp community so there's a place to actually talk about all of this. Details below.
Hebrew-first Design Systems Directory
A feature I'm genuinely proud of: 14 ready-to-use design systems, all built in Hebrew from the ground up (not translations of foreign systems), with RTL, Hebrew fonts, and typography that actually works. Each system has a live preview across 4 templates (Landing, Ecommerce, Event, and Kitchen Sink), light/dark modes, and a full DESIGN.md file you can download or hand to an AI agent to generate code in that style. Useful for startups, freelancers, and marketers who need to ship a project without spending two weeks picking a palette. Featured systems include Bauhaus, Hi-Tech, Civic, Broadsheet, Kibbutz, Coast, and more.
Join the new WhatsApp community
I opened a WhatsApp community for Skills IL users. It's the place to ask questions about skills, suggest new ideas, show off what you built, and get help when something doesn't work. I'm there myself, though not always available right away, but I try to reply to everyone when I can. Other users in the group also help each other out. If you've ever wanted to talk to someone else who uses these skills day-to-day, this is your chance.
Israeli Academic Scholarships
If you're a student, this one is for you. Maps you to scholarships you actually qualify for from dozens of tracks: PEREACH, MoD periphery scholarship (up to 100% first-year tuition), discharged-soldier deposit, Student Authority for olim, MilGo, Rashi Foundation, ISEF, university merit awards, Adams Fellowship for doctoral students, and Rothschild for postdocs. Sorts by deadline and grant size, and surfaces the fine print that almost nobody reads.
Business War Compensation
If your business was hit by Iron Swords or Shaagat HaAri, this skill checks your eligibility for the Tax Authority's indirect-damage grants, calculates the amount (wage participation, business continuity, 100% tracks for northern border towns), and walks you through the 10-day חל"ת rule. Works for NPOs and daycares too. Also flags the tax bill on the grant itself, which a lot of businesses forget and then get an unpleasant surprise.
Oncology Navigator
A skill I hope you'll never need, but if you do, it'll save you or a family member many hours of bureaucracy: Bituach Leumi entitlements (special services allowance, Section 9(5) tax exemption, 40% arnona discount), what's in the 2026 health basket (drugs, exceptions committee, medical cannabis, surgery wait-time guarantee), supplementary insurance comparison, fertility preservation, family caregiver sick days (60-110 depending on relation), cancer-type-specific NGOs, and the 60-day appeal window. Bureaucracy-only, doesn't replace your hospital social worker or oncologist.
Customs Duty Calculator
Ordering from Amazon or AliExpress and not sure when customs will hit you? Classifies the product into an Israeli 8-digit HS code and calculates the full landed cost: duty, 18% VAT, and purchase tax. Looks up the rate on Shaar Olami, checks if your personal exemption covers it, and evaluates FTA preference from the US, EU, UK or Canada. I also added a companion skill for olim, an Aliyah Customs Shipment Planner, that splits the three duty-free shipment quotas (3 TVs, 3 computers, 5 phones) across the 3-year window from teudat oleh.
Did you know?
The term "design system" is fairly new as a discipline, but the idea itself is old: NASA's 1976 Graphics Standards Manual is one of the first fully documented design systems, with precise guidelines for logo usage, typography, and color palettes across every spacecraft, suit, and sticker. Today a good design system isn't just a PDF of guidelines, it's also ready-to-use code, which is exactly what I tried to build in the new directory.
And thank you for being part of this
The catalog now has 173 skills, 44 MCP servers, 12 bundles, and 14 design systems. Every single one was built because someone asked, or because I got tangled in something myself and wanted a tool to help. If you have an idea for the next skill, or a fix for something that exists, the easiest way to reach me is the new WhatsApp group. I'm also active on LinkedIn.
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Have a great week,
Alex Choroshin
Founder, YooTech · Creator of Skills IL