Though some Olim struggle to get high-level jobs because their Hebrew is not up to snuff some companies hire them specifically for their native language skills.
By NIV ELISUpdated: MARCH 14, 2016 01:46Over two hundred new olim arrive on flight of IFCJ aliya initiative(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
One of the biggest obstacles new immigrants to Israel face is finding a job, but some Israeli companies are opening their doors to olim.“I am hiring olim from France and from other countries, because I’m a technology company and we are selling worldwide,” said Raphael Amzallag, the CEO of Manage Your Trip.Though some Olim struggle to get high-level jobs because their Hebrew is not up to snuff some companies hire them specifically for their native language skills.“When you are working on sales, trying to sell something abroad, it’s not only a matter of language, it’s also a matter of being able to understand the culture,” Amzallag said.Americans, he offered, are used to punctuality, where Israelis aren’t. In France, he continued, lunch is a standard venue for business. Less so in Israel.While English-speakers have been drawn to online marketing, gaming, and binary options – all fields that rely on good English and target foreign customers through the Internet – French olim have had a different experience.Aliya hit a 15-year high in 2015, as an increasing number of French Jews have been moving to Israel in recent years. Increased anti-Semitic incidents France helped make the country the leading source of olim in 2014.The number of French olim doubled to 7,000 from 2013 to 2014, and rose again to 7,900 last year.Daniela Fubini, the marketing manager for Cukierman & Co. Investment House, said that some Israeli companies miss out because they don’t know how to properly read a foreign resume, so miss out on serious talent.“Olim hadashim [new immigrants] come with an amazing abundance of skills and experiences, so they’re very precious to the level of work that they do here,” she said. “Every big company in Israel should have one HR hire experienced in reading CVs from abroad.”
Companies such as Feedvisor hire olim as nearly a quarter of their staffs. At another company, Tune, olim make up some of its Israel office employees.Though Hebrew knowledge remains a challenge for interfacing with business needs in Israel, the companies say that olim in their employ benefit from dealing with some Hebrew.“Sitting in meetings and dealing with HR is the best way to learn,” said Amzallag.
