New olim
New to Ashdod? Start here
The municipality says about 38% of Ashdod's residents are new immigrants, most from the former USSR, with large French and Ethiopian communities. The municipal Aliyah and Absorption Department has coordinators who speak Russian, French and English, Spanish and Amharic, and the city publishes news in French and Russian as well as Hebrew.
New olim
Start here
8 steps, in the order most people take them.
- 1
Open your file at the Ministry of Aliyah
The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration's Ashdod office is in the Zimmer Building, 1 Menachem Begin Blvd; visits are arranged by phone with your personal advisor (*2994).
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Register with the municipal absorption department
The department at 4 HaKlita St (Resident Service Centre) is open Sun-Wed 08:00-16:30 and Thu 08:00-16:00; phone 08-8519134.
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Get help in your language
Absorption coordinators help with forms for National Insurance, the municipality and legal aid, and accompany residents to offices, in Russian, French and English, Spanish and Amharic.
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Start ulpan
The Ministry of Education lists two Ashdod ulpanim: Ulpan Beit Canada (1 Shavei Zion St) and the Adult Education Centre (54 HaAtzmaut St). Ironit also runs ulpan groups for French- and Russian-speaking olim at community centres.
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French speakers
Ironit's French community programme (CAFAI) runs activities at Matnas Safra; AshdodCafé publishes daily local news in French; Qualita is the national umbrella body for French olim.
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Russian speakers
Beit HaOleh Eitan runs adult clubs, choirs and a Russian-language library; a second Russian library is at the Beit Canada absorption centre (1 Shavei Zion St).
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English speakers
Nefesh B'Nefesh's Ashdod community guide and the city's 2026 'Aliyah to Ashdod' flyer name an English-speaking contact in the municipal absorption department.
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Ethiopian-Israeli olim
The absorption centre for olim from Ethiopia at Beit HaOleh, 18 Shlomo Ben Yosef St (Rova Vav), offers counselling, employment help, youth clubs and homework support; phone 08-8676296.
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Guides
Read next
- Schools and gan in Ashdod: registration and supportHow and when to register for gan and school in Ashdod, daycare and tzaharon options, and what support exists for olim children.
- Getting around AshdodAshdod's single train station, bus terminals and BRT lines, Rav-Kav, parking rules and what runs on Shabbat.
- Holidays in AshdodLocal customs and municipal arrangements for Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Hanukkah and Pesach, plus the 9 May Victory Day parade.
Good to know
Bring your Teudat Oleh and ID to every office. Most Ministry visits need a phone appointment first. Ask the absorption department about arnona (municipal tax) discounts for olim; the exact terms were not published online.
Community groups
Where people talk
- Ashdod Municipality Facebook pageFacebook · Ashdod Municipality
- Ashdod Municipality Telegram channelTelegram · Ashdod Municipality
- AshdodCafé Facebook pageFacebook · AshdodCafé
- AshdodCafé WhatsApp groupWhatsApp · AshdodCafé
- Ironit Facebook pageFacebook · Ironit (municipal culture and leisure company)
- Migdalor volunteers' communityOther · Ashdod Municipality
Source
- gov.il (opens in a new tab)
- ashdod.muni.il (opens in a new tab)
- ashdod.muni.il (opens in a new tab)
- ashdod.muni.il (opens in a new tab)
- ashdod.muni.il (opens in a new tab)
- adult-education.education.gov.il (opens in a new tab)
- ironit.org.il (opens in a new tab)
- ironit.org.il (opens in a new tab)
- ironit.org.il (opens in a new tab)
- nbn.org.il (opens in a new tab)
- nbn.org.il (opens in a new tab)
- ashdodcafe.com (opens in a new tab)
- qualita.org.il (opens in a new tab)
This page was written for Ashdod from the sources above.
