Israelis love Whatsapp, we literally have a group for just about any occasion; work, family, friends, you name it and we have a WhatsApp group for it. In Israel, this is our main form of communication.

Since making Aliyah, WhatsApp has helped me to keep in touch with friends and family. It has probably been better than Facebook, actually, because my family in the U.S have never been that interested in Facebook.

For a gapper spending a year in Israel, WhatsApp can be crucial in keeping you connected to your life back home, having access to WhatsApp means that you can speak to your friends and family with ease. Whether you want to send your dad a quick “hey, everything’s good and I’m having a great time” message without being charged for roaming, or make your friends jealous by sending them a pic of Aroma’s legendary ice cafe, you can send a picture in seconds.

“Gett”

To flag a taxi on the street in New York City, you generally raise your right arm. And if you have a newspaper rolled up in your right hand, all the better. It’s a little different in Israel, where the local custom is to reach outwards and point down, towards the curb or street. Aim for a 45-degree angle if you really want to look like a local.

If you know the phone number of a local cab company and can speak Hebrew, you can always order a cab. But, you can also order a cab by using a smartphone app like GetTaxi. It allows you to track the taxi’s arrival, so you don’t have to wait outside. Get Taxi allows users to rate drivers and see previous driver ratings, receive a receipt by email, book in advance and pay with a credit card and they even provide free WIFI.

“Moovit”

Public transit isn’t too bad once you get the hang of it, but if you’re visiting a new city or riding a new route, it can be tricky. Moovit is a mobile app that uses data from other bus and train riders to help you plan for and have the best possible trip, anywhere you go.

If you’ve ever had to rely on public transit for your commute, or to get you somewhere at a specific time, you’ve probably been disappointed and learned to adapt and come up with alternatives for late buses, delayed trains, or crowded rush hour platforms. Moovit helps you decide when you should leave your home or the office for the best possible trip to where you need to go. You can even see how crowded buses on your route are. Trust me on this, it’ll make your trips out and around town for fun or work that much easier.

“Rav Kav Online”

Ravkav Online is an innovative way to purchase and top up your Rav-Kav, the Israeli public transport smart card, from anywhere anytime and using your credit card.
Are you interested to simply use your mobile device to purchase your tickets?
The mobile app offers a solution for passengers who want to top-up their Rav-Kav smart cards. Purchasing contracts via the app works just the same as purchasing them directly from the public transport operators. All contracts purchased via the app are accepted by all public transport operators as if they were contracts purchased from drivers on board vehicles. This is a must have app, that not only saves you time but also updates you on your rav kav status, how many tickets you have left; and the best part is that you can pay online without the hassle of waiting in long lines.

“Morfix”

So you’re in the store and you’re unsure about what the Hebrew word is for meatballs; you pull out your phone and open up your Morfix app. Morfix is the best English/Hebrew dictionary, the app also offers tools for learning and practicing your Hebrew. The app also gives you the option to create personal games and word lists based on your wants and needs. The goal is to be able to give you the added benefit to improve your fluency in Hebrew through fun learning.

Since making Aliyah I have become a daily user of all of these apps and can not tell you how much they have helped me along the way. I hope that you can also benefit from them. If you happen to find other helpful must have apps, please feel free to comment and let us know! Looking forward to hearing from you.