New olim
New to Carmei Gat? Start here
Carmei Gat has an English-speaking community of about 300 families (mid 2026), alongside French, Spanish and Hebrew speakers, and Nefesh B'Nefesh lists it as an emerging community. Government offices, the ulpan, the post office and the municipal absorption department are in older Kiryat Gat, a short bus ride away.
New olim
Start here
8 steps, in the order most people take them.
- 1
Open your file at the Ministry of Aliyah
The Kiryat Gat branch is at 3 HaGefen St (03-9733333), open Sun 08:30-13:30, Wed 08:30-13:30 and 15:00-18:00, and Thu 08:30-13:30. It handles the teudat oleh, ulpan referral, income support and lone-soldier grants.
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Meet the municipal absorption department
The city's absorption department supports new olim, returning residents and first-time residents with housing, work, education and health questions, runs Hebrew ulpanim and job workshops. Phone 08-6874573; it is on the 2nd floor of the Lev HaIr mall.
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Start ulpan
Nefesh B'Nefesh lists Ulpan Shoshana at 26 HaAtzmaut St as Kiryat Gat's ulpan; the municipal absorption department also runs Hebrew ulpanim.
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Population Authority (Misrad HaPnim)
The Kiryat Gat office is on the 3rd floor of Lev HaIr mall and works by appointment through govisit.gov.il. Bring your teudat zehut; a driving licence isn't accepted. The municipal site said the office was temporarily closed for renovation, so check first.
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Bituach Leumi
The Kiryat Gat branch is at 64 HaAtzmaut Blvd, with reception on Sun, Tue and Thu 08:30-13:00 by appointment; phone *6050.
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Find your people
Nefesh B'Nefesh points newcomers to carmeigatcommunity.com, whose 'Speak to a local' form connects you with someone from the English-speaking community, and to two Carmei Gat Facebook groups.
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Join the municipal WhatsApp group
The municipality runs quiet announcement groups per quarter, including one for Carmei Gat, for city news, works, alerts and emergency updates (in Hebrew).
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English counselling
AACI arranges English counselling for olim in the south by appointment; its contact page lists the contact for southern appointments.
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Guides
Read next
- Your first week in Carmei GatWho to call and where to go in your first week in Carmei Gat: the 106 hotline, the absorption offices, Misrad HaPnim, Bituach Leumi, arnona, the post office and the numbers to save.
- Schools and gans in Carmei GatRegistration dates, the schools inside Carmei Gat, the new schools adding a grade a year, what's missing (a religious boys' high school) and who to call at the education department.
- Health funds, urgent care and hospitalsAll four kupot in Carmei Gat and Kiryat Gat, doctors who list English, Terem and the evening clinics, and an honest note on which hospital you'd be taken to.
- Renting and buying in Carmei GatHow big Carmei Gat is (the numbers conflict), what flats cost according to the sources I found, the planned North and East expansions, arnona and where to search.
- Getting around from Carmei GatTrains from Kiryat Gat station, the city buses that link Carmei Gat to the train, buses to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, the Rav-Kav desk and Route 6.
Good to know
The municipal website is spelled qiryat-gat.muni.il. The municipal hotline is 106, also on WhatsApp at 053-7447106. Nominations for the city's 'Face of Aliyah 2026' award close on 20 Oct 2026.
Community groups
Where people talk
- Carmei Gat Community (Facebook group)Facebook · Group admins (not named on the source page)
- Carmei Gat Community website ('Speak to a local')Website or forum · Carmei Gat residents (volunteers)
- Carmei Gat Info (Facebook group)Facebook · Group admins (not named on the source page)
- Carmei Zion shul (Facebook page)Facebook · Carmei Zion
- Carmei Zion shul (Instagram)Other · Carmei Zion
- Chabad of Carmei Gat (Facebook page)Facebook · Chabad of Carmei Gat
Source
- nbn.org.il (opens in a new tab)
- gov.il (opens in a new tab)
- qiryat-gat.muni.il (opens in a new tab)
- gov.il (opens in a new tab)
- btl.gov.il (opens in a new tab)
- carmeigatcommunity.com (opens in a new tab)
- qiryat-gat.muni.il (opens in a new tab)
- aaci.org.il (opens in a new tab)
This page was written for Carmei Gat from the sources above.
