Medication and Health Care for a Seminary Year in Israel

Your seminary's insurance and staff are the first stop for anything medical during the year. This page covers what to sort out before the flight, from official sources and the schools' own sites. We're not doctors, so talk to yours about your own situation.

Bringing medicine into Israel

Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says travelers entering Israel may carry up to a 90-day supply of medicines, except narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, and that this applies even when a medicine isn't a controlled substance outside Israel. The Ministry of Health's page on carrying medication has the full rules.
So a full year's supply is more than you can bring in one go. Plan with your doctor and the seminary how you'll refill a regular prescription in Israel.
Some ADHD medicines, sleeping pills and strong painkillers can fall in the narcotic or psychotropic groups. If you take one, read the Ministry of Health's rules and ask the seminary and the nearest Israeli consulate well before the flight.
The US CDC suggests bringing copies of your prescriptions (including for glasses and contact lenses), and carrying a card with your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of your medicines.

Health insurance for the year

Health care in Israel isn't free for visitors. The UK Foreign Office says treatment can be expensive and hospitals will insist on payment, so make sure the student policy is in place before the year starts. How schools handle it, from their own sites:

Midreshet HaRova: basic health insurance premiums are included in tuition. An agency (Egert and Cohen, with Chai Travel Assistance) manages it, and the cover is through Maccabi, one of Israel's health funds. A pre-existing condition is generally covered if it's declared on the form, with a one-time $75 surcharge. Its page also links a letter for students who take prescription medicine and want to renew it in Israel.
Midreshet Lindenbaum and Nishmat include medical insurance in their fees.
Charged separately or not included: Nachlas (insurance is required to live in the dorm), She'arim, Tomer Devorah (insurance is mandatory) and Yeshivat Drisha.

The questions to ask about cover are in visas and health insurance.

Seeing a doctor

Ask the school who takes a student to a doctor and which clinic it uses. Tiferet says a doctor or physician assistant visits its campus three times a week, and Midreshet Ein HaNatziv says its kibbutz has a medical clinic.
In an emergency, call 101 for Magen David Adom (ambulance).
The UK Foreign Office keeps a list of medical providers in Israel where some staff speak English.

When the year gets hard

A year away from home is a big change, and it's normal to have hard weeks. If a student is struggling, these are the people to talk to:

The madricha (counselor) or eim bayit (house mother), who are there for exactly this.
A counselor or psychologist, if the school has one on staff or on call. Ask about this before you accept a place.
ERAN, Israel's emotional support hotline: dial 1201. Its English site says it's anonymous, free and open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
If you see a therapist at home, ask before you go whether sessions can continue online. Israel is seven hours ahead of New York for most of the year.

If someone is in danger, call 101 (ambulance) or 100 (police) first. The rest of the emergency numbers are in safety and emergencies.

Questions and answers

How much medicine can I bring into Israel?

Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says travelers may carry up to a 90-day supply of medicines, except narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. For a full year, plan with your doctor and the seminary how to refill it in Israel.

Can I bring ADHD medication to Israel for seminary?

Some ADHD medicines count as narcotic or psychotropic substances, and those aren't covered by the 90-day allowance. Read the Ministry of Health's rules on carrying medication and ask the seminary and the Israeli consulate well before you fly.

Does seminary health insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

It depends on the policy. Midreshet HaRova says its plan generally covers a declared pre-existing condition for a one-time $75 surcharge. Other policies may exclude them, so ask the school before you accept.

Who can a seminary student call if she's struggling?

Her madricha or eim bayit first, and the school's counselor if it has one. ERAN's hotline, 1201, offers anonymous, free emotional support 24 hours a day.

Sources

Read on 30 October 2026. Open them to check a figure or see whether it has changed.

Medication, doctors and support during the year