What to bring on aliyah (and what to leave): an organizer's lift packing list

Every oleh hears the same advice: "Don't ship everything." It's true, but it doesn't tell you what to bring. Then the lift quote arrives, the house has to be emptied, and every drawer turns into a decision. This is an organizer's answer: what goes in your suitcases, what's worth the lift, what to leave behind, and how to decide when you're not sure.

This is organizing advice, not legal or customs advice. Olim have specific shipping and customs rights that change over time, so check current rules with Nefesh B'Nefesh, your shipper and the Israel Tax Authority before you book.

Want the short version? Download our free, printable Aliyah Lift Packing List.

Pack for the apartment you're moving to

The most common mistake is packing for the home you have instead of the home you'll have. Many Israeli apartments, especially rentals, have:

• Smaller kitchens with fewer cabinets than many North American kitchens
• Fewer or no built-in closets in some rentals, so you may need freestanding wardrobes
• No basement, attic or garage. Storage is often a small machsan (storage room), if there is one at all
• A mamad (reinforced safe room) that often doubles as a bedroom or office

If you know your city or apartment, get the floor plan and measure. If you don't, plan for less space than you have now. As Nefesh B'Nefesh's shipping guide puts it, homes in Israel are often smaller, and if you haven't used something in the past year, you probably don't need it.

Suitcases vs. lift: two different lists

Your lift may take weeks to arrive, and it can be late. So you need two lists, not one.

In your suitcases and carry-on (the first weeks):

• passports, aliyah documents, and originals plus copies of key records (your NBN / Jewish Agency checklist lists which)
• prescription medications in their original packaging, glasses or contacts, and a basic first-aid kit
• about a week of clothes per person, for the season you land in
• sheets and a towel for each person
• a few plates, cutlery, a pot, a knife and a mug
• phone chargers, a power strip and a couple of type H plug adapters
• one comfort item per child, plus a few books or games
• a small toolkit and a tape measure (you'll be measuring everything)

In the lift (your life in Israel): everything below that passes the four-pile test.

What to bring, room by room

Kitchen. Bring: good knives, quality pots and pans, favorite baking tools (measure your future oven for sheet pans), and kosher sets you love. Rethink: duplicate gadgets, bulky small appliances that need transformers, 20 mismatched mugs.
Bedrooms and linens. Bring: bedding you love, but check Israeli bed and mattress sizes before you ship a closet full of sheets. Rethink: oversized headboards and dressers.
Closets. Bring: clothes you wear now, coats for real Israeli winters (yes, you'll need some, especially in Jerusalem) and quality shoes. Leave: "someday" sizes and formalwear you haven't worn in years. Remember: two seasons means you'll store half your wardrobe at any given time.
Books and seforim. Heavy and expensive to move. Bring what you love and use. Digitize or donate the rest.
Kids. Bring a curated set of favorite toys, books and bedding. Kids settle faster with familiar things. Don't ship the whole playroom.
Furniture. Bring pieces that are sentimental, high-quality and the right size. Measure every piece against Israeli stairwells, elevators and rooms.
Electronics. Israel runs on 230V / 50Hz with type C and H plugs. Bring dual-voltage electronics. Many 110–120V appliances need a transformer or won't work well.
Papers. Scan what you can. Hand-carry the originals you'll need for aliyah paperwork.

What to leave behind

• 110V-only small appliances. They're often simpler to replace in Israel.
• Oversized furniture that won't fit Israeli rooms or stairwells.
• Cheap, bulky basics that are easy to buy in Israel: plastic storage, laundry baskets, flat-pack shelving (IKEA, ACE, Home Center, Max Stock and online all carry them).
• Duplicates, broken things and "someday" items.
• Anything you're unsure about for customs. Check the official guide or ask your shipper first.

The four piles: Ship · Sell · Store · Let go

When you're stuck, ask these questions on every category:

1. Will I use this in the first year in Israel? If not, why am I paying to ship it?
2. Does it work in Israel? Check voltage and plugs.
3. Does it fit? Measure it against the apartment you're moving to.
4. Can I easily buy it in Israel? Basic furniture, kitchenware and storage, yes. Sentimental items and specialty goods, no.
5. Would I pay to ship this if it were a new item? If the answer is no, let it go.

A simple timeline

6+ months out: decide on a full lift, a consolidated shipment or suitcases only (see Shipping a lift to Israel). Start the "obvious" declutter: duplicates, broken items, outgrown clothes.
4–5 months: make room-by-room decisions. List big items for sale.
2–3 months: contact shippers and get volume surveys based on what you've decided to ship. Book a Video Walkthrough if you'd like a second opinion first.
6–8 weeks: do the final sell / donate push. Finalize your two lists: suitcases and lift.
Packing week: label boxes by destination room in Israel, not by the room in your current home.

Label for Israel

Use simple, consistent labels: KITCHEN · DAILY, KITCHEN · OCCASIONAL, MAMAD, MACHSAN, KIDS · FIRST WEEK. Number the boxes and keep an inventory on your phone. On unpacking day this saves hours. (See our room-by-room lift unpacking plan.)

FAQ

What should I bring on aliyah? Things you love and can't replace, quality items that fit Israeli rooms, clothes for both seasons, kids' familiar things and dual-voltage electronics. Leave 110V-only appliances, oversized furniture and cheap basics you can buy here.
What should I pack in my suitcases? Documents, medications, a week of clothes, bedding and towels, a mini kitchen kit, chargers and plug adapters, and one comfort item per child. Your lift can take weeks to arrive.
When should I start decluttering before aliyah? Ideally six months or more before your flight. That leaves time to sell large items without panic.
What if I don't know where we'll live yet? Plan for less storage than you have now. Ship the essentials and the sentimental, and skip oversized furniture.

Don't do it alone

Deciding what to bring is emotional, and it's easier with a neutral person. Our Video Walkthrough (₪300, 60 minutes, online) was designed for exactly this moment. We tour your home on video, go through your ship / sell / store / let-go decisions, and send a written plan. The full ₪300 is credited to The Landing, our lift-unpacking service, when you arrive.

Book a Video Walkthrough · Lift unpacking: The Landing · Shipping a lift to Israel · Free: Aliyah Lift Packing List

Source: Nefesh B'Nefesh, "Shipping Guide" (nbn.org.il, last updated April 2025, accessed Oct 2026).