Before you start

Passport plus Teudat Zehut for residents and olim, or passport with visa or work permit for non-residents
An Israeli mobile number — a foreign number will block app verification
Proof of a Jerusalem address: a lease, an arnona bill or a utility bill
For non-residents, proof of income or employment and a source-of-funds explanation

Step-by-step

1
Choose between a branch bank and ONE ZERO
Branch banks suit anyone needing a named banker, a mortgage or business services, and all of them run an olim package. ONE ZERO is app-first on a flat monthly subscription rather than per-action fees.
OnlineWho: You
2
Ask explicitly for the olim or low-fee plan
The standard tariff is not the only tariff. Banks put you on it by default and rarely move you unless you ask. Raise it at opening, and revisit it annually.
In personWho: You, with the branch
3
Attend in person for identity verification
Israeli regulation requires face-to-face or video identity verification for a first account, which applies to the digital banks too. Central Jerusalem branches near Jaffa Street and King George have staff used to English-speaking newcomers.
In personWho: YouSame day to a few days for an appointment
4
Complete the tax-residency declarations
You sign CRS declarations, and a FATCA W-9 with your SSN if you are a US person. Banks freeze or decline accounts where this is incomplete.
In personWho: You and the bank's compliance staff
5
Install Bit and PayBox on day one
Person-to-person payments in Israel largely bypass bank transfers. Bit, originally from Bank Hapoalim but used across all banks, and PayBox are how you split a bill, pay a landlord or buy something second-hand.
Mobile appWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport
Teudat Zehut for residents and olim, or visa / work permit for non-residents
Proof of Jerusalem address — lease, arnona bill or utility bill
Proof of income or employment, commonly required of non-residents
Social Security Number for the FATCA W-9 if you are a US person

Things most newcomers don’t know

Treat the fee plan as an opening negotiation, not a fixed tariff.

Israeli retail banking stacks a monthly account-management fee on top of per-action charges, and the Bank of Israel regulates fee disclosure precisely because customers overpay by defaulting to the standard plan. Asking for the cheapest maslul or the olim track at account opening, and again each year, is the single highest-return five minutes of admin you will do here.

Source: Bank of Israel — banking fees and consumer information

A digital bank still needs you in a room.

ONE ZERO is app-first and flat-fee, but Israeli know-your-customer rules require face-to-face or video verification for a first account regardless of the bank. Newcomers plan to open everything from a laptop before they fly and discover they cannot. Book the verification for your first week rather than assuming it is optional.

Source: ONE ZERO; Israeli KYC requirements

US citizenship is a banking issue in Israel in a way it is not elsewhere.

Israel has one of the world's largest populations of US dual nationals, so banks handle FATCA constantly and enforce it rigidly. Without a Social Security Number on a W-9 an account can be refused or frozen outright. If you hold US citizenship and have never had an SSN, start that before you need the account.

Source: FATCA; Israeli bank compliance practice

Your arnona bill is the proof-of-address document everything else accepts.

Banks, telecoms and government offices all want local address proof, and in Jerusalem the arnona bill in your own name is the cleanest form of it. That is a reason to register for arnona promptly rather than leaving the bill in the landlord's name — which also matters for claiming the olim discount.

Source: Jerusalem Municipality arnona registration; bank documentation practice

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming banking is fee-free and never asking for the olim or low-fee plan.
Arriving as a US person without a Social Security Number for the FATCA form.
Turning up without an Israeli mobile number — app verification will not complete on a foreign one.
Expecting a non-resident account to open the same day; compliance review takes several business days, and some branches are reluctant to open them at all.
Signing Hebrew account agreements you have not had read to you — branch English is variable outside the central and southern neighbourhoods.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.