Emergency Preparedness

Holon is a safe city. Yet, you should be aware of your surroundings and know how to behave in case of an emergency.

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Occasionally you may encounter blocking of roads due to a suspicious object. "Suspicious object"; in most cases refers to a backpack or suitcase forgotten but there is concern that it could be an explosive device. In this case after one of the citizens informs the police, the police will close the street and the bomb squad will detonate the suspicious object. If you encounter such a case, you must listen to the instructions of the police and get away from the blocked streets.

If you encounter an object which is not clear to whom it belongs, do not touch the object and first try to find out if it belongs to someone around you. If you can't identify to whom it belongs, it is necessary to explain to people around you that this is a unidentified object and you should call the police.

Hitchhiking is forbidden under the program's rules. Hitchhiking under any circumstances is dangerous in Israel; it is always recommended to use public transport or taxis or to take a ride with someone you know.

In Israel, sirens are heard in public spaces in three situations: military drills, real alarms, and to commemorate a memorial day.

Military Drill
If a drill is planned, an announcement will be published in the News about a national practice with the exact hours that the alarm will be activated. Your counselor from the program will also inform you in advance about it. In this case, continue with your routine as usual unless instructed otherwise.

Real Alarm
Real alarmm sirens are usully sounded in the event of a rocket attack. In this case, there are usually detailed instructions on what you should do. For example: how much time you have to enter the protected space. Your counselor will make sure you know all the details. You should access the nearest protected area as soon as possible. At the dorms building, you should access the shelter or the lower staircase. Usually you should stay at the protected space 10 minutes and only then you can go back to your routine.

Memorial Sirens
These occur only on two occasions: Holocaust day (Once, at 11:00, for 2 minutes long), and Memorial Day (Twice: first on the eve of the day at 20:00 for 1 minute, and second on the actual day at 10:00 for 2 minutes). It is customary to stop your routine, and stand during the siren, even if you are on the bus or in a car.

Due to the complicated security situation in Israel, it is normal to find a security check at the entrance of any public place, to ensure the safety of the population.

This can sometimes cause a slight delay, but bear in mind that the checks are done to ensure your safety.

For any medical treatment of any kind – call your insurance company first (for example: "Harel"- 1-800-414-422). Each treatment, doctor’s appointment, or an Emergency Room visit, is not covered by the insurance company without a preliminary conversation with your insurer. Once you have called your insurer, you should tell them your policy number and exactly what happened to you and what kind of treatment you need. Then, they'll give you several possible locations, so you can call and make an appointment or go to the clinic or ER right away.

Prescription medication
If the doctor gives you a medication prescription for a medicine that can be obtained only with said prescription, you can get a refund. You should keep the original invoice and the original prescription and bring it to your counselor.

If the doctor gives you medication prescription for a medicine that can be obtained without a prescription, (over the counter drugs) you'll get no refund.

Ask your doctor/HMO/Krankenkasse/NHS etc. for your medical files (in English), and have all your prescription drugs sorted before your arrival to Israel.

Regulations and restrictions are often changing, make sure to follow the current updates with the International Office.