As of January 1, 2026 Olim Chadashim will no longer receive free SIM cards upon arrival in Israel. As such, we strongly recommend that you either purchase an eSim for your phone before you land to ensure that you will have internet and/or phone service when you land. You can also purchase a SIM card or eSIM from an Israeli provider in Ben Gurion airport upon arrival.
Please note that you will need a local Israeli phone number to communicate with government offices!
At Ben Gurion Airport (Terminal 3 arrivals), travelers can also buy an Israeli SIM from operator stores or kiosks such as 019 Mobile, Partner, Cellcom, and Pelephone, or from Steimatzky bookshops and other kiosks that sell multi-operator tourist SIMs; many of these providers also support eSIM on compatible phones.
Please note that you can usually buy a prepaid "Pay-As-You-Go" SIM first and switch to a monthly contract later once your bank account is active.
This mini-guide provides information into various potential mobile options. As always, we remind you to do your due diligence before purchasing. Shivat Zion has no connection to any of the companies mentioned.