The shifting security situation is confusing and disconcerting for everyone in Israel, and foreign workers—far from home and often without fluent Hebrew—face unique challenges. Given the escalating violence in northern Israel, the call center for foreign workers in Israel is offering support to foreign workers and providing translated guidelines.
The center, which is run by the Center for International Migration and Integration in cooperation with the Population and Immigration Authority, is in constant communication with the homefront command and additional sources in order to transmit updated information about emergency regulations to workers in their own languages.
Translators fluent in numerous languages are available to support workers in the fields of construction, agriculture, home health care, nursing, and hospitality. The center can also be reached by phone, by filling out an online form, and through various online applications.
“We translate the regulations to Hindi, Chinese, Thai, and additional languages, publish them to our website, and also distribute them in groups used by workers who come to Israel through bilateral agreements,” Anastasia Grinayt, who heads the center, said.
She said that some established foreign workers from countries like China, Ukraine, and Moldova are already relatively familiar with the Israeli reality, while others have only recently arrived in the country, including some who work in Israel’s north and south.
“When new workers arrive and encounter a new reality, concerns and questions naturally arise,” she said. “It’s therefore important that there’s someone to answer them in their own language. The workers want to make sure that they understand the regulations and are in a secure place.”
She emphasized that by law, foreign workers must have access to bomb shelters just like any other workers. “If workers encounter problems in this area, they can turn to us,” she said. “We are in touch with the Immigration Authority on the topic as well in order to help.”
The phone number for reaching the help center for foreign workers is 1-700-707889. Workers can also reach out using this form.
This article was translated from Hebrew by Leah Schwartz.
