Child Benefits – Kitzvat Yeladim

In addition to health insurance coverage, parents receive kitzvat yeladim, a monthly allowance for each eligible child.

Once your child is registered with Bituach Leumi, you are eligible to receive kitzvat yeladim, a monthly child stipend. Each month, you will receive payment of about 170 NIS per child into your bank account. Kitzvat yeladim can be received only through an Israeli bank account that lists the mother as the owner or shared owner. This stipend is paid irrespective of income. For an approximation of the total amount you should be receiving for kitzvat yeladim, access Bituach Leumi’s online kitzvat yeladim calculator.

Chisachon L’Kol Yeled

In January 2017, Bituach Leumi established the Chisachon L’Kol Yeled (savings for each child) program. The program ensures that all children in Israel have savings to access when they reach adulthood.

Until a child turns 18, Bituach Leumi deposits around 57 NIS per month into either a savings account or an investment fund in the child’s name. The track to be used is chosen by the parents. If a track is not chosen by the parents by the time the child is six months old, Bituach Leumi will deposit the savings in the same plan as previous children, or in a random plan.

Parents may also choose to add up to 57 NIS per month from their kitzvat yeladim allowance, doubling the deposit sum to 114 NIS a month. Money can be withdrawn from the plan before the child turns 18 years old only under extenuating circumstances. Leaving Israel and cancelling your Bituach Leumi membership does not give you access to the money accumulated until then.

When children turn 18, Bituach Leumi deposits a special grant of 568 NIS and the child may withdraw the savings with parental consent. If the funds are not withdrawn until the child turns 21, Bituach Leumi deposits an additional grant of 568 NIS, and the child may withdraw the funds without parental consent.

All management fees are paid for by Bituach Leumi until the child reaches age 21. After age 21, management fees are taken from the saver’s account.

Parents will receive a report on the deposits and gains of each child’s plan every year.


Who is eligible for maternity leave?
Working women are entitled to maternity leave, or chofesh leidah, from Bituach Leumi after a live birth at any point during the pregnancy or a stillbirth after 22 full weeks of pregnancy. Whether or not you receive pay during this time, called dmei leidah, depends on the amount of months you made Bituach Leumi contributions off your salary, prior to the birth. If you worked for 10 of the 14 months (or 15 of 22) preceding the birth, you are entitled to 15 weeks (105 days) of paid leave. If you worked for 6 of the 14 months before the birth, you are entitled to 8 weeks (56 days) of paid leave.

Maternity leave may be extended for multiple births or in cases where mother or baby require extended hospitalization.
Maternity leave may begin from 53 days before the due date.
It is possible for a husband to take leave from his employment instead of his wife if she is entitled to the full 15 week leave. His leave must be for a minimum of 21 days in a row, beginning 6 weeks after the birth. He must submit the Claim for Paternity Allowance Form with a letter from his wife stating that she allows her husband to take the leave instead of her and that she went back to work. If a mother is incapable of caring for her baby for whatever reason, the father may take her leave starting even from the first day.
The amount of money you will receive is based on the average of your salary from the three months or six months preceding the birth, whichever is greater. The maximum amount you can receive is 1,655 NIS per day. The money will be deposited in one payment into your bank account. If you owe money to Bituach Leumi, that amount will be deducted from the d’mei leidah.

Maanak leidah is a sum of money that Bituach Leumi deposits into a member’s bank account after she gives birth. In most cases, there is no need to file a claim. The hospital informs Bituach Leumi of the birth, and the money is deposited directly into the member’s Israeli bank account within approximately two weeks.

In certain cases, a request must be manually submitted. A Bituach Leumi member who gave birth overseas must file a claim for maanak leidah upon her return. A foreign citizen who gave birth during her waiting period for Bituach Leumi may file a request for maanak leidah once she and her baby are registered with Bituach Leumi.

Adoptive parents must also file a claim manually.

Requests must be submitted within 18 months of the birth.