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If one has decided to make aliya, are there particularly good (or bad) times during the year to do so, beyond the desire to be there for chagim? Factors that seem relevant would include tax-related timing/deadlines, the school year, employment cycles (when is it easier/harder to get jobs), rental cycles (if leases are easier to get at certain times of the year), availability of government services for olim, and probably other factors I haven't thought of.

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Moving generally (not specifically to Israel) is easier on school-aged children when done between school years. Or so I'm led to understand. – msh210♦ Nov 7 '11 at 21:46
@msh210, that's my impression too. I gather that in some places it's easier to move mid-year (strong semester system) and others it's not; no idea what it's like in Israel. – Monica Cellio♦ Nov 7 '11 at 22:03
Go Tomorrow!!!! – Double AA♦ Dec 28 '11 at 2:15

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From what I have seen there are 3 or 4 popular times to move to Israel.

-Right before or right after January 1st.

This is done mainly for tax purposes so that it is easier on your mind to remember when things are do for which country and you don't feel all confused. However this does not work well if you have children that need to enter the school system.

-A month or so before the Chagim (Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur)

This is mostly done for religious reason as it just feels good. It is also good for children as the school year is just starting, and you can have a place for the children to go while you take care of all the things that need to be taken care of when you move.

-Right before Pesach

This is a time when Israel's weather is just about perfect, so moving heavy things or worrying about air conditioners and heaters is not so important. It aslo makes "cleaning for pesach" that much easier.

-The middle of the summer

Many families find that moving in the middle of the summer is best for the kids, as it seems like just one huge family vacation at first.

All Olim services and deadlines are based on the day you make Aliyah are not fixed to any yearly schedule. Except for specific laws that might be passed the year you make Aliyah, there is no real difference when you move. (For example, if they decide to change the import tax rates one year, that could be a factor... however that is very very rare.) As far as finding a Job, I have found that "hiring season" happens about once every 3-4 months depending on the industry.

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In most industries, hiring is a year-round thing, with a couple of exceptions: summer is often a low point, with a lot of hiring managers on vacation; as is Chagim time (till well after Sukkot), and around Pesach also. Also anything related to government/public sector (which, in Israel, is most jobs) tend to have a different pattern towards the end of the year (mid-November till January), though sometimes this can be in both directions. Obviously, some industries are different - e.g. teachers, which are obviously tied to the school year (but not always directly). – AviD Nov 12 '11 at 18:35

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