Notarial services by an English-speaking notary in Tel Aviv

In Israel, a notary is a lawyer with at least 10 years of experience, licensed by the Ministry of Justice, whose fees are set by law. I am an English-speaking notary in Tel Aviv: I certify your signatures, your translations from Hebrew to English and from English to Hebrew, your affidavits and your powers of attorney, for Israel as well as for the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries, with the apostille when it is required.

The Israeli notary is not the notary public you know from home

In the United States, a notary public is not necessarily a lawyer and mainly witnesses signatures. In Israel, the notary is an experienced lawyer licensed by the Ministry of Justice, who gives a document evidentiary force: he authenticates a signature, certifies translations, issues a certified copy, receives an affidavit or a notarial will, and attests the authenticity of public documents. His fees are set by an official regulation, identical for all notaries in the country.

For your paperwork abroad

• Powers of attorney: selling or buying a property abroad, settling an estate, managing an account, representing a relative before an attorney, a solicitor or a bank, without leaving Israel. I draft the power of attorney in English according to the requirements of the recipient, I authenticate your signature and I have the apostille affixed for the destination country.
• Proof of life: for foreign pension funds and social security institutions that require a yearly proof of existence.
• Certified translations of Israeli documents: birth certificate, Rabbinate marriage certificate, divorce judgment, Tabu extract, inheritance order, diplomas, criminal record certificate, for an embassy, a court, a pension fund or an administration abroad. Some authorities have their own translation requirements; I tell you from the start what your recipient will accept.
• Apostille: Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia are all parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. The apostille on a notarial act is obtained from the Magistrate's Court, the one on a public document from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I take care of it for you.

For your paperwork in Israel

• Certified translation into Hebrew of your English documents: civil status documents for the Ministry of the Interior, diplomas for professional recognition, judgments, contracts, criminal record certificates.
• Authentication of signatures on powers of attorney, contracts and bank documents.
• Affidavits ("tatzhir") for the courts and the administrations.
• Will in notarial form.
• Certified true copies of original documents.
• Powers of attorney for representatives who are not lawyers.

Why choose an English-speaking notary in Tel Aviv?

The law requires that a notary certify a translation only if he masters both languages. A notary who does not read English has to rely on a translator's declaration, which adds a step, a cost and a risk of error. As an English-speaking notary in Tel Aviv, I read and write English fluently: I translate or check the translation myself, I know the legal terms of both systems, and I know what an attorney, a bank or an administration abroad expects from a document coming from Israel. A translation error on a power of attorney or a civil status document can get a whole file rejected.

How it works

1. You send me the document, or you describe what the recipient needs.
2. I tell you the right act, the documents to bring and the official fee.
3. Appointment at the office with a valid ID; the signature takes place in my presence. A visit to your home or to a care facility is possible, with the surcharge provided by the regulation.
4. The act is handed to you immediately; a certified translation generally takes a few business days, the apostille an additional delay.

Frequently asked questions

Is a translation made by a translator enough?

For official use, generally not: administrations and courts require a translation certified by a notary. Always check with the recipient, or ask me.

What is the apostille?

An official stamp that attests the authenticity of a public document, or the signature of the local notary, so that it is recognized in another country party to the Hague Convention, without consular legalization. An Israeli document intended for the United States, the United Kingdom or Canada, or a foreign document intended for Israel, must always be apostilled.

Are notarial fees negotiable?

No. They are set by the Ministry of Justice's notaries regulation and updated every year; all notaries in Israel apply the same amounts. I tell you the exact fee before the appointment.

Can you certify a signature for someone who does not speak Hebrew?

Yes. The notary must make sure that the signatory understands the document. With an English-speaking notary in Tel Aviv, the explanation is given directly in English, without an interpreter.

Can a notary in Israel authenticate the signature of a person who is not in Israel? Is it possible to authenticate a signature remotely by video call?

No. A notary in Israel is not allowed to authenticate the signature of a person who is not in Israel at the time of signing, and is not allowed to authenticate a signature remotely, including by video call. The Israeli notary may, however, have the person sign the documents abroad and, on that person's return to Israel, issue the notarial certificate confirming that the person signed in his presence.

Do you need a power of attorney, a certified translation or an apostille?

Write to me through the form on the English-speaking lawyer page or on

WhatsApp +972-54-777-2548.

See also: embassies and paperwork abroad.