That is certainly true for tour guides but not for those who have been evacuated from the southern and northern borders. They have the option of being put up in hotels (meals included) or else choosing 200 shekels per day (per adult) and 100 shekels per day for each child. Retirees also receive their normal Social Security payments.

Here are two examples:

I am single so I receive 6000 shekels per month, plus my Social Security (1600 per month), plus my normal income from the kibbutz (10,000 shekels per month), for a total of (roughly) US $4800 per month. I paid nothing for rent for the first month, as I stayed with my daughter's family and am now paying 3000 shekels per month for a rented apartment. What I earn from American investments and a pension is in addition to that.

The Russian family I have talked about consists of a husband, wife, and two children so they get 600 shekels per day plus unemployment insurance of 70% of their normal salaries. (Most northern companies "fired" all employees to let them get the unemployment insurance and will be re-hired when they are allowed to return.)

Most evacuees from the North are staying in the Haifa-Tiberius region, which means that local businesses are getting many more customers (the malls seem to be jammed) and the hotels are filled up.