Does a power of attorney used in Israel have to be written in Hebrew?

A non-resident signs an English power of attorney at home, ships it to their Israeli lawyer, and assumes the job is done, only to hear that the bank or the Land Registry will not act on it as written. The document is not invalid because it is in English. The problem is that the Israeli institution that has to rely on it needs to read it in Hebrew and be sure the signer understood what they signed. Language is where powers of attorney quietly fail.

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Detailed Explanation

Israeli law does not impose a blanket rule that a power of attorney (yipui koach) must be in Hebrew. A power of attorney executed abroad in English, French, or any language can be legally effective. What matters is whether the body being asked to honour it will accept it, and Israeli banks, the Land Registry (Tabu), and the courts operate in Hebrew. When you present a foreign-language power, they require a Hebrew translation certified by a notary before they will register a transfer, release funds, or file a document. So a purely English power is accepted in principle but stalls in practice until the translation is attached.

The Notaries Law 1976 shapes how this is done properly. When a notary abroad certifies a signature on a document written in a language the signer does not understand, the notary must confirm the signer's understanding, and translations relied on in Israel carry a notarial confirmation of accuracy. This is why experienced practitioners do not simply notarise a one-language form and hope. They prepare the power in Hebrew, or side by side in Hebrew and the signer's language, so the notary can certify that the person signing knew exactly what authority they were granting. A bilingual document removes the argument that the signer was authorising something they could not read.

Property transactions add a further layer. A power of attorney used to sell, buy, or register an Israeli property is normally drafted as a specific, often irrevocable, power tied to the exact parcel by its block and plot (gush and helka), because the Land Registry will not act on a vague general authority. Getting the wording right is the Israeli lawyer's job, not the foreign notary's, which is another reason the document should be drafted in Israel and sent out for signature rather than written abroad from scratch. The distinction between a broad general power and a tailored transaction power is covered in our guide to using a single power of attorney for an Israeli bank account and property.

The workable sequence for a non-resident is therefore straightforward. Your Israeli lawyer drafts the power in Hebrew or bilingually and sends it to you. You sign it in front of a notary in your own country, who certifies your signature and, where needed, your understanding of the Hebrew text. You then obtain an apostille on the notary's certificate so Israel recognises it, and the document is ready to use. Skipping the Hebrew drafting and translating afterwards works too, but it costs an extra certified translation and often a second round of corrections, which is slower and dearer than doing it in Hebrew from the start.

In Practice: Under the Notaries Law 1976, a notary certifying a signature on a document the signer cannot read must confirm the signer's understanding, and a translation relied on in Israel needs a notarial confirmation of accuracy under Section 15. Notarial fees are fixed by regulation, with signature authentication around NIS 171 for the first signature and a translation confirmation running from roughly NIS 211 depending on length. A power drafted in Hebrew, signed before a notary abroad, and apostilled is usually ready for the Land Registry (Tabu) or the bank within 1 to 3 weeks, most of which is apostille turnaround.

Key Considerations

• A foreign-language power of attorney is legally valid, but Israeli banks, the Land Registry, and courts require a notarised Hebrew translation to act on it.
• Drafting the power in Hebrew or bilingually from the start avoids a separate certified translation and repeated corrections.
• The Notaries Law 1976 requires the notary to confirm the signer understood a document in a language they do not read.
• Property powers must be specific to the parcel by block and plot and are often irrevocable, so they should be drafted in Israel.
• An apostille on the foreign notary's certificate is what makes the document recognisable in Israel.

When to Consult a Lawyer

This question typically requires professional legal advice when:

• The power of attorney is for a property sale or purchase and must meet the Land Registry's specific and irrevocable form.
• You have already signed an English-only power and an Israeli bank or authority has refused to act on it.
• The signer does not read Hebrew and the notary needs to certify understanding correctly to avoid a later challenge.

A qualified Israeli attorney should draft the power in Hebrew and tell you exactly how to sign and apostille it before you visit your local notary.

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Speak With an Israeli Attorney

We draft powers of attorney in Hebrew or bilingually for the exact task, whether a bank, a court file, or a property transfer, and give you step-by-step signing and apostille instructions so the document is accepted in Israel the first time.

Contact us for a confidential initial consultation.