Over the past couple of months Tamarim Concierge has been very busy supporting our gap year students and their families with packing up dorms and shipping belongings for students who predominantly returned home for Pesach and were not able to return to complete their programs.

We have packed dorms in a wide variety of programs across Israel from Seminaries and Yeshivas to University programs and various year courses and arranged shipping for well over 100 suitcases, boxes, roll-ons duffel bag of all shapes and sizes.

Even though we have been running a successful dorm store for a number of years, this exercise in shipping and returning, caused by COVID19 has allowed us perhaps the most meaningful insight into the modern gap year student life and life in a gap year Israel dorm in the 2020’s.

Based on what we have learnt, here are our top 5 do’s and donts.

1.       Do find out what cupboard/draw space is available in the dorm. (Most dorms have one modest cupboard and a couple of draws for each student).

Don’t buy a new plastic draw set unless it’s a last resort. (There are definitely more plastic draw sets than students floating around the dorms. Try and arrange to inherit one from one of last year’s students. Worst case scenario wait until you get here you can always order one once you arrive if really necessary, Tamarim for example can usually deliver one within a few days.

2.       Do bring a reasonable supply of toiletries and medication but be realistic.

Don’t go overboard. These items are often heavy and bulky. (Most students appear to have brought significantly more items than they could have ever possibly used even if they were here for the full program).

3.       Do bring summer and winter clothes.

Don’t bring your entire wardrobe. No one needs 8 hoodies and you are unlikely to have the space to store more than one duffel bags worth of clothes!

4.       Do support the Israeli economy and buy some stuff here.

Don’t feel the need to bring 100% of everything with you Israel in 2020/21 has millions of European and US brands on sale. Even if they are a little more expensive its cheaper than paying for extra bags with your flight ticket.

5.       Do bring things to remind of home but do remember you will accumulate stuff while you are here.

Don’t buy or bring anything that you don’t want to leave behind or can’t easily take home.