For most gap year students, this is the first time living abroad — and for parents, it's the first time their kid is 6,000 miles away. Staying in touch matters. Here's everything you need to know about calling home, video chatting, and making sure your family can always reach you.
Israel is 7 hours ahead of Eastern Time and 10 hours ahead of Pacific Time. That means when you're sitting down for dinner at 7pm in Jerusalem, your family in New York is just finishing their lunch. Your parents in LA are still in the middle of their workday.
Getting a feel for this rhythm early saves a lot of missed calls and frustration on both sides. The sweet spot for most students is calling home in the late afternoon Israel time — that's morning or midday in the US, before your family's evening starts filling up.
Friday mornings before Shabbat are often the most reliable window. You're both awake, the weekend is starting, and there's a natural reason to connect. Many gap year students make this a standing habit with their family.
In Israel, WhatsApp is not just an app — it's how people communicate. Your yeshiva or seminary will have WhatsApp groups. Your Israeli friends will only use WhatsApp. Your program coordinators will send updates on WhatsApp. If you don't have it already, download it before you board.
For family communication, WhatsApp is ideal: free voice calls, video calls, messages, and voice notes — all over data or WiFi, no international charges. The call quality over a good 5G connection is excellent.
Video calls are the closest thing to actually being home — and with 400 GB of 5G data on your Israeli plan, you don't need to worry about burning through your allowance every time you want to see your family's faces.
FaceTime works perfectly between iPhones over data or WiFi. For families with mixed devices, WhatsApp video or Zoom both work well. A few things that make video calls actually work:
With a local Israeli SIM or eSIM, you'll have an Israeli phone number. You can call US numbers directly — and with GapYearSIM, those international calls to the US are included in your plan, just like local calls.
This is useful beyond just family. Some US institutions — banks, insurance companies, university admin — are easier to reach via a direct call than over WhatsApp. Having reliable international calling removes that friction entirely.
Most iPhones and many Android phones support WiFi calling — where your phone makes and receives regular calls over an internet connection rather than a cellular signal. If you're ever in a spot with weak reception but decent WiFi (a basement beit midrash, for example), WiFi calling keeps you reachable.
Enable it in Settings before you leave. It works automatically when your signal drops, and your family calls your same number — they won't notice any difference.
A little briefing before departure prevents a lot of panic calls. Tell them:
Gap year is a time to grow, learn, and be present in Israel. The students who thrive are usually the ones who find the right balance — staying close enough to family that everyone feels connected, but not so tethered that they never fully arrive.
A predictable check-in rhythm (a Wednesday voice note, a Friday call, a Sunday message) does more for family peace of mind than constant availability. It sets expectations, reduces anxiety on both sides, and lets you actually live your year.
The infrastructure — a good Israeli phone plan, WhatsApp, reliable data — is just the foundation. What you build on it is up to you.
GapYearSIM includes unlimited calls to the US and 400 GB of 5G data — $24/month, no contracts, eSIM active within 6 hours.
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