Tamar Pearlman, based in Israel, was overwhelmed by the myriad requests from friends and families abroad who needed travel assistance to the bustling country. Pearlman runs a private speech and language therapist practice in Modi’in, where she has lived for the past 12 years. She channeled her passion for helping people by forming Tamarim Concierge, a service that provides for people’s needs in Israel and grants customers virtually anything.
Pearlman formed the company, after moving to Israel, with her colleague, Tammy, who is no longer involved with the company, but the name “Tamarim,” stuck.
The company, which has been up and running for eight years, fulfills ordinary requests such as itinerary planning and property management, but also goes beyond that. Pearlman said her company has evolved from bar and bat mitzvah planning to the most bizarre, exciting and interesting requests. She says when it comes to the company’s requests, “nothing is too much… people ask all kinds of questions and we make them come to life.”
Some examples include: Grandparents in London looking to send an alternative birthday gift to their 9-year-old grandson turned to Tamarim Concierge for ideas. The grandson was so excited to receive ice cream and soccer album cards. A girl on her gap year broke her leg and Tamarim Concierge managed to deliver a knee scooter to her dorm that same day! When someone is not feeling well, Tamarim Concierge can send over a food parcel with soup and other goodies. The company also provides Pesach services, including renting and kashering an apartment, and having kosher-for-Pesach food ready and waiting in the apartment. The company also delivers baby packs to parents containing diapers, wipes, baby food, car seats and much more.
Pearlman said birthday gifts are a popular request, specifically for gap-year students, but also for families who live abroad, and children or grandchildren living in Israel. “Being able to bring a gift to someone far away is such a nice thing,” she said.
The company does a lot of great work with gap-year-students. For many students staying shana bet, who have gone back to America for the summer, the company collects their dorm items and linens and has them laundered, stored and ready for their arrival back to the Holy Land.
New olim, arriving from all over the world, who need help settling in, are assisted by Tamarim Concierge with utilities, internet, appliances, unpacking and finding apartments.
The majority of requests come from the general New York area, but the company also has clients from other parts of America such as California, Florida and even Alaska, and other countries such as Britain, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Pearlman said one of the aspects that separates her company from other concierge services is its broad and varied type of jobs; there is nothing standard and everything is personalized exactly to what a client wants. Tamarim Concierge is “your one-stop shop in Israel.”
“You don’t need to go to one person to help you with one thing and another person with another thing…we do everything,” she said. “We pride ourselves with being able to help with even the most random request…we are your hands in Israel.”
For more information, visit tamarimconcierge.com. The website also features a gap-year-student dorm store on the website where customers can pre-order items so students don’t have to schlep things from home.
By Ally Scharf
Ally Scharf is an intern at the Jewish Link of New Jersey.
