How much does a US number in Israel cost?
With BitLink, $9.99 per month on top of any plan — so a student on Student 5G pays $44.98/month total for an Israeli line plus a US number that family can call locally. The same add-on price covers a Canadian or UK number instead, and US/Canada numbers are available on the kosher plans as well. Compare that with keeping an old US plan alive just to stay reachable, which typically runs $10–$40 per month and leaves you juggling two carriers.
Do my parents pay international rates when they call me?
No — that's the point of the add-on. Your parents dial a number that's local in their country, and their carrier treats it as a local call, which on most US, Canadian, and UK plans costs nothing extra. The call then rings your phone in Israel. No calling cards, no dialing +972, no explaining international dialing to a grandparent. On your side, answering works like any normal incoming call.
Should I add a US number or port my old US number?
Ask one question: do people need to reach the number they already have saved? If yes — you've had the same cell number for 15 years and everyone from your dentist to your bank uses it — then porting it to BitLink for a one-time $49.99 keeps it alive on your Israeli line. If you just want family to have an easy way to call, the $9.99/month add-on gives them a fresh local number and skips the porting process entirely. They solve different problems, and some people do both.
Does the add-on work with kosher plans?
Yes. A US or Canadian local number can be added to Kosher Basic or Kosher+ for the same $9.99/month, and it rings the kosher phone like any other call. Combined with Kosher+'s included 150 minutes of outbound US/Canada calling, a kosher line can stay closely connected with family abroad in both directions.