A New Solution for Jewish Travel - By: Tomer Harel

Has this happened to you? You get a promotional email from an airline you often fly with, advertising all these terrific, exotic vacation packages, with eye-popping pictures and prices that make you as happy as a child during Hanukkah. But you can't go to one of these vacations! None of the hotels and facilities keep Kosher!

If you are an observant Jew, it probably has. Year after year you and your family cannot go on vacation unless the location has Kosher facilities. And between you and me, how many places in the world (aside from Israel, that is) have Kosher facilities? You could go to large cities with significant Jewish populations, such as London or Paris, you could perhaps go on a house exchange vacation, trading houses with another Jewish family and cook all your own food, but still - Choice of vacation spots is very limited. It's rare to find a Jewish family to trade houses with in Costa Rica or Alaska, isn't it?

For observant Jews, finding acceptable travel plans is always a hassle. Most of the world does not observe Kosher law, and tours rarely observe Shabbat. Booking flights is never a problem, after all, most airlines do offer a Kosher meal, or at least a vegetarian one. The issues arise upon arrival - hotels, restaurants, tours. How is it possible to go on an exotic Safari vacation and still observe G-d's law?

Many Jewish tourists have found some highly imaginative methods to overcome all these difficulties. All-Jewish groups could book private tours, thus ensuring that they observe Shabbat. Private catering could often be arranged, as well. These tours were often quite pricey and the group could still not eat in the comfort of their hotel. Travel plans were often limited to Israel and major cities such as Prague and Brussels for other Jewish tourists. In these locations, they were assured to find Kosher food. For many years, observant Jews had to make do with any solution they could come up with.

However, in recent years, some travel companies have begun to specialize in Jewish travel. Jewish tours, designed for observant Jews are arranged with hotels that keep Kosher, a rabbi for Shabbat services often arrives locally or with the group, and the plans always include a rest day on Shabbat and a service before Friday dinner. There have even been some all-Jewish cruises, where the entire ship became Kosher and checked by the Rabbinic Kosher Court. Shabbat is a full rest day, and all the delicious cuisine is Kosher. In addition, the tours at the different stops of the cruise often include the local Jewish sites and places of interest.

A grand vista of possibilities is now in reach where Jewish vacations are concerned. The observant Jew is no longer limited to locales with Jewish places of interest - after all, Jewish tours to Europe have existed for years to places including Amsterdam (the Anne Frank house), Poland (Auschwitz and other concentration camps), London (the D'Israeli residence), and others. However, Jewish tourists can travel to places they had never dreamed of - the Far East, South America, Africa, as well as different locations in Europe.

It's time to forget all the restrictions that prevented you, as an observant Jew, from traveling all over the world. Have you been dreaming of visiting China? South Africa? Perhaps you've been daydreaming of the perfect wilderness trip to Alaska? It is time to stop dreaming - your Kosher Jewish vacation may be just around the corner!

About the Author

Short on options for Jewish vacations or Kosher vacations? Bitten by the Travel Bug? Aching to visit exotic locations but need Jewish travel? Visit Kosher Expeditions Today! Your next vacation may be a click away!

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