Travel

This past summer quite a few family members vacationed in Israel, some of them with young children. I remember how difficult flying from New York to Israel can be with small children, so with this in mind, I advised all of my family to book Isroyal VIP service along with their flight.

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Although there are more direct and faster routes to Beer Sheva and Eilat and all the sites and towns in-between, the Basor River is one of the beauties of the Negev that defiantly justifies a diversion.

Last month, my husband and I spent a couple of days revisiting the 'city of brotherly love.' Here are some of the highlights:

There was a Bose speaker sound system that allowed you to connect your phones to it and put on whatever music you like. This really was a game changer! With the music playing in our capsule, we started moving higher and higher, while the view became increasingly magnificent.

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If you're looking to just visit for a day at the beach, do three days of activities, or even a full week of relaxing including a Shabbat, the shore is ready for you.

The 12-acre resort offers a unique blend of luxury and calm simplicity at a price that is not extremely crazy.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the day was seeing the whale keep resurfacing near our boat.

Machtesh Ramon is considered by some to be the most exquisite site on the planet. Located south of Beersheba in the Central Negev, not only is Machtesh Ramon the most spectacular geological sight in Eretz Yisrael, it contains within it some unique geological formations that are not found anywhere else on earth.

When contemplating the Negev, one must set aside any preconcieved notion of what a desert is. In Eretz Yisrael there are no rolling yellow sand dunes in softly rising and falling landscapes as unbroken as the sea. Far from being a simple expanse of sand, the Negev is marked by a mélange of cliffs, crags, boulders and dry river vadies. Where the Judean Desert ends, the Negev begins, an impressive region of low sandstone hills, rocky peaks (for example the high plateau area of Ramat HaNegev - The Negev Heights - stands between 370 meters and 520 meters), and plains rutted with narrow canyons. The Negev Desert is mesmerizing, beautiful and rich in geological history.

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The Kotel Hakatan is the “little sister” of the well-known Western Wall, and is reminiscent of the photos and drawings of the way the Kotel looked before 1948. It is located 200 yards further north of the Kotel, and is on the same level as Har HaBayit (the Temple Mount). Since its plaza is much narrower, and the majority of the wall is underground (thereby concealing much of its height), the Small Wall is less impressive than the Western Wall.

It's a story that's familiar to every student of American history. In 1620, the Pilgrims fled England aboard the Mayflower and founded the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, where they could freely practice their religion. A little known, but equally significant, historical event took place just a few years later in 1658, when another group seeking a haven from religious persecution sailed into Newport Harbor in Rhode Island and founded Congregation Jeshuat Israel.

Even if you are not Shwekey, and you want to come with your family, this is a nice place to spend Shabbat and unwind, or take a quiet hiatus from manic touring.

For geographically challenged people, like me, the trail is very easy to spot and well-marked. You should be able to see the next trail marking from the one you’re standing at.

Midrash Berashis Rabbah says that on the day that Rabi Akiva gave up his soul al Kiddush Hashem, Reb Yehudah HaNasi was born. A seven-generation descendent of Hillel HaZaken, Rebbe was the son of Rabban Shimon ben Gamlial, and of the royal line of Dovid HaMelech.

This mitzpeh, or outlook, is a memorial to soldiers who fell during the “Mirdafim” (Pursuits) that took place in the area for about three years after the Six-Day War.

The Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews is designed to tell the whole thousand-year story of the Jews in Poland.

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         It is said that Poland is one large Jewish cemetery. While that is not 100 percent true, anytime people dig in Poland, they...

There are no more luxurious accommodations in Jerusalem than at the David Citadel Hotel.

Stroll through formal gardens, ride mountain bikes, or go rock climbing.

Many believe that Kol Nidre was created in response to the conversos’ plight and their need to nullify their conversion vows.

On a beautiful sunny day in the middle of August, my husband and I took an incredible boat ride around Manhattan Island.

"I didn't choose the landscape; it chose me."

With the famous Touro Synagogue, a variety of mansions, each with its own distinct personality, as well as the beautiful coast, Rhode Island makes for an excellent vacation spot.

Animals at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo come from all over the world, and it has recently welcomed an international roster of animals.