Warm Up The Winter With Kosherica by Yochanan Gordon

Just a couple of weeks ago on a sunny Shabbos afternoon, I looked up at the sky and noticed a fleet of birds heading south. While at that moment in time I felt perfectly comfortable with the weather still in the high 60’s to the low 70’s, it seems that the birds begin to anticipate the frost of winter well before it actually arrives. Now, as we make our way into the month of November and then December, we will wake up day in and day out to a sheet of frost, perhaps even a little snow covering our car mirrors and windshields, at which point we wish that we could follow the seniors to their condos down south. While most of us cannot get away for the entire winter season, for the week or so that we can, Kosherica is going to the Caribbean. In order to accommodate all of our disparate schedules, Kosherica is embarking on a total of five cruises, four of which leave on different dates, beginning with December 26 (which is nearly sold out), then on January 16, 2011, January 23, 2011 (one Norwegian and one with Celebrity Solstice), and finally an all new cruise on February 25, 2011. The Kosherica family has been committed to excellence, setting new standards in both cruise and on-land getaways for over a decade and a half. Anyone who has traveled during that time with Kosherica is hard pressed to pinpoint exactly what about the overall experience they enjoyed most. Their constant attention to the details and their consideration to the thoughts and suggestions of their clientele continue to bolster and solidify their stellar reputation until this very day. Offy Shifman, one of the founders of the Kosherica Company, said that Kosherica creates each tour vacation with their customers in mind. While most people would be satisfied with the basic amenities found aboard any of the world-class cruise liners, there are some who join to partake specifically in the intellectually stimulating lectures, symposiums, and workshops, or to enjoy a series of shiurim from world-renowned lecturers and orators in a laidback environment. It is precisely for this reason that Kosherica goes to great lengths in inviting new and exciting personalities on every getaway. On that note, Offy was excited to inform me that they have just reached a deal with Alan Dershowitz who will join the January 16 cruise to the Caribbean. Alan Dershowitz is an American lawyer, jurist, political commentator, and Mid East Analyst. He has spent most of his career at Harvard University, where at the age of 28, he became the youngest full professor of law in its history. He is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. Dershowitz is known for his career as an attorney in several high profile cases and as a commentator on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Dershowitz is sure to shed some keen commentary and profound insights and most importantly, truth, behind this dizzying dispute. Also joining Dershowitz as a scholar in residence is Rabbi Levi Shemtov of Washington, DC. Rabbi Shemtov has acted as a liaison of sorts carrying Jewish awareness to the White House. He is responsible for the famous Chanukah menorah lighting on Capitol Hill every year. In addition, the January 16 cruise is Kosherica’s all famous Jewish music festival at sea featuring the Jewish world’s most exciting entertainers such as Avraham Fried, Dudu Fisher, Lipa Schmeltzer, Cantors Chaim Adler, Ben Zion Miller, father and son Naftali and Netanel Hershtik, Yaakov Motzen, Yaakov Stark, and more. If you are an amateur singer looking to make inroads for yourself into the industry, the next “Kosherica Idol” competition is your opportunity to be heard by the most talented vocalists and musicians of our time. Coinciding with the yeshiva midwinter break, Kosherica’s Eastern Caribbean seven night cruise embarks on January 23, 2011. The entertainment for this cruise features Cantors Yitzchak Meir Helfgot and Shlomo Simcha along with world renowned cantorial accompanist Daniel Gildar. Unique to this yeshiva break cruise, for a limited time only, is a starting rate of $1,299 as well as no charge for the third and fourth child cruisers. In addition the Norwegian Cruiseline Kid’s Crew has a program of activities to keep the little ones occupied; places to go and kids to meet. It’s like recess, only longer. Sleep-away camp, only better. Your children won’t get homesick, but they also won’t get underfoot. You can enjoy a massage while they’re on a treasure hunt. Play roulette while they’re camping out, or head for the chocoholic buffet while they’re having a pillow fight at a pajama party. Every minute they spend in Kid’s Crew is carefully supervised by a staff of youth counselors from leading universities and organizations. Prior to coming aboard, they attend a special training course on team and confidence building, communication skills, safety, and working with children who have special needs. Together they’ve come up with an impressive bag of tricks for your kids. There are circuses, crafts, parades, sports, games, stories, parties, as well as campouts with flashlights and tents. There is t-shirt painting, face painting, treasure hunts, and sand castle competitions on their private island. And even shore excursions designed just for families. Of course they promise they’ll give the children plenty of time to spend with their parents, too. Shoot some hoops at the basketball court. Take them to the magic show. Let junior beat you at table tennis. (Or maybe try hard not to.) Take the whole gang bowling at the three-lane bowling alley at sea. Play a game of pick up on the sports deck. Play Wii™ on a two-story screen or a video game in the arcade room. Scale the huge rock climbing wall or play a game of darts, pool, or foosball. There’s always something going on for the entire family to enjoy and with this much to do, they’ll be begging for another hour before bed. Leaving also on the January 23 is a cruise featuring scholar-in-residence Rabbi Eliezer Shusterman of Share Torah Congregation of Pittsburgh, PA. Rabbi Shusterman is a dynamic speaker who engages audiences of all ages and backgrounds speaking on topics from tefillah to Jewish mysticism as well as Judaism for beginners. In addition to the amazing line up of cruises, Kosherica is proud to announce a stunning PASSOVER CRUISE from Miami to Los Angeles. Kosherica is also doing a world class Passover program at the PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach. Catering is by Prestige and under the strict supervision of the ORB. The whole hotel is Kosher for Passover. Call 877 Sail Kosher, 305-695-2700 or visit www.kosherica.com to reserve your space today. If you have cruised before or been away for Pesach and you think you know what to expect, Kosherica has added many features to catch you off guard. If this is your first tour with Kosherica, be prepared for this to be the first of many.