PGA Program: It's Not Just for Adults

Our recent PGA program was incredible! Since it is not a ride we can restart we'll just have to wait (impatiently) for the non-stop entertainment, stimulating lectures, shiurim and kids programming to return.

My little one loved Kosherica/Leisure day camp. Every morning she pulled at my sleeve begging me to go. The majority of the counselors were young New Yorkers. They gave my daughter about a million hugs and got her excited about the fun games and activities they had planned for her. Each day depending on chol hamoed or Tom tov featured rock climbing, water slides and carnival rides. At 4:30 every day there was a kids show with magicians, animals, clowns and jugglers. It was like a Kosher Disneyland!

This was the first Pesach I felt truly comfortable leaving my child in camp so that I could have a little bit of mommy me time. In my case this meant attending lectures by M. Gary Neuman, Oprah's go to therapist, who discussed how to create better relationships. Additionally, Rabbi Mordechai Shifman proved to be a brilliant rabbinical scholar. He made the most difficult concepts seem easy to grasp. And Professor Mark Shapiro gave a wonderful lecture on Judiac studies. No wonder his classes always have a wait list!

I didn't study the whole time. I also went to my version of Disneyland-esque day camp: the spa! The deep tissue hot stone massage at the 5 star spa was dreamy. Walking from treatment to treatment in a plush robe made my worries melt away.

Bookmark this blog if you haven't already. Next week I will review the wonderful entertainment at the PGA Passover program!

Great Travel Photography Apps

Photo Credit: images.businessweek.com

A close friend of mine spent years travelling the globe in search of that one great picture. In my opinion he captured thousands of pictures worthy of that title--photos that express mood, emotion and richness of culture. But, it took him a long time and left him with a bad back compliments of the heavy equipment he had to lug around.

Luckily we live in the future. Nowadays all you need to capture great travel photos is an adventurous spirit and the right apps!

Camera+ is an app I love. It has fantastic features that allow you to tweak the color and framing of each picture. Plus, you can give your photos a complete style make-over. My personal favorites are toy camera and 70s.

Halftone is another fun app. It allows you transform your pictures into cartoon versions with captions and stock sayings. It's great for a laugh and it's easy to use. Photoshop wizardry is not needed!

What are your favorite photo apps? Post suggestions on our site or Facebook page!

Kosher Cruise to the Baltics!

Photo Credit: traveldk.com

The Baltics have a wealth of Jewish history. On our Baltic Kosher cruise you can soak it all in while reveling in luxury and enjoying exciting entertainment options. The cruise starts on Wednesday, August 14th and ends on August 23rd. Stops include Stockholm, Helsinki and St. Petersburg.

In St. Petersburg you'll have a full two-days to explore the local culture and thriving Jewish community. We will be giving VIP tours of Catherine's Palace, the great Synagogue, the Hermitage, Peterhoff Palace, the main shopping district and incredible canal rides. Over these two days we'll delve into the rich history of St. Petersburg to help give you a deeper understanding of this historic Baltic city.

At every port you will have access to knowledgable tour guides who will take you around to the most important Jewish cultural and historic sites as well as general interest stops.

Natural beauty, deep cultural history, great food and fun entertainment--you'll have to leave when it's over, but you won't want to!

Have you traveled to the Baltics before? What were some of your favorite experiences?

The Magic of Greece on a Jewish Cruise

Photo Credit: travelinstyle.com

Azure seas. Craggy cliffs. White washed buildings with bright blue roofs. A horizon that seems to stretch on forever. The images of the Greek Isles and their Mediterranean splendor are iconic. But, the images do not prepare you for the wonder of sailing into port with a warm breeze on your face and the smell of spices and food in the air. Of all our Jewish cruise destinations few can compare to sensory experience of Greece.

A stop on the island of Kataklon will give you the opportunity to experience Greece at its slow, timeless best. Rent a scooter and visit nearby villages and secluded beaches. Stop for lunch at a quiet cafe atop the cliffs. Venture up the hill to browse the goods sold by the local merchants.

If it's history you are after Greece is full of it, including Jewish history. Athens has a long Jewish history. And the ancient city Dubrovnik is the site of one of the oldest synagogues in Europe. On our last trip we were able to arrange a private Jewish tour guide to give us a tour of the synagogue and fill us in on the history of the synagogue and its place in the local community.

Additionally, this particular cruise sails round-trip from Venice, Italy one of the most unique cities in the world. Venice has a diverse Jewish community led by Rabbi Rami Banin. For a culinary experience the Gam-Gam restaurant is an excellent choice. They prepare delectable Italian dishes as well as Shabbat meals.

Greece is a magical place. And what better way to experience that magic than on a cruise ship surrounded by fellow Jewish travelers?

Introducing the Amazing Breakaway!

Photo Credit: coolcruisenews.com

We have a new ship in our fleet. It's called Breakaway. And it is a stunner.

Starting this summer we will be sailing on NCL's newest cruiseship. Breakaway is a wonderland of activities for both adults and children--the perfect vessel for families.

Let's start at the very beginning--the dock. Breakaway leaves from New York. How great is that? Once on board you will have so many great options it will be tough to decide where and how to spend your cruise time. But, imagine if you will...

You start your morning with an incredible breakfast. The sun is shining and the air is warm. The kids are bouncing with excitement because they know what's coming. Aqua park! The waterslides and pools in the park are a blast and will keep your kids entertained for hours. By the time afternoon rolls around they will be worn out and ready for a siesta.

If your kids aren't waterbugs, Breakaway has a sports complex with a rock climbing wall, ropes course and mini-golf. At kids camp they can watch movies in the kids theatre, do arts and crafts or test their gaming skills on PlayStation and Wii.

We know what you're thinking, "What about me?" Well, for moms and dads the spa will be an ideal escape while the kids are in camp. This is not your everyday spa, it's a state-of-the-art facility with more than 50 treatments.

At the end of each amazing day at sea you will be able to return a beautifully designed and comfortable cabin.

We can't wait to see you in NYC, ready to board our exciting new ship!

Rabbi YY Jacobson wows on Jewish Sea Cruise

Kosherica was thrilled to have Rabbi YY Jacobson participate in our Jewish Music Festival Cruise. He kindly gave lectures and shiurum on a broad range of topics that greatly boosted the program. In fact for two straight Friday nights we had unforgettable Fabrengens that lasted into the wee hours of the morning!

Rabbi Jacobson's topics covered Shalom Bayis, educating children and finding a real and lasting spark in every Jew. We were amazed by Rabbi Jacobson's ability to bring all of these topics together in his closing lecture during the final Shabbat.

"This was the best cruise I've ever been on," remarked Joseph Schwartz. "The food was magnificent, the singers were amazing and Rabbi Jacobson is a star. I couldn't have imagined a greater experience."

Kosherica and Giving

Kosherica is proud to give donations to over 40 charities a year!

Since Kosherica's inception over 20 years ago, we have made a commitment to being a charitable organization. Giving back to the community is part of our company's motivation to excel. Our company is a family run organization that values chesed. Each day we ask ourselves, how can we positively impact the world?

Kosherica feels blessed that organizations like the Make A Wish foundation gives us the opportunity to create some good in the world (we feel especially blessed if it's creating happiness in a child's life!) There is nothing more wonderful then seeing a child's eyes light up when they realize a dream of theirs is coming true. There is nothing like seeing hope exude from their being. Those children give us motivation to keep our commitments to the community. They are our inspiration!

Below is a link to the Aleph Institutes' new auction. Kosherica is a yearly sponsor. Please join us in helping them and please remember that we are all citizens of this world and the smallest effort can greatly impact others for the better.