Traveling Solo,
Traveling Jewish
holiday hospitality as well as kosher
eateries, complete with information
about the kosher certification.
Ginsburg says the first way to find
kosher eats is to call the local
Orthodox synagogue. Sometimes a
travel agency will also help, and many )
But there are ways to infuse travel
have brochures. "When I went to
with Jewish observance. Pearl
Amsterdam,
I had a book called For
Ginsburg, an Orthodox Jew from
the
Jewish
Traveler
in Amsterdam, from
Great Neck, N.Y., who has kept
a
travel
agent
there.
Spain has one,
kosher on all seven continents, goes to
too."
the library before each trip. She also
Ginsburg says the Frommer and
asks around — including the rabbi or
Fodor travel books mention kosher
other shul members, for observant
restaurants and synagogues. "If it's a
contacts in destination cities.
foreign
country and you don't speak
Also check The Jewish Traveler, edit-
the
language,
like when I wanted to
ed by Alan M. Tigay (Jason Aronson
know
about
Venice,
write to them —
Inc.), and the Jewish Traveler's Resource
they
always
find
somebody
who speaks
Guide, by Jeff Seidel
English,
and
I
get
a
letter
back
telling
(Feldheim Publishers).
me
what
facilities
there
are
for
Jewish
Both books offer exten-
food."
sive information about
Ginsburg and her husband take
Jewish communities all
what they call a "chuck wagon" — a
over the world.
tote bag with kosher food and Shabbat.--/
The Jewish Traveler
—\
equipment.
The best items to take?
includes most major
Canned produce, sardines, tuna and i7\
cities (nothing about
salmon,
and "Manischewitz little
Detroit) — sights to see,
matzah squares, for Shabbos kiddush
books to read and a few
and rnotzi." Ginsburg puts crackers in
Jewish contacts.
a plastic soap dish to prevent break-
Seidel's book lists fami-
age.
lies in nearly every city
Also, "little splits of Kedem wine,
in the world who can
portable
candles and Havdalah set and
arrange Shabbat and
three little knives — milchig, fleishig
and pareve," paper plates, plastic cut-
lery, cookies, cheese that doesn't
A sampling of travel
require
refrigeration and a salami.
brochures to help you
"You also can make arrangements
plan.
with the concierge — they will always
bring tea to your room. [And there's]
always Coke, God bless the OU —
Coke, Diet Coke, it's OU all over the
world." Cover the hotel room table
with an extra sheet, buy fruit or veg-
etables and voila, you've got Shabbat.
"A group that will always help you
out for Shabbos is Chabad — call
your local Chabad, tell them where
you're going, you have an assured
place for Shabbat," Ginsburg says.
Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, spokesman
for the worldwide Lubavitch move-
Cheaper, kosher and adventure travel are available
you just have to know where to look.
LYNNE MEREDITH COHN
StaffWriter
A
lthough it may be daunting
to take a trip by yourself,
more and more young
adults are doing so.
However, for those who want to
incorporate Shabbat observance or
kosher meals into their vacation, they
won't find it on most jaunts designed
for Jewish singles.
The Travel Industry
Association of America says
that 26 percent of the 224.6
million trips Americans took
last summer were made by
adults on their own. Twenty-
seven percent were by two
adults together.
Educational and cultural
travel is growing, while Club
Med getaways are staying stag-
nant at 222,000 North
American guests per year.
Traveling alone is normally
more expensive than going with
someone, as many hotels and
cruise lines charge a single sup-
plement (a surcharge for single
occupancy). Dining alone can
be awkward, with some restau-
rants delegating tables by the
kitchen for single diners. And
hotel rooms in most countries
are designed for two people to
share — single rooms can often
be tiny.
In some parts of the world,
it is not safe for women to trav-
el solo. Even in safer locales,
women are sometimes harassed
if they sit in a bar alone; in some parts
of the world, they will encounter
adversity simply walking down the
street unescorted.
Still, traveling by yourself can pro-
9/19
1997
78
vide opportunities to meet people
(especially on tours for singles), go
where you want without negotiation
and change plans at will. It also gives
time for introspection and self-explo-
ration — either geographically or spir-
itually.
Traveling Jewish
Sadly, there are few organized tours
for observant young adults. Some
group trips offer kosher food by
request, and some do not.
ESCORTED 84°'
NDE1VT
A representative from the Orthodox
Union's (OU) singles department
explains that singles generally don't
like to commit until the last minute,
so it's hard to plan a trip in advance.
(- /