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See The World

JCC travel program offers stress-free vacations with congenial friends.

DIANA LIEBERMAN

I t was late in the day Tuesday, Feb.
24, and Clara Krugel of
Southfield was tired but happy.
Krugel, now 88, had. just
returned from a trip to Arizona, where
she'd been on the go for 14 days.
Based in Scottsdale, she'd toured
Mesa, Tucson and Tempe, hiked into
Sabino Canyon and gone shopping in
the rarified air of Sedona.
A van had provided two-way shuttle
service between her home and Detroit
Metro Airport, and she had no worries
about schedules, food or accommoda-
tions. Best of all, she was accompanied
by 43 friendly people, some from the
Jewish Community Center of Metro-

3/19

2004

8C

politan Detroit and others from the
Chicago JCC.
"On the Center trips, you don't have
to worry about anything," said Krugel,
who has taken dozens of JCC-organ-
ized trips. "They make all the deci-
sions, all the plans. All you have to do
is show up."
Since 1986, the JCC has offered
both overnight and day tours, to sites
ranging from Detroit's Orchestra Hall
to the Great Wall of China.
"Basically, we are offering the cama-
raderie of Jewish people on trips with
Jewish themes," said Marilyn Wolfe,
who has led the JCC travel depart-
ment since its inception 18 years ago.

STAFF WRITER

For the two-week Arizona
On a scenic village time," she says.
trip, the price per person for
street in Ireland
The first trip for Center
JCC members, based on dou- are Marilyn Wolft
Travel was in 1986, when
ble occupancy, was $2,375.
and Helen Husid
Wolfe led a group to
Single occupancy was $3,450
of West Bloomfield Miami Beach. "We have
and non-JCC members paid
taken giant leaps since
an extra $150.
then, in scope, in choice
The trip included Shabbat obser-
of destination," she said. "The world
vance, a play at the Scottsdale Jewish
is now our limit."
Theatre and a tour of the 95-year-old
Stone Avenue Temple in Tucson, the
oldest synagogue in Arizona.
Thrills And Spills
Tour members can choose whether
At 87, Krugel was the oldest partici-
or not to participate in any given
pant on the two-week Scottsdale trip.
activity, Wolfe said. "But whatever
"And one of the most active," added
they do, they're an active group
Nora Stone, of West Bloomfield,
nobody sits by the pool the whole
another participant.