“I thought about what I
would need in a vacation and
traveling with a large group,
”
Klein says, noting that most
of his clients travel in sizable
groups of 20-45 people. “I
tried to create a one-stop shop
for a kosher traveler without
having to compromise or miss
on any aspect of their vaca-
tion.
”
Klein’s Rentals can help with
all elements of vacation plan-
ning, including finding a vaca-
tion villa house to rent. The
business, which serves 1,200
families nationwide each year
(roughly 10,000 individuals),
also partners with different
synagogues and local rabbis
in various cities to help set up
kosher items in rental homes
for families.
“
A newer service we recently
added a few months ago is
kosher personal shopping,
”
Klein says. Right now, the
business’ main target area is
Orlando, Fla., which Klein
explains is quickly becoming
the No. 1 Jewish travel destina-
tion in the country.
“Kosher food in Orlando is
very limited,
” he adds. “When
we started kosher personal
shopping, customers simply
provide us with the kosher
groceries or items they need,
and we’ll go out and shop for
them, stocking their fridge and
their house with everything
they need.
”
That way, when customers
arrive, they can “focus on their
family and their vacation and
have a great time,
” Klein con-
tinues.
SERVING CUSTOMERS
NATIONWIDE
Outside of Orlando, Klein’s
Rentals works with clients
traveling to New York, New
Jersey, California, Miami and
even Up North Michigan, like
Mackinac Island. All rental
items are stored in a large
warehouse full of thousands of
products that clients can use
for their full kosher vacation
experience.
Now, Klein is gearing up for
the busiest travel period of the
year — Passover. “We expect
to help thousands of people
for Passover,
” he says.
“I would love it when you
think of planning a kosher
vacation, that anybody in the
country automatically thinks
of Klein’s Rentals,
” he says.
He even hopes to one day
potentially branch his busi-
ness out to Israel, a major
destination spot for the Jewish
community. “We have a lot of
customers that ask us about
helping them in Israel,
” Klein
adds, in addition to requests
for vacations in Greece. “That’s
definitely a goal for us.
”
In the meantime, however,
as he builds his dream busi-
ness, Klein continues to give
back to those in need.
“I was raised to always work
hard to create opportunities
for myself and for my family,
”
Klein says, who also supports
Yad Ezra, Oak Park EZ-Roll
and mentors young Jewish
entrepreneurs in the area. “I
was raised to help others and
to give back, to help them be
successful in what they do.
”
“I WAS RAISED TO ALWAYS WORK
HARD TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR MYSELF AND FOR MY FAMILY.”
— SRULI KLEIN
T
hree Michigan State
University students,
Jared Pazner of Franklin,
Darren Hollander of Farmington
Hills, and Tamara Hyman of
Satellite Beach, Florida, are
on the Chabad on Campus
Alternative Spring break
LivingLinks trip.
LivingLinks is an educational
and inspirational student trip to
Poland. According to its website,
“the weeklong journey travers-
es through cemeteries, death
camps, ghettos and other vestig-
es of Jewish life and loss across
Poland.
”
On March 8, the students
were in Lublin, Poland, where
the Jewish community is work-
ing at a Ukrainian refugee cen-
ter, providing clothing, food and
other necessities for thousands
of fleeing Ukrainians.
While the students were
speaking with some of the vol-
unteers, they learned the center
was out of food.
The students wanted to
help. They pooled together
funds by posting on social media
and asking friends and family,
and then went off to the grocery
store.
Rabbi Benzion Shemtov,
co-director of the Chabad
Student Center at MSU, received
a direct text from the students
along with the photo: “We just
left a refugee center. They were
out of food, so we are getting
more.
”
The students were able to
fill several grocery carts with
food they brought back to the
center.
Back at the Ukrainian refugee center: the students, volunteers
and refugees.
Students saw Ukrainian refugees
in need of food, so they went
grocery shopping.
MSU Students in Poland
Moved to Action
JN STAFF
MSU students Jared Pazner,
Darren Hollander and Tamara
Hyman load up grocery carts with
food for Ukrainian refugees.
MARCH 17 • 2022 | 37