Travel april 18 by Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

26 APRIL 2018

Supplement

Room With A View • 70 Reasons To Go To Israel • Shedding light on Lisbon Edited by Brigit Grant

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / A window to the world

The bathroom at Sofitel, Darling Harbour, Sydney

oom RVIEW with a

Balcony at Anse Chastanet Resort, St. Lucia

Terrace read at Royal Prisco, Positano

SOMETIMES EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO SEE IS THROUGH THE WINDOW Trump Hotel room by the Wrigley Building Clock Tower, Chicago

A soak at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

Nightcap at Shangri-La Hotel, Paris

Room service at Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Rome

Private sunbathing at Villa Katikies, Santorini

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

A window to the world / Travel

Spectacle at Embassy Suites, Niagara Falls

FROM STANDING ON A CLIFF to examining Old Harry Rocks in Dorset to climbing the fortress steps in Kotor to view Montengro, there are many sights worth catching across the globe. But there’s something to be said about seeing some of them from the comfort of your room. Bracing all weather conditions in the correct walking shoes or sun hat to sightsee may tick a lot of people’s boxes, but wearing your PJs and sipping a macchiato on a balcony while looking at Rome’s Colosseum puts luxury wrapping around an educational experience. I distinctly remember a joyous stay at The K Club in County Kildare, where the suite boasted windows large enough to make it possible to sunbathe without getting out of bed while taking in the sweeping green Irish countryside beyond. Similarly, my apartment in New York caught a reflection of the Chrysler Building in the balcony door that allowed guests to ogle a landmark while watching TV. There is, of course, a hefty additional charge for such views, but some of these are irresistible. Take a look.....

Learn at Palazzo Manfredi, Rome

Dreaming at Orchid Hotel, Tel Aviv

DREAMING OF THAILAND

7 nights on B&B basis with flights FROM £855 per person

AHOY HOLIDAYS also offer worldwide beach holidays, city breaks, spa breaks suitable for families, couples and honeymooners Ahoy Holidays are UK based operators that can sell flights departing from outside the UK, i.e: Israel, all over Europe and USA We also provide hotel only deals.

Call:

0203 026 0001 0207 405 8800 ABTA/ATOL bonded

www.ahoyholidays.co.uk

Aleenta Phuket

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / Australia

LET’S GO

Down Under

AUSTRALIA - FROM WAY UP NORTH where the Great Barrier Reef lies, to way down south and the magnificent Great Ocean Road, the country welcomes tourists from all over the world. The Kimberley Gardens Hotel is located down south in Melbourne, in the heart of the Jewish community. Built in the 1980s, the hotel has become an

Australian icon in the Jewish community. “It’s a unique experience staying at our hotel,” says general manager Warren Slabe. “We’re the only hotel in the country that truly understands the unique needs of our Jewish guests. Everything from mezuzahs on the doors, Shabbat candles, Havdalah, kosher Shabbat meals, our annual Pesach retreat, kashering kitchens, proximity to shuls.” Mr Slabe came to the hotel in 2015 to renovate and modernise it. Since then it has undertaken significant changes. “It’s been such an exciting time,” he says. “I’ve learnt a lot about our community and their needs when they travel. We receive Jewish guests from every corner of the world who want to feel comfortable and welcome when they stay with us. There is a certain comfort factor needed when you arrive and realise that we understand you.” One of the hotel’s attractions is its unique free-

standing townhouses. Renovated in 2017, they are perfect for larger families, as they accommodate up to eight eight guests comfortably. Within the hotel, rooms are designed to cater for all types of travellers, whatever their budget. “I have specifically restricted how many rooms I renovated and modernised,” says Mr Slabe. “Not every guest wants what we call a superior room or an executive spa room. Sometimes they want a basic room with a comfortable bed at a very affordable price. We offer both types of accommodation.” Competing in the Australian market is tough. “As an accommodation provider, you have to stand out,” explains Mr Slabe. “You have to have a point of difference to get noticed, something unique and compelling. I work tirelessly to achieve that, and it’s the value this hotel brings to the Jewish community that makes all the difference. No other hotel comes close to understanding how to look after the Jewish traveller.” Located in St Kilda East, the hotel is a low-rise garden setting one, with an indoor heated pool and spa and even has an on-site shul. Here’s to an unforgettable ‘kosher’ experience down under. www.kimberleygardenshotel.com.au

WORK HARD! PLAY HARD! Professional Coaching Video Analysis Strategic/Tactical Games Max 4 Players/court 2h Tennis 1h Physical Training

Sports Team Games & Tournaments Excursions Pasta & Pizza Parties Shabbat Atmosphere English Classes Doctor on site 24h Security on site 24h Synagogue on premises Kosher lemeahadrin

+39 3401750555 +33 6 98435198 playkosher@gmail.com

www.playkosher.com

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Try

Thailand / Travel

THAI and

RESPECT

DON’T think you’ll be seeing this anytime soon down Romford Market, but what I witnessed at a typical local market in Thailand left me feeling as warm inside as the 30-degree temperature outside. It had all seemed fairly uneventful as I browsed a colourful collection of fruit and vegetables, just enjoying the general atmosphere as people nattered away and goods and money exchanged hands. Suddenly, as the clock struck 8am, you could have heard a pin drop. The national anthem started playing from a loudspeaker – and the level of respect was jawdropping. Sure enough, the stallholder was no longer interested in my bahts and for the next couple of minutes the delicious-looking dragon fruit was out of my reach. The sense of national pride on display at this Phuket marketplace was even more overpowering than the smell of fresh fish! It was not the sort of scene you read about in the holiday brochure, but I was honoured to be a part of it. They actually stop again for the national anthem at 6pm daily – and, should you head to the local flicks, hold fire on munching popcorn as they play it before the film comes on.

SERVICE

Beyond the anthem, respect is still second nature for Thai citizens, which is refreshing when you come from London, and never more so than as a guest in hotels. From the manager to the cleaners, good manners and friendly greetings were forthcoming at the Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas and the Anantara Layan Phuket Resort. In all honesty, the attention and pampering left me feeling like a king.

EXPERIENCE

If you just want to relax, then this is the place to do it, and in the sort of setting Robinson Crusoe would have felt at home. But if you require more, there is plenty to keep you busy. Tennis, cycling and yoga are all on offer, but I tried Thai boxing. Lek was my instructor and it was evident he super-fit enough to throw me out the ring. But he was respectful and in one lesson taught me that one has to be fast with both hands and feet, which is tough for one who struggles with speed. Feeling more schmucky than Rocky by the end, I decided out for the count on my sunlounger was preferable.

SHAPING UP

The boxing lesson did confirm how unfit I was, especially during the stretching exercises, but you can change things like that at a world-class hotel. At the Thai hermit exercise class at the Layan Resort, I was taught the Ruesi Dat Ton routine, which was developed by Thai monks many centuries ago to restore energy after long periods of meditation. It’s said to help prevent illness and treat ailments in their early stages. While this form of yoga is wonderful, I still preferred the magical massage at the Mai Khao spa. The signature treatment left me floating on air and ready for another tough day... reading my thriller by the pool.

EATING

Thailand boasts excellent weather pretty much all year round. Even during the rainy season, the downpours generally don’t last long. But the temperature was rising in more ways than one as I enjoyed my own private cookery lesson with chef Suthat at the Layan

MARK SILVER ATE, DRANK AND KICK-BOXED IN PHUKET

Resort. Replicating his mouthwatering Pad Thai noodle dish was the aim, but with my cooking skills on a par with my Thai boxing, chef Suthhat needed to be patient. Fortunately we had built up a rapport while shopping for the ingredients at the market and, under his watchful eye, the results were delicious, particularly the mango sticky rice dessert, which is very popular.

OUT & ABOUT

If you really wanted to splash out (and, believe me, you won’t be disappointed) stay at the Layan Residences by Anantara – your very own private haven with a butler on hand and every luxury you can think of. They are also for sale at up to $12million dollars a piece! Although it feels like a chore setting foot outside the hotels, there are some amazing sights in Phuket and none more so than in Phang Nga Bay, which includes the island of Koh Tapu, known as James Bond Island for its appearance in the 1974 film The Man With The Golden Gun, starring Roger Moore. The whole region is breathtaking – the limestone cliffs and rock formations so beautiful – and I’ve never enjoyed a boat ride more. James Bond Island, as you would expect, is a bit touristy, but we went on to the mangrove forests, where I relaxed on a kayak and lapped up the peaceful surroundings and stunning scenery. Make this a must-do.

DUMBO

Another must is the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, which opened only a year ago and rescues these incredible animals from a life of misery in the tourist industry. The Jurassic Park-like setting alone is a bit special and the experience unforgettable as you learn how badly elephants are treated in the name of entertainment. Here, they are cared for properly and the entry price of £70 is worth every penny as it is reinvested in the project.

WHAT ABOUT US?

There is a small history of Jewish settlement in Thailand and there remains a sprinkling of Jews living in the country, mostly in Bangkok. Jews first arrived in the 17th century with the Baghdadi Jewish families. These days, there are a few hundred descendants of refugees from Russia. There is a tiny Jewish community in Phuket with one or two synagogues, and the numbers do increase significantly during the main religious holidays, with many arriving from Israel and America. Anantara Layan Phuket www.phuket-layan.anantara.com Layan Residences by Anantara www.phuket-residences.anantara.com Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas www.phuket.anantara.com

CAESAREA, ISRAEL PROPERTY FOR SALE

Livneh Street, Cluster 3, Caesarea, Israel Recently rezoned with potential for swimming pool

£1.2m

Beachside Property requiring total refurbishment or rebuild with breath-taking unimpeded views of the Mediterranean and aqueduct. 4/5 bedrooms, 3 baths and large open plan reception area. Close to shopping centre, tennis courts and golf club. Size of House approx. 245 sq. metres.

Contact Catherine on +44 (0) 7747 603 737 Kick-boxing is ditched in favour of kicking back at the Anantara Layan in Phuket

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / Portugal

SHEDDING LIGHT

Lisbon ON

BEN KENTISH DROPS IN ON PORTUGAL’S CAPITAL

isbon is often called the City of Light. Standing on the ramparts of the castle that sits overlooking the city, it is not hard to see why. We made the climb late on a spring afternoon, the sky still a perfect blue but the

shadows lengthening over the cobbled streets and statue-filled plazas. The late afternoon sun illuminates a sea of terracotta roofs and buildings in every shade of pastel packed like monopoly houses between the two hills that encase central Lisbon. There for a long weekend, my friend and I were keen to uncover one of Europe’s hottest destinations and its hidden Jewish history. As the sun begins to set, we stroll down through the district of Alfama, the streets getting quieter and narrower with every turn. This is the oldest part of Lisbon and one of the few areas not destroyed by the earthquake of 1755, in which up to 75,000 people died. It once housed the city’s medieval Jewish quarter – a history now only vaguely alluded to by street names such as Rua da Judiaria. Preparations for the major St Anthony’s Day celebrations are well underway; colourful paper lanterns are strung from lamp posts and

SEE YOU IN BERLIN!

The 4 star plus hotel is located in the heart of Germany´s capital at the shopping mile Kurfürstendamm and close to all main attractions. www.cp-berlin.com

The Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre offers First Class Superior comfort and excellent kosher services:

• 423 rooms including 11 suites • comprehensive meeting facilities with a total space of 1.300 m² The only hotel in Berlin with kosher services • kosher continental breakfast • kosher lunch and dinner (packed, on request) • Shabbat rooms (no electric key) • synagogue in only 8 minutes walking distance Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre Nürnberger Strasse 65 · 10787 Berlin · Germany Tel: +49 (0)30-210070 · Fax: +49 (0)30-2132009 E-mail: info@cp-berlin.com · www.cp-berlin.com

stalls have been set up to sell the local speciality liqueur – sweet, cherry-based ginjinha. As we wander down cobbled alleys linking shaded courtyards, the light from the setting sun flickers through the gaps between buildings and locals cook sardines on pavement grills. Being one of Europe’s hilliest cities, Lisbon uses a series of funiculars to transport people up the inclines, while bright yellow trams shuttle locals and tourists around the winding, streets. Jumping on one of them the following morning, we are ferried along the banks of the Tagus river, where couples stroll hand in hand and elderly men sit playing cards. Stopping for a quick lunch, we dive into the cavernous Time Out Market, where an assortment of stalls sell meats, fish and all sorts of local delicacies inside a huge warehouse. Spend an hour here and you’ll savour some mouth-watering local food alongside an assortment of international dishes. Our destination, though, is the riverside suburb of Belém, a few kilometres from the city centre. Here the towering Jerónimos Monastery is the main attraction – all manicured quadrangles tucked below gleaming limestone turrets. We stop for a snack at Pastéis de Belém, where the famous Portuguese custard tart was

invented. The cafe building includes a small factory that churns out 10,000 tarts a day, and 20,000 at weekends. “Do you sell them all over the world?” I ask our waiter. “No,” comes the reply. “They’re all eaten here.” The queue down the street ensures this isn’t hard to believe. Stuffed, we head back towards the city centre. Shaded alleys meet wide leafy boulevards in Baroque squares as we hop on a tram through Bairro Alto, with its near-vertical streets and bars tumbling onto pavements, and finally reach our hotel, the Tivoli Avenida Liberdade. The five-star hotel was completely refurbished last year and is the epitome of chic. It’s tucked off one of Lisbon’s leafiest boulevards – upmarket Avenida Liberdade, where suited businessmen hurry past gleaming designer windows in the shade of a tunnel of trees. Inside, the hotel is equally classy. A plush marble lobby leads to a fish and seafood restaurant that offers fine dining at corresponding prices. In the evening, a live pianist sets the scene for a relaxing drink after a long day strolling in the sun. Rooms are modern and comfortable, the beds sink-in splendid and the shower possibly the most luxurious I’ve ever used. An outdoor pool surrounded by sub-tropical foliage provides an oasis of calm in the heart of the city, and the hotel spa offers a range of top-notch treatments. We finish the day with cocktails at the outdoor rooftop bar overlooking the city, watching the sun dip down behind the rooftops as, in the streets below, the nightlife begins. To discover the city’s Jewish history, we connected with local guide Sandra Montez, who took us on a fascinating tour of the Jewish sites, including a towering Dominican church where many of the Inquisition’s leaders were based. The building was almost entirely destroyed in the earthquake – karma, some locals say, for the actions of its former leaders. Outside the church is a small plaque commemorating the victims and acknowledging the role of the Catholic Church in orchestrating the trials and punishments. It is small and inconspicuous, missed by most but an important memorial to centuries of suffering.

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Portugal / Travel Our tour ends at the vast Praça do Comércio square on the banks of the gleaming river; the place where many sentenced to death during the Inquistion were killed. “It’s a period of our history that is too often ignored,” Sandra admits. But that is changing. A new Jewish museum is due to open later this year. The driving force behind it is children’s author and community matriarch Esther Mucznik, who we meet at Shaare Tikvah – Lisbon’s only shul. It has taken 20 years for city authorities to give permission, and Esther still has a battle on her hands to convince some locals that the museum’s modern design won’t ruin the historic area with its three floors of various exhibitions about Portugal’s Jewry. That it is located in the heart of Alfama, where so many Jewish families lived for centuries before the Inquisition, is a symbolism not lost on anyone. It is a sign of a city beginning to accept its rich Jewish history, and another reason, if one were needed, to visit this shimmering city on the hills.

Jewish Lisbon

Nightly rates at Tivoli Avenida Liberdade start from 195 euros for a Superior double room on a B&B basis. www.minorhotels.com/ en/tivoli/tivoli-avenidaliberdade-lisboa Contact local tour guide Sandra Montez on sandramontez@clix.pt

While Lisbon’s Catholic history is visible everywhere, uncovering its Jewish heritage requires more effort. Until recently there were no kosher options for visitors, but Patricia and Joseph Lustigman changed all that when they opened up their own home to visitors as a charming B&B. The French couple have been living in Lisbon for 30 years and, as dedicated members of the Jewish community, wanted to welcome those who keep kashrut and also offer a Sephardic ancestry tour to everyone. “We are passionate about Lisbon,” says Patricia, who describes their tour as one of a kind. “With us, you will pursue a road less frequented by tourists, discovering historical facts and unfamiliar stories relating to the Portuguese Jewish community. The tour, which happens at strolling pace, is a delicious balance of history and anecdotes that begins in the 12th century.”

Their tour takes in the first expulsion of Jews from Portugal by the Visigoths, through the period of the 13th and 15th centuries and the Portuguese Inquisition to modern day. “You will gain incredible insight of the role the remarkable courageous and humble Jewish community of Lisbon played during the Second World War and rediscover the daily life of Jewish refugees in the city,” adds Patricia. “We also go to the magnificent synagogue of Lisbon, inaugurated in 1904, by the Chief Rabbi of Gibraltar, Rev Moses Benaim, and continue through many other beautiful old quarters of Lisbon, such as Bairro Alto, Baixa, Carmo and Chiado.” As guests at the couple’s B&B, which is minutes from the synagogue, their Shabbat special includes Friday night dinner, Shabbat lunch and gourmet take-away kosher meals on request. www.kosherlisbon.com Call Patricia and Joseph Lustigman on +351 21 388 11 06

Gordonia Hotel, A rare mix of Jerusalem's astonishing mountain views with luxurious private suites, which include balcony's, hot tubs and private pools. An intimate holiday which provides the best opportunity to maximise relaxation. You're invited to celebrate your special moments and enjoy your perfect holiday in one of Israel's most spoiling hotels.

For Reserv ations: gordonia.com | + 972-2-5331342

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / Cyprus

AN ANNIVERSARY

Aphrodite! with

ALEX GALBINSKI AND HER HUSBAND CHECK IN TO APHRODITE HILLS RESORT IN CYPRUS FOR SOME MUCH-NEEDED R & R

s we took in the stunning clear blue water by Aphrodite’s Rock (Petra tou Romiou, as it is known in Greek), our cab driver told us that according to ancient legend, this was the birthplace of the Greek goddess of love and beauty. “It is said that if you swim around the rock three times in moonlight, you will find the woman of your dreams and have eternal youth,” said the driver. Without missing a beat, my husband pointed at me. “Doesn’t she look young enough already?” We were celebrating our anniversary in Cyprus, and our home was a three-bedroom Holiday Residences villa at Aphrodite Hills Resort with its own infinity pool with breathtaking views over the mountains and bright blue Mediterranean Sea. The award-winning five-star resort, between Limassol and Paphos, lies in the middle of a protected forest and is idyllic, complete with ancient olive and carob trees, manicured lawns and designed gardens. It spans 2.3 million sq metres, of which 92 percent is greenery and landscaping. Winters are fairly mild on the island, so it’s always a good time to visit. The accommodation ranges from apartments and junior villas – such as ours – to superior

properties, and the exclusive ‘Elite’ and ‘Mythos’ collection with extra benefits. Each comes with a fully-equipped kitchen, entertainment systems and access to private or communal pools. The resort is a golfer’s paradise; its 18-hole course, which spreads over 6,289 metres over two mountain plateaux, won the accolade ‘European Golf Resort of the Year 2018’ and has recently had a €2.5m upgrade. There are also eight floodlit tennis courts, a horse-riding school for all abilities, nature trails, mountain biking and an exclusive beach club a short drive away. Although we went without our children, the resort is family-friendly. The Aphrodite Hills Kids Club offers arts and crafts and sports activities for children aged from three to 12, along with a crèche, and there’s a soccer school (with a UEFA qualified coach) and a golf academy. As it was low season, we enjoyed an allinclusive arrangement with Atlantica’s Aphrodite Hills Hotel. The huge buffet at the Eleonas restaurant is sure to satisfy everyone, while the Fig & Olive à la carte restaurant provided for more formal and delicious Mediterranean dining. The latter’s pastry chef created a huge chocolate cake for our anniversary dinner that was so big we shared it with the staff.

The breathtaking view from the swimming pool at The Retreat Spa by Atlantica

A short walk from our villa was the ‘Village Square’, with 18 restaurants and bars, including Pithari Tavern (traditional island cuisine), Zimi Trattoria, and Gate to India. The Golf Clubhouse Restaurant – currently under refurbishment – will offer Cypriot and international cuisine. There’s also a supermarket (stocking Israeli brand Ahava and some Waitrose lines), as well as other shops, a Costa Coffee, a Häagen-Dazs and

One of the villas at Aphrodite Hills Resort

Mural by Agios Kendeas church in Paphos

Alex and her husband by Aphrodite’s Rock

a 24-hour medical centre onsite. The resort is geared up to take care of your every need, and rest and relaxation is high on the agenda. Fancy a beauty treatment? Head to The Retreat Spa by Atlantica, in beautiful surrounds, which has 27 holistic treatment rooms, six heat rooms, a hammam and a private gym. My husband enjoyed his Swedish massage, followed by a dip in the infinity pool and the Thermae overlooking the sea. We embraced the relaxed Mediterranean holiday vibe, and didn’t miss having a car, but one is recommended for longer stays (the resort has a car rental office). We did, however take the bus into Paphos Harbour, where we explored the old parts of town, stumbling across quaint cafés, shops selling craft wares, walls with interesting graffiti and houses dating from pre-colonial times (Cyprus was a British colony from 1925 until 1960). We enjoyed succulent oven-baked fish at the welcoming Laona restaurant, located off Mararios Avenue, before walking to the Tombs of the Kings, a large necropolis and Unesco World Heritage Site. While no kings were, in fact, buried here, the seven excavated tombs were the resting places of high ranking officials and aristocracy from around the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. We took in the stunning scenery as we walked the coastal route back down to Paphos Harbour, where you can also view the mosaic floors of four Roman villas dating back to the 2nd century and depicting scenes from Greek mythology. Nearby is Paphos Castle, originally a Byzantine fort. Those with money to burn can buy a villa either to live in or as an investment (Cyprus, which is in the EU, offers citizenship through investment opportunities – particularly attractive post-Brexit), many of which are on sizeable plots with large living areas, and Aphrodite Hills Properties offers management services. The Persefonis villa, at 600sqm, is the priciest at €5.5m and is furnished to a high spec. While we, sadly, won’t be buying a home there, we’d love to return for another visit. Alex was a guest of Aphrodite Hills Resort, where junior two-bedroom villas start from €190 per night during low season, and €300 per night during high season. www.aphroditehills.com

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Kosher adventures / Travel

Tempting

KOSHER TRAVEL

ONE COMPANY IS MAKING KASHRUT-KEEPING HOLIDAYS, WHICH TAKE YOU AROUND THE WORLD, IMPOSSIBLE TO RESIST WHEN KEEPING KOSHER is an integral part of one’s holiday, the travel company has to be reliable and prepared for all eventualities. Eddie’s Kosher Travel is that company. Established in 1977, the company is a full time, year-round hotel and tour operator, offering a full range of kosher deluxe cruises, exotic land tours, African adventure safaris, and European summer vacations to the discerning observant Jewish traveller The Grand Hotel in Courmayeur with Eddie’s Travel in search of an enriching, unforgettable experience. No one wants to put up with average cooking on a tour, and Eddie’s Kosher Travel delivers world-class kashrut cuisine and unparalleled personal service. Owned by David and Chana Walles, the couple are constantly expanding their destination roster, so that it is possible for their clients to eat the way they want to while seeing Japan, the Galapagos, China, Travel with the Walles to Ecuador Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Alaska and the Caribbean. clients. We have evolved into a caring “Last year, we were hosts to thousands family, looking forward to seeing one of Passover guests in programes that have another at vacations around the world.” become the standard for the industry in When you look at the tour programme creativity, service and impeccable adheravailable, it’s tempting to pack a bag ence to kashrut,” says Chana. immediately and head off with Eddie’s “Over the years, we have also develTravel – notably in August and November, oped close relationships with our guests, when they are heading to Ecuador who have become friends as well as to take in the colonial architecture,

Get a look at the Galapagos with kosher food

volcanic scenery and lush forests before heading to the Galapagos Islands to go on a cruise and see giant tortoises and red-footed boobies. Closer to home, the couple are offering a seven-night summer stay at Italy’s Grand Hotel in Courmayeur, which is close to Mont Blanc and a two-hour drive from Milan or Geneva airports. The restaurant has views over the Brenva Glacier and the Wellness centre offers a fitness and techno gym, an indoor pool with waterfall and hydro-massage jets, a sauna, Turkish bath and chromotherapy. There are activities for all ages, including biking, hiking, golf, and horse riding and there is a kids’ club. A daily minyanim, Shabbat services and inspiring lectures are also included, and the Italian cuisine prepared by Italian chefs is delicious and kosher. The kashrut supervision is Glatt Mehadrin and Cholov Yisrael. With exciting daily optional sightseeing tours to Annecy, Turin and the Aosta Valley, it reads like the best sort of summer holiday, so imagine how good it will be in reality. For more information visit koshertravelers.com or call 020 7048 6168

An encounter with a red-footed booby

T10 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

26 April 2018

Travel / Paradise

A PARTY

Paradise

TURN AN OCCASION WORTH CELEBRATING INTO THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE

TRAVEL NEWS

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES has launched its spring seat sale with return flights from London Heathrow to Hong Kong from just £440 and flights to Manila from £539 including taxes. Book on www.philippineairlines.com before 30 June 2018 and travel on dates throughout 2018 and early 2019* to enjoy great value fares to Asia and Australasia.The airline is also recommending Melbourne as a destination for nightlife, food and a dynamic arts scene. A superior room for two at The Langham Melbourne starts from £116 per night. www.langhamhotels.com

OLYMPIC HOLIDAYS is offering seven nights at the four-star Katrin Hotels and Bungalows, Crete, from £3,301 based on two adults and two children travelling. It includes seven nights’ all inclusive accommodation in a family room inland view and return flights from Gatwick. Departures are available on 27/07/18. The package must be booked by 03/05/18. Call 020 8492 6868 or visit www.olympicholidays.com

To compensate for your missing wedding invite, the ROYAL LANCASTER HOTEL cordially invites you to celebrate with them during May. The hotel’s ‘Royal Wedding’ package includes a bottle of Champagne on arrival at the Royal Suite, a Royal Signature Afternoon Tea for two in the Hyde Lobby Bar, a full English Breakfast the next morning and guests will also take home luxury gifts including a £100 voucher for Harrods or Selfridges and a Royal wedding souvenir.

The Edinburgh Festival is an irresistible cultural highlight in the UK summer, but sharing the city with thousands of others after a full day’s entertainment can be exhausting. Far better to hop on the train to Glasgow and spend the night at THE PRINCIPAL GRAND CENTRAL HOTEL in comfort. Built in the late 19th-century as a great British railway hotel, it is one of the city’s most prestigious buildings and if it was good enough for Frank Sinatra and Winston Churchill, it should be good enough for you. www.phcompany.com

ravelling with a group made up of family and friends for a milestone celebration needs to be perfect. There can be no room for error if it’s your wife’s 40th, husband’s 50th, or your parents’ golden anniversary. You may just fancy trying to get away for a holiday and then realise there are 20 of you to accommodate, which means finding a place that ticks all the boxes for everyone. For just such a vacation, Ani Villas is an exclusive collection of luxury private resorts in Asia and the Caribbean that goes beyond ticking the boxes – because it created them. The residences, ranging from 10 to 15 bedrooms, include resort-like facilities along with chefs, private butlers, tennis pros, kids’ activity coordinators, spa therapists, housekeepers, concierge service and security. Each estate is offered exclusively to one group at a time, so there is no need to share the one of a kind properties with anyone but your loved ones – the place is all yours as it’s a private resort. Personalised kick-boxing lessons in Thailand, a whale watching adventure in Sri Lanka, cigarrolling lessons in the Dominican Republic, or simply being served cocktails by your butlers on a secluded stretch of beach in Anguilla.

The management team works with each group of guests to design a customised vacation experience – from the menus to excursions and activities on and off property. The options for what can be arranged are endless. Better still, those seeking kosher vacations no longer have to line up at the buffet with hundreds of strangers or drag coolers full of meats and dairy to a destination. All Ani Villas resorts offer kosher menus and with the kitchens serving only one group in residence, they can offer this service at any time of year, with dishes drawn largely from the local cuisine and cooked expertly by talented executive chefs. Of course, this kind of bespoke travel doesn’t come cheap, but Ani Villas’ concept is an all inclusive exclusive model that provides great value for such a luxury experience. Food, drinks, massage treatments – in fact everything on the property is included and the per room basis rates are equivalent to those at a five-star resort, but with an incredible range of facilities and services. The real advantage is that your group gets pampered and waited on by a fully dedicated team that goes over and above to provide the ultimate vacation experience in your own private resort. www.anivillas.com

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

ANGUILLA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SRI LANKA THAILAND

KOSHER PRIVATE

RESORT EXPERIENCES

LUXURY ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORTS FOR GROUPS OF FAMILIES & FRIENDS TRAVELING TOGETHER

www.ANIVILLAS.com kosher@anivillas.com

T11

T12

Jewish News 26 April 2018

www.jewishnews.co.uk

A Holiday. Culture. Nature. Ye'arim hotel, set at the top of Jerusalem's high mountains, invites you to enjoy the true Israeli hospitality experience with breathtaking views, meals made from the best local products, surrounded by Jerusalem's wide, open and green reality.

Ye'arim hotel - Where dreams exist For Reservations: Yearimhotel.com | +972-2-5331342, +972-2-5331308

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

T13

Seventy! / Travel

70 Reasons to go to

USE ANY EXCUSE YOU LIKE TO GO TO ISRAEL, BUT WE’VE GOT ONE FOR EVERY YEAR THE STATE WAS FOUNDED.

1 2

Because it is possible to drive the length of the country in eight hours.

To visit the Dead Sea – one of the world’s true wonders before it is too late. Seriously, its sea levels are sinking, so hurry and don’t forget to roll in the mud.

ISRAEL

give you a crash course (by foot) in Israeli society via graffiti, street signs, advertisements and talking to locals. guysha@hotmail.com

workshops, stalls, and art zones. Rock, reggae, poetry, dance, theatre, performance art, folk, experimental music. www.yearot.com

To see Ringo Starr, the legendary – and now formally To attend Tel knighted – ex-Beatles drummer performing at the Menorah Aviv’s annual Arena in Tel Aviv on 23 June. Tickets start from 250 NIS. Pride Festival on 8 June and show the rest of the Middle East what a liberal democracy looks like.

To sail above bible country by paragliding, which you can do all year because of the climate. So go glide over the Galilee.

To wind your way through the Western Wall Tunnel – an incredible labyrinth of passageways and arches untouched for centuries.

4 5

To prove that all the thumbs up on Trip Advisor for the Dan Hotel in Tel Aviv are true.

To go to the Jaffa Port Market. Once the packing warehouse for oranges, it’s now a chic urban indoor shopping space and home to the Jaffa Juice stall, where every fruit is available for squeezing and the Silber Deli Bar does unforgettable slow-cooked pastrami sandwiches.

To meet a Tel Aviv Greeter as part of the volunteer programme that matches visitors with people who want to show you their city and share your interests, be it beach, bar or books. www.telavivgreeter.com

17 11

To stay at the new Gordonia Hotel on Kibbutz Ma’ale HaHamisha in the Jerusalem Hills. Named after the Zionist youth movement that started the kibbutz, the pioneer huts have been replaced by the hotel’s villas surrounded by terraces of Jerusalem stone bathed in colourful, local flora, amid vineyards and olive, fig, and pomegranate trees. In an exquisitely furnished property, filled with eclectic objets, a guest gets to dine like a king, stay in luxury suites with a private pool and appreciate the biblical view. www.gordoniahotel.com or call +972 25331381

To venture into the Machane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem, established in the 1800s but now more famous for the Machneyuda restaurant run by Yossi Elad, aka “Papi”, who buys food straight from the stalls and cooks it.

To try sabich – the filled pita (salad, egg, aubergine, tahini, hummus and spices) brought to Israel by Iraqi immigrants. The best one is Oved Sabich in Giv’atayim, Tel Aviv.

To not miss the tiny door that leads to the Wujoud Cultural Centre and Museum in Jerusalem. Wujoud means “Existence” in Arabic and the museum showcases the Christian presence in the Old City, and Palestinian life and history during the 19th and 20th centuries. The centre also has a cafeteria, offering traditional meals prepared by Palestinian women.

To meet on the corner of Herzl and Florentine St in Tel Aviv on Friday at 3pm for a tour with Guy Sharett, who will

To swig at The 13th Jerusalem Beer Festival on 24 August and sample more than 100 varieties of beer from well-known brands to local boutique brews . The festival is at Independence Park in Jerusalem city centre.

To do the downward dog at the Israel Yoga Festival in June in Givat Haviva and study with more than 80 of the leading yoga teachers in the Holy Land.

To say you’ve slept in the same bed as Churchill and Barbra Streisand by booking into the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. www.danhotels.com

To dance at the Menashe Forest Festival on Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek – a three-day party festival, with live performances from Israeli bands across all genres and loads of

To glimpse the Prince of Darkness, aka Ozzy Osbourne, who is bringing his worldwide farewell tour one last time to the Holy Land on 8 July, at Live Park in Rishon LeZion, just outside Tel Aviv.

To feast on Jachnun – theYemenite dish of sweet pastry that is cooked for 10 hours – at Mama’s Jachnun (34 Yitzhak Sade St, Tel Aviv).

T14

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / Seventy!

To submerge yourself in the hot springs in Tiberias, one of six such natural wonders in Israel. The water erupts at 60ºC, and then ‘cools’ to a hearty 37ºC, to provide a real skin-deep experience.

To say “Hatachana”, which is the Hebrew name for old Jaffa railway station, which still has the tracks that connected Jaffa to Jerusalem. The old waiting hall has been renovated and is now full of Israeli designer shops, including Na’ama Bezalel,Elise and for jewellery, Michal Negrin.

To invest in an Israeli swimsuit – notably one by Gottex, the company started by Hungarian-born Leah Gottlieb in 1956 when she decided to swap raincoats for bikinis in her Tel Aviv factory.

To watch docs at The International Student Film Festival in Tel Aviv. Held in June, it is one of the largest festivals in the world for student films, and hundreds of students, lecturers and wellknown cinema industry bigwigs attend.

For some vinyl spinning at Israel’s oldest record shop, the Third Ear on King George Street in Tel Aviv.

For a stroll on Shenkin Street, Tel Aviv’s answer to Soho, which is bursting with cafés and shops.

25 26

To try your hand at being a kibbutznik. The Kibbutz Fly and Drive programme allows you to drive and then stay in rooms once occupied by kibbutz members, eat beside them and then go pick a few grapes. www.travelinkuk.com or call 020 8931 8000

To join the three million other Christian pilgrims who visit Ein Karem (Spring of the Vineyard in Hebrew), which is purported to be the birthplace of John the Baptist

To see where Elijah hid in a cave, as they did in those days. It has been described as “the holiest Jewish site in Haifa”.

To spend a minute with celebrated Arab Israeli blogger Nas Daily (Nuseir Yassein) who could be anywhere in the world making his pertinent one minute films, but he just might be at his birthplace in the Lower Galilee town of Arraba.

To hear comedian Jimmy Carr’s ridiculous laugh on August 11 when he performs for one night in Tel Aviv .

To confirm that diamonds really are a girl’s best friend at the Israel Diamond Centre in Netanya, where the finest cut and polished stones are available.

To try skiing and snowboarding on Mount Hermon – yes, that’s right, snow.

To show respect at Yad Vashem and take time at the Holocaust History Museum, which has state-of the art exhibits to take remembrance into the 21st century. The new gallery is home to the Hall of Names, a repository for the ‘Pages of Testimony’ of millions of Holocaust victims.

35 36

To get a selfie with a hot Israeli soldier.

To eat kosher at the fabulously named Shmulik Cohen on Herzl Street, which was a kiosk in 1936 when artists and policemen would drop in for drinks with the owner.

To marvel at Technion in Haifa, the university working place of three Nobel Prize winners and the creators of the Iron Dome that keeps Israel safe.

To embrace the atmosphere at 800m above sea level in the Mitzpe on the edge of the Ramon Crater. Stay at the Beresheet Hotel for the view. www.holiday-designers.com or call 020 3384 0023.

To conjure up a Woody Allenesque experience in Tel Aviv, go to Vicky Cristina tapas and wine bar, located in a spacious patio under an antique rubber tree in the Station area of Neve Tzedek.

To climb Masada, the former palace of King Herod and now the ideal spot for a rave as there are no neighbours to annoy.

To play at Israel’s only 18-golf course next to the Dan Caesarea Mediterranean Hotel, where there is also a soccer field. And ancient ruins. www.danhotels.com

To buy a Ronen Chen dress. The Israeli designer has 13 shops in Israel filled with comfortable clothes for women that tell no tales. www.ronenchen.com

To awaken your senses and have a smashing stay at the Yearim Hotel in the tranquil setting of the Jerusalem Hills. Eighty years of experience and attention to the smallest details of design and service make this 220 room luxury property the perfect place for a holiday. They also have fantastic conference space within easy reach of the city. www.yearimhotel.com

To play mini-golf in HaYarkon Park in Tel Aviv where you, but preferably your little ones, can ride a pony or cool off at the water complex within the 1,000 acres.

To wander around the Varsano Hotel in Jaffa, which was once owned by Wonder Woman Gal Gadot and her husband Yaron Varsano. It now belongs to Roman Abramovich.

To visit the Germans in their colony in Haifa. Established in 1869, renovations have turned it into a “vibrant, upbeat oasis of recreation”.

To swim with Flipper at the Dolphin Reef by the Red Sea. This ecological site in Eilat also boasts a spa on the beach offering night-time treatments in relaxation pools.

To step back in time in the hushed streets of Kerem HaTeimanim, one of Tel Aviv’s last authentic treasures. Built in the late 19th century by Yemenite immigrants, it is the place to try Yemenite Soup (Marak Temani) and get a drink at Bar Norman.

To have lunch at The Old Man and The Sea at Jaffa Harbour.

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

T15

Seventy!/ Travel

To honour fallen soldiers at Yad Lashiryon Museum (Latrun-Armored Corps’ Memorial Site), where their names, ranks, units, acts and achievements are listed. There’s also a collection of more than 100 tanks from 1948 to present day, which you can climb on.

To put a special message in the Western Wall and smile at the brides praying ahead of their wedding.

To catch sight of model Bar Refaeli and other simirlarly beautiful Israeli girls.

To be in Akko and know that in 1960 Paul Newman was there, too, while playing hero Ari Ben Canaan in the film adaptation of Leon Uris’ Exodus.

To take a dip in the warm water at Gan HaShlosha National Park (Sakhne in Arabic) located between kibbutzim Beit Alfa and Nir David. The park is named in memory of the three Jewish pioneers who came to survey the land on behalf of the Jewish National Fund.

To indulge in the finest ice-cream – courtesy of Anita Avital, the owner of Anita’s Gelato,, which has three branches in Tel Aviv.

To wait for the sun to go down and head to Levontin 7 in Gan HaHashmal, the area to be seen, according to the creatives who live there.

To hang with the Bedouins in Kfar Hanokdim, a green oasis in a valley between the city of Arad and the ancient citadel of Masada. There are also camels...

To catch the score at Muza, a unique sports pub in Arad devoted to football clubs from all over the world. Matches are screened live while the bar offers 30 types of whisky (10 single malts) and seven draught beers.

To dance the Hora at an Israeli wedding. All you need is an invite.

To buy something handmade at Nachalat Binyamin Artists’ Market outside the Shuk HaCarmel on Tuesday and Friday. Jewellery, ceramics, photography, watercolours, oil paintings and at a reasonable price.

Be our guest, be at your best. The Carlton Tel Aviv Hotel, fully renewed and refurbished is located on the sea shore only minutes from the city’s main business, culture and shopping centers and offers unique style and luxury inspired by the relaxing ambiance of the Mediterranean sea. At the C arl to n we are p ro u d to o f fe r a c o mp l ete c u l i n a r y ex p e r i e n c e w i th a c h oice of exqu is ite re st au rants . Renowned Chef Meir Adoni has poured his creative flair and passion into two outstanding dining options - Blue Sky and Lumina.

10 Eliezer Per i St., Tel Aviv, Israel | www.carlton.co.il

T16

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / Seventy!

61 62

To hike at the Ein Gedi Waterfall and then chill by the freshwater pools and springs.

To be the first to land at Ramon Airport, 10km north of Eilat. Set to open later this year, it will replace Eilat Airport in the city centre.

To revel in the first class service at the Ritz Carlton in Herzilya and eat five-star kosher food at the Herbert Samuel restaurant.

To network at the Aria Bar beneath the Aria restaurant in Tel Aviv, where the best dressed people sip cocktails after 2am.

To stare at the Old Masters, diverse temporary exhibitions and displays of photography at Tel Aviv Museum of Art and calm down in the beautiful sculpture garden.

To see David Ben-Gurion standing on his head (as he famously did in 1957).

To understand what Noah had to deal with by visiting the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo in the Tisch Gardens.

65 66

To sing Hosanna Hey Sanna, shot at the ruins of Advat, the location for the 1973 film Jesus Christ Superstar.

To bring back a T-shirt that lets others know you have been.

To drop into a Druze village in the Carmel and Golan regions. The residents in traditional attire provide Druze food and guesthouses with authentic Druze dĂŠcor.

Renew Your Body And Soul At Tamares Hotels Resorts And Spas Daniel, Premium Hotels

Herzliya

Dead Sea

Shizen Resort & Spa Herzliya Herzliya

Redes igned

West Lagoon Resort

Netanya

Tamares

West, Boutique Hotels

Ashdod

Direct 972-9-9520808

Tel-Aviv

Join Free

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

T17

France / Travel

PROVENCE

Perfect

makes

LOUISA WALTERS CATCHES SOME SOME RAYS WHILE LIVING THE DREAM IN PROVENCE

HE SOUTH OF FRANCE. A playground for the rich, full of designer shops and swanky restaurants, fast cars and beautiful people. A place to see and be seen, to languish on private beaches staring at (or, if you’re lucky, in) extravagant hotels. I love it… but there is another side to the France’s southern shores I love even more… the quiet, sleepy villages and lush green countryside of Provence. I spent a long weekend at Crillon le Brave hotel in a medieval hamlet of the same name. It’s an easy two-hour flight from Stansted to Marseille and less than an hour from there by car to the hotel. A complex of eight terracotta-roofed buildings, with names such as Maison Saloman and Maison Soudain, dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries, rises at the crest of a hill, their mellow honey-coloured stone bathed in warm sunshine against a deep azure sky. The buildings are linked by cobbled walkways, and at night these are lit by old-fashioned street lamps. It is seriously romantic. It’s still warm enough in October to have

THE INTERIOR IS MORE FARROW AND BALL RUSTIC THAN GLOSSY CHIC GLAMOUR lunch outside. A silky-smooth beef carpaccio with rocket, followed by fish in a lemon sauce with a chilled glass of white put paid to any early-morning-flight fatigue and recharged my batteries enough for a game of pétanque (similar to boules) on the hotel’s own pitch. Despite all its French fancies, the hotel was established by a British couple. Peter Chittick and Carolyn Fairbairn left these shores for more than just a year in Provence, and opened Crillon le Brave in 1989 with just 11 rooms . It now has 36 bedrooms, three restaurants and a spa. Since last year, it is French-owned. The interior is more Farrow and Ball rustic than glossy chic glamour, and all the better for it. Tiled floors, a roll-top bath, a huge soft comfy

bed and mismatched wooden furniture against a palette of earthy colours and natural fabrics made for a bedroom of dreams. The views of Mont Ventoux and the valley were breathtaking. If languishing by the pool (more wonderful views) with a good book isn’t enough to help you unwind, a visit to the on-site Spa des Ecuries will do the trick. I enjoyed a heavenly massage with divine Bamford products in this bijou rustic unit with stone walls and wooden floors. Breakfast is served in a stunning conservatory-type sun-filled room (my favourite of all the dining spaces), which is a fairly recent addition, although in summer you may choose to take it outside. Wonderful French patisserie, charcuterie and cheeses, three types of muesli, interesting yogurts and many dishes served in little jars including scrambled eggs. Cycling around the area is popular despite the challenging hills, so we mounted bikes and headed into the valley for a picnic lunch. Not just any picnic lunch – a Crillon picnic lunch... simple but sumptuous, with filled baguettes, cheese, home-made crisps and, of course, a bottle of Côtes de Provence rosé. The sun was beating down on the blush toned rock of the valley, rendering it the same hue as our glasses of wine. There are two restaurants for dinner. Restaurant Jérôme Blanchet is housed in a magnificent vaulted room where once there were stables. There is a choice of tasting menus, plus à la carte and daily specials. Dishes such as gnocchi with black truffle and cep foam, foie gras with black cherries, and saddle of lamb with olives give way to exquisite desserts and a cheese board to rival the display at Neal’s Yard. Bistrot 40K, in the pretty Maison Reboul (also home to two bedrooms), is more low key, with hearty offerings and a focus on food sourced from within 40km of the hotel, although many ingredients are grown in the on-site herb garden. Think French onion soup (of course), pumpkin and spelt risotto and plenty of meaty dishes. The nearby Chateauneuf du Pape vineyards make this an obvious choice of wine, but the list is extensive and there are some wonderful Rhône Valley offerings as well as wines from all over France, Italy and Spain. If you can bear to leave the hotel, the beautiful Carpentras synagogue, the oldest shul still in use in France, is just 15 minutes away by car. Construction began in 1367 by permission of the bishop of the town as many Jews fled to

Carpentras from persecution in other parts of the country. Behind a modest façade lies a beautiful interior, which was restored in the 18th century and again in 2001. On the ground floor, the mikveh and two bakeries retain some of the oldest original features. Pretty market town l’Isle Sur la Sorgue is just a short ride away, with its cafés, antique shops, markets and famous waterwheels on

the river. Full of life on a spring weekend morning, it’s a bit like Portobello… but with sunshine. Nightly rates at Crillon le Brave are available from £300 per room per night for two people sharing a classic room, including breakfast. crillonlebrave.com

T18

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / Berlin

Berlin

IT’S BETTER in

SINCE THE FALL OF ITS WALL, Berlin

has become one of the most dynamic cultural centres in Europe. It has been hip since David Bowie lived there and parties happen all the time, according to those in the know. It also has a fascinating history, the most extraordinary Jewish museum and lots of green open spaces for children, such as the sprawling Tiergarten, the Grunewald forest in the southwest, and lots of zoos. Spring and autumn are good times to visit, as that’s when the city comes into its own, with the natives making the most of the street cafés, great restaurants, rivers and lakes. The Crowne Plaza in Berlin’s city centre should be top of your list of places to stay because it is located in the heart of the western part of Berlin and the zoo is just a few minutes

away. With a pool, fitness centre, sauna and massage, it is a year-round property for business or holidays. With all the comforts you are accustomed to during a holiday, the Crowne Plaza is noted for its excellent service endorsed by positive comments on Tripadvisor. As an additional service, the Crowne Plaza also offers kosher food and serves a fully kosher breakfast daily in the lobby lounge and kosher lunch and dinner in the restaurant provided by Top Kosher & Gourmet. The company is part of Albeck & Zehden and provides individual catering services according to the customers’ needs, be it modern Israeli dishes or traditionally Jewish. www.cp-berlin.com/en

DRIVEN BY EVERYTHING

CULTURALLY

COOL The Bar & Bat Mitzvah at Courthouse Hotel SHOREDITCH Celebrate your child’s right of passage to adulthood with us in one or a number of our social event areas. We understand the importance of creating simchas reflective of ones personal feelings and style. Whether your vision accents a traditional approach or favors elements of the new our spaces can be adapted to your needs. We even have a designated catering space for your kosher requirements. We accommodate parties from 50 to 700 guests. Quote JN18 and be entitled to a free guest room booking with every confirmed event.

Email: events.shoreditch@courthouse-hotel.com

T: 0203 310 5555

www.shoreditch.courthouse-hotel.com

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

T19

Winner

Moscow / Travel

A WORLD CUP

KICK-OFF IN MOSCOW IS WEEKS AWAY SO, IF YOU HAVE TICKETS, YOU’LL NEED SOMEWHERE TO STAY. “FOOTBALL IS NOT A MATTER OF LIFE and death, it’s more important than that,” said Liverpool’s legendary manager Bill Shankly. For that reason, it’s ok to be going to Moscow for the World Cup and thinking of where to stay. With the opening ceremony on 14 June, and England taking on Belgium, Panama and Tunisia in Group G, it’s time to book in. And with the possibility of England facing Poland, Senegal, Colombia or Japan if they reach the last 16, you could be enjoying Russia until 15 July. So where should one stay? It’s a tricky question as Russia is a vast country with 11 time zones, but all the venues for the World Cup are in the west to avoid too many travel issues. The biggest arena for the games will be Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium and so it makes sense to stay at the Azimut Hotel Olympic – and not just for convenience but because it is a great property. Part of the Azimut Group, the hotel has large modern rooms and suites with generous working and it is only 5km from the Kremlin. But the real joy of the hotel, as football fans will appreciate, is that it has a gym, an indoor pool and a massage parlour. But there is more. The Olympic is also

LISBON ISBON JUDAICA

currently the only hotel in Russia that has a synagogue on its premises, with Friday evening and Shabbat services followed by kosher catered meals. To accommodate observant guests, an English and Hebrew-speaking rabbi is on site and the staff are au fait with kashrut requirements and prayer books. Staff also supply information about Jewish points of interest, such as the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Centre. There is even a Shabbat elevator. The hotel is renowned for its cuisine and, along with its own bakery, offers an innovative Mediterranean menu at the 495 restaurant, while the Jai Hind serves authentic Indian dishes of various spice intensities. There is also a brewery – the Paulaner Bräuhaus – which stocks the best German beer along with pretzels, steaks and dumplings – exactly what a football fan wants. So, if you stay at the Olympic, losing won’t feel nearly as bad. www.azimuthotels.com or email Moscow.Olympic@azimuthotels.com Tel: +7 (495) 931 90 00 or +8 800 200 00 48

Lisbon Jewish Tour

Discover with us the incredible story of the Portuguese Jews over a wonderful visit of the most beautiful olds quarters of Lisbon. Guided tours from Sunday to Thursday.

www.LisbonJewishTours.com

SHABBAT in Lisbon

Special Shabbat Offer all included

www.KosherinLisbon.com

T20

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / Ireland

KING of the

Castle

STEPHEN ORYSZCZUK SPENDS A LUXURY WEEKEND WITH HIS PRINCESS

tanley and Beatrice Tollman, both South African-born, opened their first hotel in Johannesburg in 1954. Stanley had the advantage of growing up in his family’s hotel business, but it was Beatrice, or Bea as she is known, who had the passion and creative flair to turn properties into award-winning residences. Inspired by the red carnation Stanley always wore in his lapel, she founded the Red Carnation Hotel Collection in 1984, when the Tollman family moved to the UK and bought their first hotel, the Chesterfield, in Mayfair. Bea has since given her trademark five-star luxury finish to 17 hotels, the most recent being Ashford Castle in the West of Ireland. Inspired by the Tollman romance and with an anniversary of our own (19 years together) to celebrate, it was Bea Tollman

only fitting to take Mrs O for a weekend at the castle in the land of her forefathers – and what a weekend it was. If you’ve never been (as I hadn’t) and if you can afford it (which I couldn’t – thank you, Barclaycard), this is the way to do it in style. With parts dating back to 1228, this luxury five-star property was home to the Guinness family from 1852-1939, but Bea’s £100 million refurbishment has made it spectacular. Getting there is easy. Flights from London to Knock Airport are frequent and cheap (around £60 return), as is car hire (£55 for three days in a 4×4), which means you have more to spend at Ashford Castle. Once in the car, it’s a simple 45-minute well-signposted drive on lovely quiet roads to the shore of Lough (lake) Corrib, on the border of Counties Mayo and Galway. It’s next to the pretty village of Cong, where John Ford’s 1952 Oscar-winner The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, was filmed.

Ashford Castle: Luxury all round, from the 3,000-acre setting, above, to the interiors

The castle is something else. Your jaw drops when you first Google it, and drops again when you arrive, because it is so much more impressive up-close and personal. To start: Two restaurants, a billiard room, cigar room, cinema, library, piano bar fronting a courtyard with fountains, another with oak panelling, and 82 stunning rooms with views over water and islands and the distant hills of Connemara. It all comes wrapped in floorto-very-high-ceiling silk wallpaper, deep thick carpets and chandeliers intended originally for the White House. The combination weakens the knees, but this is Ireland, so there’s not a whiff of pretentiousness or snobbery about any of it, just a whole load of class and character. You’ll enjoy rubbing the belly of the hotel’s two Irish Wolfhounds every morning alongside a billionaire doing likewise, such is the nature of this place – egos are best left with the felt-hatted concierge as you step inside. It’s part of the charm that, in a castle that has hosted real and almost-royalty (Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, the Kennedys, President Reagan), poets (Oscar Wilde), actors (Brad Pitt, Robin Williams) and athletes (Rory McIlroy was married here in April), all’s equal through them there doors. If your long-suffering wife, like mine, deserves it, plump for Room 430 (see why when you get there), but this is the west of Ireland, so while the bedrooms may be special, it is outdoors that I beseech you go. There’s a nine-hole golf course if that’s your thing (green fees waived), but for a broader audience in terms of ability and age, you could

Stephen is photobombed by a Harris hawk

do as we did and try your leather-gloved hand at falconry, taking your very own Harris hawk for a walk (hunt) through the crisp, dappled woodland in the hotel’s grounds. Other animals also offer themselves, and Mrs O is beginning to get back in the saddle after 19 years with someone who’s only ever ridden a donkey on Blackpool Beach, so after much nudging and reassuring she convinced me to join her on a horse-ride through another part of Ashford’s 3,000 graceful acres. I asked for and thankfully was given a plodder, aptly named Guinness because he was stout. He took me (I was meant to take him, but we both knew the score) on a well-trod path, passing guests who thought I was more in control than I was. It was another memorable hour, and I didn’t fall off once. The next day we struck out in the car on a breathtaking drive along yet more wellsurfaced, well-signed and largely empty roads through the wonder that is Connemara. I’d never been, and had never appreciated how stunning the scenery is in this easily-reached part of the world. Think Lake District on steroids, with views and backdrops to rival those of the Scottish Highlands, weather permitting. Give yourself longer and head south to Galway and its ‘Jewish Arch’, reminding us that Jews have been coming ashore on the west coast of Ireland for 500 years; first from Spain, later from Lithuania. Back at the castle, there’s an evening singsong in the bar, and Mrs O knows all the words because her dad sang them to her when she was a child. Sipping a cocktail served with woodsmoke (I’m not kidding), it’s the perfect way to end the day, after a mouth-watering meal in the George V restaurant and, earlier, a sumptuous one-hour massage. The following morning, on our actual anniversary, I surprise Mrs O with a horse and carriage ride, as we ramble up to a hillside built by and beloved of Arthur Guinness (Lord Ardilaun) who came up here to enjoy the views with his wife, Olivia. Like us, they were still very much in love after many years together. And with treats like Ashford every so often, Mrs O may yet stick around for another 19 years. Ashford Castle is part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection. Prices are from £279 per night. For further details, visit www.ashfordcastle.com, or call 00353 94 954 6003.

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

T21

Real Adventure Real Israel Fattal Hotels All Over Israel

Discover the authentic Israeli experience with Fattal Hotels & Resorts, combining the very highest standards of modern hospitality with all the historical and natural wonders of this remarkable country. All of the 38 FATTAL hotels are accessible to leading tourist sites, while the chain trademark of warm hospitality, comfortable rooms and delicious meals ensure that your vacation will be especially memorable for all the right reasons! A genuinely warm Israeli welcome awaits you!

38 Hotels Nationwide

Fattal reshet-26x33.indd 1

18/01/18 16:14

T22

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / Sicily

GAME, SET

Sicily

FROM 2 JULY it will be all about serving and strawberries in SW19. With Wimbledon comes the hopes of an Andy Murray win for the nation and lots of little wannabe tennis players keen to pick up racquets. If your children are enthusiastic about tennis, aron Mevorah you may want to consider Sh Lara Mevo rah sending them to Sicily this summer to Tennis Federation, the camp, improve their game. which will run from 17-29 July, will give It is on the Mediterranean island just students the opportunity to have profesoff the ‘toe’ of Italy’s ‘boot’, that sisters sional coaching, improve their physical and tennis enthusiasts Lara and Sharon strength and learn how to play a tactical Mevorah are setting up an International game. Tennis Academy and Sports Summer The campers will stay in a hotel that Camp for children aged 10-17. is 45 minutes from Catania airport and Held in association with the Italian

has a strict kashrut menu. Along with tennis, there will be excursions, parties and Shabbat activities. With a doctor and security on site 24/7, all students will be well cared for, get to socialise in an international environment and return home ready to take on Andy Murray. +39 3401750555 +33 6 98435198 playkosher@gmail.com www.playkosher.com

SUMMER 2018

OPEN FROM SHAVUOT! Feel at home away from home: enjoy your Italian Summer from your terrace on the Dolomites!

SYNAGOGUE & MIKVE MEHADRIN SWIMMING POOL & SPA BARBEQUE ON TERRACE BIKING, ICE SKATING, HORSE RIDING SCENIC WALKS & CLIMBING

DISCOVER BREATHTAKING ITALY! VENICE, VERONA, GARDA LAKE…!

SPECIAL SHAVUOT PACKAGE! 17th May - 22nd May: 5 nights in a classic double room €620 per person. Shabbat and chag full board

Streda de Costa 75, 38032 Alba di Canazei ITALY Tel +39 0462 60.24.60 Fax +39 0462 60.00.61 info@mykosherhotel.it - www.mykosherhotel.it AVI & BELINDA NETZER A GARANTEE FOR THE BEST ITALIAN KOSHER HOLIDAY

UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF RAV RABINOWITZ SHLITA ADMUR MI-BIALE

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

T23

London / Travel

UP, UP

Away and

AT KIDZANIA, YOUR KIDS GET THE CHANCE TO TRAVEL AND, IN TIME, SO WILL YOU

SOMETIMES YOU DON’T have to go very far to feel like you’re on holiday. On a sunny day, a lounger in your own garden can suffice, but if you fancy a romantic getaway or just a night away from the children, The Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch is not only available, it is enticingly cool. Located in London’s artistic and creative epicentre, the hotel delivers a tailored experience to each guest. Formerly Old Street Magistrates Court and Police Station the Grade II Baroque building famously was the scene for the Kray twins’ trial and author George Orwell was held there overnight. These days, an overnight on the site is much more luxurious as the hotel’s 86 guest rooms and 42 suites offer exceptional levels of comfort after a multi-million conversion.

service and how to communicate important information to everyone on board. They will be performing that familiar hand signalling for the emergency exits and how to put on breathing masks and life jackets. Cabin crew also learn how to serve drinks and snacks to their passengers. Once they’re trained, parents can board the plane, put their baggage in the overhead locker and wait for instructions from their very own crew member. Kidzania is the perfect place to go if you have visitors with children in town as there is only one in the UK and anyone aged four to 14 will want the chance of trying at least some of the 60 reallife entertaining activities in a secure space. Knowing you can walk around Westfield, shop and have lunch without kids hanging off your arm is a holiday and, when you return to collect them in the arrivals lounge, they’ll be bursting with stories about their try-outs as firefighters, actors, radio presenters and chocolate makers. You may be lucky to have a child who comes out wanting to be a doctor after a session in the hospital, but I bet you’re now hoping for a pilot. www.kidzania.co.uk, 0330 131 3333

London

MINI BREAK TAKING SOME ‘ME TIME’ IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT TRAVELLING TOO FAR

IT’S A GIVEN that we all want our children to be doctors (or marry one), but have you ever considered the advantages of having a pilot in the family? Just think of the perks… discounted long hauls and sitting on a jump seat... To whet the appetites of your little ones and set their wings straight, they need to start training immediately and KidZania is the place to do it. Among the many jobs available at the indoor city run by kids in Westfield Shopping Centre, there is an opportunity to train as a pilot for British Aiways. Without ever leaving Shepherd’s Bush, kids can learn how to take to the skies as a cadet at Kidzania’s Aviation Academy. When in training, they will use a state-of-the-art flight simulator – based on an actual A319 plane and, once in front of the controls, they will learn how to fly and land a plane, while facing different challenges a pilot might find in the air. Once you see your child in that BA uniform (they sponsor the activity), you will be convinced of their suitability for the role. Should they prefer interacting with passengers, they can try out as cabin crew. As flight attendants, they will learn all about the importance of safety and

Everything has been transformed as a result, and the original magistrate’s court is now a members’ bar; the police station is now the Jailhouse Bar preparing delicious cocktails and Judge and Jury is the restaurant serving British cuisine. Also housed within the hotel is a 196-seat cinema, an indoor swimming pool, a top of the line spa, and a two-lane bowling alley. Who needs to go through airport stress when Shoreditch is a taxi ride away and the hotel’s Sky Terrace offers a panoramic view of London? There is always something going on at The Courthouse, be it a Murder Mystery Dinner Experience (28 April) or a Jailhouse Rock Afternoon Tea, and while you are there, closer examination will reveal that this property is the

ideal place to host a barmitzvah or wedding, as the space available can be adapted to any theme and accommodate any number of guests. With the bowling alley and cinema as part of the entertainment, your children will also love it for their own party and won’t mind in the least that you went away for the night (but be sure to bring back the mini tolietries).

The Courthouse Hotel is offering a free guest room booking with every confirmed event. Just quote JN18. For more info, contact events.shoreditch@ courthouse-hotel.com 020 3310 5555 www.shoreditch.courthouse-hotel.com

T24

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / Liverpool

Liverpool

ALL YOU NEED is

IT’S NOT THE OBVIOUS PLACE FOR A WEEKEND SPRING BREAK, BUT BRIGIT GRANT HIT THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

iven free reign, most ten-yearolds would pick Disneyland as their destination of choice, but when your first lullaby is Love Me Do and you can sing I Am A Walrus by the age of three, John, George, Paul and Ringo will always come before Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Pluto. Hence the birthday visit to Liverpool and an itinerary that would reveal the tale behind every song while reinforcing my husband’s devotion to the Fab Four. Renowned for its sense of humour, the scouse welcome started at Liverpool station,

with a cheery cabbie extending his hand and a stream of Beatles anecdotes all the way to the hotel. “Ringo Starr’s old house just sold at auction,” he chirped. “Mind you, it was in a terrible state and he hates Liverpool. A while back there was this Beatles topiary bush and someone cut Ringo’s head off with some shears.” For devoted Beatles’fans, the Hard Day’s Night Hotel in the Cavern quarter

expand your world

kosher holidays-tailor made by experts

personalised itinerary

kosher food delivered

of the city is the only place to stay, as this is as close as it gets to sleeping with the band. Photos and art depicting the four hang everywhere, and it can take 30 minutes to climb a single staircase there is so much to view. The appropriately grand Grade II listed building has 110 very nice rooms, but it is the dedicated McCartney and Lennon suites that are truly special. Along with the Monsoon shower and Jack and Jill sinks, Sir Paul’s room has his Freedom of the City of Liverpool certificate on the wall, a suit of armour in the corner, and a huge montage of black and white images behind the headboard. The facilities and art are just as good in John’s suite, but the addition of a white baby grand piano is a very nice touch. Sir Peter Blake, godfather of pop art and creator of the Sgt Pepper’s album cover has a restaurant named after him in the hotel and, with so much of his work on the walls, it is hard to focus on the menu. We never made it into Bar Four, but on the weekend acclaimed musicians Neville Skelly and Paul Molloy do their own Beatles acoustic spin. Beyond the walls of Hard Day’s Night, it was all about The Beatles for us and the young fan. A private booking with The Fab Four Taxi Tour took us to all the places we wanted to see, including 251 Menlove Avenue (John’s home at Aunty Mimi’s); 20 Forthlin Road (Paul); 12 Arnold Grove (George) and 10 Admiral Grove (Ringo). Sitting on the walls outside each house on the quiet suburban roads, it was easy to picture the lads doing the same while deliberating over what rhymed best with: ‘And now my life has changed in oh, so

Madison makes it to Penny Lane

many ways’ and coming up with: ‘My independence seems to vanish in the haze’. With Beatles songs playing inside the taxi to provide clues ahead of the next stop, my husband started to well up when he heard… There is a barber showing photographs Of every head he’s had the pleasure to know And all the people that come and go Stop and say “Hello” … as we stopped outside the barbers on Penny Lane. Our driver (sorry we forgot your name) was a mine of information shedding light

tailored to your budget

At B e s p o ke Ko s h e r Tr ave l w e u n d e r s t a n d t h e n e e d s o f t h e k o s h e r t r ave l l e r. O u r k n o w l e d g e o f d e s t i n a t i o n s g i ve s yo u t h e u l t i m a t e e x p e r i e n c e w i t h f re s h k o s h e r m e a l s . S o w h e t h e r i t 's yo u r a n n u a l h o l i d ay, c i t y b re a k , b u s i n e s s t r i p o r s p e c i a l o c c a s i o n L e t u s m a ke yo u r d re a m a re a l i t y !

CALL US ON 020 3151 1660 info@bespokekoshertravel.com @bespokekosher

www.bespokekoshertravel.com @bespokekoshertravel

The family album cover at Strawberry Field – nothing to get hung about

26 April 2018 Jewish News

www.jewishnews.co.uk

T25

Liverpool / Travel

on stories behind lyrics, the most memorable of which was revealed at the gates of Strawberry Field in Woolton. Once a Salvation Army childrens’ home, John Lennon would climb over the wall to play in the gardens for which he would be scolded, but as his lyrics later pointed out ‘going to Strawberry Fields was nothing to get hung about’. The award-winning Beatles Story exhibition at the smart and lively Albert Dock offers even more music, a well-researched audio tour narrated by John’s sister, Julia, and recreated locations such as The Cavern Club and Mathew Street. A drumming lesson by Ringo on screen delighted the daughter and we all enjoyed the yellow submarine. There are always new attractions at the museum and this summer they are celebrating the ‘Beatles in India’ with a new exhibition, exploring the secretive episode of the band’s’ story in Rishikesh, with memorabilia and

personal accounts from people who were there with them in 1968. When it comes to Judaism and the mop tops there is much to embrace, from their manager Brian Epstein, a member of Liverpool’s Greenbank Drive Synagogue, to Paul’s late wife Linda Eastman, the daughter of Ashkenazi parents and current wife Nancy Shevell, who organised a blessing at St John’s Wood Liberal synagogue ahead of their civil ceremony. Ringo’s wife Barbara Bach is halfJewish and Richard Lester Liebman, director of the films A Hard Day’s Night and Help! was a fully paid up member. With so many Jewish hashtags, Roseman’s Kosher deli on Childwall Abbey Road should be serving Back in the USSR- style borscht. They don’t, but Liverpool is still a city to twist and shout about. www.harddaysnighthotel.com or call 0151 668 0471

Ringo teaches drums at the Beatles Museum

Ringo’s childhood home sold at auction

The Only Judaism Friendly Hotel in Russia with a Synagogue. The AZIMUT Hotel Olympic Moscow is currently the only hotel in Russia that has a synagogue on premises with Friday evening and Shabbat services followed by kosher catered meals. Visitors and hotel guests are welcome to join in the services and meals*. For Jewish and Shabbat observants guests the hotel offers: Functioning synagogue Friday night and Shabbat day as well as Friday night dinner and Shabbat lunch Rabbi’s office on premises (English and Hebrew speaking) Staff with the knowledge of the Jewish demands Kosher products (order in advance is required) Prayer books, private room for prayers during the week upon request, brochures with pertinent info for the Jewish tourist and Shabbat candle lighting times Rooms with keys for Shabbat observers Special Shabbat elevator (Maalit Shabbat)

• • • • • • •

*Prayer services are open to the public. Meals are by advance reservation and separate fee.

For reservations or additional info:

18/1 Olympiyskiy Prospect, Moscow, 129110 +7 (495) 931 90 00 Moscow.Olympic@azimuthotels.com www.azimuthotels.com /azimut.olympic

T26

www.jewishnews.co.uk

Jewish News 26 April 2018

Travel / Off We Go

TAKE OFF WITH PEGASUS When British Airways passengers were stranded because of an IT meltdown and Ryan Air pilots were threatening to strike, for an airline named after a mythical horse it was business as usual. Pegasus Airlines is the flight company that smart travellers choose when they don’t want to jostle for tickets or pay more than they need to for the privilege. At a time when airline travel is meant to be as easy as boarding a 240 bus, Pegasus delivers on that promise with affordable scheduled services and a belief that ‘everyone has the right to fly’. Pegasus was the first airline to launch a full low-cost model service in Turkey – the country from which it hails - and where it revolutionized the airline sector by offering cheap flights, good service and excellent connections and services. This is good news for those who have yet to fly with them because Pegasus is continuously expanding and now flies a scheduled service to 68 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Russia, the Caucasus and North Africa as well as 33 destinations within Turkey, flying its guests to a total of 101 destinations in 40 countries. What will really interest you is that Pegasus operates a double daily route to Istanbul from London Stansted to over 60 destinations in Turkey and beyond – and, wait for it - they also go to Tel Aviv. It isn’t a direct flight,

but it is a fair price and flying to Israel on a mythical horse sounds appealing, particularly as Pegasus has received awards for it’s in-flight food and the onboard safety video features Marvel superheroes. Imagine being 30,000 feet in the air with Thor, Black Widow, Captain America and Iron Man eating a prize-winning steak en route to Tel Aviv. Now you’re interested….. flypgs.com/en 0 3333003555

Slopes

SUMMER JUST BECAUSE THE SNOW HAS GONE DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T HAVE FUN IN THE DOLOMITES TO FULLY APPRECIATE what five star kosher looks like, you need to take a holiday with My Kosher Hotel. Based in Alba di Canazei, a delightful village at the foot of the Dolomites hosts Avi and Belinda Netzer have brought kashrut to an exclusive property that offers the most beautiful scenery, fabulous spacious rooms and a wide choice of activities that will keep the whole family occupied. Widely known as a ski resort which enables the Netzers to host seders with skis

on the

during Passover, the location lends itself to amazing summer adventures. Located just 20 minutes from the hotel is Sass Pordoi, a panoramic spot about 3,000 meters high that has breathtaking views as far as the Swiss and Austrian Alps. A spectacular walk along the river at Serrai Di Sottoguda and Lake Alleghe boasts natural enchanted caves and a small waterfall, while the picturesque town of Ortisei, just 50 minutes away, is full of shops, bars and restaurants. Whether rafting on the Avisio River or visiting the synagogue in Merano, there is always something to do and as many of the activities are energetic and outdoors, it’s easy to build up an appetite which is well catered for as the hotel has the best Italian cooks preparing kosher food. Breakfast is international, with a rich buffet including both sweet and savory

dishes, which can also be used to prepare a packed lunch. Lunch is only served during the Shabbat and Saturday, holiday and rest day, while a light lunch can be requested as an extra. The Netzers gladly meet special dietary requests and are also flexible with children, who can eat before the opening hours of the restaurant. It is worth noting that MKH staff also organise celebrations for religious festivals at other prestigious locations including the Grand Hotel Rimini, Grand Hotel Michelacci, and Grand Hotel Da Vinci. But by offering their customers the chance to enjoy different landscapes and cities, they always guarantee a good time and MKH standards. Visit : mykosherhotel.com or call +39 0462/602460

www.jewishnews.co.uk

26 April 2018 Jewish News

T27

T28

No1_Poster_Jewish_News_ v1_apr18.pdf Jewish News 26 April 2018

24/04/2018

18:39

www.jewishnews.co.uk

WANT MORE FOR LESS? With competitive rates on 60+ currencies, no fees and no commission, we make your money go further. Visit us in-store or online today to get a better deal on your holiday money. C

CMY

NO FEES NO COMMISSION NO HASSLE