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Wanderlust Blog

Here at Amazing Journeys, we’re lucky have the best jobs in the world—and we think our good fortune is worth sharing. So, when your next journey seems like a distant dream, take a few minutes to explore our WANDERLUST blog—it’s chock full of engaging tales and helpful tips from our travels around the world. Check out the most recent entry (at the top) or search by your preferred criteria. Consider it motivation for your next embarkation.

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Top 5 Reasons to Cruise

Tuesday, April 11th, 2023

At Amazing Journeys, we love cruising for so many reasons! But if we have to narrow it down to our top five, here is what we can share:

1. Unpack once
Imagine going on a one or two week vacation but only having to unpack one time. On a cruise, that is just what happens! Your hotel floats from port to port so no need to pack up to move to the next city.

2. Cover more ground
Cruising is the perfect way to sample a region. Visit multiple countries in one trip and see the highlights.

3. Everything is all in one place
Not sure where to eat dinner? Looking for a show? Hoping to squeeze in a workout? On a cruise, everything is right at your fingertips.

4. Travel at night and maximize your touring hours
How cool is it to go to sleep in one country and wake up in a new destination? On a cruise, once you fly into the starting city, getting from place to place is taken care of and traveling hours are often at night so you can do the most in each port.

5. Shore excursion options
Want to learn the history of a city? How about hoping on a bike to explore the architecture? Or try your hand at cooking a local delicacy? Shore excursion options give you the choice of how you spend your days in each destination.

Looking to hop on your next cruise?  Check out our current offerings by clicking here!

Our Amazing Journeys Family is Growing

Monday, December 5th, 2022

by Erin

Our Amazing Journeys family is growing and we are excited to share the team with you! No matter where you travel with us in the world, one of our amazing team members will be with you along the way!

And yes, a bigger staff means more amazing journeys! Keep an eye out for new trip announcements coming soon!

Click here to learn more about our crew!

Allow us to brag

Friday, September 9th, 2022

by Erin

For 22 years, Amazing Journeys has been creating vacations that change your life! But don’t just take our word for it – allow us to share some testimonials from travelers who have experienced Amazing Journeys first-hand!


Traveling with Amazing Journeys is like eating potato chips – you can’t stop after one or two. It’s addictive! I have traveled around the world with them, from South America to Australia and New Zealand, Japan, the Galapagos and many countries in between. You are treated like family and make lifelong friends. Every detail is attended to. I am looking forward to my next adventure.
-Sylvia (France River Cruise traveler)

I would travel to the ends of the earth with Amazing Journeys. The trips taken with Amazing Journeys were chock full of eye opening adventures with rocking itineraries. Long after the adventures I am left with memories that inspire me and friends that I treasure. Amazing Journeys makes traveling easy. They think of every detail and provide explicit pre-trip instructions. The team is always open to questions and it is obvious this is more than a business to them, they really make you feel like family. During the trip they are with you to assist with anything you need, are friendly and the good energy they add to the trip is immeasurable. It’s scary to travel alone. But, when I make a reservation for an Amazing Journeys trip I am confident. I know their trips attract high caliber individuals and the AJ team does everything in their power to make the travels easy and enjoyable. I’m so glad that AJ is around and I was lucky enough to hear about them.
-Marla (UAE & India traveler)

Whether you’re an experienced traveler or a novice, you’ll be impressed with the energy, thoughtfulness, and care they devote to making sure you have an exciting, comfortable, hassle-free, and safe experience. With friendly professionalism, they manage to take groups of strangers to strange lands, bring them together, and help each create fond memories and warm relationships that can last a lifetime.
-Bonnie (Israel traveler)

I have literally been around the world with Amazing Journeys and enjoyed myself thoroughly. I get so busy with work that when they post a trip I am interested in, I skim the itinerary and pay my deposit right away as I trust… and they come through every time… to give me a wonderful experience as well as I feel safe as a single woman on their trips. I HIGHLY recommend them. My life is fuller because of my travel with Amazing Journeys.
-Stacy (Greenland traveler)

There aren’t enough adjectives to describe the great job they did in making this trip so very special!!!
-Helene (France River Cruise traveler)

The level of detail Amazing Journeys puts into every trip is insurmountable to any other travel company I have experienced. Each trip I have been on was more Amazing (hence their name) than the last. From cruising the Mediterranean, to a Jewish Heritage river boat tour through Eastern Europe, New Years Eve cruise through South America, an African safari, Hong Kong/China… all well planned, wonderful local tour guides, fantastic accommodations, and the list goes on. Travelers can rest assured that all details, big and small, are taken care of. If any emergencies occur, they are there handling it, making sure everything is taken care of. Are Jewish travel groups a bit more expensive than others? Yes. But well worth it. I have met some fantastic new friends from all over!! I have found everyone on their trips to be welcoming, friendly and we create fantastic memories. They are fantastic!!
-Toby (UAE & India traveler)

I have traveled with different companies before I found Amazing Journeys, and one thing I can say, you get what you pay for. Customer service is top notch. Every detail is taken care off. When I come home from an Amazing Journeys trip, I already start looking/planning the next one. I feel like every trip is once in a lifetime, that is how amazing the trips are.
-Reed (France River Cruise traveler)

I met many wonderful people who I know I will remain in contact with. I never thought I would have the opportunity to travel abroad and I could never have experienced the heart and soul of our stops without the expertise of Amazing Journeys. I have not stopped smiling since I have come home reliving the trip through pictures, Facebook, etc. I would not hesitate to travel with AJ again.
-Janet (Mediterranean Cruise traveler)

The level of organization and attention to detail by the group leaders was beyond anything I expected. I always felt like I knew exactly what was happening and if I needed help with any problems, the leaders would be there to help me. I also loved the ship and all the ports we visited!
-Audrey (Mediterranean Cruise traveler)

AJ plans fantastic trips. Once you book, you sit back and count the days till departure. Have questions? Never a problem. Their office phone is always answered in a friendly, warm manner. I can’t say enough positive things about Amazing Journeys!! It is the creme de la creme of singles travel groups. I’m glad I’m part of their family. I’m anxiously anticipating my next trip with them. I know I’ll be booking more in the future.
-Sharon (Africa traveler)

Amazing Journeys is really Amazing! This is a travel group for Jewish Singles – they travel the world and send you on fabulous trips. They take care of everything from visas, to airport transfers and you see everything there is to see in the location that you travel to. Their team is amazing! Knowledge and able to handle all types of situations and problems that may occur. After I have traveled to different locations throughout the world, I feel there is nothing I did not see or do in the particular location. I recommend this travel group for those who want to see the world!
-Lori (Greenland traveler)

The name is fitting. Just returned home from an AMAZING trip to Namibia. With the AJ staff’s attention to detail all I had to do was pack my bag (and find my passport) and head out. This was my 12th trip with my AJ friends. Already looking at the website to plan the next trip.
-Sharon (Namibia traveler)

I would highly recommend Amazing Journeys for group travel with nice Jewish people who are also interested in traveling to fun and new destinations. Amazing Journeys and its staff are professional, organized and bring together a diversity of Jewish travelers for a fun time. They always take care of the important details so I can enjoy a carefree vacation. I also like that they work hard to make sure everyone feels warm, welcome, comfortable and included in all activities on their trips. I look forward to my next trip with Amazing Journeys very soon!
-Lisa (Peru traveler)

I’ve traveled with other companies. Amazing Journeys is the top! They have a great inside staff and trip leaders that really take care of everything. They offer quite a variety of trips. With them I’ve been able to visit all seven continents. I highly recommend them!
-Marty (Antarctica traveler)

I have travelled with Amazing Journeys a number of times and they really do exceed expectations. The trips are well organised, and you feel like part of the family! The added extras, attention to detail and ability to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible means I would not hesitate to travel with them again. They are also just lovely to deal with, warm, friendly and clearly care about what they do. Cannot recommend highly enough!
-Benjy (French Polynesia traveler)

Because of Amazing Journeys, I have had the opportunity to travel all over the world and meet some people I can no longer imagine my life without. Think about your last vacation, did you meet other people or did you just hang out with the one or two other people you came with? I went on my first AJ trip with one friend and came away with dozens more. I keep coming back and now I can’t imagine my life without my new friends. This group is great if you have the travel bug but just can’t seem to find people who want to travel with you. You can sign up for one of the many AJ trips and just go. You WILL meet people.
-Tiffani (Morocco traveler)

What a summer!

Wednesday, August 31st, 2022

by Erin

It has been an amazingly full, fun and fabulous summer here at Amazing Journeys, and we want to start out by saying THANK YOU!  We know that when the pandemic started and travel came to a screeching halt, many of you were not sure when you would feel comfortable traveling again.  But we are happy to share that so far this year, 218 travelers have hopped on planes, cars and cruises to embrace their wanderlust and get back out there!  It means so much to us that you trust us for your re-entry into the travel world and we are thrilled to have had so many incredible experiences since travel has become an option again.

Spring had us bouncing from Costa Rica to the Music Cities of New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville to Croatia to Morocco!

In June, our amazing travelers ventured to Israel – many for the first time.  From hiking around the top of Masada to floating in the Dead Sea, experiencing the nightlife of Tel Aviv and learning the history of Jerusalem, we took on Israel head-first. We tasted local flavors in the market, shopped for crafts in the shuk and celebrated Shabbat at the Kotel. We opened our eyes, ears and souls to new experiences and Israel did not disappoint. And half of the group ventured to Jordan to check Petra off their bucket list!

In July, our expedition-minded friends were Arctic-bound and explored the incredible country of Greenland. This was such a remote location, filled with unparalleled and unexpected beauty.  From the icebergs to the mountains, the colorful sunsets and rainbows, the nearly perfect weather, fjords and glaciers, we couldn’t have asked for more eye-candy. Our brand new ship was filled with wonderful people taking care of us, science projects, lectures on culture and daily life in Greenland. Each day was filled with hiking, taking Zodiac rides through the Arctic waters, walking through towns, playing games onboard the ship, swimming in iceberg filled waters and so much more!

Then in August, we were off to France. From seeing the Eiffel Towel sparkle at night, to visiting the synagogue in Rouen, to biking to Giverny and seeing the famous water lilies this river cruise had highlights at every stop.  The river cruise experience was new to many of our travelers but now everyone knows why we love this method of traveling so much! We explored the picturesque town of Honfleur, visited the landing beaches at Normandy and tasted chocolates, cheeses and calvados, giving us memories that are sure to stay with us for a lifetime.

We have a slight break in travel now, giving us the chance to unpack from the summer, spend time with our families during the Jewish holidays and most importantly, gear up for our next amazing round of travel!  We are busy finalizing more trips for the 2023 calendar year and nothing thrills us more than being able to share a new trip and see who is going to be joining us.

Keep your eyes open for new trip announcements coming around the corner, but for now, we take a deep breath, smile, and say “Wow – what a summer!”

We’re traveling again!

Friday, March 18th, 2022

by Malori

Amazing Journeys is on the move and we couldn’t be happier!  It’s been a long road going nowhere, essentially.  It is said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and here at Amazing Journeys, we have done just that.  So here we are, two years later, stepping out into the world once more. While some borders are still closed, we have scheduled, re-scheduled and re-scheduled again, in order to provide you the trips to destinations you have waited your entire lives to experience.

Every day, country borders are reopening and protocols for entrance are becoming less cumbersome. As of today, the UK has lifted all Covid restrictions, dropping the lengthy forms necessary upon arrival.  The CDC has dropped the restrictions on cruising from a Level 3 to a Level 2 with no testing required upon return to the US from “closed loop” itineraries such as the Caribbean and Bahamas. New Zealand is reopening for tourism in the coming weeks. Aruba, Hawaii, Italy… they are all lifting restrictions and day-after-day, the outlook is getting better. This is all great news from an industry that has been stuck in a holding pattern for two years.

Still, there are contingency measures in place, should variants come into play. Pandemics, war, fuel prices, financial markets, diplomacy, earthquakes, tsunamis – our industry is a volatile one. We are taking baby steps to return to our “new normal.”  But just like we are experts in our field of travel planning and logistics, so are we adept in patience and being able to change plans at the drop of a hat. It’s nothing new… only this time the changes went on for two years and continue to do so.

We’re now ready to put the past behind us and venture out once more.  We’re excited that our first tour of 2022 just returned!  With Stacey leading our group of 24 amazing journeyers, we hit the road to lush tropical jungles, cloud forests and beaches of Costa Rica.  There, we zip- lined, hiked across hanging bridges, and enjoyed time at the thermal waters of the Arenal volcano-fed hot springs.  We saw indigenous wildlife including sloths and coati, whales and dolphins, butterflies and hummingbirds… oh, and the occasional lizard and huge spider in our rooms!  The group was so happy to be traveling again, seeing the sites and traveling with a fun group.

Our first cruise in over two years is happening in two weeks!  Can you hear the excitement in my writing?  We’re headed to Nassau in the Bahamas and Key West on the beautifully renovated Celebrity Millennium.  Still, just yesterday we had a change of itinerary, so like every industry, it is not in 100% “working order” just yet.  But our ports of Nassau and Key West will still be visited and we can’t wait to get this party started!

We just announced a cruise to the Panama Canal & Caribbean over New Years and in just 10 days, we had over 40 people sign up.  Our travelers are ready to hit the road.  And at Amazing Journeys, we couldn’t be happier!

Traveling into 2022

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2021

by Malori

We’ve all had our Covid stories and how it has interrupted our lives for the past 21 months. Each day brings with it new challenges, new surprises and situations totally beyond our control. My life as the owner of a travel company is no different.

I’m in the happiness business.  I satisfy the wanderlust in people, introducing them to cultures outside of our own, provide an understanding of religions different than what we know, showing them the world’s most amazing sites, breathtaking beauty sometimes found in the farthest reaches of this earth and escorting them to cities, countries and continents across the globe while providing an ease of travel, sure to deliver memories as well as friendships to last a lifetime.

It’s deflating, day-by-day, to have all your cool planning, excited passengers and revenue depend upon a situation where you literally have no control. Admittedly, I like to be the pilot… to be in control… the type where others depend on me to lead them to faraway places, keep a watchful eye on a myriad of situations, keep them happy, comfortable, and secure, before returning them home safely.

My job description has changed over the course of the pandemic.  It was business owner and consisted of wearing many hats including my favorites: experience crafter and itinerary planner. Part of my new job is interpreting legal disclaimers, dispensing medical advice including testing necessary, deciphering in-country entrance and exit requirements including types of testing, whether antigen (laboratorial or proctored or at-home proctored or self-tested), PCR (NAAT test) and more. I have been asked to collect valid Covid vaccine cards and to determine whether they are counterfeit or real, and to decode serial numbers and types of vaccines according to how effective they are as well as the number given.  Some countries require forms which live on apps needed to be downloaded and information uploaded, which I have now become an IT Expert as well as the IT Help Desk to teach my travelers how to access this new technology. And mind you, there are different apps for each destination in the world… sometimes several!  I have become an proficient in QR codes and how far to stick a swab up one’s nose. My favorite new job is predicting which countries will open their borders and when.  Since our crystal ball has been broken since March 2020, it has become increasingly less predictable, but my educated guesses have been pretty much on target.

If you thought taking off your shoes and emptying your water bottle to get on an airplane was difficult, be prepared for the new reality.  Travel is not for the faint of heart.

As we head into the busiest travel season of the year, please keep in mind, when someone who works in my industry asks you to follow a rule, whether on a plane, train, cruise or hotel, we aren’t trying to make anyone’s life more difficult…we are only helping you to get to a destination you have selected. These protocols were put in place to make your journey that much more pleasant and to hopefully allow you to start traveling the globe safely, whatever obstacles stand in the way.

We wish you bon voyage and G-d-speed, whether you are traveling globally, over the meadow and through the woods or down the street to celebrate the New Year with friends and family. Cheers to a happy and healthy 2022!

COVID Travel Update

Wednesday, January 27th, 2021

by Malori

No doubt, you’re ready to leave your own borders and get out in the world once more. While we are not recommending travel at this time, as you can see by the list of country requirements below that some countries are beginning to open, but still risky, cumbersome and complicated.

Below is a list of countries and what they are requiring of US and Canadian citizens at this time including opening of borders, entry requirements and restrictions. Please note, this update is changing daily and it’s best to check with local embassies for countries to which you may travel and also COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination | CDC,  the U.S. Embassy or Canadian Government and your preferred airline before finalizing travel plans.

Caribbean/Mexico
Turks & Caicos: Open to Canadians and Americans with restrictions. Due to a rise in cases, a curfew is now imposed on Grand Turk from 8pm to 5am (due to be updated January 27, 2021).
Antigua: Open to Canadians and Americans with restrictions. All travelers arriving by air must have a negative Covid-19 PCR test result taken within 7 days of their flight (not required for children under 12 years of age). Fill out an online health form. All arriving passengers will be monitored for Covid-19 for periods of up to 14 days. Curfew in effect from 11pm to 5am.
Mexico: Open to Canadians and Americans with no restrictions.

Latin America
Costa Rica: Open to Canadians and Americans with restrictions. You must have PCR testing before returning home to the U.S. or Canada.
Ecuador/Galapagos: Open to Canadians and Americans with restrictions. As of January 11, 2021, antigen rapid test can be performed on a random basis to passengers arriving into Quito or Guayaquil.

Europe
Montenegro: Open to Canadians and Americans as of January 12, 2021. No test required.
Turkey: Open to Canadians and Americans with restrictions. International passengers age 6 years and older traveling to Turkey are required to have taken a Covid-19 PCR test with a negative result within 72 hours prior to their flight. Passengers must submit their test results to the airline at the time of check-in. Borders open to all travelers with temperature check upon arrival. This requirement will remain in effect until March 1, 2021.
Croatia: Open to Canadians and Americans. Entry allowed with a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours. Travelers also have the option of being tested upon entry at their own expense, but they must self-isolate until test results confirmed. Travelers must also prove they are traveling for urgent personal/family reasons, business reasons or other economic interest (Tourism is considered to be an economic interest).

Africa
Egypt: Open to Canadians and Americans with restrictions. All travelers must present a medical certificate issued 72 hours before entry on arrival proving they are not infected with Covid-19. Children under 6 years of age are exempt from this requirement. Travelers departing from Japan, China, Thailand, North America, South America and Canada, as well as London Heathrow, Paris Charles De Gaulle and Frankfurt airports, will be permitted to enter with a negative Covid-19 test no older than 96 hours. Tourists must hold a valid travel insurance to cover medical expenses in Egypt. Health checks may take place at the airport for all travelers entering Egypt.

Important Note for Returning U.S./Canada Passengers
U.S.: All U.S. passengers over the age of 2 years must provide one of the following before boarding their flight back home:
-A negative Covid-19 test result (PCR or Antigen) taken within 72 hours prior.
-Documentation of having recovered from Covid-19 and approved to travel by a doctor.
Canada: All Canadian passengers over the age of 5 years must provide a negative Covid-19 test result (PCR or LAMP) taken within the 72 hours prior.

Please review the full order for the U.S. on the CDC’s website here. Canada issued a similar order earlier this month. Read here.

Because of a new variant, the US has imposed restrictions on non-US citizens entering the US from South Africa and the border-free Schengen zone which include 26 European countries. They include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

There is one European cruise line who is requiring all passengers have a COVID vaccine prior to boarding. You may find more of this in the future.

Airlines, cruise lines and other modes of transportation may require a ‘Travel Passport” or Vaccine Passport” in order to board your flight, cruise, etc.  Read more about it in the following article. COVID in US: What ‘vaccine passports’ mean for your summer vacation.

Travel will be safer in the near future and we at Amazing Journeys are ready for it.  But until it is safe to do so, you will find us at home, planning opportunities of a lifetime!

Country requirements provided by Kensington Tours

New Year’s Traditions from Around the World

Tuesday, December 29th, 2020

by Malori

Here it is, the week of New Year’s and I am at home. I’m usually working at “light-speed” finalizing logistics, programs, wrapping gifts and packing for myself and 70 others. So now I am getting a taste of just what it is that most people do over the holiday weekends of Christmas and New Years…going for walks in the snow, watching lots of movies, eating Chinese food, playing games and catching up with friends via Facetime or Zoom.  It’s a bit surreal for me and seems really strange for me to be here.

You see, it has been an Amazing Journeys tradition since 2002 to be away on a cruise for the New Year’s holiday.  It goes without saying, we are missing this once-a-year opportunity to sail into the new year with you, all of our friends. The planning, the excitement, the anticipation… it’s all part of a normal December for me and the rest of the team here at AJ.  Over the past nearly 20 years, we have traveled to close to home places such as the Caribbean, Mexico, the Panama Canal and Hawaii, and some exotic locales such as South America, India, the UAE, and Asia during this time of year.  It’s provided memories that are still fresh in our minds, and helps to get us through these times of this “travel black-out” we’re all a part of.

While on our New Year’s Eve cruises, we always share New Year’s traditions from the countries we are traveling.  Since we are unable to travel around the world, at least we can celebrate as though we’re traveling with our INTERNATIONAL NEW YEAR’S FUN FACTS:

NEW ZEALAND: Gisborne is 308.4 miles west of the International Date Line and thus is the first major city to see the beginning of the New Year (however it is Kiritimati, Republic of Kiribati that is the first “city” in the world to see the first sun rise for the year, and Amazing Journeys was there on New Year’s Eve 2002/2003).

LATIN COUNTRIES INCLUDING SPAIN, MEXICO, BRAZIL, COLUMBIA, ARGENTINA, CHILE AND OTHERS: Residents of Latin American countries down a grape with each of the twelve chimes of the bell during the New Year countdown, while making a wish with each one. On New Year’s Eve, women who want to find love in the New Year wear red underwear, or yellow if they want money. Other traditions include sweeping the dirt out and taking luggage outside as a symbol of future trips. (Side note – some of our travelers in Chile last year bought me yellow underwear for prosperity in 2020 – it didn’t work).  (And another side note – I will be walking around the block with my suitcase on New Year’s Day with hopes of future travel and I hope all of you will join me on this one!).

TAIWAN: The end of the year is celebrated with concerts held in all major cities.  Recently, the nation has used higher technology to communicate among the cities via video, enabling the cities to count down together.

SOUTH AFRICA: In downtown Jo-burg, locals throw old appliances out the window

FINLAND: It’s a longtime Finnish tradition to predict the coming year by casting molten tin into a container of water, and then interpreting the shape the metal takes after hardening.

PANAMA: Effigies of well-known people—called muñecos—are traditionally burned in New Year’s bonfires in Panama. The effigies represent the old year; immolating them is meant to drive off evil spirits for a fresh New Year’s start.

JAPAN: Many Japanese decorate their house with a New Year’s wreath made from rice straw and a lucky talisman and hang it on the door.  The tradition on December 31st is to eat toshikoshu soba – their long noodles symbolize a longevity and wealth.  They listen to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony which is commonly associated with New Years in Japan.  At midnight, the New Year is welcomed with 108 bell chimes in alignment with the Buddhist belief that this brings cleanness. It’s also considered good to be smiling going into the New Year as it supposedly brings good luck.

SWITZERLAND: Ever hear of dropping a dollop of cream on the floor to ring in the new year with good luck, wealth and peace? Well that’s what some do in Switzerland — it’s thought to bring a year of abundance. Some Swiss also observe the tradition of dressing up in costumes to invoke good spirits and chase evil energies.

PORTUGAL: In the northern parts of Portugal, children traditionally sing carols as they visit houses where they are given coins and treats. The songs they sing are called janeiros and are said to bring good luck.

DENMARK: Danes ring in the New Year by hurling old plates and glasses… against the doors of friends’ and relatives’ houses. They also stand on chairs and then jump off them together at midnight. Leaping into January is supposed to banish bad spirits and bring good luck.

Although we’ll miss traveling with you during the New Year, we hope you’ll celebrate in grand style, in whatever tradition you choose.  If you’re home alone, dance like nobody’s watching.  That’s what I’ll be doing –wait, that’s what I always do even when traveling!  Just have a great time!

Wishing you a New Year filled with health and happiness and dream of the day we will traveling together again.

We Show You the World and You Mean the World to Us

Wednesday, November 25th, 2020

by Michele

Vacations That Change Your Life, originally, a tagline when created, was with the thought that the travel experience alone would be what changed your life.  What we have come to understand and have witnessed for decades, is that in addition to that, our journeys are changing your personal life here at home as well.


As we are now spending time at home and riding this wave together, we have felt the strength of our Amazing Journeys family.  Since we first received the “shelter in place” orders, one of our top priorities was to continue to share the power of positivity and what better way than to continue our time together even if for now it is virtually. Trivia, Lunch and Learn, Ice Cream Social, Happy Hour, Art Gallery Crawl, Shabbat and the list goes on.  We have even seen new faces online who we can virtually welcome into our AJ family until we can welcome them in person somewhere in the world.

I know from hundreds of calls I have had over the years, no one ever truly expects how their life will change when traveling with a group of AJers. Oftentimes, I find myself telling the first-time caller that I am personally still in touch and friends with several from our very first trip in 1993. We form special bonds and they have changed my life and I know have impacted many others.

After speaking with one of our newer AJ friends recently, he said something very poignant as before he traveled with us, he really didn’t know what to expect.  His personal observation was there have been some wonderful “unintended consequences”!  He thought he was just signing up for a tour but what he came back with was new friends that enhanced his world.  Looking back on many conversations from the last 20+ years, we hear all of the time:
…I met my best friend on my trip.
…All of my fellow Broadway goers I met through AJ.
…So many that celebrated my milestone birthday were my friends from AJ
…Going through a challenging time, when I looked around, I realized most
were my travel friends from AJ.


As we navigate these uncharted waters, I have learned now more than ever, there is so much to be thankful for.  Although we show you the world, we want you to know that you mean the world to us and also to each other.


Please feel free to share with us one moment or friendship that has changed your life as we would love to hear from you and be thankful together!

The Wandering Jew

Friday, August 28th, 2020

by Malori

Traveling around the world, I’m so fortunate that I get to see a plethora of amazing sights. And the experience that I hold close to my heart is sharing our Jewish heritage with our travelers in faraway lands throughout the world. Whether joining a local community for Shabbat services, creating our own community for holiday observances or bringing back prayer to a synagogue that hasn’t seen Jewish life for years, or sharing the Hora with those who may not have ever experienced it, these are the moments treasured by myself and our groups alike.

We have had the good fortune to see many of Europe’s Synagogues. The largest and most magnificent I’ve experienced is Budapest’s Dohany Street Synagogue. Built in the mid-19th century, the architectural style is Moorish Revival and is truly remarkable.  With seating for 3,000 participants in its main sanctuary, it also houses a museum, a graveyard, and sits on the site of Theodore Herzl’s home. But in addition to the glorious interior, it’s the experiences one has that is the most memorable,  Being brought up to the bima and away from the crowds of visitors, we pre-arranged the opportunity of having their world famous Cantor lead us in prayers, together as an Amazing Journeys community.  Our voices rang to the top rafters of this massive interior structure.  Just outside the doors to the most beautiful synagogue in the world, we were taken to the site where thousands of Jews were murdered during the 1930’s and 40’s.  Anyone who has been to Budapest will have vivid memories of the stories of the atrocities that happened along the river dividing Buda and Pest and elsewhere in the city.

While most of our Jewish experiences are pre-planned by our Amazing Journeys team, some are bashert or, just happens because they are meant to be. When headed to the Azores, a remote group of islands located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 930 miles off the coast of Portugal and 2400 miles off the US coast, I received a call from a would-be traveler.  She said her dad was on a business trip a few years prior, along with a business associate, a Catholic woman who was born in the Azores. They asked about a run-down building they saw while walking down the street and were told it was a hidden synagogue from the 1800’s.  For over 30 years, the two had decided to raise money to restore the synagogue, and took trips to Ponta Delagada on the island of San Miguel until they had restored the Sahar Hassamain Synagogue into its original look.  They also created a museum and included details of Jewish life in Ponte Delgada. Upon hearing the story, we wanted to take our group to visit as well as have Shabbat services there.  In advance of our Amazing Journeys visit, we asked employees at the museum, those running the fundraising organizations and were told it was a museum and was not used as a synagogue for nearly 60 years. We asked different times and in different ways, and still the answer was no.  We arrived in the Azores, visited the museum as part of our tour and later, at the end of our day of touring, I mentioned to the guide we had been hoping to have our Shabbat services inside the synagogue.  She said, “why not?”  I told her we had already had a long line of “no’s” from everyone we spoke to and she said, “I work for the Mayor… I can make it happen.  Give me until tomorrow (Friday)… I am certain I can get this approved.”  Sure enough, she did and we kept our secret from the group.  Later that evening, I asked everyone to meet in the hotel lobby so we could have Shabbat services together, followed by dinner.  We walked the 4 blocks to the synagogue and had a private service in this 130 year old space.  We all realized the specialness of this experience, and that we were bringing voices of prayer to these walls that had not heard songs for decades.  Many of us cried.

Sometimes synagogues appear in the most random of places, nevertheless, they are houses of prayer.  Cochin, India was once known as ‘Jew Town’ because they were located along the Spice Route and had many Jewish families who settled there.  Cochin is filled with many synagogues, some being currently brought to their original beauty as houses of worship by congregations in the US and other countries who want our Jewish history not to be lost forever. We visited several synagogues in the once bustling area.  My favorite was one synagogue visit where we had to pass alongside of several aquariums filled with fish to reach the entrance of the synagogue.  Not very fitting for a house of worship, it reminded me that having a defined prayer space is a gift.  People in different parts of the world will make sacrifices so that they can pray as Jews.  While in Cochin, we met Sarah Cohen, the last Jew in Jew Town.  We spoke to Sarah, then in her 90’s, who still produced handmade challah covers.  Sarah recently passed away at the age of 95, leaving the former Jew Town devoid of Jews.

We have celebrated Shabbat in synagogues in Cuba where in Havana there are still two shuls, and as always, there is the one you “don’t go to.”   We have prayed with 400 visitors and Jewish business people living in the area in Shanghai, China and said prayers in a tiny underground hidden shul at Auschwitz in Poland.

 

One of the most sobering was in Linz, Austria where we had Shabbat services at The Linz Synagogue.  This meaningful symbol of our Jewish religion and our heritage sits just one block away from the balcony where Hitler gave one of his earlier hate speeches.  On the tiny balcony in front of the Rathaus in the main square in Linz, Hitler proclaimed the Greater German Reich on May 12, 1938.  He called Linz “my home.”  It was so important that here, we came together to pray as one.  This reconstructed Synagogue was both architecturally meaningful and hauntingly spiritual. Our voices during services were loud and proud as we aimed them to reach the heavens.

Whether one is Jewish or not, most likely a Jewish wedding is associated with dancing the Hora to Hava Negela.  On our travels, we have created the fun and fervor of the hora in many spaces and places on earth, including the most remote spots imaginable. We taught a local dance troupe in Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal in an archipelago comprising four islands off the northwest coast of Africa, to dance the hora.  Even more remote, our Amazing Journeys travelers to Antarctica did an impromptu singing of Hava Negila around an Israeli flag, after doing the Shehecheyanu blessing, a common Jewish prayer to celebrate special occasions. On a recent trip to Tanzania, we met the Hadzabe people, an isolated tribe who still hunt for their meals with poison arrows and spears. They live under bushes and move about Tanzania, following the game. Here, after this tribe taught us their dance, we showed them ours!  Although we couldn’t communicate through verbal language as they still use the “click language,” the language of dance was our connection. Although we weren’t 100% sure our movements would translate favorably, we’re still here to talk about it!

In India, just outside of Varanasi, the holiest city in all of India, we celebrated Tu’ BiShvat, the New Year of the Trees.  I asked our guide to provide me with a space under a tree, so that we could say some prayers and experience this holiday. He was proud to bring us to the Bodhi tree where Buddha was enlightened. Nearby, we found a tree we could sit under as a group and celebrate Tu’ BiShvat.

Sometimes it’s the remoteness and serenity of nature that connects us most to God. In my favorite spot on the planet, our heli-hiking lodge in the Bugaboo Mountains in eastern British Columbia, Canada, our group celebrated Shabbat with a setting filled with glaciers, mountains and granite spires. It’s the most majestic backdrop to a memorable Shabbat.  Equally so, perhaps my favorite Shabbat ever was facing Uluru, formally known as Ayers Rock, in the Outback of Australia.  Here, we perched ourselves on a large, red rock, indicative of the landscape of this desert area, complete with challah, wine and candles as I led the group through Shabbat services. As the sun set and the colors of Uluru changed with the changing sunlight, surrounded by our Amazing Journeys community in song and prayer, it brought us to tears.

Of all the exploration we do on our Amazing Journeys, it’s our visits to explore our Jewish heritage, see synagogues and visiting Jewish communities throughout the world, and  it’s the Jewish celebrations in which we participate that are always the most memorable part of the trip and our travelers remember for years to come.