Chabad House in Christchurch, New Zealand Destroyed in Earthquake; Young Israeli Traveler Killed

Update (2/25/11): 24-yr-old Israeli, Ofir Mizrachi, is reported to have been killed when masonry fell on the car in which he was travelling with three other Israelis. 12 other Israeli nationals are still reportedly missing after the recent earthquake.

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This is very sad news coming from New Zealand which just suffered a major 6.3 magnitude earthquake, killing dozens, and destroying much of the city. A young, unnamed Israeli backpacker from Hadera was killed in the quake.

The Chabad of New Zealand has posted to all in Christchurch:
IF YOU ARE IN THE EARTHQUAKE ZONE PLEASE HEAD TO LATIMAR SQUARE WHERE THE CHABAD AND THE ISRAELI EMBASSY ARE SETTING UP AN EMERGENCY MEETING CENTRE

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Tags: chabad, chabad new zealand, chabad nz, christchurch, jewish new zealand, missing israelis, new zealand, ofir mizrachi

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King Solomon Kosher Resort – Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic [Review]

Contributed by: Anonymous Couple from Connecticut, USA | Last Date of Travel: January 2011

» The following is an account from a frum Jewish couple’s recent trip to this resort. We value their privacy as they preferred to remain anonymous, but found their feedback and insights very helpful on this program and resort.

Having just returned from this trip, I can tell you what was missing from this program.

Firstly, the good: which is meager. The grounds are very nice, and the beach is beautiful. The hotel complex is the Celuisma Resort on Playa Dorado.

The resort is horrible. The only thing worse than the hotel is the service. The hotel management will smile at you, but do absolutely nothing when you need their help. We asked for towels five times, and were told that guests were limited to one towel per person! Our shower had mold on the ceiling, and the hot water did not work throughout most of the complex. The friends with whom we went with had no blanket on the day we arrived, and after being assured personally by everyone that they would get it, it never arrived at all! Imagine an entire vacation without having a blanket on your bed?

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Tags: Celuisma Resort, chabad, chabad dominican republic, dominic republic, jewish caribbean, jewish dominican republic, jewish dr, King Solomon, King Solomon Kosher Resort, kosher caribbean, kosher dominican republic, kosher dr, Kosher Resort, playa dorada, puerto plata

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Where to go (or not to go) for Yeshiva Week Vacation (Winter Break)

It’s that time of year, when Orthodox Jewish families take vacation when their kids in yeshivas are off from school (that ranges between the last couple weeks of January through mid-February [including Presidents Week - third Monday in Feb]).

The decision to (or not to) go to the locations I mention below will depend on whether or not you want to be with swarms of other families on vacation, willing to wait on long lines at Kosher eateries (assuming they exist where you go), or want a more secluded vacationing experience.

Here are the top 5 spots that American Orthodox Jews tend to vacation, en masse, during this time period each year (in no particular order):

• Orlando, FL
  Between all the Disney parks, Universal Studios, Sea World, other entertainment options, loads of hotel options – including numerous kosher vacation rentals, as well as a handful of kosher eatery options, the Orlando / Kissimmee Florida area has become a popular destination for many frum families during Yeshiva Week.



• The Poconos, PA
  There are numerous hotels, ski resorts, and bed & breakfasts that cater to the influx of Jewish families during this time. The many ski ready lodges are a major attraction for families with kids and teens who want to be active on the vacation. Popular ski slopes include Camelback Mountain, Shawnee Mountain, Jack Frost Mountain, and a bunch of others.

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Tags: chabad, Florida, frum families, jewish los angeles, jewish travel, jews in vail, kosher colorado, kosher los angles, kosher mia, kosher miami, kosher orlando, kosher poconos, kosher travel, kosher vail colorado, LA, los angeles, miami, orlando, pico blvd kosher, pico kosher, pocono mts skiing, ski, skiing, skiing in vail, vail chabad, yeshiva week, yeshiva week vacation

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