Jewish Sabbath Services aboard Celebrity Silhouette sailing 5, January 2012

[Kellie Poodle]

Fortunately I have never been asked to lead services. I can handle both Reform and Conservative and have been a lay leader forever but chant - not so good or as my grandfather would say "nicht zer gut!"

There have been Shabbot services on every cruise we have taken, and that's quite a few.

 

When praying, every voice sounds good to G-d. I've led services on several cruises and I KNOW that I can't carry a tune in a handbag, but no one seems to mind. The idea is to get everyone else to sing with you:D

 

I can do United Synagogue Conservative and the usual Cincinnati Reform, but nobody is looking for a long service, so I try to keep it to the main elements.

 

I'll bring my own electric tea lights just in case there are real candles and no matches.

[bloom]

We have always had a service on our cruises, some small some big with one cruise in South America standing room only held in the cinema with M.O.T from 11 countries, as well as a separate private Shabbat service (orthodox). On our cruise in Oz my wife had Yahrzeit for her mother, we informed the desk and explained what it was for, They announced it and we had a full house. a room was provided and the captain asked my wife if the ships staff had acted correctly.

 

Siddurim have always been supplied (conservative on X and reform on RCI) also Challah and Kosher wine. and on all X cruises it has been announced in the daily sheet.

 

I noticed this on the X website last week.

 

In addition to our current selection of complimentary kosher meals, we're proud to introduce Premium Kosher Meals. High quality, made-from-scratch dishes are Glatt Kosher certified and made from scratch under the strict supervision of the O.U. and USDA. Pricing is per item and prices are subject to change. If you wish to partake of either our standard or premium kosher meals, we ask that you notify us 60 days in advance of your departure date. Premium Kosher Meals must be ordered onboard 24 hours in advance. Kosher meals are available on all ships except Celebrity Xpedition®.

[bloom]

This is all great news.

 

This Friday night we wil be attending Shabbat services at a synagogue in Buenos Aires (pre-arranged) The next 2 Friday nights we'll be on the Infinity.

 

I'm brushing up on L'cha Dodi as I type

 

We attended Shabbat service in Buenos Aires, we also had a Jewish Tour arranged which included a Shabbat meal with a member of the Community (which is larger than ours in London) and if it takes your fancy they have the only Kosher (supervised) McDonald's outside of Israel. We have visited BA 3 times and we envy you, it is a great place.

[deserttraveler]

We attended Shabbat service in Buenos Aires, we also had a Jewish Tour arranged which included a Shabbat meal with a member of the Community (which is larger than ours in London) and if it takes your fancy they have the only Kosher (supervised) McDonald's outside of Israel. We have visited BA 3 times and we envy you, it is a great place.

 

Here's a photo I took there last year. It's in a very interesting mall called Abasto. The main subway line that runs to that area runs preserved antique wooden cars with no air conditioning, so best to take a cab.

[May B]

My 15-year-old grandson, who is a world history and world geography officianado, was quizzing us on the percentages of Jews in countries around the world. It's neat! But I had not realized that Buenos Aires would have more Jews than London.

 

The first sight-seeing I did in London, on my first full day there, was the Bevis Marks Synagogue. It worked out well, b/c they have a little "tour" on Wednesdays only.

 

Our cruise from Amsterdam to Istanbul was pretty neat -- from one place that welcome Jews in 1492, to another! with a stop in Palermo, where Jews and Muslims were expelled in 1492.

 

Thanks for info, Blooms and DesertTraveler. Now I can send that MickeyD's sign and get grandson to guess where it is!!!

 

--May

[bloom]

My 15-year-old grandson, who is a world history and world geography officianado, was quizzing us on the percentages of Jews in countries around the world. It's neat! But I had not realized that Buenos Aires would have more Jews than London.

 

The first sight-seeing I did in London, on my first full day there, was the Bevis Marks Synagogue. It worked out well, b/c they have a little "tour" on Wednesdays only.

 

Our cruise from Amsterdam to Istanbul was pretty neat -- from one place that welcome Jews in 1492, to another! with a stop in Palermo, where Jews and Muslims were expelled in 1492.

 

Thanks for info, Blooms and DesertTraveler. Now I can send that MickeyD's sign and get grandson to guess where it is!!!

 

--May

 

Hi the Jewish Population of the UK is 250,000 with a majority in London, followed by Manchester, Leeds with smaller communities in Birmingham, Liverpool and Glasgow other towns have very small communities with most Jews belonging to a synagogue, it is a very strong mixed community of Orthodox, Conservative (not the same as USA very traditional with all Hebrew service) and Reform the Liberal is very small . Buenos Aires when we were there they estimated the population to be 400,000 although the official count is smaller.

 

We attended a Chupa at Bevis Marks 4 months back and it is very beautiful, as you may remember they still use candles and not electric lights to light up the synagogue. It is a remarkable sight in a full shul service.

[Bestbubba]

 

We attended a Chupa at Bevis Marks 4 months back and it is very beautiful, as you may remember they still use candles and not electric lights to light up the synagogue. It is a remarkable sight in a full shul service.

 

Our eldest son got married there as our lovely DIL is from a Sephardi family. 17 years and 2 sets of twins later, I can still remember my first glimpse of the synagogue, alight with all the candles - just beautiful.

 

Sue

[May B]

Yes, indeed, the "tour guide" proudly told us that many brides choose to have a Bevis Marks candlelit ceremony b/c it is so beautiful. Nice to hear from Sue and Steve, about the wedding that led to four grandchildren!!

 

The UK Jewish population sounds more like the Australian than the US in terms of observance. My friend in Australia tried to tell me that we Yanks don't realize how the rest of the world does things!!

[bloom]

Yes, indeed, the "tour guide" proudly told us that many brides choose to have a Bevis Marks candlelit ceremony b/c it is so beautiful. Nice to hear from Sue and Steve, about the wedding that led to four grandchildren!!

 

The UK Jewish population sounds more like the Australian than the US in terms of observance. My friend in Australia tried to tell me that we Yanks don't realize how the rest of the world does things!!

 

A brief rundown on the Jewish type of observance other than Charadim. The orthodox synagogue groups are strict orthodox in service but the members are somewhat middle road, the conservative (called Masorti in UK) are strict orthodox in service same siddur as orthodox but allow mixed seating and count woman in minyan but will not allow woman to lead or cantor service nor allow woman to wear Talit or kippot, the reform is more like the conservative in the USA and liberal is somewhat like your reform. The majority of children attend Jewish schools.

 

Our son was married in Tel Aviv to a wonderful girl from Venezuela (both made aliyah) but now live with our first grandchild some 10 mins away from us, we are all conservative, but our daughter is modern orthodox. That means she is Shomar Shabbat but wears modern clothes goes to cinema watches TV (not Shabbat), and leads a normal life and respects all forms of Judaism and wait for it lives with her boyfriend who is reform and rides to shul whilst she walks, go figure? but it works for them.

 

No matter how different we daven we are still one people, one faith, one family with one spiritual homeland Israel.

 

Shabbat Shalom

[KURLYLOX]

I have just started to Rejoice in reading the response to my post. This will be a blessing for my Husband and I to meet with everyone on the Silhouette on January 6, 2012!

See you all next week, sandee cohn

[May B]

Bloom family, has many bases covered!

 

Kellie Poodle had it right, it's all music to G-d's ears.

 

Shalom, y'all.

[May B]

Sandee,

 

Most of us aren't on your cruise, we just decided to chime in when we saw your thread topic.

 

Makes it sound like we don't have anything better to do than troll the Celebrity pages of CC.com, doesn't it? Well, sometimes it's our chill-out time, yes?

 

Anyway! have a great cruise. I'm sure I'll think of you when I see shabbat services advertised on the Century, down under, and yes, you did a nice mitzvah, letting us all chat here.

 

--May

[alcpa1]

I live in a small southern town in the US. Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the closing of our shul. I am so envious of those of you who can walk to shul or even be there by other means of transportation in a relatively short period of time.

The reason why I am posting again is because one of our former rabbis has served on Crystal and Seabourn for the yom tovs for many years. I adore him and wish I could have been his challah bearer on each voyage. If you have ever sailed with Rabbi BLOOM - perhaps a relation to our London Mr. Bloom, you would have kvelled with yom tov spirit and nachas would abound.

May 2012 bring joy and full sails to you all.

[May B]

When I visited the Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam, I did not realize it's also without electricity, and in fact, I can't confirm that. However, this You Tube is beautiful, and I believe this is the synagogue that sent members and also financial support to found Bevis Marks?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=H4IF8OmLOMw

 

Bevis Marks, or Portuguese in Amsterdam, or both, also have had supportive relationships with the shul in Bridgetown, Barbados, I believe.

[bloom]

When I visited the Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam, I did not realize it's also without electricity, and in fact, I can't confirm that. However, this You Tube is beautiful, and I believe this is the synagogue that sent members and also financial support to found Bevis Marks?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=H4IF8OmLOMw

 

Bevis Marks, or Portuguese in Amsterdam, or both, also have had supportive relationships with the shul in Bridgetown, Barbados, I believe.

 

There are many beautiful shuls around the world, Rome, Florence are magnificent but when you visit them wherever in the world there is a connection no matter the language or culture of that country we were in India in 2011 and visited synagogues in Cochin and 3 in Mumbai and all were magic and again a connection with the local Jewish people. Pure Magic

 

Am Yisrael Chai

[Bestbubba]

May, I see you are going to be on the Century soon. We are too, sailing from Sydney, but not till March....What a pity, we could have enjoyed the Sabbath services together:)

 

Sue

[T.O.cruisers]

While on a southern cruise out of San Juan on Adventure of the Seas, I visited the shuls in Aruba, Curacao and St. Thomas. Our tour guide made a special stop for us in Aruba, only to find the shul closed. We were able to go into the shuls in Curacao and St. Thomas and they are truly magnificant. We were in St. Thomas on a Saturday and actually were invited to sit in on a Bat Mitzvah service of a girl from Atlanta. We were invited to join in their kiddish afterward. It was my Mom's yartzheit as well and we were able to observe. We are not particularly observant Jews but we do appreciate the traditional practices.

 

Happy sailing to all and to all a healthy new year.

[CruisinGirl777]

When we were on the Summit this past Oct 28th, Celebrity provided us with a room, challah, prayer books, kosher wine and battery operated candles for Shabbos. It was around 5-5:30pm and it was posted in the dailies. It was a nice surprise. There were 10 of us (!) and we had a lovely service.

 

For the High Holy Days this year we will be attending a 100-yr old synagogue in Jamaica with traditional sand floor and candle light. Looking forward to it!

[Kellie Poodle]

We attended Friday night services at the Libertad Synagogue in Buenos Aires. The services were very lively, with a young female cantor and a singing young male keyboard player. The music was very modern, but the words were, of course, familiar.

 

They services last an hour, but there were 3 couples (who were told the services lasted an hour) who will also be sailing with us who attended and decided, after 15 minutes, that they didn't like the services and got up and left.

 

I thought this was kind of rude. Please folks, remember that we are "orchim" "guests" at these congregations. The people there are fulfilling a great mitzvah of "hachnasat orchim" and we should be gracious about it.

 

We've attended services in many places and have noted that "Adon Olam" is almost exactly the same tune in every Ashke**** shul in the world.

 

We leave in one hour for the port. It has been such fun sharing with fellow MOT here. I hope the thread keeps going.

 

Until then, L'hit'ra'ot.

 

Shalom U'vracha

[May B]

I feel such a sense of community, here; isn't it great? One of my most unusual visits was to the shul in Florence. I had checked dates but evidently I was sure I'd be able to visit on my Tuesday visit; when that didn't work it, lo and behold, Thursday was Shavuot! No worries. Mr. B. and I attended part of the service. The employee who allowed us through the security checkpoint made only one request (other than that we observe the gender-specific seating): that we remain until the end of the service.

 

I must confess that I once left a Scottsdale, Ariz., Yizkor service with my cousin and a friend, right after Yizkor, b/c we were on a tight time frame; I agree, though, that it's not a pretty practice, and I was truly embarrassed.

 

My biggest disappointment in an effort to visit a shul was in Siena. I believed what the web site said about the days and times, but when we arrived, the shul was buttoned up tight. We had to "make do" with the street signs pointing to the sinagogia (my Italian's not great, but I think that's close). I should've emailed or called ahead!

 

In Rome, there was a wedding going on, wow, neat. In fact, there were two weddings that a.m. All the male guests were in black suits.

 

The hazzan (recently retired) from my shul used a wonderful Adon Olam one Rosh Hashanah, to the tune of, I'd Rather Be a Hammer than a Nail (Peruvian folk song, El Condor Pasa). Nobody believes me, b/c it was tricky, getting it to fit; but when I was the ONLY congregant who told him how much I loved it, he made a CD for me -- so I have the proof! I actually think he is from Buenos Aires, now that I think about it.

 

Sue, I don't often get to shabbat services on board, actually. I've been to Hanukah a few times, and in fact I think my more recent one, in Dec. of 2009, was either directly or indirectly responsible for Celebrity's cutting back on clergy on board. That's a whole 'nother story.

 

I second the motion to keep this thread going with stories of synagogue visits around the world. My next planned visit will be to the Jewish area of a cemetery in Sydney to visit the grave of a dear friend I was hoping to meet in person on my upcoming cruise on the Century. I'm heart broken that she didn't live long enough; but I'll give her an earful of my disappointment, when I visit her grave. I hope it doesn't disturb her final rest!!! When I was in Sydney in 2007, my first sightseeing was to the Jewish Museum. The history of the Jews in Australia and of the Holocaust survivors were wonderful. They have a room there where one could memorialize their lost loved ones from the Shoah, with stone walls and engraved blocks of stone for families or singles -- a place you could visit since you couldn't visit their burial place (such as it might have been) back in Europe. I found it very moving, an effort to bring a small sense of normalcy to the most awful of memories.

 

I hope the OP has a wonderful cruise, and comes back to report to us! Sue, let's compare notes after we both get back (or inbetween!). I'm at msa1289 at yahoo dot com if you'd like to email me.

 

--May

[AlanAllyn]

We were in Curacao 5 years ago on Shabbat Chanuka. I had made arrangements by email in advance and had the honor of chanting the Haftara in the synagogue there.

[bashburs]

We just came back from Millenium 12/26-12/31. There was a Sabbath service led by a lay person. Not sure if he was compensated by the Cruise line. There was a challah, candles and wine glasses without wine. Not many other guests. Our family was saying kaddish for my father, so we already 8, maybe 5 other guests were in attendance.:)

[bloom]

We attended Friday night services at the Libertad Synagogue in Buenos Aires. The services were very lively, with a young female cantor and a singing young male keyboard player. The music was very modern, but the words were, of course, familiar.

 

They services last an hour, but there were 3 couples (who were told the services lasted an hour) who will also be sailing with us who attended and decided, after 15 minutes, that they didn't like the services and got up and left.

 

I thought this was kind of rude. Please folks, remember that we are "orchim" "guests" at these congregations. The people there are fulfilling a great mitzvah of "hachnasat orchim" and we should be gracious about it.

 

We've attended services in many places and have noted that "Adon Olam" is almost exactly the same tune in every Ashke**** shul in the world.

 

We leave in one hour for the port. It has been such fun sharing with fellow MOT here. I hope the thread keeps going.

 

Until then, L'hit'ra'ot.

 

Shalom U'vracha

 

Hi Kellie,

 

We attended a Shabbat service on Saturday morning at the Libertad synagogue no music or Chazan but a wonderful service and I had an Aliyah Torah after the Kiddush we were invited to the home of a congregant for lunch. It was after the cruise so we were able to return to our hotel afterwards.

 

Adon Olam is one of the few songs that can be sung to almost any tune, try it out.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Lets keep this board going

[Bestbubba]

 

Adon Olam is one of the few songs that can be sung to almost any tune, try it out.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Lets keep this board going

 

One of my all time favourites was Adon Olam to the theme from the film "Exodus".....and we all laughed when it was sung to "Yellow submarine" at a friend's son's Bar Mitzvah:)

 

May, it will be fun to compare notes.

 

Sue

[Redtravel]

There are always services on board...every Friday night. I've attended and enjoyed meeting other MOTs. We also did a Passover sedar conducted by the security staff. It was excellent. Just ask for challah for your table on Friday night. You will enjoy it.