Testimonials

“We just want to tell you how much we enjoyed our tour to Australia and New Zealand. Although the number of activities Shimon managed to crowd into each day was more than our usual pace we were able to keep up without difficulty and, of course, we saw much more this way. We found our fellow travelers to be very congenial and understanding of our language difficulties, so we felt very comfortable in their company.”

“We feel very fortunate to travel with very nice, very fine people who are past travelers of Shai Bar Ilan. Having the small group was a plus.”

“We just returned from an 18 day tour of the Canadian Rockies and Alaska. This is our sixth tour with Shai Bar Ilan in the past four years and the second one in 2016. We could say without doubt that this trip was as good as maybe better than the ones before it and that is what gives us the best reason to travel with Shai Bar Ilan and Kesher Tours.”

“The scenery, the historical locations, the food and the friendships – what unforgettable fun.”

“It was a wonderful adventure and I learned a lot about China. I enjoyed the trip tremendously.”

“Dear Rona, I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful memorable trip to China. I know you both worked very hard to cope with our group and we certainly appreciate all that you did to make everything go smoothly. We certainly needed to recuperate from the hectic schedule but it was all very worthwhile.”

“It was truly a great holiday. Many thanks to you and Asaf for your attention to detail, for taking care of us and providing a memorable time for all. We could tell that this country held a special place for Asaf and he managed to convey to us his love of China and also to show us a few of its hidden treasures. We will remember with fondness all the wonderful toilet stops.”

“I wanted to thank you and your team for a GREAT trip. It was extremely educational, spiritual and restful. I learned a lot about history, geography, Judaism and spirituality. The differences between the Sefardic and Ashkenazim was also very eye opening. It was an unbelievable way to learn about the decimation from the Nazi regime first and then a second hit from Stalin. To celebrate a holiday about freedom in an area that had little to NO freedom for an awfully long time was a fantastic experience. I want to thank you for organizing a GREAT trip to a place that I never would have thought of going.”

“Good morning, As a newly retired couple it was time to start bringing some traveling dreams to fruition. Although the thought of going on a kosher trip to China was not our first thought, a series of coincidences brought us first to Rona Michelson then to Shai Bar Ilan. Talk about bashert. Our tour leaders, the Michelson’s, quickly brought us up to speed about China, first through emails and suggested readings, then through commentary on the tours. They also provided all we could wish for re kashrut and an environment full of Yiddshkeit. In each city we had professional, native members of the community whose knowledge, friendliness and engagement made our tour enlightening and fun. The presence of tour members from Australia and the United Kingdom added to our perspective. One of the couples had a grandparent who had lived in Shanghai. Our guide was able to locate where she had lived, bringing yet another personal touch to our tour. This trip was an outstanding introduction to China, to Shai Bar Ilan, and to the Michelsons. As a measure of our enjoyment, we will be joining the Michelsons on the next trip they are leading – to India, three months after returning from China. Ten months ago neither of these trips were on our radar, but a life of surprises is good. We strongly recommend both Shai Bar ilan and the Michelsons to anyone wanting a trip they will joyfully remember for the rest of their lives.”

“Dear Rona and Aaron, Shavuah Tov. I am sorry that I haven’t been in touch before to thank you for the wonderful trip and the “exciting” finale. Most of all, we want you to know how much we appreciated your excellent skills as guides (cooks, and mashgichim, etc.). It can’t be easy leading a diverse group of people through experiences that can be exciting, unusual, tiring, and stressful. We are looking forward to joining you for another trip in the future. We want to wish a Chanuka Sameach (no Hebrew keyboard) to you and your family.”

“Dear Avi, Just wanted to thank you for your hard work in making The Costa Rica Experience – January 2016 a positive experience for me. As I initially told you & Joseph, I was somewhat anxious about my 1st adventure abroad without my husband Avi z’l and though I missed him a lot, we saw so many wonderful places, things and the people were so pleasant that I did not feel ‘alone.’ I was impressed about how much we were able to do in just 8 days and my experience was so positive that I am definitively going to look into going on another tour with Kesher/Gesher/Shai Bar Ilan. Please thank Alfonso and Chico for me when you see them– I learned so much from the Fonz and Chico was an amazing driver. Thank you again and l’hitraot.”

“Dear Asaf, Thank you for all your effort and hard work. You have made this trip enjoyable and memorable for both Debby & me.”

“Menachem, your warmth, concern and patience for all of us, both collectively and individually, should serve as a paradigm for how to be a guide “extraordinaire”. Your enthusiasm and deep love and your knowledge of this extraordinary country are second to none. You were truly the author of a trip that will be long remembered.”

“One of our travelers, touring with Kesher Tours group in Japan, is thanking The Japanese for opening their doors and saving his parents, back then when they flee Nazi Europe to Japan and from there to the US. Since it opened in 1995, the Fukuyama Holocaust Education Center — situated just outside Fukuyama and about 60 miles from Hiroshima, the site of an atomic bomb in 1945 — has welcomed tens of thousands of Japanese schoolchildren.”

“Cindy, We want to wish you a great shabbos. You do know because of you this shabbos will be know as shabbos Morocco when we will all be telling family and friends about the great country of Morocco thrugh your eyes. We can’t thank you enough for making this trip such a memorable and meaningful one. Hopefully the friendships we ALL made will last a lifetime. Thank you once again and have a great great shabbos.”

“Good morning! I want to thank you for making our trip to Morocco the most enjoyable and memorable that we’ve ever taken. Wishing you good health and to be able to join you in more trips.”

“Dear Cindy, Here is my feedback of our recent tour to Peru and Macchu Piccu: Organization: As I said at our penultimate dinner, the organization of the tour was excellent. Your concern for the travelers welfare, attention to detail and commitment to schedules, were outstanding. Your patience with even the most tedious of personal issues and your assuming the personal burden of solving the more difficult ones (as in the case of my Cusco-Lima connection) was extraordinary. Much to be commended.”

“Hi Rita, We hope that you had a safe trip home. You must be exhausted. We want to thank you again for a wonderful experience in Peru. You are so organized and efficient that it is easy to leave the worrying to you, as you suggested. The group was really compatible, and we enjoyed being with our Israeli counterparts. We had a great day in Cusco on Tuesday. Victoria took us to the plazas and to the artists quarter. We walked all around, and it was terrific. We even shopped some more, if you can believe that. We had a long trip home, though not as long as yours. BH we are back. Thanks again. Hope we have the opportunity to travel with you again. Shana Tova.”

“Thanks for taking us places we would never have found on our own. We look forward to next year.”

“This was our first trip with Shai Bar Ilan and it was a very positive experience. The dinners at the Jewish community center in Barcelona were excellent as were the Shabbat meals provided by the caterer in Gibraltar.”

“I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed Dr./Rabbi Yitzchak Askoff. Not only was he a Biblical Scholar in Tanach as well as Hebrew & Arabic Languages; even more importantly, he was a Mentsch, in every sense of the word always caring for each and every individual. Kol Hakavod for having him on your staff.”

“Hi everybody, Icho and myself enjoyed very much the trip to Portugal with all of you. It was great to meet you and share this special experience. Eli, thanks very much for all your efforts. Have a great spring and summer and all the best.”

“Dear Moti, I am writing to you to tell you much we enjoyed the trip to Tanzania. The team (Yigal, Elyakim, Cindy and the local guide/driver) was excellent, the lodges were great, the food was more than acceptable, given the limitations and in general we had a wonderful time. The journeys there and back were not easy; a five or six hour layover is not very user-friendly. However, apart from that (and we understand that that is not really in your hands ), we have no complaints.”

“I enjoyed every minute of the trip. The guide definitely made the trip memorable and fantastic.”

“I enjoyed every moment in this exciting journey very much and I want thank you very much for that.”

“The hotel sight was amazing. The tours in the forests and around the lakes was wonderful. We enjoyed very much every moment and every day of spiritual and unique experience.”

“Thanks for taking us to places we would never have found on our own. We look forward to next year.”

“I can see why people look forward to repeating your tours.”

“I wanted to show my young boys there roots and lineage, so we took them home to Russia.”