Music Festival At Sea Attracts Over 700 Guests

The recent Jewish Music Festival at Sea aboard the Kosherica and Eddie’s Travel cruise attracted over 700 guests from around the world, including many from New York, Florida, Israel and Europe.

The seven-day excursion around the Caribbean featured Broadway star Dudu Fisher, Avraham Fried and Lipa Schmeltzer along with one of the largest collection of popular Jewish cantors. "This was a wonderful experience," said Judy Morgenstern from Monsey, on board with her husband Michael. "To have over 300 people coming to minyan in the morning and hundreds attending the shiurim given on board makes this type of travel so much easier and inspiring for the religious crowd." The cruise was designed to coincide with the traditional Torah reading of Az Yashir, the Song of the Seas. "It is such a pleasure to have created an event of such musical talent, especially on such a special weekend," said Yehuda Shifman, president of Kosherica.

Ports of call included St. Thomas, Grand Turks and Puerto Rico with land excursions to Jewish sites and culture in the area. In addition to the musical performances, the program featured regular addresses from Rabbi Stevel Weil, executive vice president of the Orthodox Union and Rabbi Shlomo Lipsker, well known lecturer and founder of the Alef Institute which were attended by hundreds of passengers.

With a staff of 50 working in the kitchen and 100 in the dining room, this was the largest kosher group
to ever go on a cruise. "We are extremely pleased with how the quality of the food and preparation keep getting better as we keep getting bigger," said Offy Shifman, director of food and beverage for Kosherica Cruises.

"This is a program of unprecedented scope," says Walles. "But it proves that the market of discerning kosher travelers is only on the rise and we’re deeply excited to see where this trend is headed in the
future."