The current pandemic has delayed many of our planned excursions and adventures, but that can’t stop us from adding places in our travel itineraries and writing up plans for our future travels.
For example, kosher cruises through the most scenic parts of Europe would make for a great future vacation. A river cruise, while exquisite, can offer so much more in terms of culture, history and palate, especially if you’re cruising through a place rich in Jewish history like the Iberian Peninsula.
Here are some suggestions on how to enrich your next kosher cruise through Portugal and Spain.
All Kosher Luxury Cruise Along The Douro River
Immerse Yourself in Delicious Sephardic Cuisine
The Iberian Peninsula is the home of Sephardic Jewry, with a cultural identity that persisted from the challenging days of Visigothic rule, through the relative prosperity of the Golden Age of Spanish Jews, and to the tragic diaspora brought about by the Alhambra Decree.
One can immerse oneself in Sephardic culture through their great cuisine. From life-saving alheira to Iberian-borne dafina, you can elevate your travel experience by learning how to make such delicious dishes along the cruise.
Enjoy Wonderful Poetry from Iberian Poets
The Golden Age of Spanish Jews was a time of great art and scholarly research–a time when the Jewish people of Iberia could explore literature and art in a free and uninhibited manner. This Golden Age, which lasted from the 8th century to around the 11th and 12th century, produced many poets such as Judah Halevi, Moses ibn Ezra, and Samuel Hanagid, among many others.
Explore verses that were explored by these great Jewish artists, those that speak of love, wine, community, loss, survival and religious faith. If you want the most out of your future Glatt kosher vacations through Iberia, check some of the works of its Jewish poets. Here is one example by Judah Halevi: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/146849/lord