Passover Travel Specials is one of the most important Jewish holidays. It celebrates the emancipation of Jews from slavery in Egypt and is commemorated by abstaining from eating any foods that contain leavening agents and having a Seder with the retelling of the story of the Exodus. Preparing for the holiday at home is labor intensive and includes cleaning all of the kitchen surfaces, throwing away or donating chametz (food with leavening) and cooking for Seder and every meal of the six day holiday. For many families, preparing for Passover at home is just too much work and they seek out the option of a Passover Program or a Pesach Hotel Resort instead.
These programs are run by tour operators who rent out all or a portion of a hotel or resort and provide all meals, entertainment, children’s programming and other activities for guests. They can range from a luxury program in Mexico to a mid-range and budget option in the US or Israel.
Embarking on an Unforgettable Journey: The Insider’s Guide to Passover Programs
Almost all of these programs are Glatt Kosher and have a mashgiach on site during the entire holiday. They are also usually all inclusive and include drinks, 24 hour tea rooms, a spa and more. Some serve gebrochts and some don’t. There are even programs that offer shmura matza as an optional add on.
So how do you pick a program? There are several factors that go into choosing the right one. Besides location, the other key considerations are the type of food served (gebrochts?), the hashgacha and whether it is non-kitniyot or shmura matza.