Comments (0)Editors Note
June 2009
Dear Readers,
I’ll never forget the story. My parents and sister had traveled to Eastern Europe and on their first evening in Budapest, Hungary, they were searching for a place to eat dinner. They were walking near Vörösmarty tér (Vörösmarty Square) when a couple sitting in an outdoor café suddenly shouted out my mother’s name.
Walking over to talk, my mother found herself speaking with someone she had spent time with during her summers growing up. The two, who had not seen each other for the past 20 or 30 years, began reminiscing. Next thing you knew, the couples decided to take a Jewish Heritage tour together the following day.
Then there was the time I was vacationing in Nantucket. Jeeps were lined up along the tip of the island and vacationers were taking the obligatory photos. My husband tapped one of the couples standing next to our jeep on the shoulder and asked them if they could take our photo. When they turned to him, they started laughing. They were from Baltimore — Pikesville, actually — and we all knew each other.
I could go on and on with funny stories about running into people I know in my travels, whether in the markets of Florence, Italy or in the heart of Times Square. And, if it’s not someone I personally know, it’s someone who knows a relative or a friend of mine.
There is something about Jewish geography that so many of us have experienced in our travels around the globe. In our annual travel issue, we look at this phenomenon and hear from Baltimoreans about several of their funniest experiences running into people they know.
Then, we wondered, if one is traveling — whether it’s in Europe, the Caribbean or along the East Coast — how can we add a Jewish flavor to the trip. In “Beyond Israel,” we explore ways to incorporate our Jewish heritage in our travels. We also publish a list of five Jewish destinations, not to be missed, outside of the Jewish state.
Summer vacation is here and iNSIDER also offers several suggestions on side trips for the family. First, if you’re traveling along the East Coast, don’t forget to stop by one of the historic Jewish synagogues. And, if you are looking for an inexpensive day trip this summer, we offer several ideas.
We hope that whatever you plan this year, whether it’s the beach or a foreign trip, you’ll have a wonderful summer.
Sincerely,
Rochelle Eisenberg
Editor