Editor’s note: I’ve been lucky enough to spend a decent amount of time in Israel, and to have visited the Dead Sea on three different occasions. It is truly a remarkable place. In this piece, Sam does an incredible job narrating why this entire region is so special. For more of his writing, click here…
Editor’s note: I’ve been to Tzfat twice, although not since I was much younger. My tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) is from here, and is one of my most valued possessions. For Jews, or for those who seek to learn more about Judaism, it is an amazing place to visit. For more of Rabbi Sam Spector’s…
Editor’s note: On October 7 of this year, Israel was attacked by the terrorist group Hamas, with more Jews slaughtered in a single day than any day since the Holocaust. Since then, Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas and its networks inside of the Gaza Strip, an area crowded with civilians that the terrorists use…
Editor’s note: the last time I visited Yad Vashem was in 1998, and the memory is still vivid. As Sam writes so eloquently, it is a place that will change you. For more of Sam’s articles here on The Royal Tour, click here to visit his index. Today is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day as…
Editor’s note: Chanukah is over now, as is Christmas, but the warmth of the holidays can last well beyond the actual dates. I am so thrilled for this unique look into what Chanukah is like in the one Jewish-majority country on the planet. For more of Tamara Parkhurst’s awesome writing, click here to visit her…
I've resisted writing this article for a long time. There is really no way to talk about this issue without pissing off someone, or even pissing off nearly everyone. It is one of the most contentious political issues facing our world - and even us as travelers. And yet, only last week, Michael Che of…
Editor's note: it is impossible to capture the magnitude of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a huge book, let alone in an article about visiting Bethlehem. Some aspects of the conflict are necessary to explain as they affect the day-to-day experiences a traveler, like our Sam Spector, would have. We at The Royal Tour recognize that…
Editor's Note: It's amazing sometimes what seemingly small things from our travels become huge, even life-altering. This story from Madeleine reminds me that the best experiences are the unexpected ones. For more of her stories, click here. Before I tell you about the juice, it’s important for you to understand how much I don’t care…
Ok, it's important to note a couple things here. First, I love Israel. Both A and I have spent considerable amounts of time there, and it's an amazing place with amazing people, history, culture, and food. It's also a complicated place in a political sense. Talking about Israel seems to always run the risk of…