Yes, I am Jewish. While I am no longer overtly active in a religious sense, it is a huge part of my identity. So one of the things I made sure to make a part of my trip to Buenos Aires was to explore a bit of the Jewish community here. After all, Argentina has…
Editor’s note: outside of Israel, I’ve explored little of the Middle East. I’m so grateful to Sam Spector for filling in some of these gaps for all of you here at The Royal Tour! For more of his adventures, click here to visit his index page. I have written about the glitz and glam of…
Editor’s note: Like Sam, I also visited Savannah and Charleston in a single trip. However, my opinions are a bit skewed since I had a beautiful day in Savannah and nothing but rain in Charleston. Regardless, both are great, and it is wonderful to have these articles back to back from Sam Spector. For more…
Editor’s note: this article first appeared on JLiving Media. As always, I am so grateful to have Rabbi Sam Spector as a writer, both for his thoughtful approach to his adventures and for his unique perspective as a rabbi traveling the globe. For more of Sam’s writing, click here to visit his index page. I…
Editor’s note: Siem Reap, Cambodia is indeed a world-class destination. In three days there, I experienced temple overload, with so many amazing sites blending together. You can read my views of the place by clicking here, then read Sam’s experiences! For more of Sam’s awesome adventures, click here to visit his index page. In 2006,…
Being a writer has changed my life, and not only for the way it has allowed me to travel instead of “work.” It has inspired me to stop and look around more. Today is a good example. I have driven past this place more times than I can count, as far back as my regular…
This is my favorite way to travel. I love to find a long-term (at least a few weeks) home base to explore, and to use it as a hub to see some of the region. This trip has been too much of a whirlwind - with too many location changes - to do much of…
Editor’s note: while certainly not as prominent as Rabbi Sam’s, my Jewish identity plays an important role in both my life and my travels. Before reading this article, I had never heard of Quba. But now, I look forward to one day experiencing a different aspect of the history of my people through a visit…
Editor’s note: like so many people, my only real knowledge of Azerbaijan comes from reading about their recent wars (skirmishes?) with Armenia. It is nice to see another side of the country, as told by Sam Spector, our traveling rabbi. For more of Sam’s adventures, click here to visit his index page. My last article…
The Jewish community of Prague (and greater Bohemia) has been traced as far back as the 10th century. And, with a few exceptions (Jews were expelled from Prague in 1542 and 1561, and again in 1744 from all of Bohemia and even beyond), the city has maintained a Jewish presence ever since. Today, the community…