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Centara launches Grand Beach sale at luxurious resorts in Thailand and Maldives

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Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has launched the Grand Beach Sale – an enticing new promotion that offers generous discounts at its stunning collection of Centara Grand beach resorts.

Valid for bookings made between April 8-21, 2019, this limited-time promotion promises an amazing 25 percent discount on every room type at five luxurious resorts in Thailand and the Maldives.

This additional discount is ON TOP of whatever rate, promotion or package the guest books – with no hidden catches, blackout dates or restrictions! So with the Grand Beach Sale, guests are guaranteed an awesome deal.

Guests can choose to take a blissful beachfront break at Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, which is nestled directly on the soft sands of Karon Beach, overlooking the Andaman Sea; Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui, the idyllic island retreat on Chaweng Beach; or Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi, the secluded seafront resort which is accessible only by boat.

Alternatively, magical Maldivian vacations are available at a choice of two private island resorts: the family-friendly Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives or the adults-only Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives, both of which feature a choice of spectacular beachfront and overwater villas.

Whichever Centara Grand beach resort they choose, all guests will enjoy accommodation in a spacious room, family-friendly suite or villa, plus complimentary Wi-Fi and fitness centre use throughout their stay. Up to two children can stay free-of-charge with their parents.

To take advantage of this attractive promotion, guests must be a member of CentaraThe1, the group’s highly rewarding, free-to-join loyalty program. Not a member yet? CLICK HERE to sign up instantly.

The Grand Beach Sale ends on April 21, 2019, so book your next beachfront vacation today! For more information and reservations, please CLICK HERE.

Travel News | eTurboNews

How safe is travel to Africa? African Tourism Board appoints SaferTourism

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African Tourism Board, (ATB)  has travel and security on its top agenda when attracting visitors to the continent.

At the upcoming ATB Launch on April 11, the organization will be announcing their appointment of SaferTourism.com to provide support and guidance to keep African Tourism Safe.

The man behind SaferTourism.com is no other than one of the best global experts available in this field.

Dr. Peter Tarlow, seen as a world-renowned expert in travel and tourism will be the keynote speaker at the African Tourism Board Launch Event on April 11.

ATB members and WTM visitors will be able to meet Dr. Tarlow at the African Tourism Board Stand (AP 12). His goal is to provide proactive guidance and hands-on approach to keep African destinations, hotels and attractions safe and available specifically for North American Visitors.

Dr. Tarlow is leading SaferTourism’s  Visitor Surety approach, meaning:

• The providing of a safe and secure environment for visitors and for those who work in its visitor industry
• Protection of tourism sites and infrastructure
• Perceptions, including how these perceptions impact its reputation
• The Protection of the economy vis-à-vis its tourism industry

Dr. Tarlow has been working on projects around the world and is known to include feedback from the US State Department in many of his international projects.

Dr. Peter Tarlow will be a speaker at the ATB Launch event on April 11,2019 during WTM Cape Town.

He is a world-renowned speaker and expert specializing in the impact of crime and terrorism on the tourism industry, event and tourism risk management, and tourism and economic development.  Since 1990, Tarlow has been aiding the tourism community with issues such as travel safety and security, economic development, creative marketing, and creative thought.

Tarlow has worked with numerous US government agencies including the US Bureau of Reclamation, US Customs, the FBI, the US Park Service, the Department of Justice, the Speakers Bureau of the US Department of State, the Center for Disease, US Supreme Court police, and the US Department of Homeland Security.  He has worked with such US iconic locations as the Statue of Liberty, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and Liberty Bell, the Empire State Building, St. Louis’ arch, and the Smithsonian’s Institution’s Office of Protection Services in Washington, DC.

Tarlow has been a keynote speaker for governors’ tourism conferences around the nation including those for Illinois, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington State and Wyoming.

He has addresses large-scale US government meetings for such agencies as:

  • The Bureau of Reclamation
  • The US Center for Disease Control
  • The US Park Service,
  • The International Olympic Committee

On the international scene, he has addressed conferences such as:

  • The Organization of American States (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Panama City, Panama),
  • The Latin American Hotel Association (Quito Ecuador, San Salvador, El Salvador and Puebla, Mexico),
  • The Caribbean Chiefs of Police Association (Barbados),
  • The International Organization for Security and Intelligence – IOSI  ((Vancouver, Canada),
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottowa
  • The French Hotel Association CNI-SYNHORCAT (Paris)

Additionally, Tarlow is a featured speaker for numerous US embassies and with foreign tourism ministries around the world. For example, in his role as an expert in tourism security he has worked with:

  • Vancouver’s Justice Institute  (2010 Olympic games)
  • The police departments of the state of Rio de Janeiro (2014 World Cup Games)
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police,
  • The United Nation’s WTO (World Tourism Organization),
  • The Panama Canal Authority,
  • Police forces in Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Curaçao, Colombia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Serbia, and Trinidad & Tobago.

In 2013 the Chancellor of the Texas A&M system named him his Special Envoy.  In 2015 the Faculty of Medicine of Texas A&M University asked Tarlow to “translate” his tourism skills into practical courses for new physicians.  As such he teaches courses in customer service, creative thinking and medical ethics at the Texas A&M medical school

In 2016 the international engineering firm Gannet-Fleming appointed Tarlow its Senior Security and Safety Specialist  Also in 2016, Governor Gregg Abbot of Texas named Tarlow as the Chairman of the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission. As such he has wide experience in dealing with protest marches and other public events that touch upon that theme.

Tarlow organizes tourism security conferences around the world, including the International Tourism Safety Conference in Las Vegas along with conferences in St. Kitts, Charleston (South Carolina), Bogota, Colombia, Panama City, Croatia, and Curaçao

Tarlow lectures and trains tourism professionals and security personnel in multiple languages on a wide range of current and future trends in the tourism industry, rural tourism economic development, the gaming industry, issues of crime and terrorism, the role of police departments in urban economic development, and international trade.  Some of the other topics about which he speaks are: the sociology of terrorism, its impact on tourism security and risk management, the US government’s role in post terrorism recovery, and how communities and businesses must face a major paradigm shift in the way they do business.

Tarlow publishes extensively in these areas and writes numerous professional reports for US government agencies and for businesses throughout the world.  He has been asked to be an expert witness in courts throughout the United States on matters concerning tourism security and safety, and issues of risk management.

As a well-known author in the field of tourism security, Tarlow is a contributing author to multiple books on tourism security and publishes numerous academic and applied research articles regarding issues of security including articles published in The Futurist, the Journal of Travel Research and Security Management.  Tarlow’s wide range of professional and scholarly articles includes articles on subjects such as: “dark tourism”, theories of terrorism, and economic development through tourism, religion and terrorism and cruise tourism.  Tarlow also writes and publishes the popular online tourism newsletter Tourism Tidbits read by thousands of tourism and travel professionals around the world in its English, Spanish, and Portuguese language editions.

Among the books that Tarlow has authored are:

  • Event Risk Management and Safety (2002).
  • Twenty Years of Tourism Tidbits: The Book (2011)
  • Abordagem Multdisciplinar dos Cruzeiros Turísticos (co-written 2014, in Portuguese)
  • Tourism Security: Strategies for Effective Managing Travel Risk and Safety (2014)
  • A Segurança: Um desafío para os setores de lazer, viagens e turismo, 2016 published (in Portuguese) and republished in English
  • Sports Travel Security  (2017)

At numerous universities around the world Tarlow lectures on security issues, life safety issues, and event risk management. These universities include institutions in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East.  Tarlow earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Texas A&M University.  He also holds degrees in history, in Spanish and Hebrew literatures, and in psychotherapy.

Tarlow has appeared on national televised programs such as Dateline: NBC and on CNBC and is a regular guest on radio stations around the US.   He is the recipient of the International Chiefs of Police highest civilian honor in recognition for his work in tourism security.

Tarlow is a founder and president of Tourism & More Inc. (T&M).  He is a past president of the Texas Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA).  Tarlow is a member of the International Editorial Boards around the world.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Air freight demand still spiraling down

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For the fourth consecutive month, global air freight performance has reported a negative year-on-year growth and the worst performance in the last three years. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global air freight markets showing that demand, measured in freight ton kilometers (FTKs), decreased 4.7% in February 2019, compared to the same period in 2018.

Freight capacity, measured in available freight ton kilometers (AFTKs), rose by 2.7% year-on-year in February 2019. This was the twelfth month in a row that capacity growth outstripped demand growth.

Demand for air cargo continues to face significant headwinds:

  • Trade tensions weigh on the industry;
  • Global economic activity and consumer confidence have weakened;
  • And the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for manufacturing and export orders has indicated falling global export orders since September 2018.

“Cargo is in the doldrums with smaller volumes being shipped over the last four months than a year ago. And with order books weakening, consumer confidence deteriorating and trade tensions hanging over the industry, it is difficult to see an early turnaround. The industry is adapting to new markets for e-commerce and special cargo shipments. But the bigger challenge is trade is slowing. Governments need to realize the damage being done by protectionist measures. Nobody wins a trade war. We all do better when borders are open to people and to trade,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

 

Regional Performance

All regions reported a contraction in year-on-year demand growth in February 2019 except for Latin America.

  • Asia-Pacific airlines saw demand for air freight contract by 11.6% in February 2019, compared to the same period in 2018. Weaker manufacturing conditions for exporters in the region, ongoing trade tensions and a slowing of the Chinese economy impacted the market. Capacity decreased by 3.7%.

 

  • North American airlines saw demand contract by 0.7% in February 2019, compared to the same period a year earlier. This was the first month of negative year-on-year growth recorded since mid-2016, reflecting the sharp fall in trade with China. North American carriers have benefited from the strength of the US economy and consumer spending over the past year. Capacity increased by 7.1%.

 

  • European airlines experienced a contraction in freight demand of 1.0% in February 2019 compared to a year ago. The decline is consistent with weaker manufacturing conditions for exporters in Germany, one of Europe’s major economies. Trade tensions and uncertainty over Brexit also contributed to a weakening in demand. Capacity increased by 4.0% year-on-year.

 

  • Middle Eastern airlines’ freight volumes contracted 1.6% in February 2019 compared to the year-ago period. Capacity increased by 3.1%. A clear downward trend in seasonally-adjusted international air cargo demand is now evident with weakening trade to/from North America contributing to the decrease.

 

  • Latin American airlines posted the fastest growth of any region in February 2019 versus last year with demand up 2.8%. Despite the economic uncertainty in the region, a number of key markets are performing strongly. Seasonally-adjusted international freight demand achieved growth for the first time in six months. Capacity increased by 14.1%.

 

  • African carriers saw freight demand decrease by 8.5% in February 2019, compared to the same month in 2018. Seasonally-adjusted international freight volumes are lower than their peak in mid-2017; despite this, they are still 25% higher than their most recent trough in late-2015. Capacity grew 6.8% year-on-year.

View full February freight results (pdf).

Travel News | eTurboNews

Dame Alice Walker will headline Anguilla Lit Fest 2019

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The Anguilla Tourist Board is pleased to announce an impressive line-up of international artists scheduled to appear at the 8th annual Anguilla Lit Fest, taking place May 16 to 19 at Paradise Cove Resort, Anguilla. Hosted by the Anguilla Literary Foundation under the theme Books, Beaches & A Better You, this Literary Jollification promises to inspire, educate, motivate and uplift audiences with its unique mix of readings, workshops and cultural performances, set against the backdrop of Anguilla’s spectacular beaches.

In her first appearance at Lit Fest, legendary novelist, essayist, poet and activist, Dame Alice Walker will explore the themes of feminism, sexuality, identity and spirituality in her prolific writing and lived experience. Dame Alice is best known for her Pulitzer Winning novel, The Colour Purple (1982), the critically acclaimed Possessing the Secret of Joy (1992), and most recently a bilingual English/Spanish anthology of poetry Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart (2018).

Dynamic author/poet Jason Reynolds will also be featured in the 2-day literary limelight.  Reynolds enjoys a special appeal for those in their teens and twenties as well as for the young at heart.  His first book of prose, When I Was The Greatest (2014) won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent, and most recently his acclaim skyrocketed with his New York Times best-selling Track series, Ghost (2016), Patina (2017) and Sunny (2018).

This year, the Anguilla Lit Fest also welcomes an inspiring cornucopia of Social Media Influencers and Speakers, including husband and wife team Tony A Junior and Sheri Gaskins, who will present Make it Work, 22 Time Tested Real Life Lessons for Sustaining a Happy Healthy Relationship (2019).  Tony is a highly regarded life coach, author and motivational speaker who has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and TBN’s 700 Club. The distinguished roster includes Glory Edim, a literary advocate and founder of Well-Read Black Girl, a book club and online community that celebrates the uniqueness of Black literature and sisterhood, and whose first anthology, Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves, was published by Random House in 2018; Denene Millner co-writer with Steve Harvey of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man and Around the Way Girl, a memoir with actress Taraji P. Henson and founder of MyBrownBaby.com, and Editor of Denene Millner Books; novelist and motivational speaker, Sadeqa Johnson, who worked with JK Rowling and Bishop TD Jakes before becoming an author of novels such as And Then There Was Me (2017); and Journalist/Blogger Sarah Greaves Gabbadon, better known as JetSetSarah, whose captivating posts on Caribbean destinations, food and shopping inspire all that ‘follow’ her to follow in her footsteps.

Additional authors include: Patricia Marie “Pat” Cummings, esteemed writer and illustrator of over 30 books for children; Ira Sumner Simmonds, a native of St Kitts who has written From Siberia to St Kitts: A Teacher’s Journey; and Stephanie Stokes Oliver, author, editor and member of the Anguilla Literary Foundation, introducing her critically acclaimed anthology Black Ink, and notables from the publishing world such as Dawn Davis Publisher and Vice President of 37 INK, and Yona Des Hommes Associate Director of Publicity for Atria Books.

“We are intent on showcasing the richness and diversity of the Anguilla experience,” said Cardigan Connor, Anguilla’s Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism. “Anguilla LitFest is a perfect example of the depth and sophistication of our product, and the lure that Anguilla presents to leading literary icons. I congratulate the members of the Anguilla Literary Foundation on what promises to be their best event ever, and look forward to another amazing event,” he concluded.

The 2019 Anguilla Litfest: A Literary Jollification is an unrivalled opportunity for meeting authors, attending book signings and writing workshops.  Special vacation packages for the event will be offered by a number of Anguilla’s leading properties, including the host venue, Paradise Cove Resort, and sponsor hotel, The Reef by CuisinArt.

For more information on the Anguilla Lit Fest 2019 or to register for this year’s event, go to www.anguillalitfest.com, email info@anguillalitfest.com, or follow the Anguilla Litfest on Facebook or Instagram.   For information on Anguilla, please visit the official website of the Anguilla Tourist Board: www.IvisitAnguilla.com; follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/AnguillaOfficial; Instagram: @Anguilla_Tourism; Twitter: @Anguilla_Trsm, Hashtag: #MyAnguilla.

Tucked away in the northern Caribbean, Anguilla is a shy beauty with a warm smile. A slender length of coral and limestone fringed with green, the island is ringed with 33 beaches, considered by savvy travelers and top travel magazines, to be the most beautiful in the world.

Anguilla lies just off the beaten path, so it has retained a charming character and appeal. Yet because it can be conveniently reached from two major gateways: Puerto Rico and St. Martin, and by private air, it’s a hop and a skip away.

Romance? Barefoot elegance? Unfussy chic? And untrammeled bliss?   Anguilla is Beyond Extraordinary.

Travel News | eTurboNews

African Tourism Board tackles visitor surety to keep Africa safe for visitors

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The official launch of the newly-founded African Tourism Board is only two weeks away, and the U.S.-based interim Chairman Juergen T. Steinmetz explained the organization’s commitment to keep Africa safe for visitors.

“Knowing weak points and confronting problems is the best approach.”

The African Tourism Board is working with Dr. Peter Tarlow to offer his decades of knowledge and workable approach to African members in the public and private travel and tourism industry.

ATB invited Dr. Tarlow to deliver a keynote address at the upcoming African Tourism Board launch event on April 11 during World Travel Market.

A variety of international speakers are on the impressive list of the launch event. ATB will be introducing an African-based president, while the US-based interim chairman Juergen Steinmetz will stay on as an advisor as he hands over leadership to the new president.

Among the speakers are Dr. Peter Tarlow, head of certified.travel, which had recently merged activities with eTN Corporation.

Dr. Peter Tarlow has been working for over two decades with hotels, tourism-oriented cities and countries, and both public and private security officers and police in the field of tourism security.

Tourism and More international staff includes some of the leading experts in the field. Dr. Peter Tarlow is a world-renowned expert in the field and a highly-published author.

Dr. Peter E. Tarlow is an internationally-recognized speaker and expert specializing in the impact of crime and terrorism on the tourism industry, event and tourism risk management, and tourism and economic development. Since 1990, Dr. Tarlow has been aiding the tourism community with issues such as travel safety and security, economic development, creative marketing, and creative thought.

Dr. Tarlow is currently consulting the travel security team for the Jamaica Ministry of Tourism.

Peter Tarlow has worked with numerous US government agencies including the US Bureau of Reclamation, US Customs, the FBI, the US Park Service, the Department of Justice, the Speakers Bureau of the US Department of State, the Center for Disease, US Supreme Court police, and the US Department of Homeland Security. He has worked with such US iconic locations as the Statue of Liberty, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and Liberty Bell, the Empire State Building, St. Louis’ arch, and the Smithsonian’s Institution’s Office of Protection Services in Washington, DC.

Dr. Tarlow has been a keynote speaker for governors’ tourism conferences around the nation including those for Illinois, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington State, and Wyoming.

He has addresses large-scale US government meetings for such agencies as:

  • The Bureau of Reclamation
  • The US Center for Disease Control
  • The US Park Service
  • The International Olympic Committee

On the international scene he has addressed conferences such as:

  • The Organization of American States (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Panama City, Panama)
  • The Latin American Hotel Association (Quito Ecuador, San Salvador, El Salvador and Puebla, Mexico)
  • The Caribbean Chiefs of Police Association (Barbados)
  • The International Organization for Security and Intelligence – IOSI  ((Vancouver, Canada)
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottowa
  • The French Hotel Association CNI-SYNHORCAT (Paris)

Additionally, Dr. Tarlow is a featured speaker for numerous US embassies and with foreign tourism ministries around the world. For example, in his role as an expert in tourism security, he has worked with:

  • Vancouver’s Justice Institute  (2010 Olympic games)
  • The police departments of the state of Rio de Janeiro (2014 World Cup Games)
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • The United Nation’s WTO (World Tourism Organization)
  • The Panama Canal Authority
  • Police forces in Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Curaçao, Colombia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Serbia, and Trinidad & Tobago

In 2013, the Chancellor of the Texas A&M system named him his Special Envoy. In 2015, the Faculty of Medicine of Texas A&M University asked Dr. Tarlow to “translate” his tourism skills into practical courses for new physicians. As such, he teaches courses in customer service, creative thinking, and medical ethics at the Texas A&M medical school.

In 2016, the international engineering firm Gannet-Fleming appointed Dr. Tarlow its Senior Security and Safety Specialist. Also in 2016, Governor Gregg Abbot of Texas named Peter as the Chairman of the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission. As such, he has wide experience in dealing with protest marches and other public events that touch upon that theme.

Dr. Tarlow organizes tourism security conferences around the world, including the International Tourism Safety Conference in Las Vegas along with conferences in St. Kitts, Charleston (South Carolina), Bogota, Colombia, Panama City, Croatia, and Curaçao.

He lectures and trains tourism professionals and security personnel in multiple languages on a wide range of current and future trends in the tourism industry, rural tourism economic development, the gaming industry, issues of crime and terrorism, the role of police departments in urban economic development, and international trade. Some of the other topics about which he speaks are: the sociology of terrorism, its impact on tourism security and risk management, the US government’s role in post terrorism recovery, and how communities and businesses must face a major paradigm shift in the way they do business.

Dr. Tarlow publishes extensively in these areas and writes numerous professional reports for US governmental agencies and for businesses throughout the world. He has been asked to be an expert witness in courts throughout the United States on matters concerning tourism security and safety, and issues of risk management.

As a well-known author in the field of tourism security, Dr. Tarlow is a contributing author to multiple books on tourism security, and he publishes numerous academic and applied research articles regarding issues of security including articles published in The Futurist, the Journal of Travel Research, and Security Management. His wide range of professional and scholarly articles include subjects such as: “dark tourism,” theories of terrorism, economic development through tourism, and religion and terrorism and cruise tourism. Dr. Tarlow also writes and publishes the popular on-line tourism newsletter Tourism Tidbits read by thousands of tourism and travel professionals around the world in its English, Spanish, and Portuguese language editions.

Among the books that Dr. Tarlow has authored are:

  • Event Risk Management and Safety(2002).
  • Twenty Years of Tourism Tidbits: The Book (2011)
  • Abordagem Multdisciplinar dos Cruzeiros Turísticos (co-written 2014, in Portuguese)
  • Tourism Security: Strategies for Effective Managing Travel Risk and Safety (2014)
  • A Segurança: Um desafío para os setores de lazer, viagens e turismo, 2016 published (in Portuguese) and republished in English
  • Sports Travel Security (2017)

At numerous universities around the world, Dr. Tarlow lectures on security issues, life safety issues, and event risk management. These universities include institutions in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East. He earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Texas A&M University and also holds degrees in history, in Spanish and Hebrew literatures, and in psychotherapy.

Dr. Tarlow has appeared on national televised programs such as Dateline: NBC and on CNBC and is a regular guest on radio stations around the US. He is the recipient of the International Chiefs of Police highest civilian honor in recognition for his work in tourism security.

Peter is a founder and president of Tourism & More Inc. (T&M). Tourism & More recently joined forces with the eTN Corporation under certified.travel.

He is a past president of the Texas Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA), and Dr. Tarlow is a member of the International Editorial Boards around the world.

For more on the African Tourism Board and the launch event in Cape Town on April 11, visit africantourismboard.com.

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Czech Memorial Scrolls survived the Holocaust and travel to New York City

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The fact that a few of the 1,564 Czech Memorial Scrolls were all in one place at the same time, was almost a miracle. It took detailed planning and the cooperation of many institutions to bring these historical documents to New York City’s Temple Emanu-El for one-evening. It is only through the efforts of the Herbert & Eileen Bernard Museum and the auspices of the Memorial Scrolls Trust of London that this first-time phenomenon took place in New York.

Importance of the Scrolls

Scholars have determined that it would be difficult to identify examples of Jewish culture and religion more suitable than the Torah scrolls. The reading from a parchment manuscript, containing the Hebrew text of the Five Books of Moses, the Divine Teaching handed over to the people of Israel, is the cornerstone to the Jewish synagogue ritual.

More Than Parchment

The Torah scroll is a strip of parchment, prepared from the skin of a kosher animal. Many inches in length, it is supported by two wooden rollers (atzei hayyim, “trees of life”) at each end. Considered to be holy, the text and the scroll hold an exceptional position in Judaism. If the scroll is appropriate for reading in the synagogue, the Torah scroll must be written in Hebrew square script with permanent ink by a professional scribe (sofer). The scroll cannot have textual errors and the letters must be legible. While certain errors and imperfections may be corrected by the scribe, if the damage is wide-ranging, the parchment cannot be used.

Jeffrey Ohrenstein, Chair, Memorial Scrolls Trust, London, UK “These scrolls are survivors and silent witnesses of the Shoah.”

Amazing Grace

The fact that the Torah Scrolls exist at all is a marvel.  They were saved from the Czechoslovakian regions of Bohemia and Moravia during WWII, surviving the planned destruction of everything Jewish and the horrors of the communist regime that controlled the country in 1948.

It is thought that the artifacts survived because Prague, although badly damaged, was not leveled during the fighting. The scrolls were stored in a synagogue in a Prague suburb and they remained (decomposing) in this building until 1963, when the Czech government sought a buyer for the treasures. Eric Estorick, a British art dealer, introduced the opportunity to Ralph Yablon, a founding member of London’s Westminster Synagogue. Yablon purchased the scrolls and donated them to his synagogue.

On February 7, 1964, 1,564 scrolls were delivered to London. According to Jeffrey Ohrenstein, “They were in plastic bags, like body bags.” Many of the scrolls were in disrepair. Fortunately, Rabbi David Brand, a sofer, was looking for work, and presumed that the synagogue would have at least one scroll in need of repair; he was shown an entire floor of scrolls in need of his attention. He worked in the synagogue for nearly 30 years, repairing all the scrolls – personally.

Shortly after their arrival in London, a trust was created to care for the scrolls and repairs were initiated. Over the next 30 years, over 1,400 scrolls were sent to synagogues around the world. Now the Trust focuses on raising awareness of the responsibility attached to the housing of these historic documents. Synagogues and institutions are asked to devote one Shabbat during the year to the Memorial Congregation to coincide with the anniversary of the deportation of that community and to memorialize the many murdered Jews by remembering their names on that Shabbat and Yom HaShoah and Yum Kippur.

The Czech Torah Scrolls Viewed in Manhattan @ Temple Emanu-El, February 5, 2019

With more than 75 scrolls from over 10 different states and countries on view, hundreds of people crowded the auditorium at Temple Emanu-El. The scrolls are identified by number and no longer have their original mantles. The current scroll covers range from sumptuous velvet to tartan plaid with an outstanding cover designed in the stripes of a concentration camp prison uniform. The Torahs were carried by Temple members as well as representatives from nearby synagogues and Houses of Worship. The scroll procession was accompanied by a violin playing Etz Hayim (A tree of life) from Proverbs.

 

 

In his emotionally moving words to the audience, Jeffrey Ohrenstein said: “The Torah is the one thing that binds all Jews together. We would like our scroll holders to use the scrolls in a way that reminds people of what we have in common rather than what divides us.”

For additional information, go to memorialscrollstrust.org.

© Dr. Elinor Garely. This copyright article, including photos, may not be reproduced without written permission from the author.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Cyclone Idai: What the African Tourism Board is doing?

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“The situation is terrible,” Jamie LeSueur of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Tuesday in a press statement. “The scale of devastation is enormous. It seems that 90 percent of the area [in Beira] is completely destroyed.

This is the result of Cyclone Idai, a devastating storm that caused more than 1000 death, severe flooding in Madagascar, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Mozambique early this week.

Catastrophic damage occurred in and around Beira in southern Mozambique. The African Tourism Board today endorsed the Global Giving project of dedicated local organization in the disaster region to assist the local population and visitors with relief.

African Tourism Board teamed up with GlobalGiving, a U.S. based local nonprofit partners supporting their local established relief agencies in Madagascar, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. GlobalGiving with the support of the newsy established African Tourism Board is responding to survivors’ immediate needs.

The projects below, as part of GlobalGiving’s Cyclone Idai Relief Fund, will provide emergency funding to locally driven relief efforts, providing food, medicine, and other essential supplies to help people impacted by the storm.

Projects responding to Cyclone Idai

Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi
Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi
by ActionAid USA
Cyclone Idai just hit Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, causing widespread destruction, flooding, and displacement. Local ActionAid offices and community partners are coordinating immediate relief, including supplies like food, fuel, hygiene kits, and school books.
CYCLONE IDAI- MOZAMBIQUE
CYCLONE IDAI- MOZAMBIQUE
by Afrilanthropy
The Cyclone Idai began as a tropical depression in the Mozambique channel on 4 March, dropping heavy rain over Mozambique and Malawi before heading back eastward in the direction of Beira, by which time it had become a cyclone. This in known as the worst weather-related disaster to hit the southern hemisphere, and the UN says more than 2 million people have been affected whereas 1 000 people may be at risk of death. The Storm-surge floods of up to six metres have caused widespread devastation.
Cyclone Idai Emergency Response
Cyclone Idai Emergency Response
by IsraAID
IsraAID will deploy an Emergency Response Team to Mozambique following the devastation of Cyclone Idai. IsraAID’s team will distribute relief supplies, deliver Psychological First Aid & psychosocial support, restore access to safe water & assess further needs.
Cyclone Idai damage in Zimbabwe
Cyclone Idai damage in Zimbabwe
by Kidzcan Children’s Cancer Relief
The Damage from Cyclone IDAI in Zimbabwe Summary The violent Cyclone Idai has been and is now dissipating but it has left a trail of destruction and devastation. People all over the Province of Manicaland Zimbabwe have suffered heavy losses, in terms of property, livestock, homesteads including human life and are now struggling to recover and rebuild. This project aims to assist the reconstruction and rehabilitation of a village that has been devastated by the cyclone.
Cyclone and Flood Recovery in Malawi
Cyclone and Flood Recovery in Malawi
by Partners In Health (PIH)
Catastrophic rains and floods caused by Cyclone Idai killed at least 50 and displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Malawi. Partners In Health is working to rebuild homes, deploy mobile clinics, and ensure families are safe, housed, and fed in the rural Neno district–where we have worked in partnership with the government providing high-quality health care since 2007.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Cunard cruise line uncorks line-up of speakers for 2019 Wine Voyage

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Luxury cruise line Cunard has announced that three of the leading wine connoisseurs and oenologists, will join Queen Victoria’s second annual ‘Voyage Du Vin’ on board Queen Victoria, setting sail in September. This round trip, 14-night voyage departs from Southampton, England, on September 6, and returns on September 20, 2019.

Oz Clarke, Will Lyons and Charles Metcalfe will headline the two-week voyage, which will sail to some of the leading wine regions of France, Spain and Italy including calls to Vigo, Mallorca, Livorno (for Florence) Cannes, Barcelona and Gibraltar. Guests will have numerous opportunities to go ashore and explore the diverse cultures, tastes and experiences each destination has to offer. Wine experts include:

• Oz Clarke is one of the world’s foremost wine connoisseurs, has written several award-winning books, and is generally regarded as leading Britain’s wine revolution in the 1990’s and 2000’s. Clarke said: “Whether you’re an existing wine buff, or simply have a love of fine wine, fine holidays and good times, the Voyage du Vin 2019 is sure to delight. I’m already looking forward to joining Queen Victoria in September.”

• Will Lyons is an award-winning columnist and broadcaster who has publishes a weekly column on wine, formerly in The Wall Street Journal and now The Sunday Times. His humorous, informed, down-to-earth writing has been recognized in both the Glenfiddich and Roederer wine writing awards.

• Charles Metcalfe is the International Wine Challenge’s co-chairman and is one of the best-known wine critics in Britain.

“We are delighted to have this group of experts join the second annual Voyage du Vin,” said Josh Leibowitz, SVP Cunard North America. “This is an extraordinary way for wine enthusiasts to taste some of the world’s leading wines and visit the regions where they were made, all while travelling in style on board the iconic Queen Victoria – only on Cunard.”

Along with talks from the experts, guests will experience daily wine tastings, pairings and fine dining, featuring over 400 wines from 23 countries.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Bird species of the Seychelles celebrated in “Seychelles travel book – A Young Ornithologist’s Travel Journal”

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Aspiring ornithologist from Acquapendente, Francesco Barberini, aged 11 years old makes the headlines with his third book. The book came out on December 17, 2018 just a few months after a trip organized for the young author by the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) office in Italy.

After receiving recognition for his initial two books, the first about birds and the second about flying dinosaurs, Pandion Edizioni has published Francesco’s “Seychelles travel book – A Young Ornithologist’s Travel Journal”.

The publication is the first in the “Francesco birdwatching travel” series, and it covers the splendid nature of the Seychelles, in particular the birdlife, that distinguishes these tropical islands.

Written with the fundamental contribution of Monette Rose, Director of the Seychelles Tourism Board Italy Office, and her staff, the book has been published in three languages – English, French and Italian.

Full of magnificent photographs, maps and original drawings, it is the narrative of ten days’ travel written in the words of the youngster. The book includes dedications by three renowned authorities, Fulco Pratesi, Honorary President of WWF Italia, Fulvio Mamone Capria President of LIPU (Italian Society for the Protection of Birds) and Sherin Francis, Seychelles Tourism Board Chief Executive.

Mrs. Sherin Francis said that the STB supported “Seychelles travel book – A Young Ornithologist’s Travel Journal”, with great interest. 

“It is an honour and a privilege to see Seychelles fauna and flora generating so much interest in the younger generation.  It is amazing to have a young author as Francesco Barberini add his name to the list of authors who are passionate about the destination and its remarkable features,” commented Mrs. Francis.

The book was presented to the Italian press and public on January 25 and 26, 2019 in Rome at the prestigious Sala Margana in the heart of the ancient city near Piazza Venezia during which a creole buffet was also offered to the guests for the occasion.

The event which saw the participation of the Seychelles Vice Consul in Italy; was attended by a great number of journalists, Tour Operators, artists and consumers and also all fascinated by the young aspiring ornithologist who described the islands under a new and interesting point of view. He underlined that islands are a unique place not to be missed.

The prestigious QATAR Airways and Swarovski Optik Italia have sponsored the project. The illustrations are by two noted naturalist artists, Lorenzo Dotti and Alessandro Troisi. At the request of the author, part of the book’s profits will be donated to the birdlife conservation projects on Denis and Cousine Islands in the Seychelles.            

MEDIA CONTACT: info@seychelles.travel

SEE THE MEDITERRANEAN THROUGH NEW EYES IN LIGHTHEARTED DEBUT TRAVEL MEMOIR

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Greece. Italy. Turkey. Whether or not you’ve visited them in person, imagining these places conjures up unnaturally blue oceans, whitewashed seaside hillsides, fragrant markets, and so much delicious food. Take these sights, add in a laughable number of family members, serious anxiety about air travel, and homebody tendencies, and you have Beth Daigle’s charming and funny travel memoir, Musing Mediterranean: Fun, Family, and Faraway Places Transform an Anxious Traveler (WiDo Publishing, July 2018). The book takes us along for the ride as Daigle experiences all the wonders the Mediterranean has to offer in a way that is uniquely hers—filled with family, foibles, discovery, and joy.

When Beth Daigle’s husband, Tony, announced that he was planning a two-week Mediterranean cruise, she wasn’t exactly excited. Plagued by anxieties about leaving home and air travel, as well as the fact that this was to be a multi-generational family vacation including her parents, daughters, sister and her family, there was some definite potential for disaster. Despite that phobia and reluctance, though, the Mediterranean called her in a way that she couldn’t deny—she’s half Greek and half Italian, and seeing her ancestral countries had always been a dream. Musing Mediterranean is the full account of that dream coming true—from the planning phase to the return home, Daigle takes us along on her family’s journey through Rome, Sicily, Athens, Ephesus, the Greek Islands, and Naples.

In her warm and approachable prose, Daigle communicates the beauty, history, architecture and culture of each location that her family visits, and a sense of awe that the trip has given her for what is truly a life altering experience. She ultimately understands that travel is something she must embrace, and not fear. While her message is inspirational, this book is never heavy handed and is very funny. In addition to the conclusions Daigle draws about herself and the world, she is also very honest about the charm and challenges of family travel, the good and bad aspects of a lavish vacation lifestyle, and the challenges of navigating in a place she’s never been. Readers will quite literally get lost with her in these pages.

“As far as memoirs go, many come from a place of sadness,” says Daigle. “Mine doesn’t. I hope readers will walk away from this story with a positive mindset that allows them to travel with an open mind and revel in the experience.”

Whether or not you’ve experienced the beauty of the places Daigle visits in this book firsthand, you’ll feel like you have after going on this journey with her. Most importantly though, in a time when we could all use a bit of an escape now and then, Musing Mediterranean is an unequivocally happy book that injects humor wherever possible. One that will make readers glad they’ve read it.

 

About the Author:

 

Beth Daigle is a writer, blogger and author with a passion for story-telling. Her desire to travel is squashed only by her fear of it. Not to mention her unabashed homebody tendencies. At home, Beth enjoys her role as wife, and mom to two daughters plus one very sweet Schnauzer. She is a lifelong New Englander residing north of Boston and is happy doing anything artsy, but favors writing as her foremost creative outlet. For Beth, family and laughter are everything.

 

Beth is a creative soul who finds joy in art, home design, gardening, reading, writing, a good laugh and an even better television show.

 

You can find Beth at bethdaigle.com, 3OlivesandaTwist.com, on Facebook @3olivesandatwist, on Twitter @3olivesandatwist, and Instagram @3olivesandatiwst.

 

REVIEW COPIES OF MUSING MEDITERRANEAN AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

 

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