Whether you’ve always wanted to see Morocco, spend Pesach in a luxurious location or be treated like a VIP, Paradis Production NYC’s Pesach program is just the thing. Event planner extraordinaire Prosper Lankry has thought of everything for Pesach 2019. Sedarim, day trips, gourmet food, Israeli and French chazans, renowned rabbinic scholars, children’s programs—this program has it all.
This year’s program will take place at the Hotel Lixus Beach Resort in Larache, Tangier, Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. Paradis Productions has taken over the hotel for 11 nights for Pesach.
Lankry told The Jewish Link, “I was the first person to do a Pesach program in Andalusia, Morocco. Each year we’ve been in a different part of Morocco. This year we’re in the Andalusia section (Tangier), which has a rich Jewish history. This is where the waves of Jewish refugees arriving from Spain and Portugal after 1492 went into hiding from the Spanish Inquisition and lived peacefully under the Wattasid Dynasty.”
Lankry explained why it’s important to bring Jews to Morocco. “It’s hakarat hatov. Morocco is the only Arab country for centuries where Jews live in peace with millions of Muslims. Jews are welcomed and protected from the minute you land into Morocco’s airport until the minute you leave the country. Each month there is a hillula in Morocco. The Moroccan authorities provide a lot of security. We are the ambassadors of Morocco outside of Morocco.”
The sedarim will take place in the main dining room with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. Guests will have their choice of leading their own seder or taking part in a communal seder.
Over the course of Chol Hamoed there will be plenty of activities for children and adults of all ages. Activities on the hotel grounds and surrounding area include swimming, jogging, tennis, horseback and camel riding, paintball, fitness classes, cookery classes, shopping and spa treatments. In addition, there are day trips scheduled to Tetouan, Chefchaouen the Lixus Ruins and the grave of Rabbi Amram Ben Diwan.
Participants can look forward to a completely different experience each night of Chol Hamoed. Lankry and his team will completely reinvent the hotel, both in look, ambiance and food delicacies. From barbecues to surprise musical entertainment, guests will be treated to a memorable ride.
There will be daily shiurim given by several noted rabbis. Topics will include the themes of Passover, galut/exile, geula and deliverance, slavery and more. There will also be a daily Gemara shiur before Mincha.
The renowned caterer Les delice de Sol, with chefs Charlie and Chef Hamza who just retired from the King’s Palace in Tangier, will prepare mouthwatering Sedarim, meals, snacks, as well as keep the tea room stocked 24 hours a day. Under the supervision of the beit din of Casablanca, with additional supervision from mashgichim from France and Israel, glatt kosher, Orthodox supervision, the kashrut will be l’mehadrin. There will be no kitniyot and no gebrochts.
A native of Morocco, Lankry has been crafting memorable events in Morocco for Americans since 2015 when he and his wife, Ariella, celebrated the bar mitzvah of their son at the historic Beit Knesset built in 1492 in the old Jewish quarter of Marrakech, Morocco. Since then, Paradis Production NYC has organized events in Morocco for clients such as John David Jackson, known professionally as Fabolous, an American rapper from Brooklyn. Fabolous celebrated his 40th birthday with 250 guests. When Arizona Iced Tea launched their brand in Morocco, Lankry planned the launch down to the last detail. Lankry takes great pride in orchestrating glorious, spellbinding events. Lankry, together with his partners, Rachel Hazan (Morocco) and Miryam Sroussi (France), decided to launch the Passover program for the elite Jewish community, giving them the opportunity to properly discover Morocco.
Sherly Abisror, from Deal, attended last year’s program with her husband and seven children. “I thought it would be extremely difficult traveling with the whole family to a foreign country, but to my surprise it turned out to be the best Passover (vacation) I ever had. They really thought of everything from the moment we stepped foot outside the airport—where we had taxis waiting for us—to the five-star greeting we received at the hotel, keeping in mind I am with seven children under the age of bar mitzvah. Everything I could have possibly needed, I was given without hesitation and with a huge smile. Our rooms were spacious and with beautiful, stunning views. By the second day, the staff already knew my children, and as early as breakfast made sure there was warm milk ready for my little one. They were very accommodating and bent over backward and really paid attention to detail. It was a beautiful experience and so relaxing. The evening events were geared for the entire family, not just for the adults, which was very nice to have everyone together.
“All the night activities were family oriented,” she continued. “We didn’t have to wonder what to do with the kids. The kids were excited each night even though we never left the hotel. The final party really took my breath away. I didn’t know what to expect and all I can say is that it was really the icing on the cake. My husband’s father is from Morocco, and after Pesach we traveled to see where he grew up. When we left, I really felt like I was leaving a family behind—from other guests, to hotel staff, to Prosper and his entire team. It was really bittersweet.”
In fact, that’s something in which Lankry takes great pride. “We purposely keep it small. We don’t have more than 200 people because we want to treat every guest as a VIP and we want everyone to meet everyone. People come in as strangers and leave as a family.”
To learn more about the Paradis Production NYC’s Pesach Program, visit http://passovermorocco.com/ or call 800-394-49 81.
By Sara Kosowsky Gross
