Pesach ended about one month ago but TotallyJewishTravel.com (TJT) is already counting down to Passover 2023, which begins on Wednesday night, April 5th and ends on Thursday night, April 13th (Wednesday, April 12th in Israel). TotallyJewishTravel.com prides itself on offering the best resource for all of your vacation planning. TJT is busy with Shavuot programs, summer vacation hotels and tours, kosher cruises and Sukkot programs but it’s never too early to start planning your Passover vacation. The holiday of Passover in one of the most popular times for kosher vacations and there are many programs to choose from on TJT’s website. After the Passover program industry’s strong rebound in 2022, TJT expects to see many more programs advertising for Passover 2023. TJT, your comprehensive guide to Passover programs all over the world, including Europe, United States, Mexico, South Africa, Dubia, Morocco, Canada, Bahamas, South America, Panama, Israel and more. There are many options but today let’s focus on Passover programs in Florida and Morocco.
Passover Programs in Morocco
Morocco was already a popular Pesach vacation destination before the Israel-Morocco normalization agreement was signed in December 2020. There are now direct flights between Morocco and Tel Aviv, making travel more convenient. Jews from all over have been celebrating Passover in Morocco for many years. Early spring is a great time to visit Morocco as the weather is warm, but you will avoid the extreme heat of the summer and cold nights of the winter months. There were several successful Passover programs in Morocco in 2022 and there will probably be even more programs in 2023. The programs take place in different areas of the country: Mazagan Beach, Agadir, Tamouda Bay, Taghazout Bay and Saidia. Most Passover programs in Morocco take place in beautiful resorts on the beach featuring pools, gourmet food, entertainment, kids club and lectures. Some also have spas, water sports and golf courses. Almost of the programs end with the traditional Mimouna celebration featuring traditional Moroccan sweets and pastries.
No matter what area of the country you choose to visit, there are many sights to see. There are also opportunities for day trips to nearby cities. Morocco is full of ancient cities, culture and heritage sites. Visit the palaces, marketplaces and gardens in Marrakesh or the ancient sites of El Jadida. Hike the Rif Mountains by Tamouda Bay or spend the day in Agadir at the museums, gardens, or Valley of the Birds. Head over to “Rick’s Cafe” in Casablanca. There are many adventures that await in beautiful Morocco. Check TotallyJewishTravel.com for more information about Passover programs in Morocco.
Passover Programs in Florida
Before there was a Passover programs industry with programs in cities around the world, there was Pesach in Florida. Anybody who was going away for Pesach, either went to Israel or Florida. It started in Miami and then spread to Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Weston. Even when Passover programs started to open up in different locations, Florida programs always filled up. The weather in Florida during Pesach time is very pleasant. There are many activities to keep the family entertained on Chol Hamoed: beach, pool, amusement parks, zoo, children’s museums, water sports and more. For people who don’t want a long flight, Florida is not too far from the tri-state area and some even fly back to New York for work on Chol Hamoed, depending on how the holiday falls out.
Passover 2021, the year after COVID canceled Pesach programs, Florida was the most popular destination by far. There were still many COVID travel restrictions, but people wanted to get away for the holiday. Jews in the United States went to Florida, either by plane or car because they felt it was safer. Even if they couldn’t fly, they could always drive down to Florida. Miami and Orlando were the hot tickets that year and the trend continued into 2022. One Passover program operator in Miami said they “saw high demand this year, after the comeback of Passover 2021, and expect demand to be high for Passover 2023 even though travel restrictions have been lifted and more Americans might choose to go abroad.” The Passover programs that took place in Miami and Orlando this past year were all sold out well in advance and most of them had waiting lists. This trend is likely to continue for Passover 2023 so best to book your Passover program as early as possible.
While TotallyJewishTravel.com features Passover programs all over the world, this article concentrated on two very popular Pesach destinations in detail. Morocco and Florida both have numerous programs to choose from. They both have great weather during the Pesach holiday and many activities to entertain the family on Chol Hamoed. Many tour operators run programs in the same hotel each year and have already started organizing their Passover programs for 2023. There are many families who book the same place for next year as soon as Pesach ends. Take some time on TJT’s website to look over the Passover programs that took place in 2022 to get an idea of what to expect in 2023. There will probably be more programs and they will fill up very quickly. Do your research now so that you can make an informed decision for Passover 2023 as early as possible.
