Kosher Travelers, a kosher travel agency since 1991
Pesach and Sukkot programs, kosher tours and cruises, run by David and Chana Walles and the team in this photograph, with 35 years of experience.
Where it began
From Eddie Freudmann z"l to David and Chana Walles
The story goes back to 1979, when Eddie Freudmann z"l ran his first Pesach program, in Italy. Kosher Travelers was established in 1991, and what Eddie started is what we still do: take a hotel for the chag, keep it Glatt Kosher Mehadrin for the whole program, and look after every guest from the first Seder to the last breakfast.
David and Chana Walles came from Melbourne, Australia, and made Aliyah in 2008, when they took over Eddie's Kosher Travel. We are a Jewish travel agency based in Modi'in, Israel, with phone lines in five countries.
Our programs, year by year
1979Background: Eddie Freudmann z"l runs his first Pesach program, in Italy, from London.
1991Kosher Travelers is established.
2008David and Chana Walles make Aliyah from Melbourne and take over Eddie's Kosher Travel.
2016 to 2018Three summers in the Italian Alps, which our guests filmed for us.
2019Pesach at Ramat Rachel, Jerusalem.
2021Summer in Batumi, Georgia.
2022Iceland in August, Batumi again, Dubai for Chanukah, and Hawaii in December.
2023India in January; Pesach at the Elysium in Rhodes and at Nof Ginosar on the Kinneret.
From 2016 on, the years are the ones our guests wrote on their own reviews and videos
The family
David and Chana Walles
David and Chana run the programs themselves. On a Pesach program you will find them in the dining room at every meal, and they come round to meet each family on the first day.
With more than 50 years of commercial experience between them, David and Chana made Aliyah from Melbourne in 2008 and bought the established Eddie's Kosher Travel. Both hold Bachelor of Business degrees, majoring in marketing and economics, and certificates in events management. Their view is simple: keeping kosher should never mean settling for less on vacation, or on your Jewish life, so they work to get every detail of every trip right.
Their children work on the programs too, and guests name them in their letters: Ariel, Yona and Netanel.
“David and Chana Walles came over to each of us personally and introduced themselves on first day.”
Carmela and Jack Rosenbaum · New Jersey · Pesach, Rhodes
“The organizers, David & Chana Walles, were present at every meal and were incredibly accommodating.”
A family of 20 · Pesach 2024, Rhodes
“From the day we signed up until the day we returned, we had the undivided attention of Chana and David Walles.”
Michael and Ilanah Katz · Jerusalem · Batumi, Georgia
Who looks after you
The Kosher Travelers team
The people who answer when you call, and who you will see in the hotel.
David Walles
General Manager and CEO
Tours, cruises, safaris and ski weeks.
“We love being on time and were really astounded that David was somehow able to make sure that the time we were scheduled to leave actually happened.”
Tziporah and Eric · Chicago · Dubai, Chanukah 2022
Chana Walles
Marketing Manager and Passover Programs
The Pesach programs and events.
“Chana, you are a master at taking care of people and paying attention to the little details.”
Lori and Seth Gerson · Batumi, Georgia, August 2022
Shelley Pascovitch
Reservations Manager: hotels, cruises and tours
In the travel industry for more than 30 years, twenty of them with Kosher Travelers. She handles flights, hotels and cruises, and works closely on our Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot hotel programs in Israel.
Gilda Posner
Host, Pesach at Nof Ginosar
Founder of Epic Events Israel, with a background in the event and hotel industries and a master's in social work. She looks after the families at Nof Ginosar for the whole of Pesach.
“Gilda immediately sought us out from the hundreds of folks there to make sure that my son and I were settled.”
Scott Ferber · Pesach 2023, Nof Ginosar
Ariel Walles
Business Development and Guest Relations, International
Grew up in the world of kosher travel. A former IDF combat soldier and logistics manager, with a bachelor's in environmental science and sustainability, he looks after guests on the Pesach programs.
“Ariel was always around and approachable.”
A guest · Pesach 2026, Seafos, Nafplio
Dina Noach
Administration and Accounts
Manages administration and accounts: your registration, your deposit and your invoices.
A Johannesburg attorney who has lectured for more than 20 years on Jewish communities around the world, and has led our heritage tours to India, Morocco, Lithuania, Latvia and Belarus.
Every program names its hotel and shows the rooms. For Pesach we take the hotel for the chag: in Rhodes in 2027, all 300 rooms of the Elysium.
We name the kashrut
The supervision and the standard are printed on each program page, for that hotel, with the rav who certifies it.
We name the scholars
Scholars in residence and guest speakers are on the program page before you book.
Our people in the hotel
Kosher Travelers staff stay in the hotel with you for the whole program.
A line for your region
Israel, the USA and Canada, the UK and Europe, Australia and South Africa, each with its own number.
Who comes
Modern Orthodox families and anyone who keeps Shabbat and kashrut. There are no religious requirements to join, and we never ask about your observance.
Scholars in residence
For Pesach 2027 at the Elysium, Rabbi Dr Laibl Wolf and Professor David Shyovitz are the scholars in residence, with Dr Tal Becker and Rivkah Krinsky as guest speakers. Meet the 2027 scholars
In our guests' words
Guests who come back
Guests come back year after year, and many bring the whole family. Since 2008, more than 20,000 guests have traveled with us across all our Pesach, Sukkot, cruise and tour programs, from 12 countries. Since 2022 alone: more than 5,500 at our Pesach programs, more than 900 on our tours and cruises, and more than 1,300 children.
“For the past three years, our entire family has enjoyed the excellent experience of sharing Pesach with you at your program on the Kinneret.”
Judy and Jerry Fishman · Pesach on the Kinneret, three years running
“We look forward to the opportunity to join you again in the future – perhaps Dubai one day!”
Leah Willman · London · Pesach, Rhodes
“Our extended family, from Israel, New Jersey, and Florida, ranging from 6 to over 70, all have the right combination of rest and activities to choose from.”
Donni and Devorah Billauer · Hacienda Forest View, six years running
“I look forward to spending chag with you again in the future.”
