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Pesach 2027 and Sukkot
Scholars in Residence
Every Kosher Travelers program has scholars in residence who give shiurim and talks through the chag, named before you book. Here they are by program, followed by the scholars who have taught with us before.
Pesach 2027
Scholars in residence for Pesach 2027, by program
A scholar in residence on a Pesach program gives shiurim and talks through the chag, alongside the daily minyanim. Each of our three Pesach 2027 programs has its own line-up, and the scholars are part of the price.
- Rhodes, the Elysium Resort: Rabbi Dr Laibl Wolf and Professor David Shyovitz
- Nof Ginosar, Lake Kinneret: Rabbi Joel and Ruthie Portnoy, Herb and Susie Keinon
- The Inbal, Jerusalem: Rabbi James and Vicky Kennard
- Sukkot at David's Harp: Rabbi Dr. Aaron Adler and David M. Weinberg in 2026
Rhodes, Greece · April 20 – May 2, 2027
The scholars in Rhodes, Pesach 2027
Two scholars in residence and three guest speakers, with a learning program for all ages, and a gabbai who runs the davening and the evenings.
Rabbi Dr Laibl Wolf
Scholar in residence · Melbourne
Brings Jewish wisdom together with modern psychology, and lectures in more than 60 cities a year. Author of Practical Kabbalah and co-founder of Spiritgrow in Melbourne.
Professor David Shyovitz
Scholar in residence · Northwestern University
Professor of History and Jewish Studies and director of the Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies. Studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion and the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr Tal Becker
Guest speaker · Shalom Hartman Institute
Former legal adviser to Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He represented Israel at the International Court of Justice and helped draft the Abraham Accords.
Rivkah Krinsky
Guest speaker
Matchmaker and coach, founder of One Soul and co-host of the podcast From the Inside Out. She runs the women's division of The Purposeful Philanthropist.
Rabbi Andrew Shaw
Guest speaker · 250 Days for 250 Years
CEO of 250 Days for 250 Years, an American educational initiative marking the 250th anniversary of the United States and the partnership between America and the Jewish people. He was CEO of Mizrachi UK for ten years and created The Simchat Torah Project; earlier, a Director of the United Synagogue, founder of Tribe and the Young United Synagogue, and Community Rabbi at Stanmore Synagogue.
R' Yossi Fachler
Gabbai and master of ceremonies
Leads Shabbat and High Holiday services throughout the UK and internationally, under the United Synagogue and the Office of the Chief Rabbi. Pesach 2027 is his fifth with Kosher Travelers, after Tiberias, Rhodes and Courmayeur.
Music and entertainment
Shlomo Lipman
Singer
An Israeli stage performer who has served in the Golani Reserve Brigade since October 7.
Shai Barak
Singer, musician and DJ
Singer, musician and DJ who has accompanied and directed Jewish singers in Israel and abroad.
Menni Hollander
Mentalist
Known from Israel's Got Talent. An evening of mind-reading with the audience taking part.
Shlomi Lanyado
Children's entertainer
A comedian who entertains at conventions and private events, blending humor with a light-hearted message about Jewish heritage. If Pharaoh or Eliyahu Hanavi walks through the dining room, it is probably him.
The 2027 line-up is subject to change.
Lake Kinneret, Israel · April 21–29, 2027
The scholars at Nof Ginosar, Pesach 2027
Two scholar couples on the shore of the Kinneret, with music in the evenings.
Rabbi Joel and Ruthie Portnoy
Scholars in residence · Jerusalem
For more than thirty years the Community Rav and Rebbetzin in Hale, South Manchester. They made Aliyah in 2019. Both are relationship therapists and co-founders of 2halvesofasoul.com.
Herb Keinon
Scholar in residence · The Jerusalem Post
Senior contributing editor and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, where he has worked for 40 years, 20 of them as diplomatic correspondent. His essays are collected in French Fries in Pita.
Susie Keinon
Scholar in residence · psychotherapist
A psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher for more than 30 years. She teaches mindfulness in English and Hebrew, and pairs it with the weekly parsha in a podcast and blog.
The Solomon Brothers
Musicians
Each brother made his own name with Moshav Band, Soul Farm and Hamakor; together they have toured the USA, the UK and South Africa's International Shabbat Project.
Matan Rosenberg
Close-up magic and mind-reading
Illusion with everyday objects, where the audience becomes part of the act, from a performer with more than 2,000 shows on five continents.
Jeremy Mazurek
Stand-up comedian · New York
Performs at clubs and venues across the Northeastern United States, has opened for Elon Gold and Modi, and was a finalist at the 2025 Great Long Island Laugh Off. A married father of three, and a practicing cardiologist.
Jerusalem · April 21–28, 2027
The scholars at the Inbal, Pesach 2027
Shiurim and lectures in the hotel, a walk from the Old City.
Rabbi James and Vicky Kennard
Scholars in residence
Rabbi Kennard was Principal of Mount Scopus Memorial College in Melbourne and head of two Jewish schools in the United Kingdom, and teaches at the OU Israel Center. Vicky Kennard is a maths educator completing a PhD in algebra education. They made Aliyah recently.
Sukkot · David's Harp, Kinneret
The Sukkot scholars at David's Harp
Two scholars in residence in sequence over the chag. For Sukkot 2026 their talks ran from "Life as a Temporary Home" to "Unity and Disunity in the Four Species", with a wine tasting in the sukkah.
Rabbi Dr. Aaron Adler
Scholar in residence · Sukkot 2026
A student of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt"l, with semicha from RIETS and a doctorate in Talmud from Bar-Ilan University. He founded Yeshivat Bnei Akiva Ner Tamid in Chashmonaim and leads the Ohel Nechama Synagogue in Katamon.
David M. Weinberg
Scholar in residence · Sukkot 2026
Director of the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy, and a columnist for The Jerusalem Post and Israel Hayom. He led a wine tasting in the sukkah on the Israeli wine revolution.
The scholars for 2027 are announced with the dates.
Past programs
Scholars and guest speakers from past programs
Rabbis, lecturers and performers who have taught and performed on our programs over the years. Each role is as it was when they were with us, and some have moved on since.
Rabbi Heshie and Rookie Billet
Scholars
Rabbi Billet was Rabbi of the Young Israel of Woodmere, New York, from 1980, and President of the Rabbinical Council of America. Rookie Billet is an educator in the modern Orthodox community.
Rabbi David Lapin
Scholar
Founder and former Rav of Keter Torah, Johannesburg, and author of Lead by Greatness. He moved to the USA in 1997 and later made Aliyah with his wife Amber to lead Kehilat Bnei Aharon in Ra'anana.
Rav Moshe Taragin
Scholar
A Ram at Yeshivat Har Etzion since 1994, with semicha from RIETS. He taught Talmud at Columbia University and served as Assistant Rabbi at the Fifth Avenue Synagogue.
Dr. Yael Ziegler
Lecturer in Tanakh
Lecturer in Tanakh at Herzog College and Matan, with a PhD from Bar-Ilan University. Author of Promises to Keep: The Oath in Biblical Narrative and a book on Megillat Ruth.
Rabbi Yishai Fleisher
Scholar
English-language radio host in Israel, columnist at the Jerusalem Post Magazine and founder of Kumah. Semicha from Kollel Agudat Achim and a law degree from Cardozo; he served as a paratrooper in the IDF.
Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb
Scholar
Former rabbi of Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Baltimore, with semicha from RIETS. He made Aliyah in 2010, teaches at Yeshivat Ashreinu, wrote Ateret Yaakov, and lectured on holiday programs with Eddie's Kosher Travel.
Rabbi Benji Levy
Scholar
Dean of Moriah College in Sydney for six years, then CEO of Mosaic United, a partnership between Israel and the Diaspora for the Jewish identity of young people.
Rabbi Doron Perez
Scholar
Head of the World Mizrachi Movement. He served the South African Jewish community for 15 years, as Senior Rabbi of the Mizrachi Shul in Johannesburg and Head of the Yeshiva College schools. Author of Leading the Way.
Rabbi Steven Pruzansky
Scholar
Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Bnai Yeshurun in Teaneck, New Jersey, attorney, historian and author of five books. He made Aliyah to Modiin in 2020.
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Jacobson
Scholar
Spiritual leader of Congregation Bais Shmuel in Brooklyn and dean of TheYeshiva.net, where he teaches an online Torah class. He has lectured on six continents.
Hugh Raichlin
Lecturer
A Johannesburg attorney who has given more than 130 illustrated talks on Jewish communities around the world, from Lithuania, Spain and Rhodes to Japan and China. He teaches Jewish law, philosophy and ethics at Ohr Sameach Glenhazel.
Daniel Harel
Mentalist
Mind-reading entertainment, from the television specials Deductive Mind-Reading and The Secrets of Seance, and a TEDx talk on his method.
Yossi Shwatrtz
Cantor
Born in Washington in 1991, he studied at the Academy of Jewish Liturgical Music and founded the Pamonim Vocal Ensemble in 2011.
What our guests have to say
What guests said about the shiurim
“Tefillot were organized and on time, the scholar speakers were engaging, and there was light entertainment for the kids.”
“We sailed on a cruise operated by Kosher Travelers, with gourmet kosher cuisine, alongside daily prayer minyanim and shiurim, a proper Shabbat atmosphere, and excursions on shore with outstanding Jewish content.”
Questions
Questions about the scholars
What does a scholar in residence do on a Pesach program?
On our programs the scholar in residence gives shiurim and talks through the chag, as part of a learning program that runs alongside the daily minyanim. In Rhodes for Pesach 2027 there are two scholars in residence and two guest speakers; the Inbal and Nof Ginosar each have their own. The talks are named on each program page.
Are the scholars included in the price?
Yes. The price of each program covers the scholars, with the room, every meal of Yom Tov and Shabbat, the minyanim and the children's program. Flights, insurance and day trips are extra.
Who are the scholars for Pesach 2027?
In Rhodes, Rabbi Dr Laibl Wolf and Professor David Shyovitz, with Dr Tal Becker and Rivkah Krinsky as guest speakers. At Nof Ginosar, Rabbi Joel and Ruthie Portnoy and Herb and Susie Keinon. At the Inbal in Jerusalem, Rabbi James and Vicky Kennard. The line-ups are subject to change.
Can I choose a program for its scholar?
Yes. Each program page names its scholars before you book, and the person for your region can tell you more about any of them.
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