Author Topic: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!  (Read 182086 times)

Offline Dan

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #460 on: April 20, 2017, 11:17:26 PM »
I mean a dining room with multiple families in it.. I can't imagine much intimate family time with so much going on...

 but btw, the modox hotels have communal seders led by the rabbi fwiu cmiiw
We had a meaningful 3 hour long seder in the dining room with our kids. Not sure what the issue is.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline snagger

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #461 on: April 20, 2017, 11:19:33 PM »
I was there.

The program was complete chaos and disorganization. I was there last year as well and while the food was awful, there was plenty of it and we had a nice time since the property is gorgeous and we enjoyed the crowd. This year was just ridiculous. Not enough food, no tea room, nobody to talk to about the multiple issues.

Regarding the article above, the story was that the hotel gave the program a bill of about $250k at the end of the program for services they claimed they provided (on top of what the program had already paid them) which the program claimed was inaccurate. The program owner slipped out of the hotel at 4AM after chag.

We checked out early since our flight was early afternoon and all was fine. About 1pm the hotel realized that the owner of the program had skipped town and so they started detaining guests and refusing to allow them to leave the property without paying extravagant amounts, from $5k-$35k per family...

The property is about a mile or more off the main road. There is a long road (about 5-10 minutes) once you get off the highway to the property. There are 3 security checkpoints along that road and they do not let you off the property without a pass from the hotel showing you are paid up in full.

As far as I know everyone left, paid with their Amex cards and are planning to dispute these charges.
Youre being quoted by the forward

http://forward.com/food/369613/how-passover-paradise-turned-into-a-holy-nightmare/

Offline thaber

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #462 on: April 20, 2017, 11:23:23 PM »
Is it?
Talking about restaurants, I was once with my family in La Gondola when the Rosh walked in with his wife (A"H). He saw me eating there and then walked right out much to his wife's protests...
at least he recognized you (see shlichus thread)

Offline yoohoo

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Offline thaber

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #464 on: April 20, 2017, 11:26:17 PM »
Another thing I noticed about pesach programs, people don't spend quality time with their kids over yt like they would at home.

Kids run from one entertainment/daycamp/communal meal to the next. Even lounge time is spent shmoozing w other families.

Spending quality time with kids over yt is crucial IMHO.

Appologies for going drastically OT.

Although I'm sure this may be true for some, in my limited experience / exposure this is not at all true. In fact, many report spending more and better time with their kids because they're relaxed and not harried or busy. Many hotels will give you a private room for the seder for a couple extra bucks.

Offline Dan

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #465 on: April 20, 2017, 11:28:29 PM »
Youre being quoted by the forward

http://forward.com/food/369613/how-passover-paradise-turned-into-a-holy-nightmare/
LOL, DDF in the news.
How did they find that? And where's the link back to this thread?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Dan

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #466 on: April 20, 2017, 11:30:58 PM »
Although I'm sure this may be true for some, in my limited experience / exposure this is not at all true. In fact, many report spending more and better time with their kids because they're relaxed and not harried or busy. Many hotels will give you a private room for the seder for a couple extra bucks.
+1, less time making food and setting up=More quality time with kids and more quality time with your spouse when the kids are in camp.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline mmgfarb

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #467 on: April 20, 2017, 11:34:43 PM »
"JS [is] a fetid cesspool of unvarnished linguistic manure, with lots of useless drivel and post-padding." -Moishebatchy

Offline mgarfin

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #468 on: April 20, 2017, 11:34:57 PM »

Appologies for going drastically OT.
You came to a full circle. This was the topic back up thread.

Offline mgarfin

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #469 on: April 20, 2017, 11:37:39 PM »
LOL, DDF in the news.
How did they find that? And where's the link back to this thread?

Wait for the subpoenas to get the names of the guys quoted.

Offline Moshe123

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #470 on: April 21, 2017, 12:09:27 AM »
Truly nightmares being reported by people who attended on that Facebook group. What thieves.

Offline shiframeir

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #471 on: April 21, 2017, 01:22:59 AM »
+1, less time making food and setting up=More quality time with kids and more quality time with your spouse when the kids are in camp.
gotta say my first pesach away (at the Leonardo Plaza in Jlem) was pretty amazing, and we had the best seders i ever had with my kids, with a laid back happy and loving atmosphere. even without a private room, the plaza gave enough space that it wasnt loud in the general hall, and on the second day it was half empty. Food was basically loft/les marais quality (or better) throughout. We felt some true cheirus, though we dont want to do this every year and spoil the kids from not cleaning/learning to clean the kitchen for pesach. there is a small kids room, but not the robust programming us programs have, so we spent tons of time together.

Offline cmey

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #472 on: April 21, 2017, 02:34:54 AM »
+1, less time making food and setting up=More quality time with kids and more quality time with your spouse when the kids are in camp.

People aren't really speaking the same language here. Someone who makes pesach at home with each kid contributing hand made arts and crafts and divrei torah to the table, helping to bake the pesach dishes, portion out the matzah and Maror, taking turns serving & bringing washing water for zeidy etc., setting up props for the makos and acting them out, marching around the house to bitzeis yisroel, spending most of yom tov (and chol hamoed if you focus on the right venues) focused on the kids without too many distractions etc. there is no way they can appreciate the hotel scene. I've had guests come to my home who've been to some pretty decent pesach programs with their parents when they were growing up and they wistfully remark that they never knew what they were missing by not having experienced pesach at home.

On the other hand, those who go to the programs can't fathom how one can enjoy yom tov if they would have to non stop cook clean up and serve and be stuck in the house with nothing exciting for the kids to really do and hours of work with no down time for the parents for themselves.

Then again there are families who stay home and have a stressful time of it and really would do better in a hotel environment.

Bottom line is there is nothing like an at home pesach experience when it is done right, but not everyone is able to pull it off in the right atmosphere and a program is actually not a bad option for them.....

Lastly there are the programs where to goal is non stop hedonism, gorging on culinary dishes and dubious entertainment options for eight days straight while the kids are whisked out of sight so mom and dad can give their undevided attention to their pleasure trip while acknowledging that it happens to be pesach with a token Seder and a lecture or two where they are passive participants. I have nothing but pity( was going to say contempt but really pity is much more appropriate)for these folks because their choice of venue is just a symptom of the fact that they have no idea of the significance of the unbelievable holiday they are turning their backs on, a lifestyle where success is measured in terms of things and status, rather than relationships and personal growth, or both.
« Last Edit: April 21, 2017, 03:14:26 AM by cmey »

Offline henche

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #473 on: April 21, 2017, 02:45:01 AM »

Lastly there are the programs where to goal is non stop hedonism, gorging on culinary dishes and dubious entertainment options for eight days straight while the kids are whisked out of sight so mom and dad can give their undevided attention to their pleasure trip

And then you get taken hostage by the hotel. 

Offline jye

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #474 on: April 21, 2017, 03:19:54 AM »
And then you get taken hostage by the hotel.
My brother painted the post pesach scene really well:

"The latest reports are that an underground market has developed in the hotel: 1 cigarette = 1 knaidel, but you need to talk to Moishe Goldberg to make the trade. He has an in with housekeeping. Everyone is losing weight except for Dov Moskowitz. His room was tossed yesterday in search of contraband and his roommates are turning on him.....stay tuned."

Offline Menachem613

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #475 on: April 21, 2017, 06:12:04 AM »
Truly nightmares being reported by people who attended on that Facebook group. What thieves.

Link?

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #477 on: April 21, 2017, 08:04:17 AM »
And then you get taken hostage by the hotel.
those people are always hostage to some taava
Feelings don't care about your facts

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Offline churnbabychurn

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Re: Pesach Program in Greece Cancelled Just Now!
« Reply #479 on: April 21, 2017, 08:38:35 AM »
People aren't really speaking the same language here. Someone who makes pesach at home with each kid contributing hand made arts and crafts and divrei torah to the table, helping to bake the pesach dishes, portion out the matzah and Maror, taking turns serving & bringing washing water for zeidy etc., setting up props for the makos and acting them out, marching around the house to bitzeis yisroel, spending most of yom tov (and chol hamoed if you focus on the right venues) focused on the kids without too many distractions etc. there is no way they can appreciate the hotel scene. I've had guests come to my home who've been to some pretty decent pesach programs with their parents when they were growing up and they wistfully remark that they never knew what they were missing by not having experienced pesach at home.

On the other hand, those who go to the programs can't fathom how one can enjoy yom tov if they would have to non stop cook clean up and serve and be stuck in the house with nothing exciting for the kids to really do and hours of work with no down time for the parents for themselves.

Then again there are families who stay home and have a stressful time of it and really would do better in a hotel environment.

Bottom line is there is nothing like an at home pesach experience when it is done right, but not everyone is able to pull it off in the right atmosphere and a program is actually not a bad option for them.....

Lastly there are the programs where to goal is non stop hedonism, gorging on culinary dishes and dubious entertainment options for eight days straight while the kids are whisked out of sight so mom and dad can give their undevided attention to their pleasure trip while acknowledging that it happens to be pesach with a token Seder and a lecture or two where they are passive participants. I have nothing but pity( was going to say contempt but really pity is much more appropriate)for these folks because their choice of venue is just a symptom of the fact that they have no idea of the significance of the unbelievable holiday they are turning their backs on, a lifestyle where success is measured in terms of things and status, rather than relationships and personal growth, or both.
+10