Dear Virginia,
I cannot thank you enough for all you did to make our recent congregational trip to Israel a rousing success. It was the best trip we have ever done to Israel. The itinerary was flawless as were all the arrangements you made. All the little touches, from the chocolates to the wine at dinners, truly helped make it an experience to cherish. Your choice of Yoni Shtern was masterful. He is a kind, charming, and giving human being who was a superb guide. We would very much like to have him again.
Have you ever done a trip to Israel for those who have been to Israel several times and would like to see and do things a bit off the beaten path? For example, I had never been to the Hula Valley. The bike ride/golf cart around the lake was really fun and fascinating. Everyone loved it. The visit to the chocolate factory was also a great success, something most people never do. The short hike at Ein Gedi was also a crowd pleaser. While I would like to do more first timer trips, there are enough people here who would relish a more in-depth look at Israel without going to Masada, the Dead Sea, and the museums we visited. The only one I would repeat is the Rabin Center because so few people have been there and it is so interesting. We could have easily spent three hours there.
I look forward to hearing from you and working with you again.
With my most sincere thanks,
Steven Fink
Rabbi Steven M. Fink, D.Min., D.D.
Dear Dani
I know that we have thanked you last week, but we just want to say it again!
Thank you for all you have done to make our travels in Israel comfortable, interesting and very informative!
You couldn't have worked harder on our behalf, and we know from our feedback that our travellers, and Dan, felt the same way.
(You also have the perfect disposition for working with groups, and a gift for teaching).
I do hope that we may meet again, perhaps with another group of eager ROM travellers.
All the very best,
Anne and Ethel
Bethel Coach Tours
November 9, 2010
Kenes Tours
Kenes Group Building, Ha'yarden 2
POB 56, Airport City, 70100, Israel
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Timothy E. Martin and I represent the tour company Bethel Coach Tours. Last week I arranged and conducted a tour of Israel and had the pleasure of using your company to handle the transportation, guiding and airport-to-hotel transfers. I would like to say that I am very grateful to have had your company handling these tour matters.
First of all, I want to thank Gloria Pais for her outstanding professionalism when communicating with her regarding all tour matters. She was very pleasant, and specific in her instructions, furthermore she was consistent in getting back with me with vital information I needed in connection with the tour arrangements. There were instances where I requested some additional help (i.e., she arranged for me and my wife to be picked up from the hotel to meet all of our clients at the airport so we could be there to meet them) which she provided in a very prompt manner which was most appreciated! Gloria is an outstanding credit to your company!
Additionally, I want to thank for recommending Avner Metsuyanim as our local tour guide. Avner immediately saw that the tour itinerary I designed was not adequate and he right away communicated to me what he could do to make our tour more interesting and informative. Avner was well informed, experienced, flexible, thoughtful, helpful and much, much more! He was a real pleasure to work with and a real credit to your company!
Furthermore, the coach (bus) was very nice. It was clean, roomy, and had a good sound system (microphone.) And our driver was very, very good. He drove very safely and was pleasant and courteous at all times.
As you can see from my letter your company made our trip an unforgettable one. I would like to request the services of Gloria and Avner again as we are planning to conduct at least two Israel tours each year beginning in 2011. Please let Gloria and Avner know how much we appreciated their great and wonderful services they provided in our behalf.
Yours truly, Timothy E. Martin (signed by)
Timothy E. Martin BCT Tour Manager and Guide for Israel Bible Land Tours
xc: Bethel Couch Tours Chevy Noratli
Shalom Nathan:
I just wanted to send you a little message and say a big "Thanks" for all that Kenes has done in making our 2010 pilgrimage to Israel such a wonderful experience.
Your staff is a special group of people. Gloria seems to be one who is willing to go our of her way in order to see that someone's vision becomes a reality. And, it is always pleasant to see Naomi at the airport to greet us and to direct our group to our luggage and then to our guide and bus.
Our guide, Mauri Woodner, was a perfect for our group. He is special person in many ways. Thank you for matching him with us.
Our driver Mosheh Dozteo did a great joy carrying us from one place to another. We enjoyed growing our relationship with him very much.
Again, thank you Nathan, for working with me and for me in an attempt to bring about a life changing experience for a few pilgrims from West Virginia, North Carolina, and Ohio. I would have liked our group to have been larger for many reasons, but from our perspective, we were treated like royalty.
Again, I say a heartfelt thanks!
Shalom :O)
Tom/Debbie Price
“Elchanan, I want to thank you and Virginia, Ravit and all your staff for helping to make the William Rosenwald mission such a huge success. Everyone put so much effort into this and it really showed!
Words really cannot express my gratitude and appreciation for all that Virginia did for me, for the Missions Department, for the mission itself and for UJA-Federation. Without her it would have been a very different trip and I don’t think it would have been nearly as successful as it was.
Virginia was amazing – always available for me to speak to, to answer my questions, and to reassure me that everything would be alright, and completely calm all the time. Her warmth, good humor, and willingness to do anything (and more!) that was asked of her, made all our jobs easier.”
Susan Flanders
Director of Missions
UJA Federation of New York
"Orit, you are a great partner to work with and I feel lucky to have had you.
The planning, execution, trouble-shooting problems and making sure that everyone was happy with what they got in this [JNF] mission was beyond expectations.
You are a real professional and it was a pleasure working with you. I am looking forward for more opportunities of working together in the future."
Tali Tzour
JNF, New York
"Over years of traveling in Israel with Kenes Travel organizing my excavating and touring groups, I have never had a bad experience.
Kenes is professional in everything they do and they perform their travel services with excellence. I always have complete confidence in telling them in which hotels I want to stay, which sites I want to see and what guide I always want to use with my groups. They have always provided me with a package that is complete, precise and well-planned."
Dr. Jimmy Albright
St. Joseph, Missouri
"Gila, Just wanted to say thank you for such a wonderful tour of Israel. You have so much knowledge about the country, the history and the people. It was a pleasure sharing our brief 5 day trip with you and I will cherish the memories forever! I will sell Israel with confidence and, thanks to you, with much enthusiasm. We all left the country with such emotions. From the historical to the biblical, it was magical!
I am planning to rent the movie Masada, and videos of the country, just to relive our adventures!!"
Sherry Hanley-Layun
Delta Vacations FAM trip
"Avi, I cannot thank you enough for the exceptional hospitality you and your outstanding staff at Kenes International showed us, [the sales team at Certified Vacations] last week. Israel is truly an amazing place. We enjoyed every minute!"
Carey Sackener
Manager, Group Sales
Certified Vacations
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
"Virginia and Avi, I wanted to again thank you for all you did to make our travels in Israel so outstanding. Our group could not have had a better time, and we owe you so much to you for enabling us to have such a great trip.
Avi, I hope your Bat Mitzvah this week is as memorable for you and your family as ours was for us…
We really appreciate all you did for us!"
Joe Kaplan
"Raya went above and beyond the call of duty for Dr. Martin Meyerson, a Network Mission participant. I have had the priviledge of working with Raya for several years and her strong work ethic, sound judgement and positive attitude bring added value to our missions.
Kol ha kavod to Raya. She did a great job!"
Rhea Attias
“I recently returned from our tour to Israel and Jordan, and I would like to tell you what an amazing job Russell Lord and his team of staff, guides and drivers did for our group.
Russell was spot on with all logistics for our group of 17 travelers, who had 17 different arrival / departure / extra night itineraries! He also selected guides who were perfect for our group, and used his personal network to introduce us to individuals who are building a stronger community in both Israel and Jordan.
I would like to add that as a "client" on my own company's tour, I found this one of the best-run tours I have ever been a part of, on both the Israeli and Jordanian sides of the border. Thank you for creating an organization with staff members like Russell, and for empowering them to get the job done.
Phil Sheldon, President
Hanns Ebensten Travel, Inc.
Alyson Adventures, Inc