Travel Testimonials
» We pride ourselves with the positive testimonials we receive from our clients; however we always strive to improve our services every day. Hearing what our returning tour participants have to say plays a vital role in understanding how we can enhance our tour programs, airline, hotel and guide selections for future participants to come. We encourage our clients to give us their feedback, both positive and negative, so we can better serve our clients in the future. Thank you!
Susan,
We just wanted to express our appreciation for all that you did in planning our Israel trip. Everything that Gil Travel scheduled for us was perfect. It all ran like clockwork. Every reservation was honored, every driver was on time, and every pre-planned visit was perfect. And you were 100% right about Shimon Zemer, he was the best guide we could have had - knowledgeable, funny, kind, patient, enthusiastic. Thank you so much for your efficient and thorough planning of our Israel trip.
Best wishes to you and your family during this Pesach season,
— Linda & Hal Robinson, April 2013
Susan,
Thanks so much for EVERYTHING. The Gyorffy family had a fabulous Israeli experience! They loved the Rabbi and they love Israel. It was wonderful to meet you, and I can't thank you enough for your help and guidance. Also, the travel insurance company is first class
Be well,
— Naida Saffer, April 2013
Donna,
Just to let you know that my wife, son and I absolutely enjoyed the Jewish Heritage plus Eilat tour. We could never have have seen so much in such a time had we been left to our own devices! We have high praise for the guides we had on both sides of the border. Meni Sabari, our guide on the Israeli side, knew everything, got us everywhere safely and on time and was funny as well in the bargain. On the Jordanian side of the border on our tour of Petra, we were also lucky to have had Aladdin Husein as our guide, who spoke perfect English and who was also very knowledgeable and helpful. We also were lucky to have been travelling with a very nice group of people, and we sort of all bonded after a few short days. Our tour was great.
Best regards,
— Piotr Fast, March 2013, Jewish Heritage Tour plus Eilat
Susan,
The trip to Israel was wonderful. The tour guide was great. The hotels were very nice and clean with beautiful breakfasts. The rabbi was great and really made the bar mitzvahs memorable. We couldn't have asked for more!
Thank you again for all of your help and we would definitely recommend your tours.
— Debbie Gyorffy, March 2013, Bar Mitzvah Israel Tours
Susan,
Please excuse this long delay in thanking you for your help in planning, arranging, and implementing our family trip to Israel last October. (It's hard to believe that it was over 4 months ago already.) It was a wonderful trip. Natalie was a terrific guide. She was knowledgeable, flexible and a pleasure to be with. Your itinerary suggestions were great. It would not have been as memorable or successful a trip without your advice, help and work. Thank you very, very, very much.All the best,
— Meyer Goldstein, March 2013
Channy,
Just wanted to thank you for going over and above in making sure that our Mission to Ethiopia this week was a success. More importantly, I want to double thank you for keeping calm and keeping the group calm as we were faced with our travel nightmare when they cancelled our flight from Gondar to Addis. Everyone really appreciated all that you did to ensure that every detail was attended to and that we were all able to have a very meaningful and powerful experience.
Best,
— Mark D. Medin, Senior Vice President, UJA-Federation of New York, February 2013
Susan,
Everyone had a great time, and you got well-deserved kudos from all participants. Thank you again for all of your hard work, and for the great experience.
— Julie Charlestein, President, Premier Dental Supply, January 2013
Susan,
Thank you all so very much for providing us with the opportunity to participate in the Israel trip of a lifetime. This was truly an experience we will never forget.
Thank you Jill Schlank and Susan Blum for your detailed and amazing support with regard to travel memo's, itinerary options, bookings, reservations and for looking after every little detail.
Thanks again for an amazing and totally unforgettable experience.
Warmest regards,
— David & Michele Marks, January 2013
Susan,
Thank you for all of your help. The trip was PHENOMENAL. My whole family loved each day; the sites, Jacky (our tour guide), the hotels and food were just wonderful. Everything went smoothly and we had roughly 60-70 degree clear sunny days every day. One of the obvious highlights, the ceremony. I don't think I can count many days I've seen my parents happier than when they renewed their vows at the King David. Rabbi Michael was the PERFECT choice. So thank you again for the recommendation and getting us in contact. I will absolutely recommend you and Gil Travel to friends and family interested in going to Israel and will be checking out other trips you may sponsor (my parents are very interested in a trip to Italy later in 2013).
— David, December 2012
Susan,
What a wonderful trip! We had a small tour group (six) and a terrific guide, Meir Elia, who was patient, passionate, informed and gracious throughout. What a country Israel is! Spiritual, scenic, cultural, architectural, historical and archeological joy. Thanks for help arranging this trip.
— Michael, Jewish Heritage Israel Tour, December 2012
Shirley,
In my estimation nothing could have been better. From the accommodations, to the people on our bus, to the guide, and the food I can only say "fantastic!" Our group stuck together like glue and this, in my estimation, is due to the effectiveness of the guide, Mali Haril. She spoke from the heart with personal experiences as well as the history, which was so welcomed by all. We couldn't wait for the next morning after many days of walking, talking and learning. No time was too early or too late for any of the 40 plus people on our bus. Mali was the highlight of the trip; warm, informative, considerate and in all a remarkable women. Again, my hat is off to the planners; a job well done and more. We can't wait to plan another visit to what I consider, "a Country of the people, by the people and for the people; and a People of the country, by the country and for the country without any reservations!"
— David Forman, November 2012
Cindy,
This was our first trip to Israel and I’m happy to tell you that the trip exceeded all our expectations.
Your personal help in choosing the Jewish Heritage Israel Tour, finding us a reasonably priced flight, and being available to answer all of our questions was a large part of the success of our trip.
The hotels and kibbutz were comfortable and clean and the employees friendly and efficient. The sites suggested in your package were well chosen and worth visiting.
The jeep ride to the Golan Heights, with Hagai Gilat, was thrilling and informational; we thoroughly enjoyed our time with Hagai.
Our private tour guide was probably the most important factor in the success of our trip. It is not an exaggeration to say Yehuda Hecht made Israel come alive for us. At every site we visited he took us back in time; quoting from the bible, explaining the history, and answering our questions. He wove a thread throughout the tour explaining the connection between time and events. He gave us a real feel for how Jews in Israel lived in the past and present. We asked a lot of questions that required real diplomatic answers and found that Yehuda is a born diplomat. We were like students with a wise professor, by the end of the trip we felt we had made a friend and gained a new sense of our heritage.
We have already recommended Gil Travel and Yehuda to friends and relatives and we will definitely book all of our future vacations to Israel with Gil.
— Gregg and Ellen Schey, Jewish Heritage Israel Tour, November 2012
Susan,
The trip was fantastic and we thoroughly enjoyed our two weeks in Israel. Our guide, Shimon, was wonderful and kept us moving and informed throughout our time with him. The itinerary was comprehensive and we hit all the high spots and several places that were off the beaten path thanks to Shimon. Here's our post trip debrief.
Transfers - They were prompt, dependable and seamless. We never had a concern about making a flight or getting where we had to go.
Tour Guide - Shimon was able to read our likes and dislikes and tailor our trip to maximize our experience. He was great.
Western Wall Tunnel Tour - Spectacular. Not to be missed!
Tower of David Light Show - Great fun and a fantastic venue. It was convenient to have our hotel close to the Joffa Gate.
Jeep Tour - Another winner. Our driver served us tea on a Syrian bunker in the Golan Heights. It was a unique experience.
Petra Tour - Impressive sight and well worth the trip. The day was made easier by the coordination of the travel agents on both sides of the border. The border procedure was carefully explained to us prior to crossing into Jordan. Everything went according to plan and the agent was waiting for us when we crossed back into Israel. It was professionally handled from beginning to end. Great job.
Israel Travel Sights - Our itinerary kept us on the move. We saw much of the country and learned lots of history along the way. Plenty of time to explore and some of us even managed to get a little shopping done.
Thanks for all your hard work in planning our trip.
— Steve Hirsh, Private Guided Israel Tour, November 2012
Fred,
We arrived home from Israel yesterday and I just want to share with you the incredible trip we had. I am so impressed with Gil Travel and how the entire package was so well put together. Everything went like clockwork and our Tour Guide Meny was the essence of all that could be; he was so committed, with so much knowledge. He was able to answer every question with details, timeframes and historical backing. His commitment, passion for Israel, fortitude and sense of humor made the trip! We had a wonderful group of 35 people on the bus which is great because six days together 10-12 hour days could be difficult.
Thank you for all your assistance, Fred
— Wendie, November 2012
Susan,
Israel was amazing! Now I know why you didn't want to come home. The small group tour worked really well. Our guide was patient and knowledgeable and flexible. We did make some changes to the set tour and saw places that large groups could not have done. We visited a family in the West Bank and their story was fascinating.
I thought two weeks would be too much, but I actually could have stayed three more days to see everything I wanted to see. Overall we all loved the trip. You were great to work with and without question we will recommend Gil travel to anyone we speak with.
— Sandi, October 2012
Karen
My husband and myself, along with our friends, just returned from our trip to Israel. Karen Allen carefully planned our whole trip. We started planning this trip last spring and Karen planned and changed our itinerary several time before we left. She was most helpful before and during our time away.
My husband and myself had never been to Israel and had no idea what to expect. We had a wonderful trip and would never hesitate to recommend or use Gil Travel and Karen, along with Donna. We were very happy with everyone involved. I forgot to mention our guide, Ariel Stoller, who we feel is a friend now, as well. He was very personable, knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor.
Thank you all,
— Al & Darleen Groden, October 2012
Igal,
My name is Marty Greenberg and I am in charge of the 300 small Jewish communities with over 200,000 Jews all over the United States from Bangor Maine to Honolulu Hawaii. I wanted to write to you to offer my compliments on your staff member Marilyn Bardo. I am currently working with Marilyn on two missions to Israel one in November of 2012 and one in March of 2013. She has been just wonderful in assisting us to get our mission flights to work well. She is patient, hardworking, friendly and customer focused. She does not shy away from difficult challenges and always tries to help us when she can. In my career I have had the opportunity to work with many different travel agents on missions and she is by far the most efficient, most professional and easiest to work with. Mazal tov on having such a competent and helpful staff.
All the best,
— Martin Greenberg, Executive Director of the Network of Independent Communities, The Jewish Federations of North America, July 2012
Susan,
I just wanted to thank you for your assistance with my trip to Israel. My daughter and I had a wonderful time. Thanks again.
— Sheri, July 2012
Susan,
I wanted to send my sincere thanks for arranging and delivering such a spectacular 10-day trip in Israel. This trip surpassed my high expectations. We were truly fortunate to have Yehuda Hecht as our tour guide. Yuda truly made the trip an unforgettable experience. Yuda customized our tour to ensure we covered all the key areas and drove us with military precession (non stop and we loved it). Hotels were right on the mark and well located.
Well done and thank you.
— Chuck Gabrielson graduate of the Yehuda Hecht Class of 2012, July 2012
Susan,
Our trip to Israel was wonderful!! The itinerary was great and Vivian, our guide, could not have been more perfect for our group! We so appreciate all your input and help in planning the itinerary. Our group was especially happy that we went to Jerusalem first, which we had to do because of the Bat Mitzvah. For us, going to Jerusalem first worked perfectly. Our energy level was at a peak and we absorbed all the history and basics for the rest of the trip. Ending in Tel Aviv was perfect; a little R&R and beach time for the kids as well as the remarkable and emotional presentation at Independence Hall and the incredible story at Ayalon!
Best regards,
— Gloria, July 2012
Shirley,
We just got home from Israel and want to thank you for organizing such a fantastic tour. We took the Classic Israel Tour package and the hotels (we stayed at the Inbal in Jerusalem, Kibbutz Lavi and Carlton in Tel Aviv) were perfect. The transfers from the hotel were also a pleasure. However, the most outstanding part of the tour was our tour guide Efraim Katzir who we had the pleasure of spending 6 days with! We feel so lucky to have had Effi for our guide. His knowledge about Israel and history seemed endless and his warmth, energy, and enthusiasm were infectious. Effi was great at keeping us going and helping us get the most out of the many sites that we were taken to. I don't think I have ever spent time with someone who could share so much knowledge on so many different subjects.
Thank you for providing us with such an amazing experience!
Sincerely,
— Lynn and Michael Hugger, July 2012
Susan,
We had a wonderful trip to Israel! It was as great as we had hoped and even went further beyond our expectations. The hotels were great! Danny was the best tour guide we ever had. He was a walking encyclopedia and just outstanding! Everything worked out well.
Susan, you did a great job! Thank You
— Ellen, June 2012
Susan,
The whole trip to Israel was truly amazing. We loved all of the hotels and had interesting experiences everywhere we went. You know a trip was truly wonderful when you don't feel ready to come home. Thanks for all of your recommendations and the fine hotel selections. The students also were very enthusiastic about their tour.
Todah rabah,
— Bob and Marlyn, La Salle University, June 2012
Susan,
In a word, our trip was AMAZING! Peg and I both loved our Jordan, Israel, and Egypt travel. Wonderful experiences in each of the countries. All of our guides, drivers, and trip facilitators were knowledgeable, friendly, and went out of their way to be helpful to us. It was reassuring for us to be met upon our arrival and have someone to guide us through the process when entering a country and also when leaving each country. We felt secure and comfortable throughout the trip.
Our guides and drivers really tried to ensure that we were enjoying our trip while getting to see/visit everything we wanted to experience. All (guides) seemed to be able to add little 'extras' to our agendas which made the traveling even more enjoyable than it would have been without these surprise experiences. We have traveled the world over, and these are some of the best - if not the best - tour guides we have ever had the privilege to have show us around their countries. Their series of personal contacts throughout the trip was exceptional with us getting upgraded to the best treatment at many of our visits and stays.
Thank you for all you did to make this a fantastic trip for Peg and myself. Throughout our travels from Jordan, to Israel, to Egypt we found no issues with our seamless movement within and between countries. I know this does not happen by accident and so is a testament to your excellent planning and your associate’s excellent execution of the plan!
I hope you enjoy the photos, one each from Jordan, Israel, and Egypt, as much as we enjoyed making them!
— Roy Harrell, June 2012
Susan,
We just arrived home! Our trip to Israel was fantastic. Everything ran like clockwork. This trip humbled us. We thought we knew all there was to know until we got there!
Thanks again Susan,
— Lois, June 2012
Miriam,
Thank you so very much for the outstanding work you and Chani produced on our behalf in Poland. We are back from Israel just one short week, however, our Poland participants are still talking about the experience. Because of your taking care of every detail, both big and small, I believe it allowed our participants to concentrate on the experience of being in Poland and trying to come to grips with it all. Because of your ability to understand our needs and think about them even before we did, our program and our goals were met beyond our expectations.
As you know I have been to Poland over 19 times. The logistics and the service that you provided were outstanding.
It was a great pleasure for us to work with you and Chani. On behalf of the Miami team, thank you, thank you for helping us craft such a meaningful experience.
Warmly,
— Sharon Horowitz, Holocaust Memorial Greater Miami Jewish Federation, May 2012
Cindy,
Overall, the trip was pretty well organized and covered many of the sites and activities in which we were most interested. It was our good fortune that our group consisted of only ten people and we all got along very well. Julia, our guide in Budapest, was terrific. She was charming, articulate and knowledgeable, and clearly enjoyed her job and working with visitors. Hearing the poignant story of her father’s lucky escape from the Nazis and of life under Communism made those ordeals come to life and gave us all a real appreciation for our own comfortable lives in the U.S.. Ilona, our guide in Prague, was also very knowledgeable and had good command of English. She also arranged for our guide on the optional trip to Terezin to be a woman who had been imprisoned there for four years during the war, an incredible and heart-wrenching story. The itinerary in both Budapest and Prague and the lovely group dinners in each location were first rate.
We certainly enjoyed our trip and are glad that we took the tour.
Best regards,
— Charles, Jewish Heritage Europe Tour, May 2012
Fred,
I had such a wonderful time in Costa Rica! All the arrangements were fantastic and went without a hitch. When I chose to make a couple of changes with the transportation, the folks were most helpful. I'd be a great spokesperson for your clients traveling to Costa Rica!
The tours were incredible!! I *loved* both of them and saw/learned so much!! I am an nature/animal lover and had incredible experiences on both tours. I highly, highly recommend them. Both offered a variety of experiences, extremely knowledgeable guides, and excellent food and places. Wow!!
I want to sincerely thank you for making this vacation so special and spectacular! Caroline got the rest and pampering she longed for and I had a great time experiencing Costa Rica, while enjoying a relaxing time with my daughter. I could not have asked for a better trip.
Thanks so very much!
Most sincerely,
— Dorothy, May 2012
Dalia,
You all did an amazing job and I will most definitely recommend you to all my friends in other business schools! Thanks again for everything.
London Business School, May 2012
Susan,
Just want to thank you for making the arrangements for the most wonderful Israel vacation ever!! Everything was perfect including the tour, choice of hotels, etc. We could just have fun and enjoy knowing that everything was taken care of. The Ayalon Museum and The Tower of David Sound and Light Show in Jerusalem were both fabulous.
Thank you for helping with all the details! I would highly recommend you and your staff.
Shalom!!!
— Cherie Parkin, May 2012
Susan,
We had the most wonderful trip to Israel thanks to you and Gil Travel. Everything went very smoothly and was first rate.
The Renaissance Hotel was very comfortable and extremely accommodating. Their services were very punctual and considerate. For instance, when we called for Room Service there was always follow-up phone calls asking (1) whether the food arrived and (2) whether everything was satisfactory.
Mizpe Hayamin was like Paradise. We could have stayed there longer had we had the time.
Our guide was very knowledgeable and caring. He made the history of the country come to life for us. Also, he anticipated our needs. For instance, he always had a place for Jerry to sit when needed. He adjusted the itinerary whenever we requested and did so efficiently. We would recommend him highly.
Thank you for planning such a fabulous and memorable trip for us. For anyone who wants the greatest trip to Israel, we would recommend Gil Travel.
Best regards,
— Sondra and Jerry Leopold, May 2012
Mr. Hami,
I am writing just to express my total satisfaction and happiness with the trip that me and my husband Paul just experienced with Karen Allen. The Friendship Journey 2 to Israel exceeded our expectations! We usually would not choose to go on a "tour", ride a bus with lots of people, etc. but this trip was perfect in every way. Julian Resnick is brilliant and made Israel come alive in every sense of the word. I have a deeper and more profound knowledge of the country, it's people and the complicated situations that exist there.
We are already hoping Karen will plan another adventure in the future that includes our same group and Julian! Karen made sure that everything was handled in a smooth, efficient yet fun way. I would highly recommend any of my friends take the trip that we just made.
Again, thank you to Gill Travel for an amazing trip! I do intend to post pictures and comments on your webpage soon!
Warmly,
— Ann S. Rich, The Friendship Journey 2 to Israel, May 2012
Susan,
The trip was great!!! I love the king david and the tour guide was very good. The Tower of David Sound and Light Show was also terrific; glad you recommended it! Israel is such a special place, I am so glad we went.
Thank you for all your help
— Joyce, May 2012
Igal,
I want to take a moment and express how pleased my wife and I were to experience Israel for the first time with Karen and the group. We have traveled extensively, but never on a better organized more professional level. Julien, Karen and the entire team did an unbelievable job. We look forward to future travel destinations and hope Karen and the Gil Travel team can assist us with our plans. You should be proud my friend.
— Jack Fiorella, III, President & CEO, Equity Resources, LLC, May 2012
We have traveled pretty extensively, both for business and pleasure, and have never experienced a trip like this one to Israel. It was perfectly planned and executed without a hitch. It was a great combination of visits to profound sites, serious study and reflection, and a huge amount of fun. Kudos to Karen and the entire Gil Travel team.
— Allison and Fred Murray, May 2012
Igal,
Thanks to you and your wonderful staff for contributing to the phenomenal success of the mission. It’s a genuine pleasure working with you, as a partner and as a friend.
— Jacob Solomon, President and CEO, Greater Miami Jewish Federation, May 2012
Marilyn,
Thank you. As always, it was a pleasure working with you and Francois on this project. I really appreciate how hard you both work to go the extra mile for us. You make our jobs much easier.— Karen Weiner, Director of Missions, Greater Miami Jewish Federation, April 2012
Fred,
We absolutely loved skiing in Utah! Staying in The Canyons was so much more reasonable than Beaver Creek and we really enjoyed it!! The mountain was great for skiing/snow boarding, and the Ski School was excellent. The restaurant at the Hyatt was very good and the rooms were very spacious and beautiful! Everyone at the resort was very friendly and accommodating.
The last leg of the trip, to Orlando was really perfect! We were used to being on "the go" all day, so it was easy to keep up the momentum!!
Once again, thank-you so much for all of your help with the planning and organizing of our trip!
Best regards,
— Lisa and David, April 2012
Donna,
I just want to thank you again for everything. We had a fabulous trip to Israel. The Carlton was absolutely fabulous - our new favorite Tel Aviv hotel! Thanks so much. The room arrangements were perfect!
We are so appreciative of the services you offer. Can't wait to return to Israel!
— Julie, April 2012
Anita,
I have to say, it was a wonderful trip, no complaints! We were very fortunate that we were only 6 couples; they were lovely. The guide was great! We LOVED the King David and the kibbutz was a pleasant surprise. We had great touring weather as well. I must say, we were very happy.
Thank you,
— Lori, April 2012, Jewish Heritage Israel Tour
Susan,
I want to thank you for helping us plan and ultimately allow us to thoroughly enjoy each moment of our trip of a lifetime. Every aspect of our 2 week Israel adventure was perfection. There were so many facets to implementing and arranging 9 people coming from and to different locales, leaving different days to various locations and every bit of it without a hitch. Each day was so lovingly planned & fine tuned to fit our specific needs and interests. Thank you for allowing us to savor each hike, swim, museum, shuk, synagogue, cave, pickup and meal without ever a moment's thought as to whether the next plan was organized. We lived in the moment and were never disappointed. Avi was FANTASTIC! He was so knowledgeable, fun to be with and easy to understand. Our ages ranged from 17 to 65 and he spoke to all of us. He allowed us to have time to form our own opinions and question everything that came to mind. He challenged all of us with his enthusiasm for history and easy going manner. It is difficult for me to articulate how special our visit was to the Promised Land. Thank you for for being such an integral part of making our dream an amazing reality.
— Stephanie Specter, April 2012
Fred,
Zara and I had a fantastic trip to Israel; it was everything we had hoped for and more! Thanks for your help in making it happen.
Lastly, I'd be happy to give a glowing review of the trip to any prospective clients you have who might be considering such a trip. Please don't hesitate to send them our way.
Thanks again for everything,
— Zach, April 2012
Donna,
I want to thank you and the rest of the people affiliated with Gil for all of your time and efforts. You all were great.
While I am sure I was far from your largest client, the assistance and attention to detail that you provided were top rate and made me feel like I was your most important client!
Your efforts of booking hotels, air, site reservations, trip insurance and cell phone in advance and providing pre-trip advice made the planning easier and gave me a lot of comfort.
The follow up attention provided by Adva while I was in Israel was a pleasant surprise. From having a letter waiting for me at my first hotel, to her frequent calls during the trip to inform me of events that might effect my touring, to assisting with a hotel change; she was great. She even called to say goodbye!! Please pass my appreciation on to her. Again, thank you again for everything you all did. You helped make our trip so wonderful.
— Stephen Mighdoll, April 2012
Susan,
Our trip to Jerusalem from Arcadia University was truly spectacular as noted by the 15 freshman for whom the trip was arranged. Your responsiveness and changes that you took the time to make to better address our needs before we left helped to make the "Jerusalem Preview" a great success. The hotel you ended up choosing - The Jerusalem Inn - was a perfect venue for the group. It was comfortable with a fine front desk staff and a cute little restaurant around the corner for a real Israeli breakfast. Our guide - Natalie - was terrific. She was informative and was willing to work with group to do several things that had not been scheduled, but that added to the richness of the experience.
It was a pleasure to have you do the arrangements and I know that Meredith Mashner, Program Manager in the Office of International Affairs was similarly grateful for your assistance and agreeableness to help with the several changes we requested. You were a great member of our team and we hope to use you and Gil Travel again next year.
With best regards and thanks,
— Jan Tecklin, Department of Physical Therapy, April 2012
Donna,
First of all, thank you again for everything you did to organize the trek this year. The trek was a huge success, and many of the students said they would definitely visit Israel again in the near future. The hotels were incredible and exceeded everyone's expectations. The restaurants were incredible as well, especially Pini Bachatzer. Yoav was amazing, extremely friendly and informative, and I can't say enough good things about him. Dalia was very helpful with the few issues we encountered during the trek. Everything worked exactly according to the plan, which made it very easy for me to lead the trek.
One more time, thanks for everything. The trek was an amazing experience for everyone involved.
— Yair Ton, NYU Stern Israel Trek, March 2012
Armanda,
The trip to Israel you planned was tremendous. The connections with guides and transport were absolutely seamless. The main guide, Hilik Wald, was flexible, knowledgeable, and just a real pleasure to be around. The hotels met expectations. It was altogether the trip of a lifetime from the border in the north to the beach in the south. I have never before traveled in a group with a guide but if you were running the show, I would certainly do it again. Thanks!
— Edward McDaid, March 2012
Susan,
Our trip to Israel was terrific. Our guide in Israel, Uri, was outstanding and he made sure we saw everything of importance with superb information both historical and contemporary. The hotels in Tell Aviv and Jerusalem were lovely. Our trip flew by too fast!
— Terri, March 2012
Shirley,
At last I find the time to write a few words about my fantastic experience in Israel, for the most part thanks to your expert advice in guiding me and also in making "small" things happen that enhanced the quality of my trip (e.g. an aisle seat on this long flight!!!). The program was well thought out and very representative of what one typically wishes to see in Israel. But there was so much to see, there were so many explanations given by our encyclopedic guide, that a return trip to Israel, and I'm sure several more, have already become an acute necessity to satisfy my curiosity. I am so glad you were there to start me off on this one-in-a-lifetime trip and provide me with invaluable advice. You can rest assured that I will consult you for my next trip and that I will definitely send my friends to you. So, get ready!
I hope your boss knows what an asset you are to the company. If not, let him/her call me!!!!
Best regards,
— Francis B. Brevart, Professor of German, University of Pennsylvania, March 2012
Shirley,
You helped me to arrange my trip to Israel about 2 years ago. I wanted to let you know how the trip changed my life.
I went to Israel for many reasons but the two biggest ones were....
-Learning more about Israel, Jewish history and tradition, seeing it all with my own eyes, etc.
-Praying at the Kotel to find my B'shert
Praying at the Kotel really worked for me! I met my now husband 6 weeks after returning to the US. We will celebrate the 2 year anniversary of our meeting on April 18th. We had a daughter on May 20th of last year and we are expecting a son in June of this year.
Take care,
— Tanya Solomon, March 2012
Igal,
I wanted to let you know that we just returned from Turkey and the trip was exceptional. This particular travel program because of the three different universities involved was complicated and had it bumps in the road. However, Susan was a trooper and a real professional. She was able to handle all the issues extremely well and found ways to resolve all the problems as they occurred. She should be commended on an excellent job provided and with a smile and a sense of humor all along the way.
Additionally, your travel partner in Turkey was excellent. The guide was incredible and all the students loved him. The logistics were perfect and TLC given all the way to our departure, was simply perfect. This is our second travel study with you and I must say, your company is the best that I have ever worked with over the past 15 years.
Thanks again for everything.
— Robert Vogel, Ed.D, Professor, Department of Education, LaSalle University, March 2012
Donna,
Our trip to Israel was absolutely wonderful. The accommodations were great and the tour guide was phenominal. Thank you so much for your help with our trip. When we plan our next trip to Israel, we will certainly give you a call.
Thanks again,
— Barb and Steve White, January 2012
Shirley,
We had a fantastic time on our trip for Israel! The hotels and our guide, Aron, were fantastic. He really went out of his way to accommodate us. Our guide rearranged things so we could do extras! It was absolutely wonderful and we had so much fun and learned so much.
Thank you so much!
— Anne Evans, January 2012
Armanda,
Thank you for your well wishes and I must tell you we had the most amazing time in Costa Rica. I could not have asked for a more well planned and smoothly run vacation. Every aspect of the trip was perfect. We adored Tobacon Spa. The people were so friendly and our accommodations superb. We felt like royalty. I think the best part of the rainforest portion of the trip was having Carlos, our driver and tour guide. Not only was he knowledgeable about the country, from the culture to the politics to the agriculture and environment, he was a great driver and very flexible. It was great to have the set activities planned, yet, he was also adaptable when we mixed things up a bit one day when the kids wanted to sleep in one morning. I would highly suggest trying to use him again. He was great with the kids, because he has a teenager, but he was also great with Mike and I because he is our age. In fact, he had the same personality and sense of humor as Mike. We just loved him!!! The activates that you planned were perfect. Mike and the kids loved the zip-line, I chickened out, but was able to take some great pictures of them. Mike and Billy went on the white water rafting trip and had a ball, while Joey and I got massages at the hotel. The eco-center was amazing. We also got some wonderful pictures there.
The second part of the trip was just as heavenly. We loved the Westin because of the ability for each of us to do what we wanted. The kids slept until noon, Mike went snorkeling and kayaking most mornings, while I went to the gym and swam in the ocean. We always met up for lunch and did water activities together in the afternoon and all ate dinner together.
Armanda, I also want to thank you for the special cake you arranged for me in our room at Tobacon, and Carlos bought me wine, chocolate and cashews from you. That was so sweet. I had the best birthday ever.
I hope you and your family have a healthy and happy New Year.
Thanks again,
Warmly,
— Suzy, January 2012
Susan,
The trip was exceptional! The guides Danielle and Jan were better than perfect and the drivers were very professional. The day's planning was excellent, all the sites selected were solid. The portions of riding vs. walking were wonderful. The hotels and meals were great choices. I will tell the story of our trip to Israel many times and this is the proof in the pudding! We were fortunate with the group, the group bonded as the trip progressed-extraordinary.
— Alan Kegerise, Premier Dental, January 2012
Iris,
Thank you for all you did to make the Supporters Program a success. The more I work on these projects, the more I am convinced that the success of any project depends on the quality of the people running it. And you are a quality person!
You have an incredible ability to deal with stress and the people or situations causing that stress with composure and grace and common sense. And I know that under that calm exterior there is a brain that never stops working to find the right solution and a rod of steel that gives you the strength to do what you feel is right and appropriate. Knowing that you are involved in any project assures me that it will be successful.
I think the vast majority of the Supporters had a great time and felt the Program was run very well.
Thank Igal for everything he does!
— Toni Wortman, Chairman Pan American Games 2011, Sao Paulo, January 2012
Susan,
We just returned last night and I want to say THANK YOU for a wonderful itinerary. Our trip was flawless from beginning to end and Itzak was a wonderful guide. He taught us so much about Israel and his own history. Thank you for organizing Nana; it was the perfect restaurant for a crowd of 17 people. The food and wine were delicious, one of the best meals we had. Please thank the owner of Gil for us. We hope you had a wonderful New Year and wish you the very best for the coming year.
— Marlene and Marty Silver, January 2012
Donna,
Our trip to Israel was wonderful!!! All the plans you made worked perfectly and we saw top to bottom and side to side. Israel has changed a bit in 40 years since I was there! And Petra, really cool! The weather was perfect, the accommodations were good and we even got upgraded a few times, though I don't know why. What can I say, for our first big vacation in 25 years it was perfect. Thanks for all your work.
— Hillary and David, November 2011
Donna,
Thank you so much for all you and Adva did for us. Our trip was perfect and the wedding was beautiful! We couldn't have done it without the two of you!! Please extend our appreciation to Adva as well, she was wonderful!!
Warmest regards,
— Deborah DiManna, October 2011
I wanted to let you know that Anita Coca has been extremely helpful in arranging our tour to Israel. We've had numerous questions about the trip and she has taken the time to answer every question as well as provide us with suggestions to make our trip more enjoyable. We've used a number of travel agencies over the last 50 years and Anita, by far, stands out as the most responsive and competent agent that we have ever dealt with. She is a credit to Gil Travel and is the reason that we would consider using Gil Travel in the future.
— Steven Dzubow, October 2011
Fred,
Just wanted to let you know the trip to Central Europe was a very meaningful experience. All the logistics went smoothly as well. Looking forward to doing business with you again in the future.
— Phyllis Victorson, October 2011
Susan,
We did indeed have a terrific, interesting, and wonderful learning experience during our two weeks in Israel. Boaz, our guide was excellent and Mitzphe Hayamim was a delightful place to stay. Many thanks for all the wonderful arrangements.
— Sarah Rosenberg, October 2011
Donna,
I would like to thank you again for all your help with the trip to Israel with New Life Ministries back in June. You did an awesome job. Everything was fantastic. It was so very nice and relaxing not having to worry about anything. It definitely helped make the trip that much more enjoyable.
Thank you,
God Bless,
— Donnette Linker, New Life Ministries, September 2011
Susan,
Our trip was great. Everyone enjoyed every single day. The program was wonderful. Rafi managed to make things interesting to both young and old, a feat that was not always easy. Adva was very helpful when we needed her help, the drivers were great, the bus was new and very comfortable and the hotels were great. All in all it was a wonderful family experience for us. Thank you very much for arranging it all.
— Rina, September 2011
Susan,
The Hills and the Jordans would like to thank you so much for the great guides that you gave us! We had a fantastic time and learned so much! We appreciate all that you did for us!
Regards,
— Judy and Bruce Jordan, August 2011
Shirley,
Although this letter is way overdue (1 year to be exact), I think it is better late than never. I would like to sincerely express my thanks for your help in the planning and preparation for my trip to Israel with my sister. The Inbal Hotel was fantastic and I am still thinking about it a year later. The tours were also very interesting and even though we only stayed for 3 nights and 5 days, I really feel that my sister and I both got a taste of the beauty of Israel and will always have a fondness for it because of your lovely effort.
Thank you again for making my experience so wonderful and meaningful. I look forward to booking another trip in the future. Wishing you Shana Tova and good health.
Sincerely,
— Hicha Chmielnicki, August 2011
Susan,
A truly epic, amazing, incredible and inspirational trip for me, Julie and my son Jake. With the awesome assistance of our guide Daniel, we did as much in 2 weeks as is humanly possible, and this included touring, hiking, jeeping, beaching, rappelling, climbing, learning, digging, absorbing, what more can I say. An amazing itinerary laid out by you guys, I cannot possible thank you enough and also Adva, you are true pros at what you do. I will certainly refer you as much business as I can, and you can have potential Israel seekers email me for advice. Do show them our itinerary and let anyone know it can be done! I believe our trip was perfect for the able and energetic.
Thank you again, I appreciate all that you and Adva did for me. I want to pay one more major compliment to Daniel our guide, he is positively the best.
Truly,
— Dan Liebersohn, August 2011
Fred,
We wanted to thank you for planning such a fantastic trip. The itinerary was planned beautifully. It had the perfect combination of fun, history and adventure. Danny the guide was not only fantastic but kept us on schedule. He has the intelligence and knowledge of a history professor. We learned so much from him. It was better than a college course! Danny the driver was also wonderful. He was a pleasure and a great driver. The bus was new, beautiful, extremely comfortable and always clean. I have to thank you for planning a trip of a life time for us. Please use me as a reference if you need one. I will certainly recommend you to all of my friends and family planning a trip to Israel. We couldn't have had this magical experience without your creative ideas. Thank you for your patience, knowledge, and guidance. You are wonderful Fred!
Sincerely,
— Gina, Marc, Emily and AJ Eckstein, Private Israel Tour, August 2011
Fred,
Our family is back from the Israel trip and had an outstanding, extraordinary adventure. The guide, Doobie Szabo, was brilliant, amazing, articulate, eloquent, and a life-changing teacher. I would recommend him with no reservation. Thank you for all your thoughtful efforts to plan our trip. Hoping to need your services again when we take the next one.
— Wendy Sirotkin, Israel Family Trip, August 2011
Susan,
Steve and I want to thank you for organizing our amazing trip to Israel and Jordan. We loved the excursion that you booked for us to Petra and Eilat and all the arrangements, i.e. tour guides, drivers, hotels, etc. were exceptional. Thank you for all your hard work.
Fondly,
— Gail and Steve Fisher, Israel and Egypt Tour, August 2011
Susan,
We are really enjoying ourselves in Israel. Natalie is great and the Bar Mitzvah service was extraordinary.
— Roger Klein, Bar Mitzvah Israel Tour, August 2011
Susan,
The 3 of us want to thank you for your wonderful work on the family trip to Israel. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. The food was great (the variety was terrific-especially the farewell dinner and the barbecue put on my the JCCA), the tour guides were knowledgeable and excellent, the tours were well thought out and wonderful, the Dan hotels were very good and the Hagoshrim kibbutz was comfortable and the breakfasts were great. Mandy did a great job.
Susan, you were always available to answer my questions and you had some very good suggestions and you put up with a lot of questions from me. Susan, you really did a great job.
Thanks again,
— Debbee and Julio Montes and Emmy Hornstein, Israel Family Vacation, August 2011
Susan,
Thank you so much for your help in planning our trip to Israel. Everything came off flawlessly - the itinerary was great, hotels were wonderful, and I can't say enough wonderful things about Shimon Zemer, our guide. I would recommend both you and Shimon to anyone planning a trip to Israel. This was truly a special adventure for all of us - myself, my husband, and our 19 year old son.
Best Regards,
— Nina Neer, August 2011
Iris and Igal,
I am in Israel for the JCC-Maccabi Games. To often criticism is the loudest noise we all hear and compliments sometimes are just quietly forgotten ... but I wanted you to know from me and my family how much I apprciated working with Mandy over my travel arrangements and for Jodi and our son Ethan. It was late in the process and there were changes, etc etc etc ... but Mandy was so helpful, pleasant, and a pleasure to work with, not to mention how accessible she made herself to us. Thanks again to you for having her on your crew and to her for all her efforts!
— Ricky Reff, JCC Maccabi Experience, July 2011
Iris,
I hope that the summer is treating you well.
I just wanted to thank you and the rest of the Gil team for all of your support leading up to our program this summer. Having been in the business for a number of years, I can honestly say that working with Gil has been the most seamless process. We are continually impressed with the professionalism of your team.
I particularly wanted to thank you for sending Mandy to be with us in Israel, it will make our job of orchestrating any changes much easier.
Thanks again,
— Dan Deutsch, Director, JCC Maccabi Experience, July 2011
Susan,
Had a GREAT TIME!! Israel has changed alot! We loved it and I don't know if my daughter will come back! Thank you for everything!
Best Regards,
— Ron Gafni, July 2011
Fred,
We can't thank-you enough for all you did to make our trip to Israel a truly unforgettable and precious experience for our family! The itinerary and arrangements were terrific! Please extend our gratitude to your colleagues who participated, here and in Israel.
With appreciation,
— Linda, Private Israel Tour, July 2011
Shirley,
Everything went very well and punctual and was as promised. The guides did their very best to accomodate every want and need and were especially good to one of our group members who was sick many days and had to either leave the tour early or stay with the driver. There are many tour companies out there and I would still recommend your company whether to Jewish or non-Jewish groups or people. Thanks for all of your help and expertise.
Shalom and cul tuv,
— Jerry and Louise, Grand Jewish Heritage Israel Tour, July 2011
Shirley,
The trip was wonderful!!! We were happy with all arrangements that have been made. The country and people are amazing. Some things obviously were very emotional, while others just awesomely inspiring. Thank you so much for you insight and help.
All out best,
— Judy and Michael, Grand Jewish Heritage Israel Tour, July 2011
Fred,
Michael and I just got back, and I had to let you know right away how spectacular our trip was. Every thing was great, and each day was better than the day before. Everything was perfect from the moment we arrived in Israel, the small group we were in was wonderful, the tour guide was entertaining as well as informative and knowledgeable, and the transfers from Jerusalem to Carmel Forest Spa and back to Tel Aviv was like clockwork. Everything was just perfect, and I thank you for making a dream come true. It was a pleasure doing business with you, and G-d willing we will be planning our next trip with you in the near future.
— Mary Reese, Jewish Heritage Israel Tour, June 2011
Igal,
I wanted to drop you a line to tell you how helpful and customer service friendly Francois was today. Francois treated me as if I was the only person he was helping and I know that you all juggle a lot of clients at one time. He took the extra effort to look into several options to ensure that I didn't have an excessive lay over and was genuinely interested in providing quick and efficient service that would provide me with flight options that were convenient for me.
— Robin Levenston, MPA Vice President, Southern Region, Jewish Agency, June 2011
Marilyn,
Thank you so much for working things out for the members of our Rochester group who wanted to extend. I know how busy you are at this time of year and I really appreciate the time and effort that you and Francois put in to make this work out.
Again, thank you so much for all of your help on this and all of our other Israel travel. The people of Gil Travel are true professionals.
— Larry Fine, Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, June 2011
Naomi,
I just want to thank you for putting together such an amazing itinerary. We really appreciate all your hard work and efforts to help make this a trip of a lifetime.Everything was perfect: from the hotels, excursions, restaurant suggestions and transfers to and from the airports. I would also like to mention that our guide, Roee Bar, is an exceptional person. He was extremely knowledgable, personable and enthusiastic and we would wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone traveling to Israel. He added so much to our trip.
Thank you again for everything and for doing an outstanding job!
Best Regards,
— Corey Labadorf, May 2011
Shirley:
Thank you so much for our wonderful and fabulous trip. We loved Miri at once. She made every minute exciting. You really went out of your way to see that we were well taken care of by all. It was a dream of a lifetime, and you made it possible.
Fondly,
— Sylvia & Bill Morgenstern, May 2011
Susan,
Have we told you we had a wonderful trip to Israel and have we thanked you for all your help? Well, let me thank you again. The hotels you found were just what we wanted. The Dan in Eilat was extremely helpful and solicitous when Neil's gout flared up -- got a doctor, kept calling to see whether they could do anything, etc. We had a balcony with a beautiful view, and the breakfast was sensational. The Gilgal was perfect -- small, but lovely, in a location we liked a lot, and very helpful staff. Everything was on a small scale, but all sparkly and modern.
Thanks again for all your help.
— Susan Krieger, Jewish Heritage Israel Tour, May 2011
Susan,
Everything went smoothly. We had a great trip. The guide was excellent!
Thanks for your help & arrangements,
— Dawn, Jewish Heritage Israel Tour, May 2011
Susan,
It was the trip of a lifetime! I cannot begin to express how it has affected my life in ways I cannot comprehend. Working with you has been such a delight. You answered all of my questions and endured my anxieties. The lengths to which you and Gil went to assure I had a working phone were unparalleled. Everyone showed such genuine concern about my issues. Moishe, our transfer driver was courteous and dependable; and Jacky our tour guide was so professional, funny, and so very knowledgeable. The trip was run so professional from start to finish! I will recommend Gil Travel very highly to my friends and family. Thank you so very much!
— Susan Fischer, Jewish Heritage Israel Tour, May 2011
Fred,
We're back home safe and sound. We had a fabulous time - it was our trip of a lifetime - too good to be true! Everything went better than perfect!!! I can't thank you enough, you did a fabulous job planning our every move. The tour guide was the greatest - he spoke English very well, was super friendly and fun, made everything so interesting, was very knowledgable and was only too happy to answer our questions. Our accomodations were superb and the food was the best!!! Especially the breakfasts!!! We loved the location of the David Citadel - it was convenient walking distance to the old city and other places of interest.
Thanks so much!!!
Sincerely,
— Iris Hersh, April 2011
Igal,
I've been meaning to write to you to thank you for planning a terrific trip for us. We had a wonderful time in Israel and Eli was a very big part of that. We all enjoyed his company and he taught us a lot about ancient times and even more about Israel today. Now that we're home I miss him!
While we were there I thought about so many of the things that you told me, because you were right about everything. Mostly I laughed at myself for wanting to eliminate the King David from the trip, because Jerusalem felt perfectly safe while we were there and the King David was my favorite hotel. The room was absolutely gorgeous and quiet and newly decorated. Even the coffee shop was great when we went there for dinner after the Sound and Light show (great pasta).
Mizpe Hayamim was very nice. The hotel and pool area were lovely and comfortable and the food was great. We ate dinner in the "gourmet" restaurant which was delicious.
The Israeli cell phones and the VIP service were the best ideas of all. It was great to be able to call each other while in Israel and also to be able to call the states without worrying about the charge. The VIP service was also a real treat. They got us to the front of every security line and it probably saved us an hour of airport hassles and stress.
Thank you for being such a good listener and for giving me such good advice.
— Laurie K. Ingerman, April 2011
Hi Shirley,
Everything went as planned; no problems. It was a terrific tour, though exhausting. We appreciate all your advice and instructions re: tipping, etc. We appreciate your time and attention in our trip booking and planning. I know we could not have done it without you.
— Mindy, April 2011
Susan-
We had a great trip. Eli was terriffic!! Really nice, knowledgeable and low-key. Everything went smoothly and the wedding was just Tuesday night and what fun to be with friends in Israel! Thanks for all your help. I really loved the David Citadel - it was worth every penny and the Carlton the view was great.
— Marilynne, March 2011
Susan and Igal,
I just returned from Israel yesterday and I have to tell you - it was fantastic. Probably my best travel study to date - this was my 10th one.
Everything worked liked clockwork and Kenes Tours in Israel was extremely attentive, totally competent and always available. Nadav, the guide, was wonderful and I highly recommend him for other trips you plan. Logistically, it all worked out and even the two days in the West Bank went smoothly. The hotels, restaurants, bus driver, etc. were great and I have no complaints, only praises.
I wanted you to know that I was really impressed with the travel component and that was because of you, your support staff and your agent in Israel. You have ONE very satisfied customer that will recommend you to my colleagues and friends. Thanks again for making this so easy for me and allowing me to focus my energies on teaching and not logistics.
I am in the early stages of planning for next year that will include three universities meeting in Turkey. Will be touch in later June to begin the process.
Warm regards,
— Robert Vogel, LaSalle University, March 2011
Karen Allen,
Thanks so much to you, Gil Travel and the Birmingham Jewish Federation for planning such and extraordinary Inter-faith Women's Journey to Israel. The details of the trip, the sites visited and the great shopping opportunities were well thought out and exquisitely planned to meet the needs of all participants. I most valued the detailed itinerary you prepared with explanations and websites of places we would visit. These websites gave me a glimpse of what I would see and assisted in preparing me for packing, traveling and shopping.
The personal attention and availability given to me as we planned and met in Birmingham, before the trip was most beneficial to my needs as a first time traveler to Israel. I appreciate the patients and time you took to answer all of my questions and concerns. Your care, assistance in planning and tips for packing made my trip a wonderful success.
Thank you, Karen and Gil Travel. I hope to travel with you again.
Sincerely,
— Cherrye Fincher Parker, IKAR-Women's Journey to Israel, March 2011
To Whom It May Concern:
I have just returned from my first trip to Israel, which I enjoyed immensely. Much of the reason I had such a positive experience on my trip was the interaction we had with our tour guide and I am writing to convey to you what an asset these guides are to the state of Israel. Your tour guides help to form the impressions and ideas your visitors have of Israel.
I would also like to commend Anna Evenzahav, our trip organizer through the US-based Gil Travel. Anna was in Israel during our trip and was kind enough to go out of her way to pick up a piece of camera equipment forgotten by one of our group members at one hotel and bring it to us at our next hotel. She checked on us several times throughout the week to make sure we had all we needed and was a delightful person. Anna's love for Israel and her passion to see visitors enjoy it as well was wonderful.
Thank you for the opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation to you for Reuven, Yuri, and Anna. Each one of these individuals I have mentioned is a great asset to Israel and I have been telling all of my friends and relatives about my wonderful experience in Israel and encouraging them to make a visit of their own. I am hopeful that I will be able to make a return trip soon.
Sincerely,
— Lori B. Snyder, March 2011
I just wanted to write and express my thanks for arranging such a wonderful Israel trip for our group! This was my second tour and I loved it every bit as much as my first. Anna was great and it was fun to meet up with her throughout the week. She has an amazing personality - we loved her! Our tour guide, Reuven, was awesome! He is so knowledgeable - and hilarious! He made us feel so comfortable and taught us so much. And Yuri, our bus driver has unparalelled skills! It was really sad to leave. Not only was it hard to leave such a beautiful country, but it was disappointing to say goodbye to our new friends. I'm already trying to figure out how soon I can return! Again, thanks so much!!
— Andrea Adams, March 2011
To Whom It May Concern:
I just wanted to let Gil Travel know what a wonderful trip to Israel I had that was planned by Karen Allen and led by Tikva as our guide. It was so well planned and we were able to accomplish so much during our 11 days. The whole experience was so memorable especially since this was my first trip to Israel.
— Denise Lewis, Women's Journey: IKAR, Birmingham Jewish Federation, March 2011
Jeanne,
I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated all that Mandy did to facilitate my son's travel arrangements. She is professional and knowledgeable and a really good thinker. Gil Travel is fortunate to have excellent agents like Mandy. I will definitely look to your agency for future plans because of the great service Mandy provided.
Thanks again.
— Melanie Rubin, March 2011
Susan,
Your arrangements were, as usual, perfect. We enjoyed our brief week in Jerusalem and got to see all of the family at the wedding and the subsequent Sheva Berachot. We were particularly pleased with the Harmony Hotel. It is from now on our favorite hotel in Israel, perfectly located and a lot of personal service, excellent breakfasts and an unexpected "happy hour" in a lovely lounge.
Hope all is well. Shalom.
— Shim Maslin, March, 2011
Tikva and Dalia,
It was certainly my delight and pleasure to work with you both to bring this to fruition -- and certainly in a way that every woman was so touched and excited by all we did. It was truly a partnership b/w the 3 of us that made it work. I love "showing" Israel to people and am thrilled that they can love this land and feel the spirituality as much as I do. And above all, no one that I've brought and traveled with has ever gone home disappointed. Thank you both for adjusting to my details -- and I'm so thankful to have taken your advice and suggestions throughout all this.
I look forward to sharing "our land" with you and many others for many more years to come.
— Karen Allen, February 2011
Ms. Perez,
Thank you once again for all you did to help arrange my overnight stay and tour in Cairo in December 2010 when I visited the Middle East. The accommodations at the Sonesta were spectacular, and the efficiency of the driver, the host and particularly my guide were incomparable. Everything was handled with great ease and without any glitches whatever. The tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable about all the things that I was able to see during my day in Cairo. His stature as an archeology professor at Cairo University certainly provided additional insights at Giza, the old synagogue, and the antiquities museum. He had much to add along the way and made the trip even more memorable.
In addition to having high praise for you and the company you represent, I also would suggest that if anyone is concerned about the quality of the services they would receive using the tour company in Egypt with whom you work, they should have no qualms at all. Once again, thank you for all that you did to help make this trip one that provided lifelong memories.
Regards,
— Richard B. Kanoff, D.O., Cairo Tour, January 2011
Susan,
The trip was great. I deeply appreciate your help. Nothing can prepare you for the reality of Petra! You were so right to recommend the Movenpick. The guide and the driver were both absolutely fine, the car was spotless, the driver was more careful than 99% of the people on the road in Jordan and the guide -- who has family in New jersey and a home in Israel-- really knows his stuff.
Thanks again for everything.
— Ann, January 2011
Naomi,
We planned the perfect Israel, Egypt, and Jordan trip under the guidance of Naomi Behar-Perez, of Gil Travel. Our planned trip was to be in Israel for 18 days covering the major sights including a one day stop in Jordan to see Petra on an optional tour. In Egypt we would enjoy a 3 nights, 4 day cruise on the Nile and spend 3 nights in Cairo touring during the days. The tour included all transfer, taxes, airfare, in flights within Egypt, and the flight between Tel Aviv and Cairo. No other tour operator provided anything close to being so inclusive and at a very reasonable price. We looked at twelve other companies. I would recommend Naomi as being very professional and an expert with regard to reservation and planning. It seemed that what she put together for us what was a very personal trip, rather than a group tour.
— Michael Miller, January 2011
Susan,
It was fabulous! We both enjoyed it immensely; a good mixture of time with the tour and free time to explore Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Our tour guide was very good as well, and the group was a nice diverse mixture.
Thanks for your help in getting this together for us!
— Deb Taylor, January 2011
You have been very helpful and prompt with email responses and we appreciate it as my daughter will only be away for 2 weeks and this is the first time we are dealing with travel in Israel. I would recommend your service to others in the future.
— Ellen, January 2011
Marilyn and Francois,
A big "Thank You" to both of you and Gil Travel for making Temple Solel arrangements to Israel so smooth. The trip was fabulous, all the flights were great - no delays. everything was wonderful! We could not have done it without both of you. Thank you for all of your hard work and attention to detail. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Looking forward to our next venture together (I hope it's not too far away!)
— Adina Zarchan, Program Director, Temple Solel, January 2011
Susan,
I cannot begin to tell you what a fabulous time we had!! We are all just filled to the brim with the memory of so many delicious sights, sounds, and smells that we will never forget. We are in love with Israel on so many levels. We cannot wait to return -- hopefully soon. Thanks for helping us plan this unforgettable adventure.
Best,
— Jill Gaieski, January 2011
Rachel,
It was great to meet you at LAX when you saw us off, representing Gil Travel. Thank you for the incredible help you were with our check in, and with our two kids who got stranded overnight. The fact that you stepped up and housed them that night, was truly exceptional. You want above and beyond the call of duty to help out, and we greatly appreciate. On behalf of Team USA and Maccabi USA, and everyone involved, please accept my sincerest thanks. We had a great time in Sydney, and you got us off to a great start.
— Jed Margolis, Executive Director, Maccabi USA, January 2011
I would definitely second that thought. Gil travel should be extremely proud to have someone such as Rachel who clearly went above and beyond. Rachel - it was a pleasure to meet you and we greatly appreciated your assistance at the LAX airport. You were there for many hours and to have stayed and then housed our two athletes was amazing. Thank you so very much.
— Jodi Reff, Co-chair Maccabi Australia International Games, January 2011
Susan
I can not begin to tell you how much Bob and I enjoyed our first trip to Israel. We met incredible people on our tour and I know we will say in touch. Our tour guide had such passion for his country that it was infectious. Nobody wanted the tour to end! When we finally had to say good bye, there wasn't a dry eye amongst us including our tour guide, Menny. He said he'd never forget us and that we were a special group and I truly believe he meant it.
Thanks again for helping us.
— Flory Laub-Kahn, January 2011
Just wanted to email and let you guys know that the phone arrived today just in the nick of time. Thank you so much for accommodating my mailing restrictions. It means a lot to me when companies act in the best interest of their customers, and your service delighted me in this regard.
Kindly,
— Joshua Temkin, December 2010
Susan,
Thank you does not seem to be even close to enough to say to you after our 17 day adventure through Israel! The details and the logistics were flawless (except for the dead beat Dad driver...LOL!) and considering the level of detail and connections that we made, that is a huge feat. From the day I met you you were always there to answer my questions, point me in the right direction, provide tips and guidance as we laid out our itinerary. Even though I bothered you weekly, sometimes even daily, you were always there with a smile. Amazing!
The hotels were top of the line; beautiful and well situated. We especially liked the Mizpe Hayamim and David Citadel. Our guide, Ariel Stolar, was spectacular. He is hands down the BEST guide I have ever had seriously. He knows more than any human should about the country both past and present and somehow, made it really fun to learn it all. We spent 10 days with him and now we all adore him. Most importantly (and amazingly), he managed to deal with all 4 of our vastly differently personalities and keep us all happy.
Susan, thank you again for everything you did to make our journey so memorable and comfortable. I am already referring people to you!
Todah Rabah!!
— Janice Telstar, November 2010
Naomi,
The trip was fabulous! We had great food, and we saw great things. George added a trip to Rachel's Tomb, Herodion, we had a connection and went to Ariel for a meeting with Ron Nachman, and many other things. George was a terrific guide, he is an absolute a-one guide, and I would use him again.
As expected, it turned out just fine. It's hard to plan a trip with four other couples, each of whom has a different way of approaching it. But in the end, it was nearly perfect. Thanks for all the work you did to make it that way.
Best,
— Rick, November 2010
Susan and Adva,
We all had a great time and want to thank you for planning an amazing trip for us. Reuven was a terrific guide and really helped make the trip special!
Best regards,
— Lindsay Remer, November 2010
Susan,
The trip to Israel and Jordan was a wonderful experience. We had a very congenial group on the tour as well as very pleasant accommodations.
I compliment you and your staff for a superb job of organizing the trip...the best and most thorough and conscientious service I have received from a travel agent.
Many thanks for making the trip a special and worry-free experience.
— Mike Goldman, November 2010
Francois,
The usual "Thank You" could never adequately convey our gratitude for the extraordinary job you performed at JFK airport on Monday night.
Had it not been for you perseverance, your powers of persuasion, and your industry knowledge, we are certain that our mission participants would not have boarded their El Al flight. And beyond handling the logistics, your positive attitude and even composure helped to calm all of the travelers. When our participants think back on this experience - and we suspect by their return they will be laughing about it - they will know how lucky they were that you were on the scene.
We values all of our relationships with members of Gil Travel an feel especially fortunate that someone with your professionalism, skill and integrity is a part of their team. We very much look forward to working with you and being the recipient of your vast experience on our future missions.
Sincerely,
— Gerrie Bamira, Jewish Federation, October 2010
Shirley,
Thank you for arranging our trip to Israel. I know we contacted you late; but, none the less, you were patient with our requests and made it happen. All the hotels were great- the Art Plus in Tel Aviv was my favorite. Perhaps one of my all time favorite hotels.
My 16 year old son (with JBHA at MUSS) had no better Sukkot plans and decided to join us in Jerusalem. Calling the Israel office of Gil travel was wonderful - for their service was superb and they easily change our triple room to 2 doubles.
Again, I appreciated your help with this trip - even the vouchers for the museums all worked out like a charm.
Most sincerely,
— Joan, October 2010
Susan,
It is hard to believe we are already back a week. Yitzhak is a lovely man with a true passion for the history and culture of Israel. We all benefited greatly from touring with him. Thanks so much for all of your help and we are still processing all we saw, learned and experienced.
Thanks again,
— Barbara, October 2010
Susan,
Thank you for all that you did to ensure we would have a fabulous vacation. We had a wonderful time with guides and family. It was just great!!!
— Meta, October 2010
Good morning Fred,
I just wanted to say "Thank you!" We had a fabulous time and EVERYTHING went off without a hitch. All drivers/tour guides were where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be. The guys had a great time climbing Massada. I enjoyed arriving hours later with the regular tour. Daron was an excellent tour guide. He really made Israel's history come alive for us and also made us feel that we too have a special place in Israel.
I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone interested in an intensive, educational experience. It was exactly what we were looking for.
Thanks for everything.
— Susan Leibert, September 2010
Nili,
Thanks for helping us have the most wonderful trip! We thoroughly enjoyed everything. The tour guide was exceptional. The hotels were fantastic. The food was awesome. We loved it!!!!! Hope you all are well and feeling great!
— Gina, Lower Lab School, September 2010
Susan,
As you predicted, we loved Itzak. He was personable, knowledgeable, patient and kind! All of our arrangements went smoothly and we had a wonderful trip. Thanks for all of your efforts.
Shana Tovah! A happy and healthy New Year to you and your family.
— Cindy, August 2010
Susan,
Thank you so much for all your help arranging our stay in Israel! It was a memorable experience and such a blessing! Best of all, the tour guide was very good at what he does! I recommend him for future reference! I liked how we were small sized about 18 people. Overall, a great experience that I will cherish for years to come!
Thank you for all your help,
— Yodit, August 2010
Susan,
We just got back this morning from our trip. It was amazing. Everything was perfect. The hotels, the activities the guides were great. It was so well planned. It was the "trip of a lifetime". Thank You!!!!!! I will fill you in when I have had a chance to get some rest.
Thanks,
— Barry, August 2010
Donna,
Thank you for your welcome home message. Marty and I had the best trip of our lives. You did a wonderful job, Donna. The tour was led by warm and experienced professionals. The airplane connections were planned beautifully by you. We appreciated having seats on the aisle and the window each time. The hotels were beautiful. Every detail was perfect. Israel is the most beautiful country in the world and the Grand Jewish Heritage tour is excellent. Thank you for your help.
— Judith, Grand Jewish Heritage Israel Tour, August 2010
Shirley,
I just wanted to send you a thank you for all the hard work and planning you did for our Israel trip. Everything was not only amazing, but very smooth. Rachel, the woman who met us at the airport, was very helpful and couldn't have made the day any easier for me.
Again, thank you.
— Jeff Reinstein, Youth Programs Coordinator, Bureau of Jewish Education, August 2010
Susan,
I just wanted to thank you so much for helping organize our trip to Egypt. Mady, Zuri, and I had an unbelievable time and every aspect of the trip was great. I'll definitely be recommending Gil Travel to my friends traveling in the Middle East.
Thanks!
— Jordan, Taglit - Birthright Extensions, August 2010
Cindy,
Well all is back to normal and we have very fond memories of the trip. It was fantastic amazing well organized . Meir was a wonderful guide and everything worked seamlessly. The people at the hotels were accommodating and always helpful. It was the trip of a lifetime and we'd like to thank you for all your help. I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive since all of this was online But your travel group was superb and have recommended it to friends already.
Again thank you for a very memorable and emotional trip that we will remember for many many years to come.
— Mark, August 2010
Fred,
We got back from Turkey after a very enjoyable tour. Everything went very well. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, accommodative, and helpful, The driver also did a commendable job. Overall it was a very good trip.
I want to thank you for making all arrangements through a reliable agency so that we could enjoy the trip without worrying about little details. Also, it would have been very stressful without the guide, especially because of the language barrier. We appreciate everything you have done to make our trip an enjoyable one.
Hope to get back to you with our travel needs some time in the future. Have a blessed day.
— Thomas, August 2010
Fred,
We have returned and are slowly recovering from Jet Lag. I thought you would want to know everything went perfectly. No glitches. The guide was absolutely the best. Apparently the JNF saves him for the really important people. He showed us Israel from every angle. Your itinerary was excellent. We had to cut out two wineries because of lack of time, but the Golan Winery was excellent and they have just opened a new facility. We had to skip the tree planting because of a forest fire. We got to meet Russell Robinson, the CEO of the JNF as well as our Rabbi who was spending time in Jerusalem. The hotels in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv were excellent. The kibbutz hotel was about what I expected. Our guide Issey took us to some great neighborhood restaurants for Israeli food. We found a fantastic restaurant overlooking the Kinneret called Roberg. It is a old family run restaurant. The father is a Swiss trained Chef.
In Tel Aviv Manta Ray was great. We saw a lot and did a lot of climbing and hiking especially at Ein Gedi. It is important to get to Ein Gedi first thing in the morning otherwise it gets too crowded and too hot.
Fred, I am sorry I can't thank you in person. You did a great job. I will certainly refer my friends.
Sincerely,
— Dr.Morton Greenspoon, August 2010
Dubi,
The trip was fantastic. Everything was great. We especially thought our guide in Prague was absolutely the BEST. All of the Hotels were excellent.
The tours and guides were all very good as well. We couldn't be happier. We want to thank you for all of the arrangements your follow up and guidance.
Thank you,
— Paula and Vern Kozlen, July 2010
Susan,
I do not know how to thank you for everything. All went well-actually more than well. I met other people on our tour who used you and thought the same thing.
— Edi Gruber, July 2010
Fred,
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. It was truly a fantastic trip, and thank you for putting together a great itinerary. Mike Turkenich was perfect for our family and we all agree that he made the trip especially wonderful. This was the trip of a lifetime for my family and me and we're all still glowing.
— Michael Rothstein, July 2010
Susan,
Thank you! It was excellent! I have only positive things to say. Our guide in Israel was superb. My guide in Jordan was as well. R Voyages in Egypt was fabulous. They went above and beyond - my guide in Cairo, for instance, Noha, went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure I was able to see all I wanted to, and to ensure I was well taken care of. Please pass on my gratitude to all your partners, especially R Voyages.
— Jon, July 2010
Hi There,
It's Tuesday night. We got back safely, after a long and tiring trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel and then back to Cairo and then to JFK and then to Las Vegas! 5 flights and about 17 hours in a plane in a 36 hour period!
It was the trip of a lifetime, for certain. We felt very much at home in Israel, and knew many people there. The hotels you chose were amazing, and well worth the money. The one I chose, Nof Ginosar, was adequate. We drove successfully around the north, did lots of sightseeing and had some good guides. We visited many friends.
Egypt was unbelievable. Exhilirating and thrilling. In Cairo, I did manage to get sick for about 24 hours or so and basically missed the Egyptian Museum, even though I was sitting inside on a bench. Happily I was the one who took it for the team. I don't think the kids would have managed it well.
We had an incredible time on the cruise. We were upgraded to the st. george which was wonderful. we met great people, two different families in fact, who knew people we know (including my step brother and some old friends). The sights were incredible and cruising on the Nile is a fantastic way to see the most wonderful parts of Egypt.
Thank you for all of your planning and assistance. Between your knowledge and my persistence, we planned a fabulous trip for my family!
Many thanks,
— Julie, July 2010
Dalia,
Just wanted to let you know we spoke with one of our donors today and he had nothing but positive things to say about his trip! He is raving to all of his friends and family about what an amazing time they had and it could not have gone better. They absolutely LOVED their security guard, Yonatan and Reuven was great. Paul Liptz did a wonderful job, too.
It means so much for us to have such a good relationship with our donors and we know we can trust you to get everything done perfectly.
Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into making this trip a real success!!
Best,
— Leila Safdie, UJA-Federation of New York
Mr. Hami,
I recently had Kathy McKoskey arrange a vacation for my husband and I. It was a train trip out to the Grand Canyon. The trip was fantastic, but what was even better was how Kathy arranged everything for us. This was a trip that included three different hotels, air reservations, train reservations - quite a few different pick ups to get to and from all of these places and Kathy had everything extremely organized. She took the time from her own schedule and came to our home in the evening to give us all the paperwork we would need and had everything written down for us and explained everything. All-in-all, she made this dream of ours so much nicer.
I would highly recommend Kathy to anyone that wants to arrange his or her travels through an agent. She is friendly, professional, kind and efficient, qualities that exemplify what a Travel Agent should be.
Sincerely,
— Susan Tremoglie
Shirley,
Thank you for all of your help in making this trip possible. You are incredible! We returned to Houston on Wednesday. Everything worked out really well. We check with all the cooks regarding Gluten free foods, and she had no problem with this. We were especially impressed with the JNF Environmental tour and what we saw and what we learned. Our trip, along with our grand-daughter Marissa, was wonderful. I do not know how to thank you enough. Your input and continuing contact was so important.
Thanks, again, and best wishes to you.
— Larry Katz, Jewish National Fund, May 2010
Naomi,
I am back and all worked out very well The hotel was fine - I asked to be upgraded to a suite for the three of us and they did. Our President also had a suite and loved it! The guide was terrific - we loved him. All the rides were as planned.
The one time I had a question I was called back immediately by everyone on your staff!! Your service and your company were a pleasure to work with I hope we can work together again very soon. Again - many many thanks for all you did to make this a wonderful visit to Israel.
Best wishes
— Judith, Jewish Community Federation of Greater Rochester, May 2010
Fred,
I just wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful trip to Israel. All of the arrangements worked out perfectly and we were blessed with great weather. The guide, Yitzhak Dassa was outstanding. We would highly recommend him to anyone needing a tour guide in Israel. His knowledge and his ability to keep us informed and interested was terrific.
Again, we thank you and your organization for a great trip.
— Kenneth Hirsch, April 2010
Susan,
It was an emotional and overwhelming wonderful experience. I get chills down my spine whenever I tell friends about Israel. You did a terrific job and Sherry and I thank you. No guide could ever approach Eli and his knowledge and excellence and leadership.
Thank you again.
— Allan, April 2010
Igal,
My mother was recently away and I needed some last minute travel arrangements to be completed. I called your office and was assisted by Kathy. I just wanted to tell you that she was amazing! She was efficient, professional and kind. Not only did she complete what I asked her to do in a timely fashion but she secured a better and less expensive transfer from the airport to Port Canaveral. She treated me so well despite the fact that it was a tiny booking.
Gil Travel is very lucky to have such a conscientious employee.
— Sharon Goldberg, April 2010
Anna,
Thank you for your follow up to our trip. We appreciate the phone call. Our 9 day tour was absolutely marvelous and I can't say enough about the assistance from you, Debbe, and especially from Adva in Tel Aviv. I had questions about activities in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and she was just a phone call away to assist me.
The tour was great and our tour guide, Jackie, did an outstanding job. He spoke English, Hebrew, and Yiddish very well; sometimes all three in the same sentence. In short, 'he knew his stuff". We covered a lot of territory and didn't really miss anything. We brag a lot about our visit to the Grotto of Rosh Hanikra, our stops in Caesarea, Akko, Safed, Golan Heights, Masada, and the Dead Sea. The two nights spent at Kibbutz Lavi were most impressive. Most of all, Jerusalem was absolutely breathtaking.
I can go on and on and I have over 500 photos and 2 hours of video to prove how much we enjoyed the trip. And, I must add that the food was excellent. Every restaurant, café, booth, was perfect. We did not over indulge, and actually came home weighing the same as when we left. Walking 2 miles daily and climbing over 100 steps each day helped stay in shape.
Thank you again for all your assistance and we look forward to a re-visit to Israel.
Best Regards,
— Max and Philis Intro, April 2010
Mrs. Perez
I just wanted to thank you for all that you did for us when I was booking my flight while making Aliyah and planning a wedding. If you don't remember me, I’m the girl who was getting married doing her sheva brachot on the way to Israel and was supposed to stop in France to visit my grandmother who couldn't make it to the wedding. I just want you to know that we are moved into our apt in Israel, been married a month now and trying to get adapted to Israeli life. Its a little hard, you feel like your starting life at square one learning a language a culture no one understanding you, missing your family, finding a job etc etc. But I truly from the bottom of my heart would like to thank you for being so kind and being so nice to me when treating my case. I will really never forget you. Thank you so so so much, and you always have a place or your children or who ever in Israel with us.
Thank you, much love
— Vanessa Israeli, March 2010
Susan and Dalia,
We got back to NYC last night after having the time of our lives in Israel. People really enjoyed the trip and told me it was the best one of their lives.
I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for organizing such a great trip and providing us with really top notch people like Yoav the guide.
I will forward the itinerary and all of your contact information to the people that will organize the trip next year and will warmly recommend that they will work with you again.
Thank you,
— Moran, New York University, Israel Trek Tour MBA Program
Debbie,
I wanted to thank you so much for all of your help while I was in Israel. You have no idea how much I appreciated all of the maneuvering and checking and emailing that you did. You were so patient and willing to help and it really made a difference, especially when so many things were up in the air while I was there. I guess that is the Gil Travel Difference! I am now back in America (for now) and settling in….but hope to be able to return to Israel soon…hopefully you wont mind helping me again when the time comes ;-). Again, thank you sooooo much.
Be well,
— Deena Roemer, March 2010
Dahlia,
Just a note to thank you for your help in arranging all the details of our tour. We had an excellent trip and things went very smoothly.
I wanted to compliment the staff at the hotel. They were very accommodating and helpful. Allowing us to keep our rooms while we went south for two nights was very appreciated. If you can please convey my thanks and appreciation to the General Manager of the Dan Panorama for me. He was not there when I left.
I also wanted to commend our driver Doron Cohen. He was an excellent driver, careful, friendly and very helpful. I would certainly want him again for my next trip.
Thanks again,
— Rabbi Thaler, March 2010
Dalia,
Arrived home safely, and wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for all you did for us! The suite, the resort at the Dead Sea! All the details, you did a wonderful job! I will probably be planning another trip to Israel in 2012 and of course wouldn't dream of using anyone else but Gil & Kenes!
Thank you!
— Dr. Evon G. Horton, Senior Pastor Brownsville Assembly, February 2010
Susan,
I have been meaning to contact you. We had a wonderful trip. Our guide was terrific. Our group (there were nine of us) was lovely. And we made the right choice of hotels. The King David automatically upgraded us to a deluxe, renovated room that was practically the size of my NYC studio apt.
Thanks for all. Regards,
— Stephanie Morse-Shamosh, February 2010
Susan,
Thank you again for all your help, you've really made my experience in organizing such a large trip easier.
— Moran Barnea, New York Stern University, February 2010
About Gil Travel
Travel Testimonial
The trip to Israel and Jordan was a wonderful experience. I compliment you and your staff for a superb job of organizing the trip; the best and most thorough and conscientious service I have received from a travel agent. Many thanks for making the trip a special and worry-free experience.
— Mike Goldman
call: 800.223.3855