The motion of the ocean is clinging steadfast to our souls, so when ATID director Stacey Zackin sent out the following survey about the Chanukah cruise, our very own Amy Klein decided to respond in kind.
Here’s what Amy (really) thought about our weekend at sea:
1. My favorite aspects of the cruise included: picking up a neglected 12-year-old named Christian who wanted to sit in on the services and Chanukah candle lighting, and wondering if, in ten years, he will find himself wanting to convert due to this cruise; the pineapple drinks with the umbrellas and the Caribbean band on deck which almost convinced me I was on “The Love Boat” sans Julie McCoy; “The weirdest Chanukah gift you’ve ever gotten game” in which TWO people were “the gift” (but Noah Gordon didn’t mention it aloud); potato latkes with applesauce and sour cream in the middle of the ocean (take THAT, you Christmas trees!); The Cantor talking about her weirdest date with a guy who broke down in tears because she told him he was a little late; Karaoke when ATID people took the floor with “We Are Family” and David channeled his inner Barry White
2. My least favorite parts of the cruise were: the nauseated swaying of the boat, mitigated by intense swaying that made it look like I was praying all the time, until I got to the dance floor, where it felt normal; losing money at the blackjack table (yeah, well, you don’t need to be a fortune teller to predict THAT); the inclement weather (hey, THAT never happened on The Love Boat); not actually being on The Love Boat (where is Isaac the Bartender??!)
3. Next year I’d like to see the following changes: I’d like the whole cruise to be Jews. A Jews Booze Schmooze Doozy of a Cruise.
4. Please let us know how you felt about the ATID programs. Was there enough mingling among ATID members and was the observance/celebration of Shabbat and Hanukkah meaningful to you? Chanukah? We were celebrating Chanukah? I totally thought it was a Kwaanza cruise….hmm.
5. If we do another cruise, will you want to attend? I stayed on the boat and decided to help out our waitress, so she can make enough money to go back to Slovakia and pursue a modeling career.
6. Based on your experience on the cruise, will you be more likely to attend other ATID events? What’s Atid?
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