On a recent Caribbean cruise aboard the MSY Wind Surf — the largest yacht among Holland America\’s upscale Windstar fleet — the talk on deck was about war, nannies and the country\’s best Catholic schools. Sunburned blondes lingered over a four-course dinner, featuring dishes such as bacon-crusted salmon and fresh pasta with shellfish.
Whenever there\’s a wave of terror in Israel, the nation\’s hotels come up against a wave of cancellations, and the country\’s entire tourist industry — from five-star hotels to souvenir hawkers — goes into a slump. But in a few months the terror and fear subside, and the tourists come back.
Just one floor beneath the legendary Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, there\’s a large room that, for much of the week, remains locked. The chef has the key. So does the catering manager. But if they ever want to so much as crack open the door, they can\’t do so alone. First, they need the rabbi.
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