On The Road Again

By: Larry Gordon

Our sages explain to us that concerning the 40 years the Jewish people spent wandering in the desert on their way to Eretz Yisrael, 38 of those years were spent in approximately one place.

That means for 38 of the 40 years, the Jewish people were essentially encamped in the same location. Most of those 38 years took place in the immediate aftermath of the meraglim, the spies that Moshe ordered to spy on the Land of Israel to determine if the Jewish people would be able to overcome the inhabitants and conquer the land.

But that was then and this is now. For those hoping to spend an easy and meaningful Pesach in Israel, things are up in the air this year, so to speak. The fact is that whether you’re planning to travel to Israel for the chag or you hope to fly out of Israel to join family in the U.S., the possibility of traveling in and out of Ben Gurion can literally change from day to day.

Not that Florida is any kind of suitable replacement for yom tov in Israel, still it’s hard to deny that over the last many years, there has been an exodus of sorts from the Northeast down to Orlando, Florida. That is, unless your parents or grandparents have an apartment down in Miami or Boca Raton.

The move down south—literally, by the thousands—has created some very innovative ideas to streamline the trip, especially for the families looking to save on the price-gouging airfares, and instead travel via car, SUV, minivan, RV, or any other mode of roadway transportation.

The drive from New York down to Orlando can take anywhere from 16 to 18 hours, depending on road conditions. Moshe Wulliger of Brooklyn has organized a WhatsApp group that goes by United95.org. The group, which Moshe established with some friends back in 2008, keeps drivers in touch as they drive down I-95 through the night, while sharing the beauty of the sunrise with other like-minded drivers heading to the Sunshine State.

One of the prime purposes of the group is to organize morning minyanim for the families as they pull over to the side of the road to grab a bite to eat. This year’s trek down south for most of us who are leaving Monday afternoon or evening with the hope of arriving on Tuesday, means that a minyan can gather quickly without the need for a Sefer Torah for leining. Erev yom tov, as you know, is Wednesday, April 1.

To the extent that Orlando has redefined what it means to observe yom tov in both comfort and style, there are many communities where people will be gathering, such as The Ultimate Pesach, The Perfect Pesach, and others, defined by the communities they are located in, such as Encore, Champion’s Gate, Solara, and quite a few others.

Since Pesach in Orlando has hit its stride with those looking to hit the road for the holiday, the competition for the various communities has grown quite fierce. For many, Orlando became a thing with the advent of Covid about six years ago, when hotels and other venues had no choice but to close. Orlando offered single family homes where you could bask in your own private “capsule” or “personal bubble,” a home to share with family as you enjoy the warm weather that Florida has to offer.

Still, even though over 90% of Observant Jews will spend Pesach at home or at a relative’s house, such as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc., the focus of many articles like this one is about the traveling part as you hit the road to your chosen exotic location where you will be spending yom tov.

But for many people, there’s still quite a lot of uncertainty about how those plans will pan out. Take the hotels in southern Israel, for example, which are popular and reasonably priced. While the situation can change, right now it’s almost impossible to plan a trip there, especially if Ben Gurion Airport will be closed or only open intermittently.

If Israel is not possible this year, a lot of people are scampering around trying to figure out a Plan B where they can spend Pesach. And it’s important to note that it’s not the war or the missiles that are keeping people away. We are no different than our brothers and sisters who live in Israel. It’s simply a matter of whether the planes will be flying into Tel Aviv or not.

Many of the better hotels in the U.S. and Mexico are filled to capacity for yom tov. That leaves many people with the choice of either spending yom tov at home, which is not the worst thing in the world, or finding a place in Orlando.

Moshe Wulliger’s “United95” group manages to maintain the feeling of a unified community traveling at 65 mph or faster, as the different roadways allow. I haven’t driven to Florida since the 1970s, but I’ve seen stretches of highways where the posted speed limit is 70 mph, or even as high as 75 mph. Of course, throughout the year when we’re in Florida, we can easily do 75 on I-95, but at the same time, while I’m doing that, cars and trucks are passing me at a much higher rate that can be anywhere between 90 and 100 mph.

Now rest assured, that kind of high speed is not recommended. If you like driving fast, especially with your family on board, 70–75 mph should be satisfactory.

The great thing about “United95” is the camaraderie and the ease with which drivers can exchange information on the way down south and then after yom tov on the way back home. One of the things that some drivers have pointed out over the years is the fact that they can also share the location of police scouring the roads for speeders. Hopefully, that’s not you.

Moshe shared with me some of the comments that he received from drivers last year. For example: “It’s so comforting and fun knowing that you’re driving with so many like-minded people, where you can share live locations and it’s great when you show up at a random gas station and the first thing you say to others is: You’re also in the group?”

Here’s another: “Thank you Moshe, amazing to be part of this wonderful group. It definitely made the drive from Boca to Teaneck more fun and b’H, we are home!”

Of course, don’t forget that most of those heading south for yom tov opt to fly into either Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or Palm Beach. It seems that those who join United 95 would have preferred to fly, but as the chagim drew near, somehow the airlines knew to quadruple the airfare into Orlando and other airports.

Some people have shared with me that a round-trip ticket on some airlines can be as high as $1,200 per person. That’s the point at which you drive to the nearest gas station and fill it up for about $60, top off your coffee, and just hit the road.

A Minchah, Ma’ariv, and a Shacharis along with some bagels and soda and you’re in Orlando, ready to prepare for Pesach. It’s exciting to look forward to, and just about the right time to wish all of you a chag kasher v’sameach! 

Read more of Larry Gordon’s articles at 5TJT.com. Follow 5 Towns Jewish Times on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates and live videos. Comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome at 5TJT.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.