Choosing a kosher travel concierge: 10 questions to ask

Handing someone your family's most important journey of the year is an act of trust. For observant families, the stakes are higher: a mistake with food or Shabbat is not a minor inconvenience. These are the questions we would ask if we were choosing a travel concierge ourselves — including of us.

The ten questions

• 1. Do you plan to my supervision standard, or to a default one? A good planner asks what you keep and writes it down. Be wary of anyone who says “everything we do is kosher” without asking.
• 2. How is food supervised in remote places? Listen for specifics: supervised chefs, sealed meals, provisioning. Vague answers are a warning sign.
• 3. How do you plan Shabbat and Friday transfers? Shabbat should be in the plan from the first draft, with Friday travel finishing comfortably early.
• 4. Is the journey private or shared? Know whether you are on a group program or a journey made only for you.
• 5. Who will I actually speak with? Find out whether the person you meet will be the person planning your trip.
• 6. What is confirmed, and what is still provisional? Proposals should make this distinction obvious.
• 7. How are partners chosen? Ask how lodges, captains, chefs and supervisors are vetted, and whether they have hosted observant guests.
• 8. What happens if plans change? Weather, illness and delays happen. Ask how changes are handled while you travel.
• 9. How do you plan for children and grandparents together? Pacing, mobility and different appetites are the real test of a planner.
• 10. How is pricing presented? You should see clearly what is included, what is not, and what is still to be decided.

What good answers sound like

Good answers are specific and sometimes uncomfortable. “That lodge cannot support your standard, but this one can.” “We cannot guarantee flying days.” “That villa is not available for Pesach this year.” A planner willing to tell you no is usually one you can trust when they say yes.

Red flags

• Promises of certification or availability before anything has been checked.
• Pressure to decide quickly.
• Itineraries that look identical whatever you say you want.
• Reluctance to put kashrut arrangements in writing.

Our own answers

We plan to your standard, never a default. We confirm arrangements rather than assume them. We show what is confirmed and what is not, and we present pricing as a tailored quotation. If something cannot be done well, we say so.

Whoever you choose, ask these questions. The answers will tell you a great deal.