r/Jewish • u/6382914627192 • 5d ago
Antisemitism Honeymoon Recommendations safe for Jews
Hi everyone,
I’ve been struggling a lot the last several years as I’m sure many have with the current political climate. It’s upsetting how many people I know have bought into “free Palestine” propaganda and I’m seeing stuff everywhere. I live in the US and don’t have an obviously “Jewish” look but I am Israeli and still have family in Israel. I purposely avoid activities and really anything that would give away to a stranger that I’m Jewish because I’m very afraid of how strangers could react.
I am getting married and looking to plan a honeymoon overseas. I live in FL, United States. It will be a mid-December trip and friends are recommending places like the Maldives ( a Muslim country) or Paris where there have been several unsettling antisemitic incidents. It’s not that I feel I’ll be targeted because I’m not sure how anyone would really know I was Jewish, but moreso it’s difficult for me to enjoy myself if I am thinking that many people around me would want me dead if they knew who I was. You know?
Maybe I’m being dramatic but I’ve always struggled with acceptance in my community of being Jewish and my fiancé is not Jewish. I just have really complicated feelings about everything but want to go somewhere interesting, historic and have a once-in-a-lifetime trip without too much negativity. I also don’t have any really close Jewish friends that I can brainstorm with that really get it. These things really aren’t a second thought to them.
Thanks for the advice 😊
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u/unmarked_graves 5d ago
Thailand rules I had no trouble there recently. I loved Chiang Mai.
Also have spent a lot of time in Japan and no one ever caused me any trouble or made me feel uncomfortable there.
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u/serious_cheese 5d ago
My wife and I went to Prague and had an amazing time. It has Europe’s oldest active synagogue, built in 1270! I’d highly recommend getting a tour of the Jewish quarter from a local guide. It has such a rich Jewish history, it was a really meaningful experience for us.
Just keep your wits about you when traveling in general. Don’t make yourself an easy target and trust your gut if anything feels sketchy, especially in places like bus/train stations. That said, we had no problems and had a wonderful time
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u/Burnerforbumper 5d ago
I'd look into the South Pacific! Fiji's government is very supportive of Israel, so that might be one to consider. Or Argentina, for a different type of honeymoon.
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u/EyesLikeTheNightSky 5d ago
There's a post on Judaism of a site that ranks countries based on level of anti-Semitism. Let me see if I can go find that for you.
Edit: found it!
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u/borkmeister 5d ago
That site lists Mexico and Belarus as two levels safer than Canada or Norway, and Jordan at the same level as Iraq or Iran. It lists Saudi Arabia as safer than Spain. It's not a ranking system to be taken seriously.
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u/EyesLikeTheNightSky 5d ago
Oh shit. I didn't actually look at the website yet, thank you for the heads up.
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u/borkmeister 5d ago
It looks like it's at least partially based on user-submitted reports. Obviously, places that Jews actually travel to, like Spain, Canada, or Norway, are going to have more reports. Places like Belarus that get no tourists probably look like they are faring better. So it's a nice idea, but the execution seems flawed.
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u/Raaaasclat 5d ago
I'd say just read the Israeli MFA foreign travel advisories for specific antisemitism related advisories.
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u/madam_nomad 5d ago edited 5d ago
I think Saudi Arabia probably IS safer than Spain.
Edit: actually I'm pretty sure Mexico and Belarus ARE safer than Norway and Canada too. Jordan though I think has got to be safer than Iran and Iraq.
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u/Gene-capra Just Jewish 5d ago
Same. It looks like what i would expect. Sudi and the Emirates are surprisingly safe . They take their hospitality really seriously. The whole of the Emirates government was up in arms over the murder of one rebbi will Europe berly response to their Jews being killed.
The former soviet block is pretty safe . Not thet they are a big fan of jews but they are even less fond of soviet leftover propaganda. I have frinds who went to Bulgaria, rommenia and the Czech Republic and it was safe according to them
South America is ....wired but my Israeli frinds who where born there claim the antisemitism there is less violent and less prevalent then in Europe
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u/Mean-You-3588 4d ago
Hey guys, the creator of safeforjews here. The platform is still WIP but it is based on worldwide news, google searches and Israeli government status. It is not perfect yet. It uses AI to categorize and give general status. You should read the summary and the related news. It might be weird that some countries appear safer than other bit take into account that it is more oriented towards Israelis (being an Israeli myself), as it advances it will probably have different scores for Israeli and non Israeli Jews.
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u/KeyAd957 5d ago
Thank you for this resource! I’m not going on a honeymoon any time soon, but I’m interested in knowing for upcoming travels
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u/InterrobangCT 5d ago
Ok it’s not a typical honeymoon destination but I really loved Singapore.
Judaism is one of the 10 religions recognized by the state. Pro-Palestinian protests, Gaza demonstrations, posters, etc are not allowed. Singapore actually has a strong relationship with Israel also being a small Western democracy surrounded by Muslim nations. Small Jewish community with a fascinating history.
Fun urban environment with a mix of Chinese Malay Indian and British influences. Very diverse population. Super safe. Everyone speaks English. Tons of things to do. No need to rent a car- public transportation is excellent. Singapore is a foodies paradise. Sentosa Island is a small island with a bunch of beach resorts and other amusements that gives you the option to chill.
The downsides are it can be hot and humid. It is a long plane flight or set of flights depending on where you are coming from and airfare can be expensive.
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u/playcat 5d ago edited 4d ago
We honeymooned on Lana’i in Hawaii and it was fantastic. We’re not Israeli but wear Jewish jewelry and are open about it. The only time it ever came up was when we’re talking to a local and she mentioned that there are 13 churches on that tiny island of barely 3k people (!!) but no synagogue. Her tone was more of humor and incredulity, we didn’t feel uncomfortable at all and laughed along with her.
If you’re looking for Jewish culture and especially kosher travel, this might not be the best choice: but we faced absolutely no prejudice and there wasn’t any open support or indication of FP sentiments. Hawaiians are more interested in their own land-back movement, and locals actually openly supported the Jews in their movement. Hawaiian history is fascinating.
Highly recommend especially if you’re on the west coast of US- it’s a pretty short flight from here ☺️ Mazal tov on your marriage!
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u/Wyvernkeeper 5d ago
We went to Bali. It's in Indonesia but it's a mainly Hindu island. Security is tight because they've had a history with bombings but more importantly the food, the people and the landscape are all amazing. There are a lot of vegetarian options so keeping kosher isn't as difficult as it might be in other places.
This was over a decade ago tbf but I have friends who just got back a few weeks and seem to have also had a wonderful time.
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u/Raaaasclat 5d ago
Keep in mind if OP is Israeli and doesn't have a US passport, he cannot get a visa on arrival in Indonesia. Israeli passport holders are on Indonesia’s “Calling Visa” list, which means tourism to Bali is only possible with a pre-approved visa arranged in advance and issued at Indonesia’s discretion. Israel having no diplomatic relations with Indonesia also makes things riskier.
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u/Wyvernkeeper 5d ago
I didn't keep that in mind. That's absolutely fair. I live in the UK and British passports get you pretty much everywhere fairly easily (was even better before we left the EU.)
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u/NoEntertainment483 5d ago
Buenos Aires. December is the start of their summer. And there’s little to no time difference so your body doesn’t get time all mixed up. Do some fun dance lessons. Eat lots of good food.
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u/dimochka23 5d ago
I second this. We did Argentina and had an amazing time. We visited both Buenos Aires and Mendoza on our trip; there are some great honeymoon-specific options (e.g., Entre Cielos in Mendoza is incredible)
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u/AmySueF 5d ago
Have you considered such Caribbean islands as Jamaica or Puerto Rico? They both have thriving Jewish communities going back about 500 years. I haven’t heard about any antisemitic incidents from either of those countries. The advantage to Puerto Rico, of course, is that it’s a U.S. territory. Same goes for the U.S. Virgin Islands. While the Jewish community in the USVI is much smaller, again, I haven’t heard about any antisemitism there.
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u/Classifiedgarlic 3d ago
Came here to say this- PR is BEAUTIFUL and so magical to visit. The flights from the mainland US are super affordable and the local synagogue in San Juan is a deeply special place. My husband and I went last year and it was so meaningful to attend services in Spanish and Hebrew
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u/words-are-life 5d ago
Look at Czech Republic, India or somewhere like Japan. Statistically, violent antisemitic attacks are a much bigger risk in western europe.
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u/pixelmate12 5d ago
Fiji, Aruba, Dominican Republic, I heard Mexico was nice too. Avoid west europe, central europe is more safe (Hungary, Czechia) and Albania has been welcoming, Cyprus but not the turkish part, Thailand for surfing, Japan and Taiwan (my cousin personally loved it there.)
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u/TheWindAtYourBack 5d ago
Japan שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם --- I'm a Jewish guy in Japan. Originally from Brooklyn, N.Y. ---Japan is a good, nice country--It's a nice trip. Might be expensive and the flight will be about 14 hours. Lots of sightseeing, Lots of cool different places... ( for the record I have traveled to Israel) different foods: sushi of course -cooked fish and a lot of pork and alot of noodles. Most (99%) people will not care that you are Israeli/Jewish. I live here and I am a proud Jew. Good Honeymoon destination. You will need google translate alot. Mazel Tov--עֲלֵיכֶם שָׁלוֹם
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u/anonymouse19622 5d ago edited 5d ago
Maybe Japan. Go see beautiful Kyoto in the snow.
Laos might be nice as well.
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u/Raaaasclat 5d ago
Anywhere in Southeast Asia outside of the Muslim countries. Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos etc. Lots of younger Israelis travel there, great natural beauty and people are generally friendly.
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u/BadHombreSinNombre 5d ago
Maybe by “overseas” you meant “outside the U.S.,” but consider Hawaii. Maui specifically has a lovely kosher farm that does an awesome Shabbat experience, and visiting in December/January presents good whalewatching opportunities. And you are still in the U.S. without complicated international politics.
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u/iam-123-456-789 4d ago
Costa Rica. Zero history of Anti-semetism. If you're visible, people will literally come up to you in the streets to tell you about their great-great (x10) ancestor who is Jewish. Plus, surfing, nature, hiking.. volcanoes. OMG.
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u/getitoffmychestpleas Four magen davids :D 5d ago
Singapore. There are so many things to see and do, and to eat. Culture galore. Beaches. City. Small islands with wild pigs and monkeys. The cool and touristy stuff you see in all the movies. Food centers that will knock your block off. Decent weather when it's not hideously humid heat. Glitz and glamor, or down to earth, whatever you want.
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u/Kind_Complaint7088 Conservadox 5d ago
My wife and I recently went to Japan for our honeymoon. It was absolutely incredible. We're not visibly Jewish, but saw no antisemitic signage or anything.
We spent Shabbos at the synagogue in Kobe. This very strange thing happened. We walked up to the door, opened it, and walked right it. No security or anything. At first I felt a little apprehensive, but Japan really is that safe.
Only thing if you're very observant - finding hechshered food is very difficult. We'll eat out vegetarian and fish though, so for us it wasn't a problem.
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u/Money_Music_6964 5d ago
Prague and Copenhagen…I’d avoid Poland…be discreet about your Jewishness anywhere you go…
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u/AngelStreet11 5d ago
If it's historic, once-in-a-lifetime you're after I recommend Rome. It's really special.
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u/Suspicious-Web-4970 5d ago
If you are traveling with a US passport you shouldn't have any trouble getting back in the US,any other passport and you may want stay in the States. Maybe San Fransisco or skiing ?
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u/Rough_Butterfly2932 3d ago
Don't overlook the US. I've traveled the world and few spots are more beautiful than the Carmel River Valley and Monterrey. Jaw dropping. You also have the Hawaiian Islands, Bermuda, Bahamas...
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u/tahami_allthemeals 5d ago
It takes a lot for me to completely write off a country but the Maldives is on that do not go list.
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u/Shay5746 Just Jewish 5d ago
There are so many exciting possibilities! A lot depends on the vibe you want for your honeymoon. Adventure? Fine dining? Relaxation? I suggest looking at Argentina (Buenos Aires + wine country) and Brazil, as well as Tahiti or Fiji. India, Cyprus and Thailand are also all very popular with Israelis.
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u/pagexviii Just Jewish 5d ago
Bora Bora!!! The Maldives used to be my honeymoon destination dream for YEARS. They were one of the first countries to show hostility towards Israelis and banned anyone with an Israeli passport from entering the country.
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u/SlimThicWarrenBuffet 5d ago
Rhodes, Greece - it has a huge Jewish and Israeli presence and is absolutely beautiful.
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u/erratic_bonsai 5d ago
Japan, Croatia, Greece, Scotland, India, and interestingly Morocco all come highly recommended by my Israeli friends who have had honeymoons or taken vacations with their partners. I have had okay experiences in Germany. I also know the head rabbi of one of the bigger synagogues in Vienna, Austria, and he and his wife love it there.
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u/mewithoutjew 5d ago
My husband and I had our honeymoon in Colombia last year and felt perfectly fine!
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u/TheCrankyCrone 5d ago
Jamaica. All you need to do is be interested in their country. There is even a Jewish congregation:
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u/AccurateBass471 Orthodox 5d ago
i cannot recommend MKH in Val di Fassa ENOUGH. best experience of my life.
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u/the_tchotchke Just Jewish 5d ago
We went to Costa Rica for our honeymoon earlier this year and it was wonderful.
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u/Sababa180 5d ago
Rome or Lisbon. Or maybe both. The strangers could also react if you tell them you are American. The best you can do is to live your life the way you want.
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u/hereforlulziguess Actually loves matzah 5d ago
It's a fantastic city and this is racist garbage
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u/cookieprocookie 5d ago
Agreed, we just returned from Portugal. Lisbon was great and we felt very safe. Free Palestine graffiti was very limited, and in at least one case covered by support for Israel.
Also had good experiences in Porto and the Douro Valley.
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u/hereforlulziguess Actually loves matzah 4d ago
I wouldn't hesitate to travel pretty much anywhere in Europe right now (this is after living there for 13 years including for a few months after Oct 7) and am hopefully moving back to Germany next year and I think the way people speak about traveling in most of Europe here isn't accurate to my experience.
TBH I don't "look Jewish" but I'm not shy about wearing my magen david. and letting people know. Yes, there are neighborhoods/areas I wouldn't do that in but I probably wouldn't be going to those neighborhoods already.
I would consider not going to Belgium, Spain, and Ireland right now, not because I'd fear for my physical safety but because I'm not sure I want to give those countries my tourist money. I don't care much for the first two, they've always been disappointments when I've gone, but I actually enjoy Ireland a lot and have a few friends there, so that part sucks.
But Portugal felt different from Spain to me in general, people were friendlier, it was just more fun than anywhere I've been in Spain except the Basque region, which I also really recommend.
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u/Sababa180 4d ago
100% agree. Portugal feels very safe, people are amazing and very friendly and welcoming.
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u/Ok-Narwhal-6766 5d ago
My daughter’s Jewish summer camp takes the 14-year-olds to Costa Rica for three weeks every summer. They’ve been doing it for years. They celebrate Shabbat every week. Somehow they get challah there.
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u/Histrix- jewish Israeli 5d ago
https://safeforjews.org/en?orderBy=confidence
This website was recently posted here. It's still in beta but worth a look!
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u/Spirited-Cat-8942 4d ago
Honestly, you will most likely be fine where ever you go. I am American born to Israeli parents and fly internationally every month for work. I also wear my Magen David outside my shirt (and it is quite large for a woman to wear). I have had zero issues in EU or UK. At most I have had some interesting conversations with Muslim colleagues, or people from other countries wanting to hear my perspective or how I feel, or maybe just have random questions about Judaism.
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u/hihihi373 5d ago
Belize!!! We did a small all-inclusive in the jungle. I’m not even a nature girly but I had breakfasts with hummingbirds and it was amazing!