London – A newlywed couple who survived the Costa Concordia shipwreck will give thanks for their narrow escape with a special kiddush at Stanmore Synagogue tomorrow.
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Ian and Janice Donoff had just finished the first Friday-night dinner of their honeymoon and were looking forward to Shabbat overlooking the Mediterranean when they heard a crunching noise and the lights on board went out.
Hours before the cruise ship hit a rock off the Tuscan coast, they had been enjoying a Shabbat service with an Israeli-Argentinian couple.
The couple, who were married on January 2 at Brondesbury Park Synagogue, were among 37 British survivors. At the time of going to press, 11 people have been confirmed dead with up to 24 still unaccounted for.
Full story at The Jewish Chronicle
The boat served kosher food?
Just wondering, is it mutar to be shabbos on a ship for enjoyment?
In either case I’m really happy for them that they survived and hope I’d be able to attend the kidush.
To number 1–what a really important question. To number 2–perhaps you should ask you Rabbi and not worry about others.
It is wonderful that they survived and I hope their marriage will have smooth sailings.
You are allowed to be on a ship on Shabbos.
One is allowed to be on a boat on shabbos, and many boats offer glatt kosher options.
B”H they survived.
1) one can order kosher food on cruises
2) read the article at the JC – it is clear they are frum
3) why do some people always feel it is their job to judge?
i dont know who they are , nor do i know their level of religiousity.
i DO know that i am happy to read that they are alive and safe.
Why cant everyone just shut their mouths and realize that this is none of their business! Just be happy they survived and feel bad for the ones who didnt!
I think we have to have segregated cruises that’s why this tragedy happened
I don’t know if you’re allowed to be on a boat on shabbos, especially if its moving. I am not here to judbe anybody but just a little thought that maybe it was a sign from shmayim that the shabbos was desecrated for enjoyment. Hashem sends us wake up calls we just have to see them.
What is the difference how Orthodox they are? They survived a tragedy.
If anyone is wondering why Moshiach isn’t here yet, it’s NOT because this couple chose to celebrate their honeymoon on a cruise OVER a shabbos (halachically MUTAR, just spoke to a leading Mora D’Asra in NY), it’s because everyone is sooooooooo busy being judgmental and bashing their fellow yid. Does it really make a difference how “orthodox” a person is before they get lambasted. Did hitler ymsh”v select people for slaughter based on their level of orthodoxy??
“mazel tov to the goldbergs on their new baby”
“KIDDUSH!”
“mazel tov to chaim yankel on getting smicha”
“KIDDUSH!”
“mazel tov to the Donoffs on surviving a deadly cruise ship sinking”
“KIDDUSH!”
They say a story from the baal shem tov…
There were 2 neighbors 1 was a talmid chacham a guy who went to learn everyday and 1 was a simple jew who could not learn..
So every day as they saw each other the talmid chacham would in his heart scorn and look down at this simple jew who was not a learned jew as he was..
And the simple jew would in his heart look at this learned jew going to learn and wished he could be also a learned jew..
After they passed on they both come to heaven and the talmid chacham is awaiting to be placed in the mist exalted place in gan eden..
However they tell him you go to gehenom because you scorned this jew every day!!
And to the simple jew they told him you go to a wonderful place in the yeshiva in gan eden because your whole life every day you yearned and wished to learn torah!!!
This is a tremendous lesson a deeper understanding of al tistakel bekankan ela ma sheysh bo!!! This is in response to all the vin self righteous who put people down.. Dont assume you know your place in the next world!!
I am really happy for this couple, that they made it out safely, and may they have much happiness together.
That being said I feel its imperative to point out to all those who get self righteous when hearing someone point out what should be obvious to us.
These same people when seeing an article about a “rabbi” being arrested get very unsettled, asking how is it that today’s rabbi’s act this way!! how about stop and think for a second that maybe its your fault partially for the chillul hashem he created for calling him a rabbi, or in this case calling these people orthodox when very clearly they are not doing a good job representing (orthodox Judaism) a torah led lifesyle.
Its not personal, I’m just pointing out that when you have a beard, wear a yarmulka or are held up as “orthodox”, and especially if called a Rabbi you are representing a lot of people so please act accordingly.
The Halacha is you must board the boat three days before shabbos to be on for shabbos and once on, you can not leave the boat on Shabbos. And I am 10000% sure that they follow halacha.If any of you doubt otherwise, please learn a little torah about Dan Lekof Zechus since you are not frum!
And to all the ignorant people who think this message if from Hashem to teach us not to go on a boat, I have a boat to sell you!! The people who listen to the Torah follow it. Those who do not follow the Torah, won;t follow it either way!
As long they are proud to be Orthodox and were rescued BH ,I don’t care if he has his arm around his wife ,
Sorry #9
When hashem looks down from the heavens and sees a couple like this, and then sees you scorning them and judging them, I PROMISE YOU, they are the frum ones, and you are the one that makes him cry.
My wife and I have been on cruises before as a way to see some places we couldn’t afford to go to otherwise. Costa, like nearly every other cruise line in the world, offers kosher meals on board. Granted, they are about 1-step up from airplane food, but it gets the job done. When we have cruised we have set sail on Sunday, visited ports Tues-Wed-Thurs-Fri and sailed through shabbos.
One should not BEGIN a journey within the 3 days before shabbos (sailing Wed. Thurs. or Fri), but otherwise there is nothing wrong with being on board for shabbos. You’d be amazed at how well equipped the cruise lines are to help you with everything… they’ve helped MANY passengers make a wonderful shabbos on board.