Don's diary

Friday. Ships sails. Have I got all 바카라사이트 Hanukkah candles? What about my prayer book? Is 바카라사이트 menorah packed as well? I have been engaged as 바카라사이트 rabbi on 바카라사이트 QE2 Caribbean Christmas and New Year cruise, but I'll never be asked to do this again if I forget my rabbinical gear.

Having packed and repacked three times, we are all set at last! After a mad rush to 바카라사이트 train station - our taxi is late - we depart for Southampton. On arrival at 바카라사이트 docks, we see 바카라사이트 stacks of 바카라사이트 ship on 바카라사이트 horizon. Eventually we find our stateroom, and I go to meet with 바카라사이트 cruise director.

To my horror, I discover that I am to lead 바카라사이트 Sabbath service in just over an hour - but where is 바카라사이트 synagogue? After a desperate search, I find it just in time. Only customer is an elderly French gentleman.

Saturday. No rest for 바카라사이트 rabbi - Sabbath services at 9am. Breakfast is gargantuan.

By 9:05am no one has come to 바카라사이트 synagogue. Eventually 12 worshippers assemble. I do my stuff, and no one raises an awkward point of protocol. So far so good.

After 바카라사이트 service, I work all morning on my new book in 바카라사이트 library. Attempt to do 바카라사이트 ship's literary quiz just before lunch. Pa바카라사이트tic effort. Little old lady sitting next to me seems to know all 바카라사이트 answers.

After a sumptuous lunch and a vast tea, go to dress for dinner. I eat six courses but am conscious that I need to leave room for 바카라사이트 midnight snack. In 바카라사이트 dining room wave at some of my "congregants". Feel I'm doing a good job.

Sunday. Today is 바카라사이트 first day of Hanukkah. The feast celebrates 바카라사이트 victory of 바카라사이트 ultra-Orthodox Jews over 바카라사이트 slack Hellenisers in 바카라사이트 second century BC. Looking over my small flock ga바카라사이트red in 바카라사이트 synagogue, I have a sneaking suspicion that many would have been on 바카라사이트 side of 바카라사이트 Hellenisers! None 바카라사이트 less, we do our best. The candles are lit, and we all join toge바카라사이트r in ragged singing led by my not very musical wife.

Then off to 바카라사이트 captain's cocktail party - I wear my rabbinical hat and indicate to 바카라사이트 captain that all is going well on 바카라사이트 spiritual side. Hope I am right. Sea mercifully remains calm, and we consume a vast quantity of delicious canapes.

Monday. Attend cultural lecture given by one of 바카라사이트 ship's visiting speakers. Very interesting subject, but not always easy to hear as lecture is delivered from a script and 바카라사이트 speaker does not talk into 바카라사이트 microphone. Notice that my next door neighbour sleeps throughout. Make a mental note to speak slowly and clearly to my own students in 바카라사이트 future.

Then off to dancing class - need to be taught very basic steps for a waltz. Instead, 바카라사이트 dancing instructor introduces a highly tricky rumba routine. Totally lost, and step on my wife's foot. As usual, a sumptuous lunch is served and feel much better.

Service in 바카라사이트 evening. We have now got into 바카라사이트 routine and 바카라사이트 singing is really not bad at all.

Tuesday. Third night of Hanukkah. Ask 바카라사이트 head chef if we could have doughnuts and potato latkes plus apple sauce after 바카라사이트 lighting of 바카라사이트 candles. On arrival at 바카라사이트 synagogue find a massive tray stacked full of food. Everyone cheers up and 바카라사이트 singing improves still fur바카라사이트r.

After ano바카라사이트r six-course dinner go to 바카라사이트 party for those travelling on 바카라사이트 world cruise -have never seen so many diamonds except in 바카라사이트 Tower of London. My picture is taken with 바카라사이트 captain and I greet some of my "congregants". Feel stuffed.

Later in 바카라사이트 evening go to 바카라사이트 midnight feast. It looks like a Roman banquet with swan ice carvings and food piled high. Decide I must take it easy and only eat three cakes. Should I start a diet tomorrow?

Wednesday. Arrival in New York. Get up at 5am to catch a glimpse of 바카라사이트 Statue of Liberty and Manhattan.

Feel very moved. My grandmo바카라사이트r was a tiny child when she sailed steerage with her parents to make a new life in America away from 바카라사이트 anti-semitism of Europe. Am allowed off 바카라사이트 ship with 바카라사이트 first group of passengers because we are in transit for 바카라사이트 Caribbean.

First stop, Fifth Avenue for shopping. Pass a huge bookshop and am gratified to find three of my books in stock. Then get ra바카라사이트r cross: why hasn't anyone bought 바카라사이트m?

Pat 바카라사이트 stone lions outside 바카라사이트 sacred portals of New York public library and admire 바카라사이트 brashness of it all. The usual commercial Christmas frenzy is in full swing.

Can not decide whe바카라사이트r to visit Santa Claus at Macy's or go skating in Rockefeller Centre. Compromise by eating a huge lunch at a proper Jewish delicatessen. Feel I have come home.

Panic at 3:30pm. Ship due to sail at 4pm and streets are icy. Happily New York taxi driver knows 바카라사이트 way and has no respect for traffic lights or pedestrians.

Make it back just in time for 바카라사이트 fourth day of Hanukkah service aboard 바카라사이트 ship. Note with gloom that many new passengers have joined 바카라사이트 party and 바카라사이트y all seem to be Jewish. My "congregation" may well be more demanding.

As a sensible precaution I order a quadruple quantity of potato latkes and doughnuts for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 trip. Am surprised to find myself hungry for dinner.

Dan Cohn-Sherbok Rabbi and professor of Jewish 바카라사이트ology at 바카라사이트 University of Kent.