Rabbi Azriel C. Fellner
Rabbi Azriel Fellner graduated from George Washington University and received graduate degrees in English and American Literature. He was ordained in 1967 at the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Rabbi Fellner began his rabbinic career in Alaska as a military chaplain. He was the sole Rabbi for the entire state, and responsible for the spiritual needs of all branches of the military as well as the Jewish civilian population. He was Rabbi of the synagogue in Anchorage and an adjunct professor of English Literature at Alaska Methodist University.

His first civilian pulpit was at the West End Synagogue in Nashville, TN, and he later served as Rabbi at Oceanside Jewish Center on Long Island and Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston, NJ.  

Rabbi Fellner will serve as Rabbi for his 4th year with Tov Tours and Passover Kosher Cruises. In the past twenty years, Rabbi Fellner lectured on homiletics to rabbinical students at the Jewish Theological Seminary and began a study of motion pictures and television, especially in regard to Jewish images and themes.  He was the Social Action Chairman of the Rabbinical Assembly and a contributor to the magazine Conservative Judaism. He has given a series of lectures on film at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. In addition, he recently lectured at Warner Brothers' Studios about his unique understanding of the 1927 film release of "The Jazz Singer".

Cantor Mitchell Martin
Cantor Mitchell Martin was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. He started singing in his temple choir at the age of 8 and went on to be a soloist, assistant conductor and then conductor of this choir. Upon Ordination as a Hazzan from the Jewish Theological Seminary, he was called to serve prominent Cantorial positions in New Jersey, Florida and New York.

Cantor Martin continued his Judaic studies on a weekly basis at the Lakewood Yeshiva and has been a member of the faculty of various Boards of Jewish Education and Hebrew Day Schools. He has taught Hebrew High and Adult Education classes for the past twenty-eight years. 

He served as president of the Interfaith Area Clergy, as part of the ethics board and pastoral care unit in various hospitals.   He has formed Klezmer bands as well as youth choirs nationally.

Cantor Martin serves on the Executive Council of the Cantors Assembly and recently published a CD containing over fifty years of articles on Hazzanut and Jewish Music as well as the proceedings of the Cantors Assembly Conventions which has been distributed worldwide. Considered an expert in the field of computer music, he has conducted workshops for Cantors.

Dr. Abraham J. Gittelson
Dr. Abraham “Abe” Gittelson is a native of New York, and holds degrees from Yeshiva University, City College of New York, Hunter College and the University of Miami where he received his Doctorate in Education.

He is the former Executive Director of the Rose and Jack Orloff Central Agency for Jewish Education of Broward County, where he now is Senior Consultant for the Agency.
  
During the past ten years, he has focused on teaching and lecturing for adults in such settings as the Life Long Learning programs of several universities as well as Elder Hostels throughout the country. 

Dr. Gittelson has served as ‘Scholar-in-Residence’ for 20 years with Tov Tours and Passover Kosher Cruises. He provides a fascinating description of the history and life of the Jewish communities in many of the islands and countries of the Caribbean, Central and South America. In addition, he relates the development of these communities to the essential values and traditions of Jewish life.

A popular lecturer and teacher, Dr. Gittelson brings an added dimension to the Passover Caribbean experience, one that enriches the enjoyment and knowledge of the holiday and the cruise.

Travel Arrangers

Karen Bushell
Karen Bushell, a native New Yorker, graduated from Ohio University with a teaching degree in elementary education. 
Due to her love of travel, Karen started in the travel business in 1971.  Her entrepreneurial spirit warranted her own business and she purchased Trip Shop Ltd, a retail agency in 1974.  In 1984, she developed Caribbean Concepts, a wholesale company that sold travel packages to retail agencies nationwide to 19 Caribbean islands.
Karen served as Vice President of New York ASTA in the late 80’s and early 90’s. She later went on to serve on the National Board of ASTA.
Today she continues to run a full service agency, along with a group division from her office in Boynton Beach, FL with a staff of 5. Her experience over 39 years offers exceptional expertise in individual, group and special interest travel.

Lauren Beardsley, CTIE, ACC
Lauren Beardsley brings over 25 years of various Travel Industry experience to Jewish Educational Travel.  Originally from New York, she was Vice President of retail and wholesale travel companies. She later joined Cruiselink as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. 
After moving to Dallas, TX she ran her own consulting company with clients in retail, wholesale and consortia travel arenas.
In 2006 she joined Sabre Holdings and held positions of both Director of Group Cruise Sales and Director of Marketing, where she was instrumental in increasing group cruise revenue and hit triple digit growth.
Today she continues her work in the travel industry in both sales and marketing roles with several clients.