Travel Deeper: The Jewish Traveler's eToolkit

Several people I know are traveling in the next few days to be with their families for Thanksgiving, so I thought it might be nice night to make a little travel toolkit of sorts for any of youse who might be interested.

On The Road Again: Jewcifying your travel.Depending on which airports you find yourself in this approaching week, give a look and see if you find a kosher airport vending machine. Depending on how long you'll be wherever it is you're going, you might want to think about a travel shabbat kit, with items like travel candle holders (I have a hinged set similar to this set that is rad) or, if you're feeling crafty about it, you can always make your own set.

Maybe you're driving someplace. No worries with a car mezuzah, if that's your bag. (I feel weird about them. I roll with a hamsa on my keys instead, but whatevs.) And, last but certainly not least, if you use brachot and don't have this one committed to memory, here's a reminder:

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ וֵא-לֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ,
שֶתּוֹלִיכֵנוּ לְשָלוֹם וְתַצְעִידֵנוּ לְשָלוֹם. וְתִסְמְכֵנוּ
לְשָלוֹם. וְתַדְרִיכֵנוּ לְשָלוֹם. וְתַגִיעֵנוּ לִמְחוֹז חֶפְצֵנוּ
לְחַיִּים וּלְשִמְחָה וּלְשָלוֹם וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מִכַּף כָּל אוֹיֵב
וְאוֹרֵב וְלִסְטִים וְחַיּוֹת רָעוֹת בַדֶּרֶךְ וּמִכָּל מִינֵי
פּוּרְעָנִיּוֹת הַמִתְרַגְּשוֹת לָבוֹא לָעוֹלָם וְתִשְלַח בְּרָכָה
בְּכל מַעֲשֵה יָדֵינוּ, וְתִתְּנֵנוּ לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים
בְעֵינֶיךָ וּבְעֵינֵי כָל רוֹאֵינוּ וְתִשְמַע קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנֵינוּ. כִּי
אֵ-ל שוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה וְתַחֲנוּן אתה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', שוֹמֵעַ
תְּפִלָּה.

(Transliteration: Y'hi ratzon milfanekha A-donai E-loheinu ve-lohei avoteinu
she-tolikhenu l'shalom v'tatz'idenu l'shalom v'tadrikhenu l'shalom,
v'tagi'enu limhoz heftzenu l'hayim ul-simha ul-shalom. V'tatzilenu
mi-kaf kol oyev v'orev v'listim v'hayot ra'ot ba-derekh, u-mi-kol minei
pur'aniyot ha-mitrag'shot la-vo la-olam. V'tishlah b'rakha b'khol
ma'a'se yadeinu v'tit'nenu l'hen ul-hesed ul-rahamim b'einekha uv-einei
khol ro'einu. V'tishma kol tahanuneinu ki E-l sho'me'a t'fila v'tahanun
ata. Barukh ata A-donai sho'me'a t'fila.)

Or, you can just click here and listen to it for yourself.

Safe travels and Shabbat Shalom.