Tour operators learned long ago that success comes from attracting customers first and arranging kosher certification last. For this reason, more and more tour group leaders produce entire brochures, run ads and take reservations for Pesach or for special tours without first establishing whose certification will be used. Then, closer to Pesach or the tour, they announce which rabbinic certification the tour or hotel will actually have.

This is not a game, nor are the tour operators disinterested or lazy. Rather, each year, right before Pesach, several rabbonim disavow that they are certifiying such and such a hotel for Pesach. Tour operators hope to avoid such problems by choosing the certification at the last moment.

Most tour companies offer a variety of tours that cater to different kashrus standards. This means that not all tours are equal when it comes to kashrus standards--not even those of the same company. This information is not usually spelled out in the company's literature: the traveler must find out just what "kosher" means for the trip that he plans to take.

The ad may read "Three Glatt Kosher Meals Daily," and "All inclusive," but, in a pinch, many of these tour companies throw kashrus back to you. One leading tour company, which uses the word Kosher in its name, states in its brochure:

Tours include the following kosher meals per day: continental breakfast at hotels, provisions for lunch, and dinner served at a kosher restaurant or Jewish community center under the supervision of the local Orthodox Rabbinate.

Beverages are not considered part of the meal and usually results in an extra charge. Where kosher food is not available locally, vegetarian dinners are served on disposable dishes.

For North American tours, where restaurants are not available, meal service is provided by the kosher catering service, which accompanies the tour group. Passengers can be accommodated for special vegetarian meals, in addition to those listed above, if requested at time of reservation.

One tour company has tours led by a rabbi who spent many years in Asia and the Pacific. Their literature states:

The trips organized by Rabbi X are kosher and Sabbath observant. To keep kosher in distant places, the tour arranges to visit Jewish Community Centers that usually have a kosher restaurant. Hence, travelers can taste the foods of the area in a clean and kosher environment.

In addition, the groups become vegetarian where no kosher facilities exist. 'That is one of the secrets to our success,' says the rabbi. Buddhist and Hindu vegetarian restaurants in Asia not only provide unique environments and style, they also serve no 'life,' not even an egg. Rabbi X recalls one tour member who jokingly referred to the restaurant as 'glatt Buddhist.'

'Buddhist vegetarian restaurants serve no meat, poultry, fish, eggs or even milk,' says Rabbi X. Peking duck is made of walnuts and honey, and shark fin soup consists of mushrooms and tofu. 'The dishes look, taste and smell genuine,' he adds. 'The fish will have 'scales' of tarot, and the roast beef will even have 'veins' and 'sinews' in each slice, but it's 100% vegetarian.'

Eating in vegetarian restaurants without kosher supervision is beyond the pale of acceptable kosher behavior. Foods can incorporate non-kosher ingredients. Non-Jewish cooking is bishul akum and is forbidden.