Going on a Summer Holiday… Unless You’re Israeli

Going on a Summer Holiday… Unless You’re Israeli”

There’s a classic song that says, “We’re all going on a summer holiday”,  a cheerful anthem to carefree times and well-deserved breaks from the stress of daily life. Vacations are meant to be moments of peace, joy, and exploration. They are personal experiences, not political statements.

But for Israelis and often for anyone visibly Jewish or openly supportive of Israel,  even a simple holiday can turn into a battleground.

That harsh reality became evident again this week when hundreds of Israeli tourists aboard the MS Crown Iris, a cruise ship owned by Mano Maritime, were denied the basic right to disembark on the Greek island of Syros.

Denied Entry- Not Because of War, But Identity

The ship, flying under the Panamanian flag, departed from Haifa, made a stop in Rhodes, and was scheduled to allow passengers a day on the island of Syros. Instead, what greeted them was not whitewashed charm and local hospitality, but hate-fueled protests.

A crowd of pro-Palestinian activists blocked the dock. Waving Palestinian flags and holding signs with inflammatory messages like “Stop the Genocide” and “No A/C in Hell,” the demonstrators created a threatening environment. Around 300 protesters, according to Greek sources or about 100–120 according to Israeli passengers  made it clear: Israelis were not welcome.

The passengers, eager to enjoy a peaceful vacation, were trapped onboard for their own safety. The Greek Port Authority police guarded the dock and managed to prevent violence, but the damage was already done. The cruise had to skip Syros and reroute to Limassol, Cyprus, effectively erasing a part of the trip because of hatred and intimidation.

Some Israeli passengers responded peacefully, singing “Am Yisrael Chai” and waving Israeli flags, a symbolic but powerful reminder: the Jewish people live. And we will continue to live, thrive, and celebrate life despite those who seek to silence or erase us.

This Isn’t About Gaza, It’s About Jews

Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a protest about a specific policy or even a war. This was targeted discrimination based on nationality and identity.

Because if war were the reason, where are the blockades for:

• Russian tourists, despite the ongoing, brutal invasion of Ukraine?
• Chinese tourists, amid rising international condemnation of the Uyghur situation?
• Sudanese, Yemeni, or Syrian nationals, whose countries are in the grips of devastating civil wars?

Let’s look at the world as of July 2025. The globe is full of conflict zones and human tragedies:

• Russia–Ukraine: full-scale invasion, massive civilian casualties.
• Sudan: over 10 million displaced in a brutal civil war.
• Myanmar: a country torn apart by military dictatorship and armed resistance.
• Yemen, Ethiopia, Congo, Syria: multiple ongoing crises and human rights catastrophes.

Yet we don’t see widespread demonstrations banning Russian, Sudanese, or Chinese tourists. Only Jews, only Israelis, are singled out. That’s not anti-war activism. That’s antisemitism.

The Israeli Spirit: Unbreakable

And yet , despite it all,  Israelis keep singing, keep celebrating, and keep living.

Even as they were stranded on a ship and denied a port of entry, the passengers didn’t crumble. They sang. They stood tall. They waved their flag with pride. That indomitable Israeli spirit,  full of life, resilience, and light  refused to be dimmed.

So yes, we’re going on a summer holiday.

But maybe this summer, we won’t cruise to places where we’re not welcome. Maybe we’ll go somewhere where we are,  where Jewish history lives in every stone, where the beaches are golden, and where no one protests your right to exist.

Let’s go to Israel.

Because in the end, the safest, most joyful, and truly liberating place for a Jew in the world is Israel.