The One Way Ticket Show

Rawan Osman is a Syrian-Lebanese activist, writer, and content creator based in Germany. She's a research and diplomacy fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, and she describes herself as a recovered antisemite and an Arab Zionist. On this episode of The One Way Ticket Show, Rawan highlights growing up in Lebanon and how she was taught to hate Israel and Jews, the panic attack she had the first time she met Jewish people (while in her mid '20s), how a shopkeeper's one small act of kindness changed the course of her life, going back to university to study Islam and Judaism, taking a DNA test that revealed her Jewish ancestry, her journey converting to Judaism and planning to make Aliyah, her unfiltered take on October 7th, Hezbollah's collapse, the Abraham Accords, the future of Lebanon and more. As for Rawan's one way ticket destination of choice? It's to 50 years into the future to see what the world will look like then. Follow Rawan Osman: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawanosman2024/ X: https://x.com/RawaneOsmane Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/osman.rawan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rawan-osman-8b453745/

Given Jew-hatred and virulent anti-Israel rhetoric spiraling out of control, particularly on college campuses, we've invited Shai Davidai to be our featured guest on this episode of the program. Shai is Assistant Professor in the Management Division of Columbia University Business School. His research examines people's everyday judgments of themselves, other people, and society as a whole. Born and raised just outside Tel-Aviv, Shai received his Ph.D. from Cornell in 2015. Before joining Columbia Business School, Shai spent a year as a post-doctoral fellow at Princeton and 3 years as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at The New School for Social Research. Following the barbaric October 7th 2023 terrorist attack on Israel, Shai has faced deplorable treatment from Columbia University for standing up for Israel and the rights of Jewish students on campus. Today, he's a leading face and voice in the fight against Jew-hatred and Israel-bashing. Our conversation begins with Shai sharing his one way ticket to the safety of his late Grandmother's couch in Givatayim, just outside of Tel Aviv. While on weekend breaks from his university studies in Jerusalem, Shai would visit his Savta (Grandmother) Lydia. Together they would talk, smoke, drink Turkish coffee and enjoy her signature Romanian cheesecake. And at some point, Shai would fall asleep on her couch. Shai shares that Savta Lydia, who was from Bucharest, was studying to be a doctor. Aged 19 and after her first year of university, despite good grades, she was called into the Dean's office and told she wouldn't be able to continue her studies because the university met its quota of Jews. That, plus her being a woman, didn't fit the university's agenda. Realizing she had no future as a Jew in Romania, she packed up and traveled solo to Israel to chart a new course. Her biggest regret in life, Shai offers, is that she didn't become a doctor. We continue our chat with Shai highlighting: 1) How the first protests at Columbia supporting the October 7th attack (organizing began the evening of October 7th while terrorists were still in Israel!) took place at the university on October 12th before one IDF soldier set foot in Gaza and four days after Hezbollah's unprovoked attack on Israel's north. On the 12th, approximately 800 students, faculty and staff came out to celebrate "the historic day" (their words). They used slogans like "resistance by any means necessary" (which for them meant rape, murder and kidnapping civilians was "necessary"). For me, not sure what the need was for resistance since Israel had left Gaza 18 years before and thousands of Gazans would cross into Israel daily to work. 2) The Kafkaesque treatment he's received from Columbia University, simply for speaking out, not against the protestors or their hatred, but against Columbia's administration for allowing the hatred to fester and take root. For exercising his first amendment rights, he's been banned from Columbia's campus. This includes the Columbia Hillel. 3) His goal in speaking out is to push the message that we have a problem for support of anti-Jewish, anti-Israel and anti-American terrorism in academia. 4) How US professors openly support US designated terrorist groups, e.g., Hamas and the Houthis, but only ones that target Jews (you won't see support for Boko Haram). How the same professors and others remained and remain silent on, for example, the October 7th attack and the burning of synagogues worldwide. 5) Jewish students being verbally and physically attacked on campuses and denied entry into their public campus spaces. 6) The silent, slanted and biased behavior of international aid organizations like the Red Cross (which to this day has not visited one single hostage), UNRWA, or Amnesty International which engages in historical revisionism. 7) How the anti-Israel and Jew-hating protests are in fact anti-democratic and also anti-American. 8) What starts with the Jews doesn't end with the Jews. This is a powerful episode to be heard more than once and shared widely. For more from Shai, tune into his podcast: Here I Am With Shai Davidai. Also, follow Shai on all social media: @shaidavidai

Aryeh Lightstone served as the Senior Advisor to U.S. Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, from 2017 to 2021. During his tenure as Senior Advisor, he played a critical role in advancing bilateral U.S. - Israel relations with a focus on economic development & technology cooperation. Aryeh was appointed as the Special Envoy for Economic Normalization. In that role he was an integral member of the Peace to Prosperity team, leading the inaugural Abraham Accords Business Summit, directing the Abraham fund, and serving as point person in the Middle East for the actualization of the Abraham Accords. Today, he is the CEO of the Abraham Accords Peace Institute, the author of "Let My People Know" the inside story of the Abraham Accords. Aryeh is a proud father of four and husband to a very patient wife, Estee. On this episode, Aryeh shares his one way ticket to go back in time to be with Abraham. In the course of the conversation, Aryeh draws on Abraham's life which provides inspiration for meaning, value, purpose and sacrifice in our own lives. Aryeh also provides perspective on the U.S. - Israel relationship and underscores how apart from Israel being an economic and technological powerhouse benefiting American companies, it has also provided the U.S. with intelligence which has saved American lives; the genesis and benefits of the Abraham Accords; why he's bullish on the Middle East and doesn't know if there will be a more exciting place to live outside of the U.S. than the Middle East in the next 25 years.

Born and raised on the West Coast of the US, Lucas Peters now makes Tangier his home. He's a travel writer and photographer and the author of the Moon Guide Book for Morocco. Together with his very accomplished wife, Amina, they own and operate Journey Beyond Travel, one of Morocco's most successful, sustainable tour companies. Lucas' expertise isn't limited to Morocco though. He also wrote Moon Guide Book's Grand European Journeys: 40 Unforgettable Trips by Road, Rail, Sea & More. In November 2024, Lucas is releasing the Moon Guide Book for Sevilla, Granada and Andalusia. When he's not writing or planning remarkable journeys for his clients, Lucas, together with Amina and their two kids, spends time traveling around Morocco, exploring the small towns dotting the national roads, difficult-to-access mountain villages and crumbling kasbahs of the Sahara. On this episode, Lucas shares that in 2009, he bought a one way ticket to Morocco and never left – so he's truly on a one way ticket journey! Also in the conversation, Lucas and Host, Steven Shalowitz, touch on each of the destinations Steven visited on his recent four and a half week journey through Morocco which Lucas orchestrated. They included: Rabat, Tangier, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Moulay Idriss, Meknes, Fes, Ifrane, Erfoud, the Sahara, the Atlas Mountains, Essaouira, Marrakech and Casablanca. Plus, the two highlight everything from riads to hammams, Morocco's rich Jewish heritage to Moroccan cuisine, the method to Moroccan aesthetic madness to the proliferation of cats throughout the country, and more. For further information on Lucas, visit: http://lucasmpeters.com. And for curated, bespoke visits to Morocco, Andalusia and select other destinations, visit: http://journeybeyondtravel.com

A multiple Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter and producer, Peter Greenberg is America's most recognized, honored and respected front-line travel news journalist. Known in the industry as "The Travel Detective," he is the Travel Editor for CBS News, appearing on CBS Mornings, CBS Evening News, and Sunday Morning, among other broadcast platforms. Greenberg produces and co-hosts an ongoing series of acclaimed public television specials, "The Royal Tour," featuring personal, one-on-one journeys through countries with their heads of state. Along with such figures as the King of Jordan, Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Israel and Presidents of Mexico and Peru, and Tanzania. The consummate insider on reporting the travel business as news, Greenberg also hosts the television show, "The Travel Detective with Peter Greenberg," airing on Public Television. The series offers more than 50 half-hour episodes with cutting-edge travel information and insider tips you need to know before you ever leave home, plus in-depth reports on the good, bad, and yes, even ugly aspects of travel. Greenberg also has launched a series of one hour specials called HIDDEN, revealing special destinations and unique experiences that you won't find in the guidebooks or brochures. Destinations include Turkey, Poland, and Canary Islands, just to name a few. On radio, he hosts the nationally syndicated "Eye on Travel," broadcast each week from a different remote location worldwide, and is heard on hundreds of CBS radio stations across the U.S. Greenberg is also author of The New York Times best- selling Travel Detective series. His most recent book, The Best Places for Everything, comes in the wake of such titles as Don't Go There! and The Complete Travel Detective Bible. He has also been a featured guest on CNN, NewsNation, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "The Rachael Ray Show," and "The View." Travel Weekly named him one of the most influential people in travel, along with Bill Marriott and Richard Branson. In 2012, he was inducted into the U.S. Travel Association's Hall of Leaders for his contributions to the travel industry. Among his other honors, Greenberg received a News & Documentary Emmy Award as part of the "Dateline" team for outstanding coverage of a breaking news story, "Miracle on the Hudson." Greenberg began his career in journalism as West Coast correspondent for Newsweek in Los Angeles and San Francisco. He won a national Emmy Award (Best Investigative Reporting) for his ABC "20/20" special on the final orphan flight out of Vietnam, "What Happened to the Children?" Greenberg also received an Emmy Award for "Miracle on the Hudson" for NBC Dateline. Greenberg is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin, and an Excellence in Broadcasting Award from the Aviation Space Writers Association of America. His website, PeterGreenberg.com, is one of the leading travel news resources for consumers and industry insiders alike. When he is not traveling the globe, Greenberg also serves as an active volunteer firefighter. Our guest on episodes 109 and 287, Peter returns to the program where he confirms his one way ticket destination is still to Fire Island. After which he shares: 1. · Why with very few exceptions, the best time to go anywhere is immediately after political insurrection, a civil war, or a natural disaster · The state of the airlines today – who's really running them, how if at all they're preparing for another software glitch, etc. · Overtourism and how destinations are handling it · The many treasures of Egypt, including the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Grand Egyptian Museum aka "GEM" (plus he recounts exploring the inside of a pyramid that was only just discovered) · Some of what makes Uganda and Rwanda so special · Why every American needs to buy an atlas · How the cruise industry is changing rapidly when it comes to technology and sustainability · Why he'll only travel to a place where he knows who's in control · Why he has a bone to pick with US State Department Travel Advisories · Why the worst four-letter word that starts with "f" when it comes to travel is "fear".

Tom Marchant is Co-Founder of award-winning, tailor-made luxury travel company Black Tomato. Described by Harper's Bazaar as "having a finger on the pulse of travel that is incomparable" his experience shaping the business in the US and the UK has enabled a deep understanding of different markets and his innovative mindset has been lauded across the luxury sector, notably as a Game Changer in the 2021 Walpole Power List and for the past six years as a Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist. Recognized as a leading authority in the travel industry, Black Tomato's world-renowned approach to bespoke travel, alongside pioneering travel products, like Get Lost, Blink, Bring it Back and See You in the Moment reflect the company's unique ability to uncover rare ways in which to experience destinations and address burgeoning client needs. Their discerning clientele are inspired by handcrafted experiences designed to reflect every passion, obsession and desire, with an acute prowess in the family market – Black Tomato's center of gravity – with immersive collections including Field Trip and Take Me on a Story, driving the company's exceptional success in this sector. This creative ethos has led to Tom and the brand being consistently named best in class, including Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards 2023; a Travel + Leisure World's Best Tour Operator 2023; and 2023 Travel Brand of the Year as the Challenger in the industry at the Travel Marketing Awards. And most recently, Black Tomato was awarded as a Master of Luxury, Travel – in the Robb Report Travel Masters Awards 2024. An entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for travel was instilled in Tom from a young age, and it was channeling this that allowed Tom and co-founder James to identify a gap in the travel market for trips that were centered around experiences, and the pursuit of feeling, rather than destinations. With this in mind, in 2005, they founded Black Tomato, their aim being to create a business that reflected the needs and personalities of clients for whom the existing travel market had become moribund. Their innovative travel products and services began with - groundbreaking at the time - diving tectonic plates in Iceland, and this philosophy has fueled consistent growth of the business and has led to collaborations with leading global brands. These include fashion and automotive powerhouses, and in 2023, a first of its kind partnership with EON Productions (producers of the James Bond franchise) to create trips centered around the iconic history of 007, with the launch of James Bond-inspired European travel itineraries. Tom is regularly asked to provide commentary and thought pieces within the media and as a result he is regularly sought by brands, agencies and conference organizers (from the Financial Times Business of Luxury Summit to Bloomberg's Future of Luxury) to speak on the luxury and travel sectors. This has steered him to take a number of influential board positions at leading companies targeting UHNWs/HNWs. Taking oversight of the creative direction, product innovation, customer experiences and business development strategies, he continues to work with his co-founder James on driving the successful growth of Black Tomato and he is now regarded as one of the leading voices and authorities within the luxury travel space. Tom's accolades and awards are numerous including: · Named 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year' by the British Travel Industry Hall of Fame · Conde Nast Traveler - Named World's Best Travel Specialist in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 · Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 · Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2021, 2022, 2023 · The Guardian Future 500 List · Winner of Pure's 'Contribution to Experiential Travel' Award 2019 On this episode, Tom considers two one way ticket options. The first is to Belle Époque Paris, where his great-grandfather was a noted gallerist. The second is to Iceland where he'd embrace the landscape, culture, attitude, light and adventure of the island. Apart from his one way ticket journeys, Tom covers the unique services that Black Tomato offers. We focus on: Get Lost, Bring it Back, Blink and the Journey into the World of James Bond. Tom also highlights where luxury travel is today and where it's headed.

I just returned from a magical week on the rivers of Germany as a guest of Transcend Cruises. Our stops and excursions included: Koblenz, Cochem, Boppard, Rudesheim, Heidelberg, Speyer, Wiesbaden, Wurzburg and Frankfurt. And I loved every second. As for Transcend, it's a charter-only river cruise line with a fleet of its own purpose-built vessels. The company offers truly customized river cruise journeys with tailor-made itineraries and experiences for any kind of group. So for example, you can hold a destination wedding, or a corporate retreat, or celebrate a milestone birthday with family and friends, or really just about anything! On my sailing, the ship was chartered by the Porsche Club of North America with tailored experiences for car enthusiasts. And of course, there were plenty of cultural options to enjoy for the likes of yours truly. The ship I was on was the Advance and was 5 stars all the way – from the suite to the dining to the staff. Frankly, I didn't want to leave! For more on Transcend, visit: https://www.transcend.cruises/ or tune in to episode 301 of The One Way Ticket Show where our guest was Matthew Shollar, Founder & Chief Visionary of Transcend Cruises. While on board, I had the chance to sit down and chat with the ship's Captain Rob Jager, Head Chef Mihai Tuca, and Transcend's General Manager, Carmen Mladenovic. You can listen to each of those conversations here on The One Way Ticket Show. On this episode, we're featuring our conversation with Captain Rob. We cover the highlights one sees on the larger and smaller rivers of Europe, the allure of river cruising, his philosophy on leadership, what makes Transcend's offering so unique, plus, it being the one way ticket show, of course I had to ask Captain Rob where he'd go on his one way ticket journey of choice (if you're new to the show, that's the premise of the podcast). Enjoy!

Marcus Samuelsson is the renowned chef behind many restaurants worldwide including Red Rooster in Harlem (NYC) and Overtown (Miami); Hav & Mar in Chelsea (NYC); Metropolis at PAC-NYC; Marcus Bar & Grille in Atlanta and its Live! flagship at American Dream (NJ); and several MARCUS locations including the Bahamas, Montreal and most recently Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Samuelsson was the youngest person to receive a three-star review from The New York Times and was the guest chef for the Obama Administration's first state dinner. He has won eight James Beard Foundation Awards and recently won a 2023 Emmy Award for the Short Form Program "My Mark." Samuelsson hosted the critically acclaimed No Passport Required on PBS. Additionally, Samuelsson has won numerous competition shows including Top Chef Masters and Chopped All-Stars and appears regularly on those franchises as a Judge. He also recently appeared as an Iron Chef on Netflix's Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. Samuelsson also hosted and produced the Seat at the Table on Audible and co-hosted This Moment podcast with Swedish rapper Timbuktu on ACAST. A committed philanthropist, Samuelsson is co-chair of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), which focuses on helping underserved youth. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Samuelsson converted his restaurants Red Rooster Harlem and Red Rooster Overtown into community kitchens in partnership with World Central Kitchen, serving well over 280k meals to those in need. In Newark, Samuelsson's Marcus B&P partnered with Audible and World Central Kitchen to create Newark Working Kitchens, which has engaged 37 local restaurants to provide 1.5 million meals to those in need. Samuelsson also co-produces the annual Harlem EatUp! Festival, which celebrates the food, art, and culture of Harlem. He is the author of several cookbooks, the New York Times bestselling memoir Yes, Chef: A Memoir and his latest book, The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food. Follow Samuelsson on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @MarcusCooks and on TikTok at @Marcus_Cooks. On this episode of The One Way Ticket Show, Samuelsson offers his one way ticket destination is a toss-up between Rio de Janeiro and space! In the course of the conversation, Samuelsson shares: 1. The allure of both Rio and space 2. The role soccer great, Pelé, played in his life 3. The link between memory and food and how that's carried out in his work 4. How he draws on his Ethiopian and Swedish heritages 5. What Harlem means to him 6. His community and charity work 7. Inspiration for his unique sartorial sense 8. Why his happy space is to go into a small restaurant in Japan and watch the chefs go to work.