March 8, 2009
12 Adar, 5769

To Whom it may concern:

I am pleased to furnish this testimonial to Danny Herman’s abilities as a moreh derekh. In July, 2006, at the height of the Hizbollah missile campaign, Danny served as a private tour guide for a carload of my friends and family. From our base in Jerusalem, we went as far North as safety permitted, and Danny was able to suggest alternate routes, and to improvise parallel itineraries on short notice, so that we could take in a range of historical and contemporary-interest sites, as well as the archaeological and biblical points of interest.

Ultimately, our day included outdoor touring, Carmel, lunch with local Druze citizens, Megiddo, the Jezreel Valley, kibbutz beit alpha, the Jordan valley, and home, in one very full day of travel and learning. Danny filled the day with informative presentations, delivered in a genial manner that worked for all the members of our group, even though we were disparate in our own touring tastes. Danny was sensitive to the physical endurance limitations that some of our members needed to respect, while still giving the group as a whole a satisfyingly full day of touring and education.

I recommend his services wholeheartedly for the synagogue group I will be leading this coming October/November. While his certification is currently specific to archaeology, my experience is that he will be fully able to handle the range of explanations that our group will need, in order to have a meaningful tour.

Sincerely,
Rabbi Michael Panitz
Temple Israel of Norfolk, Va.