The Next Generations: Avi & Noah

“People always assume we only work 10 days out of the year.”

Though that may just be coming from friends looking to get under Avi and Noah’s skin, the reality is that that sentiment couldn’t be farther from the truth. 

“We're already well into the planning stages and looking at events, themes, and entertainment for 2026 and beyond,” Avi tells us. “Not that Pesach 2025 is over by any stretch, but we're way into the years beyond this.”

As the 2nd and 3rd generations, respectively, of Lasko Getaways, Avi and Noah have been surrounded by the program since birth. In fact, they’re so entrenched within the program that Noah’s wedding was at the Bonaventure—the site of the very first Lasko Getaways program back in 1988. 

Having been around the program for a collective 60+ years, there isn’t much that surprises Avi and Noah as they work toward creating an unforgettable, indulgent atmosphere.

They know what needs doing, and they get it done. But that level of experience doesn't come without its challenges.

“When you’ve been doing this so long, finding ways to keep things fresh and innovative becomes challenging,” Avi admits. 

That’s why they “sweat the details,” leaving no stone unturned as they build a top-notch program. 

“We spend hours upon hours iterating and iterating,” the uncle and nephew explain in tandem (they’re only three years apart).

“I don’t think people realize how much thought we put into everything, literally everything,” Avi explains. “Everything from how the Haggadahs are displayed on the table to how each appetizer looks on the plate.”

They’re not exaggerating, often going through 15-some-odd different looks of an appetizer or entree before finalizing the ornate design that gets served to you, the guest. These test platings aren’t sketches or photoshopped images, either. The team is physically making up the dish. Every component.

Avi points to a dish from last year’s program, a Korean Short Rib with rice. How would they cut the coconut? Which way would it be positioned on the plate? Where would the short ribs be? Where does the garnish go? All of these questions need to be answered before plating 1,000+ dishes. 

All in all, they went through 18 different iterations before the final product landed on the table. 

Those details are all in the preparation phase—which they tell us kicks into “high gear” starting in June for the following Passover. But the daily details are no less impressive. 

Even something that seems simple, like transitioning the room from breakfast to lunch, can be a “pretty unbelievable undertaking.” 

“Cleaning and resetting the dining room—table cloths, plates, silverware, glassware—flipping the buffets, the decor, the look, all that stuff happens in under an hour,” Noah says, still amazed. “But the amount of time it takes to set up the Seder is really crazy.”

Putting together all the seder plates, making endless gallons of salt water, and chopping more horseradish than they care to count, there are a lot of elements that go into ensuring the Seder table is set properly. Adding to that burden is the fact that there could be up to four generations sitting at a given Seder table. 

“A lot of the time, we are the family vacation for the year,” Noah adds proudly. “For the families that aren’t together throughout the year, Lasko Getaways is where they come to see all their kids and grandkids together.”

And that’s how it’s always been. 

Lasko Getaways always had the families in mind, from the very beginning when Sam and Arlene knew the kids programming would be one of their biggest selling points. 

“We want to be the program that families could attend together," Avi says, explaining their philosophy. “Everyone from great-grandma all the way down to the toddlers, there are pieces of the vacation everyone can enjoy together.”

He points to Saul Blinkoff. The Disney animator isn’t just fun for the eight-year-old that loves Mulan, but also for the parents and grandparents who want to sit with their children and grandchildren and enjoy a fun, interactive class. 

Family paint nights, singles events, inspirational speakers, they really build out the program to accommodate the whole family.

Which is ironic because over the course of the holiday Avi and Noah get to spend very little time with their families. They’re too busy running around. 

Outside the week of Passover, things couldn’t be more different. Both Avi and Noah are quick to gush over their respective families. Avi sings the praises of his wife, Orah, and their children Sophia, Emily, and Jake. Noah’s also the proud papa of three—Nathan, JJ, and Carter—with wife Debbie. 

The two consider themselves big family men. Proudly shuttling their kids to after-school activities and plenty of sporting events. 

But don’t worry, despite their absence over the course of the holiday, their families manage to have plenty of fun without them—around the Seder table and by the pool.

If and when he does find a moment of free time, Noah says he’ll walk around, finally saying hi to the family and friends who just see him as a blur during the holiday. 

Avi, on the other hand, isn’t so sure, “WIth my free time? That’s a good question. What do I do?” 

Outside those (sometimes confusing) moments of free time, the week-plus of Passover is “high-intensity work.” It’s 10 straight days of keeping on your toes and staying adaptable. 

The generational-duo trade stories, reminiscing on the times they had to adjust on the fly, quickly coming to the realization that they deal with surprise turnaround almost every year. 

“Never a dull moment at The Turnberry.”

Last year alone, the team was up until 5:00 AM changing around the dining room for the final day to help the hotel make room for another conference. Figuring out how to communicate that to the guests, making sure everyone knows where they’re going, that they still have a seat. 

“It seems kind of minuscule,” Noah admits. “But people care. And we want them to know that we understand, but we’ve also taken care of the problem.” 

That wasn’t the only big change in the last couple days of last year. Avi recalls the grand vision and plan for the Chametz Party was to be outdoors by the Cascata pool. But all that was squandered when it started to rain. 

Pivoting quickly, they brought it indoors, and it ended up being one of the most memorable of Avi and Noah’s careers—nearly 4,000 doughnuts were gone in 13 minutes.

“Remember the ‘let us in’ chant?”

Noah laughs, “That was top five moments all time.” 

The more exciting side of pivots and quick turnarounds are a simple text. Specifically when Dov from Distant Cousins got a text from Matisyahu asking to come play a couple songs. 

“One of the best concerts we’ve ever had, and it’s led to us having him back this year to headline,” Noah says, already eager for the show on Thursday night. 

All that annual chaos doesn’t seem to faze them, the big surprises don’t seem to surprise them. Even as they gear up for their biggest, most exciting program yet, they seem relaxed. 

Noah asks, “You know what did surprise me?” 

“COVID was the only time that I ever had a seder at home. I was shocked at just how long it can actually take when you read through, sing it all, and actually do it properly.”

“That was the first, and maybe the only, time in my life that I actually sat down with my kids and family and went through a seder. I got to see what they did and worked on at school,” Avi agrees. 

“That was nice.”

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