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Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna & Prague – Honoring the Jewish Heritage

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EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK

Prayer and a Q&A with a Rabbi during exclusive, private access in the Frankel Synagogue in Budapest

TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES

Visits to the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial, Umschlagplatz, the Jewish Historical Institute, Nozyk Synagogue and the Museum of the History of Polish Jews (POLIN)

Visit to Plaszów concentration camp in Kraków

Visit to Poland's poignant museum and memorial at Auschwitz-Birkenau

Private piano recital of Chopin music in Warsaw

Walking tour of Budapest's Jewish Quarter; Dohány & Kazinczy synagogues

SEE WHAT YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES

Active components such as hiking, bicycling and walking longer distances may be included, and hills and/or uneven terrain may be encountered on several days. Guests should be able to walk two to three miles and stand for long periods of time with no difficulty.

Often robust – may include long days, active sightseeing, early starts, evening activities, significant travel times.

Along Europe's Scenic "Yellow Roads"

Become immersed in the cultural legacies and poignant history of the Jewish communities of Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna and Prague on this special Jewish heritage tour. Emotionally stirring, historic sites are inextricably linked to their Jewish heritage, offering a chance to learn, in depth, reflect and remember the sacrifices that were made there.

Visit warsaw's holocaust memorials and polin, in warsaw, explore the warsaw ghetto memorial, nozyk synagogue, polin and more.

Before World War II, Poland was once home to the largest Jewish community in Europe, which had thrived for centuries in an environment of religious tolerance. Your time in Poland's capital, Warsaw, includes visits to Holocaust memorials including Nozyk Synagogue, the only one of Warsaw's 400 synagogues to survive the war; the memorial to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943; the Umschlagplatz (the "taking away place"), the deportation point for thousands of Warsaw's Jewish Holocaust victims; and the internationally-acclaimed POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, built on the site of the Warsaw Ghetto, which immerses visitors in the 1,000-year history of the Jews in Poland through interactive exhibits, reconstructions, and multimedia.

The Plaszów memorial and more

Your travels in kraków include the former schindler factory and the plaszów concentration camp memorial.

In Kraków's industrial district of Zablocie on the right bank of the Wisla River stands the former enameled vessels factory once operated by German industrialist Oskar Schindler, whose efforts to protect the lives of his Jewish workers was portrayed in the film, "Schindler's List." Today the former factory is a branch of the City of Krakow Historical Museum chronicling life in Krakow under German occupation, and includes several exhibits involving the story of Schindler and his workers. After a brief visit here, you'll continue on to pay your respects at the remains of and memorial to victims of Plaszów, the infamous forced labor camp turned concentration camp from which Schindler managed to save more than a thousand Jewish workers.

A poignant visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial

Visit the auschwitz-birkenau memorial outside kraków, and tour of the sites of both infamous camps.

Dating back to 1335, a re-emerging Kazimierz – Kraków's historic Jewish Quarter – thrives anew today with cafés and bistros, antique shops, museums and galleries… despite being nearly destroyed by the Nazis during the Holocaust of World War II. On a guided tour of the district, you'll visit the 15th-century Old Synagogue museum where exhibits showcase the history and traditions of Polish Judaism. Then, journey some 40 miles southwest of Kraków for a poignant visit to the memorial and museum at the former extermination camp complex at Auschwitz-Birkenau – including Blocks 4, 5, 7 and 11 at Auschwitz – followed by a tour of the Birkenau site.

Private luncheon cruise in Prague and Q&A with a Holocaust survivor

A private luncheon cruise on prague's vltava river and a q&a with a holocaust survivor.

For many of Europe's greatest cities, the rivers that flow through them are often their lifeblood and their defining feature. So it is with Prague, ancient capital of the Czech Republic, split by the Vltava River but joined by the historic Charles Bridge (and 17 others!). And there's no better or more unique way to experience the heart of this timeless city than aboard a private luncheon cruise on the Vltava through Prague's Lesser Town and Old Town. Also during your time in Prague, you'll be joined by a Czech concentration camp survivor for a poignant discussion of the Holocaust in wartime Czechoslovakia, followed by a memorable Q & A session.

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All the information you need for this journey at your fingertips – day-by-day details, map, hotel descriptions, key highlights and more.

Where you stay is an important part of your journey – with Tauck, accommodations have been handpicked and carefully selected for their location and ambiance, enhancing the destinations you explore. Download accommodation details and your travel plans begin!

Tour Planner

Download the details to make planning your trip easier - including an itinerary overview, pricing based on your selected departure date and accommodations, plus protection plan costs.

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Overnight Accommodations

Extend your stay

Arrive Early

Hotel bristol, warsaw.

Warsaw, Poland

Hotel Saski

Kraków, Poland

Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest

Budapest, Hungary

Nights 8-10

Hotel Bristol, Vienna

Vienna, Austria

Nights 11-13

Four Seasons Hotel Prague

Prague, Czech Republic

Your Journey

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About Booking This Tour

Travel Documents

If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey to enter Poland, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic; however, you do not need a visa for the short duration of this tour.

The U.S. State Department advises that: "All foreigners seeking entry into the Czech Republic must also carry proof of a medical insurance policy contracted for payment of all costs for hospitalization and medical treatment while in the Czech Republic. According to the Czech Government, if you have a health insurance card or an internationally recognized credit card with health insurance included, it will generally be accepted as proof of insurance to enter the country."

Tauck offers insurance that is considered sufficient for this purpose. Please refer to the Tauck Travel Protection Product section above on this webpage for further details.

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact an embassy or consulate of Poland, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to determine what travel documentation is required.

Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.

We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.

TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN AS A GUARDIAN: If you are traveling as the guardian of a child/children, we strongly suggest that you carry a letter from both parents of the child authorizing emergency treatment in the event of illness or accident. For travel abroad, many foreign countries have specific entry requirements for children under 21 who are traveling internationally without BOTH parents. (These requirements are in response to the increased incidence of children being abducted and taken abroad.) PLEASE NOTE THAT TAUCK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for children traveling without both parents.

How to Book a Tour

See your travel advisor, or call Tauck at 800-468-2825 to make a reservation.

At the time of booking, please have the following information ready for all members of your party:

• Tour Name and Departure Date
• Traveler's Name: First and last names as they appear on your passport or driver's license
• Traveler's Address(es)
• Email Address*
• Traveler's Phone Number(s)*
• Emergency Contact Information: Please provide the name and phone number  of a relative or friend (not travelling with you) whom we could contact during the tour in the unlikely event of an emergency
• Interest in purchasing a travel protection plan (US and Canada)
• Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
• Interest in our specially negotiated airfares

* Required Fields

Deposits & Final Payment

Deposits and fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking.

The deposit amount is $600 per person

Final Payments:

Final Payment is due to Tauck  90  days before departure for lands trips, and  120  days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Travel Protection Plan

Effective for plans purchased as of July 1, 2021:

Tauck's Guest Protection

Tauck's Guest Protection provides you with cancellation protection before your journey begins as well as insurance benefits while you are traveling. Guest Protection includes the following:

Cancellation Waiver – Provided by Tauck:

Under Tauck's Cancellation Fee Waiver you can cancel your tour for ANY REASON up to the day before departure and receive a money-back refund (except in Extreme Circumstances*) on the land tour cost, based on your original method of payment.

*Extreme Circumstances:  In the event of an act of God, war (whether declared or undeclared), terrorism, accident, natural disaster, outbreak of disease, or other event or circumstance beyond our control that contributes to or results in cancellation rates above our historical cancellation rates in the absence of such event or occurrence, Tauck reserves the right to issue a credit to you in lieu of a money-back refund, applicable to a future Tauck journey.

Travel Insurance Benefits – Underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company.

• Trip Cancellation –  If you must cancel your tour due to a covered reason, the plan provides coverage for the amount you paid for your travel arrangements. Since the non-insurance cancellation waiver takes care of the land package cancellation fees already, this benefit reimburses the airfare cancellation charges up to the value of your original airfare purchase.
• Trip Interruption –  If you have to interrupt your tour for covered reasons, the plan provides reimbursement to catch up to your tour or return home.
• Travel Delay –  Provides reimbursement for missed, prepaid travel arrangements if you are delayed by a common carrier, natural disaster, unannounced strike, or other reasons as cited in the plan.
• Medical Expense –  Reimburses covered medical expenses incurred in the event you become injured or sick during your trip. 
• Baggage / Personal Effects Protection –  Provides reimbursement in the event your luggage or personal effects are, lost, stolen, damaged or delayed during your trip.
• Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services –  Provided by Carefree Travel Assistance; 24-hour emergency telephone assistance hotline for medical and travel related problems.

The cost of Tauck's Guest Protection is: $559  per person

This protection provides insurance coverage that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker.

This optional Guest Protection must be requested at time of booking and fee must be included with initial payment. Fees are based on costs as of July 1, 2021, and are subject to change. Details will be provided with written confirmation of your tour reservation. Guest Protection does not protect travel agent commissions. Reimbursements will be made according to original method of payment. The amount of any refund shall be reduced by any recoveries obtained by you from any third parties.

The Guest Protection plan waives cancellation fees outlined below, provided we are notified of cancellation before your tour departs. Tour cancellation fees are waived regardless of reason, without written notice, and Tauck will refund land tour cost.

To obtain your state-specific Certificate of Insurance that contains the complete terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the certificate, visit  affinitytravelcert.com/docs/TACGPPINTL .

If You Have To Cancel

If you cancel within 10 days of initial deposit Within the first 10 days after you place your initial deposit, you may cancel your reservation for any reason with no cancellation fees. If you cancel more than 10 days after initial deposit Regardless of reason, cancellations result in costly charges from our travel and hotel providers covering penalties and fees incurred by canceling confirmed bookings. These fees vary from tour to tour. Therefore, the following fees apply.

Cancellation Fees with Tauck's Guest Protection Plan:

Loss of Guest Protection fee, per person 

Cancellation Fees without Tauck's Guest Protection Plan :

90 days or more before departure = $600 per person

89-8 days before departure = $900 per person

7-1 days before departure = $1500 per person

Time of cancellation will be when notice is received in our Wilton Woods, CT office.

In the event of an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control, Tauck reserves the right to amend the cancellation terms outlined herein.

Note:  All Guests, regardless of residency, who book a Tauck journey have the option of purchasing the Cancellation Waiver provided by Tauck in the event they need to cancel their trip after making their reservations. Tauck's Guest Protection, which includes both the Cancellation Fee Waiver and the Travel Insurance Benefits and Assistance Services described above, is not available to residents of Puerto Rico.

Travel Terms and Conditions

Click here  to find Tauck's Travel Terms & Conditions.

Travel Requirements For This Tour

Luggage Handling and Restrictions

AIRFARE: Airfare to and from this destination is not included in the journey cost. If purchasing your air elsewhere, it is very important to provide us with your confirmed arriving and departing flight information no later than 3 weeks before your arrival date. Flight information can be submitted to Tauck (or verified, if you've already provided it) in the My Account section of Tauck.com.

TAUCK AIRPORT TRANSFERS are included at the start and end of the journey between the airport and the Tauck hotel. Airport transfers are available for any pre tour or post tour hotel stays immediately consecutive to the tour, providing flight information is received in the Tauck office no later than three weeks in advance. Details on locating your transfer upon arrival to the tour start city will be included in your final documents.

AIRLINES and CHECKED LUGGAGE: Due to space limitations during your Tauck journey, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person. Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and are free to revise luggage policies without notice. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies. PLEASE NOTE that if you are booked on a tour that includes on-tour flights, the checked luggage weight restrictions for these flights may be lower than the weight restrictions for your international flights.

Checked Luggage – General

Due to space restrictions, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one suitcase per person weighing no more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and with overall dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 62 inches (158 cm).

Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and luggage exceeding airline standards for size or weight may result in expensive overage fees or other consequences.

Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies.

Tauck luggage tags will be provided by your Tauck Director on Day 1 of your itinerary. Please do not attach a Tauck luggage tag to any carry-on items, as the Tauck tags designate luggage that is to be handled and transferred by ground operators and hotel staff during your journey.

Carry-on Luggage - General

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.

Health, Safety and Mobility

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

VACCINATIONS  

If you are a resident of the U.S. traveling internationally, no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Poland, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here .

If you are a resident of another country traveling internationally , please contact an embassy or consulate of Poland, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to determine what vaccination(s) may be required for your travel.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.

To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. The amount of walking you do, however, is at your discretion.

PLEASE NOTE:  We regret that this Tauck itinerary cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters.  Likewise, we regret that we're unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs.  The responsibility of the Tauck Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest.  Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it. While drinking water is generally safe at all our hotels, bottled water will be available wherever the local water is not fit to drink. We also provide bottled water on the motor coaches.

Reading List

We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey!

You can view the reading list  here.

The weather in this region of Eastern Europe is temperate and unpredictable. Generally, average high temperatures range from 54 to 75°F (12 to 24°C) from April through June and 60 to 85°F (16 to 29°C) from July through September. Rain falls fairly evenly throughout the year, with the heaviest amounts arriving during the summer. Prague averages 50% more rainfall per year than any of the other cities visited.

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website by clicking here.

What To Pack

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with New Headings who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site .

The weather in this region of Eastern Europe is temperate and unpredictable. Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing.

In Europe, especially in finer restaurants, it is generally customary to dress somewhat formally. Slacks or a dress for women and a jacket for men are acceptable dining attire. It is advisable to avoid wearing jeans, sneakers or shorts for dinner. You may also wish to dress up a bit for the welcome reception and the farewell dinner, but by all means be comfortable.

You will find a hair dryer located in your guest room. Irons and ironing boards are available on request. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are also available for a fee.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your trip to Eastern Europe:

• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• An optional jacket and tie for men
• Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
• Insect repellent
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and chargers
• Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Travel alarm clock/cell phone with alarm function (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms)
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Reusable zipper-lock bags or other waterproof bags
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling

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KESHET JEWISH HERITAGE TOURS

TO CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE

Explore and trace the story of Ashkenazi Jewry past and present, to remember and learn the past and ultimately to better understand our own contemporary Jewish identity, belief and practice.  Our group trip destinations in Central and Eastern Europe include: Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.  Participants on Keshet Jewish Heritage Tours: 1.    Explore the sites which testify to the rich Jewish history in Europe, including synagogues, cemeteries, schools and museums 2.    Meet members of local Jewish communities and join them in celebrating holidays and Shabbat 3.    Pay tribute at the sites of Jewish martyrdom 4.    Sample local cuisines 5.    Enjoy the magnificent cultural life, art, music and architecture of Europe 6.    Explore castles, attend concerts, shows and opera, and cruise on the rivers 7.    Stay at great hotels in the historic centers of Europe 8.    Travel on private chartered buses 9.    Tour with Master Keshet Tour Educators and expert local guides throughout the trip 10.    Have free time to explore on your own And so much more!  Click for more information about our Jewish Heritage Tours to:  Austria , Czechia , Germany , Hungary , Latvia , Lithuania and Poland .

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Come with Keshet to Poland and discover over 1,000 years of rich Jewish history.

Most Keshet groups spend 4-7 days in Poland as part of a broader Keshet Jewish Roots trip which can easily include Austria, Czechia, Hungary or Germany. The main cities visited generally include Warsaw, Lublin and Krakow where we can trace centuries of Jewish presence and creativity and encounter today’s small but vibrant Polish Jewish communities. Throughout the Polish countryside and in every Polish city there are physical remains of the rich Jewish communal life that once existed – synagogues, cemeteries, neighborhoods and schools.

In 1939, the 3.3 million Jews of Poland made up the largest Jewish community in Europe. The Germans and their allies murdered almost all of the Jews of Poland, but their legacy is still alive and relevant in contemporary Jewish life all over the world. Keshet groups learn this legacy and stand in solemn memory at some of the sites of German mass murder centers and ghettos including Auschwitz, Majdanek, Treblinka, Belzec or Chelmno.

While a visit to Poland includes many somber and sobering moments, it also includes much joy and beauty. We celebrate the Jewish life that was over the centuries and the renewed Jewish life that is taking root today. We explore the beautiful countryside and the medieval town centers and castles remembering the Polish rulers who provided sanctuary and protected their Jewish subjects when nowhere else in Europe would do so.

Some additional highlights of a Keshet journey to Poland include: Polin Jewish Museum in Warsaw, Warsaw Old Town, Wawel Castle in Krakow, Krakow Old Town Square, Lublin Old Town, Kazimierz Krakow Old Jewish Quarter, encounters with today’s Jewish community and with members of Polish non-Jewish families who risked all to save their Jewish neighbors and more.

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Come with Keshet to Germany. Our visits to Germany focus on Berlin, the center of so much of what has impacted the world in general and the Jewish community specifically over the past two centuries. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, as Jews grappled with the new challenges presented by emancipation and freedom, Berlin was in the forefront of the evolution of new models of Jewish living, laying the groundwork for the development of the Reform, Conservative and Modern Orthodox movements. As the capital of Nazi Germany, Berlin was the nerve center of the brutal German war machine and the mass murder of the Jews of Europe. As a divided city, it came to symbolize the Cold War while the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 heralded the end of the Soviet Union.

Most Keshet groups spend 2-3 days in Germany as part of a broader Keshet Jewish Roots trip which can easily include Czechia, Austria or Poland. One of the ironies which we explore in the course of a visit to Germany, is the tension inherent in the German Jewish community being the fastest growing Jewish community outside of Israel. Some highlights of a Keshet visit to Germany often include the Brandenburg Gate, The Berlin Holocaust Memorial, The Berlin Jewish Museum, The Tiergarten Memorials to Gay, Sinti & Roma Victims of Nazism, Wansee, Checkpoint Charlie and the remains of the Berlin Wall, Potsdam, Dresden, encounters with today’s German Jewish community and more.​

Come with Keshet to Vienna – discover its beauty, power, grandeur, architecture, art and music - and the triumphs and tragedies of its long Jewish history.

Most Keshet groups visit Austria as a 2 – 3 day segment within a broader Keshet Jewish Roots Tour. Austria – and especially its capital city Vienna - is easily accessible from Poland, Czechia and Hungary.

Some highlights of a Keshet visit to Vienna often include: The Schonbrunn Palace and Gardens, St. Stephens Cathedral, The Stadtempel Synagogue, The Jewish Museum, Hofburg Palace, The Imperial Art Museum, the Ringstrasse, a live classical music performance and more.

PRAGUE/CZECHIA

Come with Keshet to Prague and discover why so many visitors fall in love with this city. From its magnificent Old Town Square to the Old Jewish Quarter to the Prague Castle, Prague has a special magic and charm.

Most Keshet groups spend 3 – 4 days in Czechia as part of a broader Keshet Jewish Roots trip which can easily include Germany, Austria, Poland or Hungary. In addition to exploring Prague in depth, many of our groups visit and stand in solemn memory at the Nazi era Terezin Ghetto and get to know members of the renewed Jewish communities in the city and/or in the Czech countryside.

Some highlights of a Keshet visit to Prague often include: The Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, The Jewish Museum and Synagogues, Wenceslas Square, Opera or Classical Music Performance, Shabbat services with the Jewish Community, a dinner cruise on the Vltava River, beer tasting and more.

Come with Keshet to Budapest, home to the largest Jewish community in Central and Eastern Europe to have survived the Shoah.

Most Keshet groups spend 2-3 days in Budapest as part of a broader Keshet Jewish Roots trip which can easily include Austria, Czechia or Poland.

Some highlights of a Keshet visit to Budapest often include Castle Hill, The Dohany Synagogue and Museum, a cruise on the Danube River, a dip in the famous hot spring “baths”, Fisherman’s Bastion, Shoes on the Danube Memorial, a chance to sample Hungarian Jewish cuisine, encounters with today’s Jewish community and more.

Ever wonder what a Litvak is? Come to Lithuania and Latvia with Keshet to find out!

The Jewish community of Lithuania in general and Vilna specifically - known as "The Jerusalem of Lithuania" - was once one of the most important Jewish communities in the world. Home of great rabbis, scholars and yeshivas, in the early 20 th century it also became a center of enlightenment and Jewish political life, educational institutions, libraries and theatres, Jewish intellectuals, poets, authors, artists, craftspeople and educators. Today’s tiny surviving Jewish communities grapple with the reality that during WWII, almost of all of the Jews of Lithuania and Latvia were murdered, often by home grown anti-Semitic mass murderers.

Most Keshet groups spend 7-8 days in Lithuania and Latvia. (A 2 -3 day visit to Poland can be easily added as well). Some highlights of a Keshet journey to Lithuania and Latvia include learning about Rabbi Eliyahu ben Sholom Zalman (1720-1790) the towering Rabbinic figure known as the “Vilna Gaon”, Vodka tastings, Shabbat with the Jewish community of Vilna, the wooden synagogue at Ziezmariai, visiting Trakai to learn about the Kairite community, Jewish museums, memorials and communities in Kovno and Riga and more.

LITHUANIA AND LATVIA

The 5 most popular Jewish tours in Europe

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Shtetl: A Virtual Tour of the Once Jewish Towns of Eastern Europe

Hosted By: Qesher

Visit selected shtetls from all ends of Eastern Europe – Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus. Walk down their old streets, look at the Jewish homes, and see how general shtetl features are reflected in these particular towns. Learn about the relations between Jews and Christians, as well as the political and social life in these shtetls. See how shtetl life changed over the centuries. Combining old and new photographs and people’s memoirs, travel through time to imagine and understand the life of our ancestors.

The talk can be attended independently from the first one.

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Jewish Heritage Grand Tour

• Experience the rich Jewish heritage of Hungary with this illuminating excursion, featuring a visit to Europe's largest synagogue.
• Get a guided tour of the Jewish Museum, housing a magnificent collection of Eastern European art, ensuring an enriching, informative experience.
• Pay respects at the Martyrs' Cemetery, the symbolic Tree of Life and the Heroes' Temple, all poignant reminders of World War II.
• Stroll through the Jewish Quarter, with its synagogues, monuments, and kosher shops, capturing a unique slice of Budapest life.
• Don't miss exploring Hungary's Jewish heritage in this immersive experience, complete with a complimentary cake.

Explore Jewish heritage in Hungary with this fascinating and informative Budapest shore excursion. Visit the largest synagogue in Europe, a local Jewish Museum, and Martyr's Cemetery, among other notable destinations.

Start your memorable journey with a visit to Dohany Street Synagogue, Europe's largest synagogue. Afterward, enjoy a local guided tour of the Jewish Museum, home to a unique and important collection of art pieces from Hungary and Eastern Europe. Next is Martyrs' Cemetery, a memorial cemetery where thousands killed during World War II are buried.

Continue to Raoul Wallenberg Memorial Park and its famous Tree of Life, created as a memorial for those who perished in war. Pass by the Heroes' Temple, built as a World War I memorial. Continue your walk to the Jewish Quarter, used as a ghetto during World War II; today it contains synagogues, monuments, and kosher restaurants and shops. Other destinations include the Rumbach Street Synagogue, Carl Lutz Memorial Park, the famous Gozsdu Passage, and an interior visit of Kazinczy Street Synagogue.

After the tour, you will be treated to a complimentary cake. Book this comprehensive Budapest shore excursion for a historic tour of Hungary's Jewish heritage.

OUR STORY CENTRAL EUROPE

 tour start dates:.

June 25 or June 29, 2025 12 SPACES LEFT

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGES

Join us in the heart of Europe to explore the story of our People – their enduring accomplishments, their world-changing ideas, and their sorrows – on this moving Jewish and world heritage travel experience for all.

Our fully guided itinerary spans up to 15 days of touring – covering Poland (Warsaw & Krakow), Hungary (Budapest), Slovakia (Tatra Mountains & Bratislava), Austria (Vienna & Wachau Valley), Czechia (Prague & Terezin), and Germany (Dresden & Berlin). However, travelers have the option to begin and end their Our Story travels at pre-defined points to accommodate different touring interests and availability (see route options ).

The Our Story itinerary highlights places of Jewish historical and cultural interest. All along the way, we also make time for world heritage experiences such as exploring Hradcany Castle in Prague, attending a classical concert in Vienna, riverboating down the Danube River in the Wachau Valley, wandering through the Great Market Hall of Budapest, and so much more.

Our Story Central Europe tours are led by a professional Jewish educator as well as by local European guides. Groups are limited to 28 adult travelers for your comfort.

NOTE: Tour dates starting in late June coincide with the annual Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow, a world-renowned celebration of modern Jewish culture and tradition that embodies the renewal of Jewish life in contemporary Europe.

PROGRAM ITINERARY

The following is our projected itinerary, subject to reasonable change based on local considerations

DAY 1 > WEDNESDAY | Honoring the Jews of Warsaw

NOTE: Those arriving on Tuesday evening can be accommodated at the Warsaw hotel based on our group rates.  Contact us  to learn more.

• Arrive to Warsaw Airport, and take a taxi to our hotel in Warsaw
• Explore the acclaimed  Museum of the History of Polish Jews
• Visit the historic  Nozyk Shul in the heart of Warsaw
• Group Meeting #2 at 3:00pm at the hotel lobby
• Uprising! – Explore the remains of the  Warsaw Ghetto and learn about the Jewish community’s famous revolt along the Route of Heroes, Rappaport Memorial, Umschlagplatz, and Mila 18
• Orientation walking tour of  Warsaw’s Old Town
• Welcome dinner at a central Warsaw restaurant

OVERNIGHT: InterContinental Hotel – Warsaw, Poland Meals Included: Dinner

DAY 2 > THURSDAY | The Krakow Legacy

• Depart from Warsaw and travel to  Krakow in the morning
• Explore  Kazmierz – the historic center of Jewish life Krakow, including the  Ramah Synagogue, Temple Synagogue,  and  Old Synagogue
• Check-in to our hotel in central Krakow with dinner on your own
• Evening: Explore the annual  Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow, a world-renowned celebration of modern Jewish culture and tradition that embodies the renewal of Jewish life in contemporary Europe (June start dates only)

OVERNIGHT: Golden Tulip Krakow Kazimierz – Krakow, Poland Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 3 > FRIDAY | Confronting Auschwitz & Birkenau

• Arrive at the grounds of Auschwitz II - Birkenau  where the full horror of the extermination of 1.5 million Jewish People is palpable (packed lunch provided)
• Continue on to Auschwitz I , the original camp that served as the administrative center for the entire complex. We will tour the watchtowers, fences, cell blocks, wall of death, crematoria as well as the  Arbeit Macht Frei Gate
• Reflections and ceremony at the restored  Oświęcim Synagogue near Auschwitz
• Return to Krakow in the late afternoon
• Option to celebrate Kabbalat Shabbat with the  Jewish community of Krakow
• Shabbat dinner is served in Kazmierz – the Jewish Quarter of Krakow

OVERNIGHT: Golden Tulip Krakow Kazimierz – Krakow, Poland Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 4 > SATURDAY | Shabbat in Krakow

All touring today is on foot

• Walking tour of  Old Town Krakow, including the grounds of the  Wawel Castle
• Shabbat lunch is at the Krakow JCC , the center of modern Jewish life in Krakow
• Continue on for a walking tour of the  Krakow Ghetto and the  Oscar Schindler Factory  building – now the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow
• Free evening and dinner on own

OVERNIGHT: Golden Tulip Krakow Kazimierz – Krakow, Poland Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch

DAY 5 > SUNDAY | From Poland to Hungary

NOTE: Travelers departing the group today in Poland say farewells following breakfast at our Krakow hotel. Travelers joining the group in Budapest check in to our hotel this afternoon and meet the group in the lobby at 7:00pm before our welcome dinner.

• Check-out of Krakow accommodations and depart for Budapest
• Break along the way in the Slovakian mountain village of Donovaly where we ride the gondola to the top of a local ski resort for a panoramic view of the Tatra Mountains (a packed lunch is provided and local fare is available on your own)
• Check in and get refreshed at our Budapest accommodations
• Evening: Get oriented to Budapest over a group dinner at the Kosher Deli Budapest in the Jewish Quarter

OVERNIGHT: InterContinental Hotel – Budapest, Hungary Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 6 > MONDAY | Exploring Buda and Pest

• Begin our day at the “Shoes on the Danube Bank” memorial and view the Chain Bridge , a landmark 19th-century suspension bridge connecting Buda and Pest
• Ascend  Castle Hill to take in views from Fisherman’s Bastion
• Break for lunch and wandering in the  Great Market Hall of Budapest
• Enter the Jewish Quarter and tour the Dohany Street Synagogue  museum,  Wallenberg Memorial , and Weeping Willow
• Our day ends with a visit to Hősök Tere – “Heroes Square”
• Evening: Option to visit the thermal Szechenyi Baths (on your own)

OVERNIGHT: InterContinental Hotel – Budapest, Hungary Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 7 > TUESDAY | Heritage in Bratislava

• Depart Budapest for Vienna in the morning
• Break along the way in Bratislava for a visit to the  Chatam Sofer’s grave
• Arrive to Vienna where we will stop for lunch on your own in the Naschmarkt – a colorful 16th-century market in the heart of the city
• Afternoon: Discover the high culture of Europe at the Fine Arts Museum of Vienna
• Check-in to our accommodations in the Austrian capital
• Evening: Option to visit Prater, an old-world amusement park in the heart of Vienna, and ride the iconic 19th-century  Riesenrad giant Ferris wheel (on your own)

OVERNIGHT: InterContinental Hotel – Vienna, Austria Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 8 > WEDNESDAY | Vienna's World Heritage Sites

• Walking tour of Vienna – including  Judenplatz , the center of Viennese Jewish life, the Monument against War & Fascism, Heroes’ Square, and the Shoah Monument
• Visit  “Stadttempel” – The only synagogue that survived the pogrom on Nov. 10, 1938 – as well as the  Stephens Cathedral  and the  Hofburg Imperial Castle
• Continue on to explore the opulent  Schönbrunn Palace – The summer home of Habsburg Royalty
• Evening: Dinner on own followed by the  Sounds of Vienna Concert

DAY 9 > THURSDAY | Discovering the Wachau Valley

• Embark on a  Danube river cruise to Weißenkirchen in the  Wachau Valley
• Sample local wines at  Domaine Wachau  and explore picturesque  Dürnstein village with the option to hike up to the ancient castle towering above the town
• Depart from Austria, and continue on to Prague
• Arrive to Prague and ascend  Petrin Hill for a panoramic view of the Czech capital from the Strahov Monastery
• Check in to our Prague hotel and enjoy an evening and dinner on your own

OVERNIGHT: Hilton Hotel Old Town – Prague, Czechia Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 10 > FRIDAY | Jewels of Josefov in Prague

• Walking tour of Josefov, Prague’s famous Jewish Quarter – including the  Altneushul ,  Spanish Synagogue , and the  Jewish Museum & Cemetery
• Cross the famous  Charles Bridge and tour  Prague Castle – the world’s largest ancient castle – including the Golden Lane
• Option to celebrate Kabbalat Shabbat with the  Jewish community of Prague (egalitarian and traditional options)
• Evening: Group dinner at Chabad’s Prague Grill Restaurant

OVERNIGHT: Hilton Hotel Old Town – Prague, Czechia Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

DAY 11 > SATURDAY | Prague's World Heritage Sites

• Free morning to enjoy Prague on your own
• Wrap-up session and closing lunch celebration
• Afternoon: Walking tour of  Prague’s Old Town Square , including a visit to the  Astronomical Clock , the  Klementinum library , and a view of the John Lennon street art wall

OVERNIGHT: Hilton Hotel Old Town – Prague, Czechia Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch

DAY 12 > SUNDAY | Terezin and Dresden

NOTE: Travelers departing the group today in Czechia say farewells following breakfast at our Prague hotel.

• Depart Prague and spend the morning visiting the Terezin Ghetto and Concentration Camp
• Continue north into Germany where we will spend the afternoon exploring Dresden , a city destroyed during World War II and meticulously restored to its pre-war glory
• Arrive to Berlin – check-in to our hotel and enjoy dinner on your own

OVERNIGHT: Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre – Berlin, Germany Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 13 > MONDAY | Cold War to German Reunification

• This morning we tour the Reichstag –home to Germany’s parliament (Bundestag) – that was restored with an iconic glass dome when it reopened following Germany’s reunification
• Walk through the monumental Brandenburg Gate and experience Berlin’s striking Holocaust Memorials – honoring the memory of the Jews, LGBTQ, Roma and other groups persecuted by Nazis
• Break for lunch on own in the Hackescher Markt followed by a walking tour of Berlin’s Jewish Quarter and a visit to the 19 th century “New Synagogue”
• Learn about Germany’s Cold War history, visiting Checkpoint Charlie , and then finish the day wandering the East Side Gallery – a place where artists from all over the world have come to paint murals on this segment of the Berlin Wall

DAY 14 > TUESDAY | Potsdam

• Travel outside of Berlin to tour the Wannsee House – where the Nazis charted the course of their “Final Solution” – and visit the Platform 17 Memorial at Grunewald Station along the way
• Arrive to Potsdam – the City of Palaces – where we’ll break for lunch on your own and exploration time at the historic Brandenburger pedestrian mall
• This afternoon we tour Cecilienhof Palace, where the Potsdam Conference took place, deciding the fate of Germany after World War II
• We conclude our time in Potsdam wandering through Sanssouci Gardens , stopping to view the New Palace and Sanssouci Palace
• Return to Berlin for a closing dinner celebration at a local restaurant

OVERNIGHT: Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre – Berlin, Germany Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner

DAY 15 > WEDNESDAY | Farewell

• Say your farewells following breakfast at the hotel

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SIGN UP EARLY AND SAVE Sign up at least five months in advance to lock in your spot and receive a $100/person early registration discount. All payments are fully refundable up to four months in advance, so your savings are commitment-free.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

• A professional guide/educator leads the group on a 24/7 basis and expert city guides join our group most days
• Centrally located 4* and 5* hotels with porterage included
• Breakfast daily and additional meals according to the itinerary
• Private air-conditioned touring vehicle
• All programming and site entrances according to the itinerary
• Wireless touring headsets For groups with 20+ travelers

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED

• Flights to/from Europe
• Airport transfers
• Travel insurance (optional) Insure your investment, and plan ahead for the unexpected with a  travel insurance plan
• Gratuities (suggested $150-$250/traveler)
• Hotel incidentals, and meals not marked as included

TRAVELING TO/FROM EUROPE

Travelers are responsible for booking their own travel into Warsaw or Budapest on arrival and out from Krakow, Prague, or Berlin at the conclusion of their Our Story travels (depending on your route choices ).

Travelers should plan to arrive no later than 2:00pm on their chosen start date and are encouraged to arrive an evening in advance to better acclimate and take advantage of the full program offerings. Group hotel rates are offered for those arriving early, subject to availability ( contact us  to learn more).

The program concludes following breakfast on the chosen end date and onward travel may be booked anytime in the morning and beyond – standard hotel checkout is at 11:00am.

Airport transfers at the start and end of the program are not included in the program package. Taxis and Uber rides are widely available at our starting and ending point airports.

DATES & COSTS

Sign up at least five months in advance to lock in your spot and receive a $100/person savings . All payments are fully refundable up to four months in advance, so your savings are commitment-free.

ENROLLMENT TERMS

• To reserve your spot, a $350/person fully refundable deposit is due at the time of your registration . Sign up at least five months in advance to lock in your spot and receive a $100/person discount
• The deposit becomes non-refundable four months prior to the program start date.
• The balance is due no later than two months prior to the program start date after which all payments are non-refundable and exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis at Authentic Israel's discretion.
• Cancellations must be made in writing, and we encourage you to obtain a travel insurance policy.
• Payments may be made by check or credit/debit card, however, a 3.0% processing fee applies for credit/debit card payments (does not apply to initial $350 deposit). Note: credit card fees are not refundable
• Program dates are confirmed, however, Authentic Israel reserves the right to consolidate or cancel trip dates in extraordinary circumstances.
• Authentic Israel reserves the right to deny acceptance on the tour according to its sole discretion.
• All program costs are listed in US Dollars.

Who staffs the tour?

How active is the touring, how many people travel in the group, can i start or end the tour on a date not shown as a route option, how is this a jewish experience, how all-inclusive is the experience, how do i get ready for the trip, how should i arrange my travel to and from europe.

Travelers are responsible for booking their own travel into Warsaw or Budapest on arrival and out from Krakow, Prague, or Berlin at the conclusion of their  Our Story  travels (depending on your  route choices ).

How confirmed are the tour dates?

Real reviews from real travelers.

We know you’ll love the Our Story experience, but don’t just take our word for it. Check out these real reviews from past travelers who have completed the journey.

Creative Travel for the Discerning Customer

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Jewish Tours in 2024

Travel choices, caringly designed.

During 2023 travel came back and soared to levels not seen before covid-19. Looking ahead to 2024, we expect travel to continue its growth and expect more popular places to fill up – and to fill up fast. In 2023 we saw rates in many places reach a level not seen before and this could continue in 2024. Our best advise is to plan your Jewish world discovery early.

With this in mind, we have selected a number of travel choices to offer in 2024. All these tours are based on a small number of participants, and in most cases  guaranteed with as few as 4 travelers – with all private services. We thus offer the unique possibility to reserve a departure exclusively for you, your family, or just a couple of friends.

Feel free to call us for any questions, comments, or concerns you may have: 305-466-0652

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Exploring Russia’s Jewish heritage

Dec 11, 2018 • 5 min read

The giant dome of Kaliningrad's new synagogue overlooks the Fishing Village neighbourhood © Konstantin Tronin / Shutterstock

Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar has spent 2018 travelling across Russia to participate in ceremonies at a couple of historic synagogues. From the eastern Siberian city of Tomsk to Kaliningrad in the westernmost reaches of the Russian Federation, these buildings stand as a testament to the deep roots enjoyed by the country’s 180,000 Jews and the endurance of their faith across the largest nation on Earth for over a thousand years.

Kaliningrad’s new synagogue

On 8 November 2018, Lazar, one of Russia’s two chief rabbis, officiated at the consecration of Kaliningrad ’s nearly completed synagogue. Sporting a giant dome and twin turrets, the building is an almost exact replica of the cathedral-like 1896 original which stood here until it was destroyed 80 years ago.

Jews were first permitted to settle in what was then known as Königsberg, the capital of the Germanic kingdom of Prussia, in the early 16th century. Direct relatives of Woody Allen (whose original surname is Konigsberg) came from this part of the world, as did those of the British comedy writer and performer David Baddiel. By the time Königsberg’s New Synagogue was first built, it served a community of around 4000.

Then came Kristallnacht in November 1938, when the Nazis burned down the synagogue, followed by the horrors of WWII and the general persecution of Jews that continued through Soviet times. Amazingly, Kaliningrad is still home to over 3000 Jews who will use the rebuilt synagogue as a place of worship and a community centre.

The Jewish Museum & Centre of Tolerance

To understand the history of Jews in Russia, there’s no better place to start than at the Jewish Museum & Centre of Tolerance in Moscow . Housed in the vast Bakhmetevsky Bus Garage, designed by the avant-garde architects Konstantin Melnikov and Vladimir Shukhov in the 1920s, the interactive exhibitions here cover Jewish life in the region from the 4th century to the present day. The displays form a dramatic, sometimes heartbreaking but ultimately life-affirming record that doesn’t shy away from the troubles and violence that have regularly been visited on Jews in Russia down the centuries.

When Imperial Russia swallowed up chunks of present-day Poland in the 18th century, millions of Jews became part of its population. Barred from the major cities, Jews were corralled into what was called the Pale of Settlement, where they lived in small towns or villages known as shtetls . The museum places aspects of shtetl life at its heart, with visitors free to wander off from here to discover what happened to Jews during the Holocaust, Soviet times and post Perestroika, as well as to enjoy refreshments in the on-site kosher cafe Alef.

Grand synagogues

The establishment of permanent Jewish communities in Russia’s main cities of Moscow and St Petersburg dates back to the early 19th century, when Jews were first drafted into the army of Emperor Nicholas I. Despite continued waves of government persecution, Jews persevered and thrived to the point that in 1906 Moscow’s grand Choral Synagogue  opened (its construction had begun nearly 30 years earlier). This was the only synagogue in the city to continue operating throughout Soviet times and was visited by Golda Meir (later Isreal’s prime minister) in 1948.

Other major Moscow synagogues include the privately built Synagogue on Bolshaya Bronnaya Street, which features the rooftop restaurant Jerusalem with open-terrace dining during good weather; the 1998 Holocaust Memorial Synagogue in Victory Park, which stands alongside an Orthodox church and mosque dedicated to Soviet citizens who sacrificed their lives during  WWII; and the Maryina Roshcha Synagogue, which is part of the same compound that includes the Jewish Museum & Centre of Tolerance.

By the 1880s, St Petersburg (then Imperial Russia’s capital) was the centre of Russian Jewry. This led to the creation of the city’s Grand Choral Synagogue , consecrated in 1893 after a planning and construction period of some 24 years.  Sporting Moorish architectural elements, the synagogue is indeed grand with a 47m-high cupola and beautiful decoration both inside and out.  The compound also includes the Small Synagogue (which opened in 1886 as the place of worship until the Choral Synagogue was completed), a shop selling Judaica and kosher goods, and the kosher restaurant Le’chaim .

Jewish Autonomous Region

Following the Bolshevik-led revolutions of 1917, the lot of Jews in the Soviet Union initially improved. Jews began to hold key positions in national government and cultural life. However, Communism’s antipathy towards all kinds of religion plus the local deep-rooted tendency towards antisemitism once again led to persecution. Stalin’s answer was to assign Jews their own homeland – some 8200km east of Moscow. Thus the Jewish Autonomous Region (JAO) was established in 1928 with the town of Birobidzhan, on the main route of the Trans-Siberian Railway , as its administrative centre.

Life was tough out in the swampy, mosquito-infested borderlands the JAO shares with China. However, the dream of a Jewish-governed area of the world attracted around 30,000 people to settle here prior to WWII. Today, the Jewish population is but a tenth of that number but it supports the Jewish cultural centre Freud , home to a small synagogue and history museum. Other signs of Jewish heritage in the town include decorations of the Star of David on buildings, a giant menorah (religious candle holder) outside the train station and street names written in both Yiddish and Russian. Outside the Symphony Hall, there’s a statue of the Russian-born writer Sholem Aleichem , whose evocative Yiddish tales of the shtetls of central Europe were the basis for the musical Fiddler on the Roof .

Torah in Tomsk

Unlike the voluntary settlers in the JAO, the vast majority of the Jews who ended up in the Siberian city of Tomsk in the 19th century were political exiles or forced conscripts (many children) to the Imperial army. In December 2010, Chief Rabbi Lazar braved sub-zero temperatures in the city to light candles on the menorah outside the renovated Grand Synagogue, built in 1902.

Lazar was back in Tomsk again in March 2018 to officiate at the official transfer of another heritage building to the local Jewish community. Over 120 years ago, the Cantonment Synagogue was founded by Herzl Tsam, a poor Ukrainian Jewish boy who rose up to become a colonel in the tsar’s army. Once used by child conscripts to the tsar’s army, the building is dilapidated inside but still handsome on the outside, like Tomsk’s other rare and beautiful examples of traditional Siberian wooden architecture.

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The Jewish community of Latvia traces its origins to the middle of the fourteenth century. Numbering today some ...

The Jewish community of Lithuania numbers only some 6000. People It is no more than a shadow of what it once was: ...

The first documents attesting to the presence of Jews in Luxembourg date from 1276, when an act mentions the Jewish ...

It seems that the Jewish presence on the island of Malta dates back more than 3000 years! Sailors descended from ...

Landlocked between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova has enjoyed a turbulent history over the past two centuries. ...

Visitors walking on the street named after Norway's national poet Henrik Wergeland (1808-45) will be reminded that ...

Poland represents the most illustrious and tragic chapter in European Jewish history. For centuries, this country ...

Portugal became an autonomous kingdom under Henry of Burgundy, a prince of French origin. His son, Alfonso I, was ...

There is little evidence of a Jewish presence on the coats of the Black Sea before the arrival of Roman legions in ...

Until the early twentieth century, the history of Russia's Jews unfolded primarily in territories that no longer ...

Scandinavia has not always been divided along its current national borders. When King Christian IV (1588-1648) ...

The first mention of a Jew in Scotland is in the minutes of a meeting by the Edinburgh Council date 1 September ...

Serbia and Voivodina form, along with Montenegro, a nation that had been called The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ...

The history of Jews in Slovakia -dating from the sixteenth century under the protection of the Hapsburg- intersects ...

A Slavic land under Germanic rule for many centuries, Slovenia finally gained independence in 1991. The fate of the ...

There are numerous legends surrounding the arrival of the Jews in Spain. They were propagated by Jewish and ...

Sweden's Jewish community is the most important one in Scandinavia, as much in terms of the number of practicing ...

Jewish craftsmen and merchants settled in Switzerland's Roman cities between the third and fourth centuries, but ...

Holland has always welcomed political and religious refugees. The first great wave of Jews immigrated to the ...

In the beautiful synagogue of Ahrida, one of the oldest in Istanbul, the tevah assumes the shape of a caravel ...

Ukraine, the largest of the former Soviet Republics, is, along with Belarus and Lithuania, heir to the former "Pale ...

The visitor to Eastern Europe hoping to discover a rich Jewish architectural heritage must remember that what was ...