Jewish Heritage Tour of Poland and Germany

Our tour begins with a stroll along the Royal Route in Warsaw’s Old Town, meticulously restored after World War II. Highlights include the statues of General Charles de Gaulle and Nicolaus Copernicus, old churches, Noble Palaces, Warsaw University, and the Presidential Palace. At the peak of our walk, we’ll encounter the Statue of Sigismund Vasa the Third and the Royal Castle. 

Next, we visit the Cathedral Basilica of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, explore the Market Square with the symbol of Warsaw, “Sirenka,” and enjoy a panoramic view of the Vistula River and the new city. Passing through Warsaw Barbican and Nowy Swiat (New World) street, our tour concludes at the memorial of the Warsaw Uprising. 

• • In the evening, we will meet for an introductory conversation about Jewish, Polish, and German history, folklore, and beliefs including monsters, miracles, and other themes.
  • We will talk about Jews’ lives in pre-World War II Warsaw and Poland.
  • Welcome dinner.

Explore Jewish Warsaw’s rich history on this day tour, beginning at Grzybowski Square, a former market with numerous Jewish shops. Proceed to Prozna Street, the sole surviving prewar Jewish Street, and visit the Nozyk Synagogue. Discover the site of Dr. Janusz Korczak’s former orphanage before paying respects at the vast Jewish Cemetery on Okopowa Street. 

Delve into the tragic history of the Warsaw Ghetto, starting at the remnants of the Ghetto wall and proceeding to the “Bridge of Sighs.” Drive to the Umschlagplatz, the old railway station where over 300,000 Jews were sent to Treblinka. Reflect on Holocaust commemoration. 

Walk the Memorial Route of Jewish Martyrdom and Struggle, passing 22 memorial stones honoring resistance fighters, including Mordechai Anielewicz. Conclude the walk at the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes by Nathan Rapoport. 

Opposite the monument, find the sophisticated Museum of the History of Polish Jews, “POLIN,” opened in 2014. With an interactive collection spanning a thousand years of Jewish history in Poland, it covers 4000 m² across eight galleries, featuring exhibits and stories curated by over 120 scholars.  

• In the morning, we will drive to Lublin with a route stop at the Jewish Psychiatric Hospital, Zofiowka, in Otwock Poland. This was a site of persecution of Jews and others and has reportedly supernatural folklore attached to it.
• Conversation about the Nazis’ invasion of Poland and the Holocaust.
• Talk about Jewish, Polish, and German history, folklore, and beliefs.

Upon arrival to Lublin, we will visit the Lublin Castle – former residence of the Polish Kings where the famous union between Lithuania and Poland was signed in 1569. Continue to the old city through the Grodska Gate also known as the Jewish Gate. The “Grodzka Gate – NN Theatre” – cultural center and museum of local history and culture. It is also a unique theatre, run by young people. We continue walking in the Old city, full of narrow streets and old houses and their history marked by the little plagues. 

We will visit one of the most iconic Jewish schools – Yeshivat Lublin. 

After that, we continue to the memorial site at the former Majdanek Concentration Camp.  

Dinner at the restaurant.

Drive from Lublin to Krakow with a stop in Kazimierz Dolny to enjoy an untouched Polish town on the bank of Wisla River.

• Continue to Radom to visit the Muzeum Wsi Radomskiej, a living history museum of a Polish village of the late 1800s and early 1900s (to bring to life the conversation about Polish/Jewish life before World War II.
• Talk about Jewish, Polish, and German history, folklore, and beliefs.
• Discuss the views of the Allies, and their sending to war superheroes such as Captain America, Superman, Wonder Woman, and others. 
• Conversation about books and movies on the Holocaust.

Visit Kielce, a town in central Poland with a Jewish history and fate shared with other pre-WW II communities. Kielce is known for a post-war antisemitic outbreak culminating in a pogrom in 1946, because of this many Jews fled Poland. We will visit the memorial at the Jewish Cemetery to pay tribute to the victims.

Late afternoon arrival to Krakow.

Tour in Krakow will begin from the statue commemorating the Battle of Grunwald and continue through Barbacan and the St. Florian gate to Florianska street – this is the way used by Polish Kings to cross the city on special events. Shortly thereafter, we will approach “Rynek Glowny” – the Central Market with a beautiful St. Mary Basilica and Sukenicy – trading rows.

• Visit the Rynek Underground Museum in Krakow, as it is connected to local folklore about monsters (in this case, “vampire” skeletons were unearthed here and are on display).
• Conversation about Jewish, Polish, and German history, folklore, and beliefs, especially monsters and other supernatural overtones.

Next, we will turn to one of the narrow side streets to see one of the oldest universities in Europe; among its famous students were M. Kopernicus and K. Wotyla.  Visit the Residence of the Kings of Poland – the renaissance Royal Castle at Wawel Hill.  

Visit the Residence of the Kings of Poland – the renaissance Royal Castle at Wawel Hill.   

Visit Kazimierz – a former Jewish district, starting from Sheroka Street and square, the famous Rema Synagogue, and the old Jewish cemetery containing graves from 1500. Continue to the Ghetto Heroes Square and to the museum of Oscar Schindler, who saved almost 1,100 Jews by putting them to work in his factory. 

Dinner with a folk music performance.

We will have a guided tour into the depths of the Weiliczka Salt mine, in which Jews worked as slave laborers, and will explore the world of this essential mineral. Will see the underground chapel, the lake, the statues of famous Poles, the souvenir shop, and many other things. All of this is carved from salt.

After several days of quite intense traveling, we suggest an easier day and a free afternoon in Krakow, which will help clear the mind before the following days’ emotional experiences.

Visit Auschwitz Concentration Camp Museum. Walk through the barracks towards the crematorium. Continue to the Birkenau extermination camp to honor more than a million Jews and others killed there. 

Drive to Wroclaw – before the war this town was known as Breslau in Germany. It has a very long history and a beautiful Medieval Old Town. Morning tour of Wroclaw’s charming Medieval Old Town which showcases Renaissance and Baroque tenement houses. 

Tour of Wroclaw, starting in the lively Market Square with its vibrant colors and Gothic architecture. Explore the Old Town Hall, Wroclaw Cathedral, and the historic Wroclaw University. Transition into the city’s Jewish heritage by visiting the beautifully restored White Stork Synagogue and the poignant Jewish Cemetery, delving into the rich history of Wroclaw’s Jewish community.

Pay respects at the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes and explore the Jewish Culture Museum to deepen your understanding of the city’s diverse historical and cultural tapestry. Conclude your tour at the UNESCO-listed Centennial Hall, rounding off a day filled with architectural marvels, poignant memorials, and a profound exploration of Wroclaw’s Jewish legacy.  

• Afternoon drive to Berlin.
• Conversation about Jewish, Polish, and German history, folklore, and beliefs.
• Discussion of German propaganda and folklore used as weapons against Jews and other persecuted people.

A compelling tour of Berlin, delving into its Jewish heritage and World War II history. Begin at the iconic Brandenburg Gate, symbolizing both division and reunification.

Explore the poignant Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a vast field of concrete slabs that serves as a somber reminder of the Holocaust.

Visit the nearby Reichstag building, witness to Germany’s tumultuous history, and then proceed to the Topography of Terror Documentation Center to understand the Nazi regime’s atrocities.

Journey to the Jewish Museum, an architectural masterpiece, to explore the diverse history of Jewish life in Germany. Continue to the Hackesche Höfe, an area with a thriving Jewish community before World War II, and visit the New Synagogue, a symbol of resilience.

Conclude your tour at Grunewald Station, the site from which many Jews were deported during the war, for a reflective moment on the city’s complex past. This comprehensive tour offers a profound understanding of Berlin’s Jewish heritage and its connection to the events of World War II. 

• Reflect on the end of World War II, the Allies’ victory, and the outcome of the Holocaust.

A thought-provoking tour to Potsdam and Wannsee, exploring the historical and cultural significance of these sites. Begin your journey in Potsdam, home to the stunning Sanssouci Palace and Gardens. Roam through the opulent halls of Sanssouci Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and stroll in the meticulously landscaped gardens, soaking in the beauty of this former summer residence of Frederick the Great. Visit Cecilienhof Palace, where the Potsdam Conference took place in 1945, shaping the post-World War II world. 

Transition to Wannsee, where you will encounter the Wannsee Villa, infamous for hosting the Wannsee Conference in 1942. Gain insights into the sinister plans devised by the Nazis for the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question.” The Wannsee Conference played a pivotal role in the Holocaust, making this villa a solemn historical site. 

• Explore these two contrasting yet interconnected locations, opulence and somber, offering a unique perspective on Germany’s past.
• Conversation about life in post-World War II “displaced persons” camps.

Closing conversation as we reflect on the gravity of Jewish, Polish, and German history and folklore.

Farewell dinner.

There is no program for this day. Individual departures.