Temple Beth El Spring Trip to Central Europe

For the last three years, we have taken a Temple Beth El trip to Israel, and many congregants have taken advantage of these wonderful trips to the Holy Land. This year we are embarking on a Jewish heritage trip to Central Europe to learn about our people’s roots in that part of the world. This year’s trip will take place April 23-May 3, 2007, and promises to be an opportunity of a lifetime.

First we will visit Poland, where we will spend one night in Warsaw and two nights in Krakow. Then we will travel to Hungary for three nights in Budapest, and we will conclude our trip with four majestic nights in Prague. In each city we will be staying in beautiful and centrally located hotels with access to the best and most interesting locations. On our trip we walk in the footsteps of our ancestors who spent centuries cultivating a rich Jewish heritage throughout Central and Eastern Europe. We will learn about their culture and way of life, their Judaism and their religious leaders, and their tragic demise at the hands of the Nazis.

Highlights of the trip include:

1. The Warsaw Ghetto Memorial and Mila 18 headquarters and the Ghetto Uprising

2. Krakow, former residence of the Polish kings

3. Oscar Schindler’s factory, and concentration camp of the “Schindler Jews”

4. Auschwitz-Birkenau

5. Jewish sites in Buda including the Holocaust Museum, the Small Synagogue, the Fake Cemetery, and the Raul Wallenberg Memorial

6. Old Town Square in Prague and the famous Astronomical Clock

7. Royal Castle at Hradcany, former residence of the Bohemian kings and the Charles bridge

8. The Synagogue of the famous medieval Rabbi Moses Isserles

9. Great restaurants, shopping, and leisure time to explore on your own!

10. And much more!

This trip is guaranteed to be a trip of a lifetime! I hope you will give serious consideration to joining me as we learn about our ancestors, and perhaps learn about ourselves in the process. For information about signing up for the trip, please contact me at the Temple, or email me at jbarras@beth-el.com.

L’Shalom,
Jeremy Barras