Welcome to the Centropa Jewish walking tour of Berlin. We are about to spend about an hour or so together—unless you want to stop into the Centrum Judaicum (or go back to it afterwards)—and we’re going to tell you about Berlin Mitte and its Jewish history: its tumultuous rise, the way it teemed with life, it’s tragic destruction. No, this is not a comprehensive tour but it will give you the highlights. I will be your guide, and my name is Edward Serotta, director of Centropa. At the end of this app we’ll give you links to more on German Jewish history and our institute, too.
Post Tour Tag: Heritage
Judaism in Havana: A Tour of Jewish Cuba
Jewish communities have traveled far and wide for hundreds of years, settling in countries open to trade and closed off from the rest of the world. Your custom tailored tour takes you through the stunning landscape of Cuba and immerses you in the Cuban Jewish lifestyle. Light the Shabbas candles with a local family to celebrated the end of another week. Peruse the library of one of the oldest synagogues in the country. Visit the only kosher butcher on the island. Learn about the heritage of the Cuban people and experience the unforgettable sensation of the Jewish community.
Havana’s Jewish Heritage
Delve into the history of Jewish immigrants who moved to Cuba in the early 20th century, 1920’s & 1930’s. Visit existing and important landmarks, synagogues, and meet members of the local Jewish community.
Highlights:
– Meet with a member of the Jewish community to tour Sephardic Synagogue in Vedado and see two others
– Visit Menorah Square, dedicated to the holocaust victims
– The Jewish cemetery in Guanabacoa
– Have a cocktail and admire the unique decor of Hotel Raquel
– Tour is OFAC compliant under the general license “Support for the Cuban people” 515.574
Havana & Jewish Heritage Tour
This is a fully customizable private Havana day tour for you and your group, in one of our classic vintage cars. You will see Havana’s treasures up close while enjoying personalized local service.
Your custom tailored Havana Jewish tour takes you through the history of the Jewish immigration and presence in Cuba.
Customize Your Tour:
Feel free to create your one of a kind tour with ease. Mention your points of interest to our knowledgeable guide or simply ask them for advice on places to visit and they will ensure the tour is as enjoyable as possible.
Authentic Kosher Havana Tour
Experience Cuba and discover for yourself why this enigmatic
Caribbean island creates such a compelling narrative. Cuba is an
exhilarating feast for the senses! Intriguing architecture, beautiful classic
cars dotting the streets, world-famous drinks and cigars, festive
entertainment, and warm locals who genuinely love hosting contribute
to the amazing atmosphere. While you may not consider a tropical
island as a place steeped with Jewish tradition, Cuba was once the hub
of Caribbean Jewish life. The history of the Cuban Jews stretches back
to 1492. It is believed that Marranos (Spanish Jews who were forcibly
converted to Catholicism) accompanied Columbus on his voyage,
making Jews some of the first Europeans to set foot on the island. Hear
and see the fascinating story of Cuba’s Jews, while soaking in
everything this exotic destination has to offer! Cuba’s authentic flair and
lively spirit are felt throughout every corner of Havana’s vibrant streets
and breathtaking natural sites.
Jerusalem Jewish Heritage Private Tour
This Jerusalem Jewish heritage Tour will take you back in history when Jerusalem Jewish Neighbourhood was created back in the 12 Century.
We shall visit ancient and renewed synagogues where prayers continue today.
We shall touch the Kotel – the Western Wall.
We shall visit King David City to go back to the very routs of Jewish presence in Jerusalem
And surely we shall walk along the Western Wall Tunnel
Portuguese Jewish Heritage
During 3 hours, I will show and explain the Jewish occupation and its historical evolution in Porto and Portugal. From the high medieval times until today.
The main subjects will be the medieval períod and peaceful one. The Jewish quarter construction and how the history gets grey. The conversos or “Cristãos Novos” and the lack of religious freedom. The inquisition and its terrible impact. And, finally, the local community after the XX century.
Since I started to give this tour my main concern was to offer good and correct information. After giving this tour dozens of times, I can affirm that my public was the most important challenge and “tool” for my success because each doubt and each question were and still are important.
At a calm pace, I will provide you a tour as we planned or am ready to adapt to some preferences and be able to listen to your question, so we can share stories and have an excellent tour together.
Yvonne Penkavova
Yvonne, a member of Pavel Batel’s team and co-founder of Jewish Prague Tour, offers a fresh perspective on Jewish history. With a degree in Hebrew Studies and Political Science from Charles University, she specializes in Prague’s Jewish history, and the dramatic 19th-century demolition of Prague’s Jewish Quarter.
As a sought-after speaker, Yvonne has addressed audiences at prestigious institutions like the Centre du Judaïsme in Paris and the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, alongside EU and U.S. dignitaries. Featured in The Jerusalem Post and The Wall Street Journal, her insights are grounded in the latest academic research.
A specialist in Prague’s Jewish history, Yvonne also guides visitors through the Jewish Quarter, offering in-depth, first-hand information from her extensive research.
Meet Bosnia: Sarajevo Jewish Tour
If you are interested in finding out more about the rich culture and heritage of the Jewish community in Sarajevo, you should join our Sarajevo Jewish Tour. The first Jews arrived in Bosnia in the middle of the 15th century from Spain and Portugal. As tens of thousands of Jews fled the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions, Sultan Bayezid II of the Ottoman Empire welcomed the Jews who were able to reach his territories. Straightaway, Sephardi Jews fleeing Spain and Portugal were welcomed in the Ottoman domains. They found their way to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Thrace and other areas of Europe under Ottoman control. As a consequence, Sarajevo became an important centre for the Jews of the Balkans. Let us guide you through the streets of Sarajevo and show you the most important Jewish monuments in our city.
Bosnia Jewish Tour
Are you looking for an intellectually rich, carefully crafted Jewish tour of Bosnia? We may be able to help. Our Jewish heritage tour of Bosnia serves as the grand opening of our unforgettable journey through the rich Jewish heritage of the Western Balkans. Our 12-day Jewish heritage travel itinerary offers a comprehensive exploration of the rich Sephardic and Ashkenazi culture, history, and traditions of the Jews of former Yugoslavia.
The undisputed star, however, of our Sarajevo Jewish tour — and of our whole Bosnia Jewish tour — has to be the magnificent Sarajevo Haggadah. The gorgeous 14th-century illuminated manuscript is housed at Bosnia’s National Museum and was only recently put on display. You will learn how it was courageously saved from the Nazis by Dervis Korkut, the museum’s Muslim curator. During WWII, Korkut and his wife also saved the life of Mira Papo, a young Sarajevo Jew, and were recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations. During the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s, as Sarajevo was shelled by Serb forces, Enver Imamovic, the museum director, saved the manuscript by transporting it to the vaults of the national bank.
No less fascinating are the splendid Ashkenazi Synagogue (1902) — doubling as the Jewish community center — and the Old Sarajevo Jewish Cemetery (established in the early 1600s), one of the oldest Sephardic cemeteries in Europe. The rounded shape of the tombstones is one of the unique features of Bosnian Jewish cemeteries. Our Sarajevo Jewish tour also makes stops at the 1930 Sephardic Great Temple (Il Kal Grande), the Sarajevo Menorah monument, and the Jewish high school.
As we leave Sarajevo, our Bosnia Jewish tour follows the route of an annual local Jewish pilgrimage to the grave of Moshe Danon, Bosnia’s celebrated 19th century rabbi, who was at the center of a notable series of events known as the Sarajevo Purim. On our way to rabbi’s Danon’s grave in Stolac, we will also make a stop in beautiful Mostar. The Old Bridge over the Neretva river is one of the most iconic symbols of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Email us at [email protected] to request a detailed day-by-day itinerary of our Bosnia Jewish tour or send a message through our contact form.
