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If you are interested in joining this trip we urge you to book today as there are only four spots left before the trip is sold out.
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Departure Thursday July 21 - Return Sunday July 31, 2011
Budapest (3 nights) - Bratislava (2 nights) - Prague (4 nights)
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Day 1 Thursday July 21 Toronto/NY - flight
Departure on flight to Budapest (not included in price)
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Day 2 Friday July 22 Arrival in Budapest
There will be some light touring on the bus (after lounch), to familiarize people with the city. Mincha/maariv followed by Shabbat dinner.
-Hotel Continental Zara
Complimentary transportation will be provided from the airport to the hotel all day Friday.
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Day 3 Saturday July 23 Budapest
In the morning we will attend services at one of the historic synagogues. After lunch, there will be a light walking tour of the Jewish quarter of Budapest.
-Hotel Continental Zara
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Day 4 Sunday July 24 Budapest
As we further explore the Jewish Quarter, we will visit old synagogues including the famed Dohany synagogue, as well as the Jewish museum. We will also visit one of the important Jewish cemeteries, which contains among other greats the grave of R. Shimon Oppenheimer, famous for proclaiming that the prayers of visitors to his grave will be heard in heaven. Following lunch we will visit the Rabbinical Seminary of Budapest, founded in the nineteenth century. This was the only rabbinical seminary permitted behind the Iron Curtain.
-Hotel Continental Zara
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Day 5 Monday July 25 Budapest - Sopron - Eisenstadt - Bratislava
We travel to Sopron, known to Jewish history as Oedenburg and one of earliest recorded places of Jewish life in Hungary. We will wander through the streets of the old Jewish ghetto and see the medieval synagogue and mikvah. From there we head to Eisenstadt, in Austria. Eisenstadt was home to many great Torah scholars. We will visit the Jewish cemetery (where R. Meir Eisenstadt's grave is a pilgrimage spot), the old synagogue, and the museum established by the Austrian government to teach young Austrians about Jewish history. While there we will learn about R. Esriel Hildesheimer, who established in Eisenstadt the first yeshiva to include as part of the curriculum both Torah and secular studies. We end the day in Bratislava where we will see the local Holocaust memorial.
- Radisson Blue Hotel
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Day 6 Tuesday July 26 Bratislava - Vienna - Bratislava
We begin the day by visiting the Habsburgs' magnificent Schonbrunn Palace. Following this we will drive along the famous Vienna Ring Boulevard, tour the Stadttempel and Jewish Museum, and at the Jewish cemetery see, and learn about, the grave of the "holy fish". We will then return to Bratislava to visit the grave of the Hatam Sofer and also the newer cemetery, where many other Torah sages are buried.
-Radisson Blue Hotel
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Day 7 Wednesday July 27 Bratislava - Boskovice - Prague
Our first stop is Mikulov, which is known in Jewish history as Nikolsburg. This was the site of the Moravian chief rabbi, and many great scholars, including the Maharal and R. Samson Raphael Hirsch , lived here. The cemetery has 4,000 tombstones, and we will learn about some of the important figures buried there. We will see the old mikvah recently discovered, and have lunch in what used to be a synagogue on the old Jewish street , whose houses are quite old and architecturally significant. After lunch we travel to Boskovice where in addition to visiting the cemetery and learning about the history of the town, we will see Boskovice's magnificent synagogue. We will arrive in Prague for dinner and mincha/maariv at the Altneuschul.
- Hotel President
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Day 8 Thursday July 28 Prague
The entire day is devoted to seeing the Jewish sights of Prague. We begin in Josefov, the old Jewish Quarter, where we will visit the Maiselova, Klaus Pinkas and Spanish synagogues. These synagogues house the Jewish museum, which has many wonderful exhibits. We will tour the old Jewish cemetery and learn about the many great figures buried there, including the Maharal. The highlight of our visit to the Jewish quarter will be the Altneuschul, the world's oldest functioning synagogue where, according to legend, the Golem is to be found in the attic. After a late lunch we will visit the Jubilee Synagogue in Prague's New Town as well as the Prague castle, and before dinner there will be a few hours of free time, for shopping and independent exploration of this magnificent city.
- Hotel President
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Day 9 Friday July 29 Prague
In the morning we will visit the cemetery of the Noda bi-Yehudah, the famed R. Yechezkel Landau. After hearing about this great figure, and the others buried in the cemetery, and seeing what became of the cemetery under Communist rule, we will depart for Terezin. The rest of the day will be spent touring this important Holocaust site. In the evening we will attend services at the famed Altneuschul and see at least one prayer custom that is found nowhere else in the world.
- Hotel President
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Day 10 Saturday July 30 Prague
In the morning we will attend services at the Altneuschul. After lunch, there will be a light walking tour of Prague, in which we will walk along the Charles Bridge. Here we will see the famous Crucifix with Hebrew writing and hear the amazing story of its origin. We will also visit the famous statue of the Maharal.
- Hotel President
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Day 11 Sunday July 31 Prague - NY/Toronto
Return to Canada/United States
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The tour includes:
- Luxury hotels
- All private touring and transfers
- Deluxe Coach with air conditioning
- Local assistant from arrival until departure
- All meals including Shabbat Dinners and Lunches (All food is under reliable local hashgachot)
- Entrance fees to the most common sites
- Local Guides to sites where required
- Luggage handling at all hotels
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Not included:
- Travel Insurance
- All expenses of personal nature
- Flights to/from Europe
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Budapest
As we explore the Jewish Quarter, we will visit old synagogues including the famed Dohany synagogue, as well as the Jewish museum. Dr. Shapiro will tell us about the history of the Reform movement in Hungary and the great schism that took place between Orthodox and Reform. Learn also about the so-called "Status Quo" rabbis-including some great Torah scholars-who refused to join with the Orthodox. Visit the grave of R. Shimon Oppenheimer, famous for proclaiming that the prayers of visitors to his grave will be heard in heaven. Also visit the grave of R. Moses Kunitz and hear about this incredible figure.
Visit the Rabbinical Seminary of Budapest, founded in the nineteenth century. This was the only rabbinical seminary permitted behind the Iron Curtain. On Shabbat, we will be joined by leaders of the Budapest Jewish community, who will speak to us about Jewish life in Hungary.
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Sopron
We will visit the beautiful town of Sopron, known to Jewish history as Oedenburg and one of earliest recorded places of Jewish life in Hungary. We will wander through the streets of the old Jewish ghetto and see the medieval synagogue and mikvah.
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Eisenstadt
Eisenstadt was home to many great Torah scholars. We will visit the Jewish cemetery (where R. Meir Eisenstadt's grave is a pilgrimage spot), the old synagogue, and the museum established by the Austrian government to teach young Austrians about Jewish history. Dr. Shapiro will tell us about R. Esriel Hildesheimer, who established in Eisenstadt the first yeshiva to include as part of the curriculum both Torah and secular studies.
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Bratislava
Bratislava is known to Jews as Pressburg and was the home of the famed Hatam Sofer and the Pressburg Yeshiva. The Hatam Sofer is arguably the most important Torah sage of the last two centuries, and Dr. Shapiro will speak about this amazing figure and the rabbinic dynasty he founded. We will visit the graves of Hatam Sofer and other gedolei Yisrael. For dinner in Bratislava we will be joined by R. Baruch Myers, who has been the rav of the city since 1993. He will speak to us about Jewish life in post-communist Slovakia.
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Vienna
Visit
the Habsburgs' magnificent Schonbrunn Palace,
drive along the famous Vienna Ring Boulevard, tour the Stadttempel and Jewish Museum, and at the Jewish cemetery see, and learn about, the grave of the "holy fish".
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Mikulov (Nikolsburg)
Many great Torah scholars lived in Nikolsburg, including R. Samson Raphael Hirsch. The cemetery has 4,000 tombstones, and Dr. Shapiro will speak about some of the important figures buried there. We will see the old mikvah recently discovered, and have lunch in what used to be a synagogue on the old Jewish street.
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Boskovice
On the way to Prague, we will stop in the medieval city of Boskovice, where you can still see the old ghetto gate. We will visit the cemetery and amazing synagogue and learn about Jewish history in this part of the Czech Republic.
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Prague
In the magnificent city of Prague we will visit all the important Jewish sites, such as the Altneuschul and other synagogues, the important cemeteries which contain the graves of the Maharal, R. Yehezkel Landau (Noda bi-Yehudah) and many other greats. We will also visit Theriesenstadt, Prague castle, and walk on the Charles Bridge. On the Bridge we will see the famous 17th century crucifix with Hebrew writing. Only in recent years have we learned the origin of this strange site. Over Shabbat we will learn about the many greats who have lived in this city and hear about the most mysterious inhabitant of all, the Golem.
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This is only a general overview of the places of interest that we will visit on our tour. More detailed information will soon be added. In addition to the obvious Jewish significance of our stops, there is a good deal of more general interest to be experienced; and the smaller places are quite picturesque.
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