Jewish Heritage Tour of Poland
- October 8-14, 2018
- Starting from $2499
- For Adults of All Ages
- Pre-Trip: Prague Pre-Tour
Prepare to embark on a life-changing journey, an experience that will affect the way you view the world from here on in. This amazing journey will take you on a discovery of our past as we visit the historically filled and culturally infused cities of Warsaw, Lodz and Krakow, as well as the surrounding areas. We’ll be exploring synagogues and cemeteries, museums and concentration camps – places our ancestors may have lived or walked. We’ll hear the atrocities of war at our visit to Auschwitz and the stories of a country’s rebirth in the more recent years.
This tour will leave you with more many more questions than answers. You will have the opportunity to hear stories, learn from scholars, interact with locals and grow as an individual. As Jews, there is a renewed interest in Poland as we search for the meaning that is our past.
Click here to watch a preview video of our Jewish Heritage Tour of Poland!
Our Value-Added Tour Package Includes:
- 6 Night Tour in First-Class Hotels
- 11 Meals – 6 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 4 Dinners
- All Transportation as listed including train and air-conditioned motorcoach
- Daily Sightseeing as outlined in the Itinerary
- Amazing Journeys Onsite Travel Coordinator
- Services of an English Speaking Local Tour Manager
- Baggage Handling Throughout (one bag per person)
- All Taxes and Service Charges And Gratuities on Included Features
- Roundtrip Airport-to-Hotel Transfers if Arriving/Departing at our Recommended Times
- Amazing Journeys Gift for each Participant
- VIP Service Throughout
Whats not included?
- Optional Tours and Entrance Fees not listed on the Itinerary
- International Flights
- Travel Protection
- Airport Transfers if not Arriving/Departing at our Recommended Times
- Meals not mentioned on the Itinerary
- Arrival or Departure Airport Taxes
- Incidentals
Day 1 – Monday, October 8 Tour Begins – Warsaw, Poland
Arrival to Warsaw: Arrive today from your home city or our pre-tour option in Prague. Those arriving at our specified flight times will transfer from the airport to our group hotel in Warsaw. Later this afternoon, we’ll meet for an Amazing Journeys Group Orientation and meet our Tour Guide. Soon, we’ll depart for a tour to visit the newly-opened Museum of the History of Polish Jews, located in the center of what once was the Jewish Ghetto. It’s the perfect place to begin our education of Jewish life in Poland. Explore the 1,000 years of rich history of the Polish Jews; beginning from their arrival as merchants, through the medieval ages until today. This 43,000 square foot museum includes rare and valuable art, photos, documentation and footage of what was once the largest Jewish community in the world. Tonight, we gather for our Amazing Journeys Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. (D)
Day 2 – Tuesday, October 9 Warsaw
The World That Was: We begin this morning with a dialogue: The Jewish Community in Poland – Past, Present & Future with Dr. Sebastian Rejak, Senior Policy and Program Officer at the American Jewish Committee and former Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Relations with the Jewish Diaspora. Next, we have a guided visit to the Gensha Cemetery, one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in the world. Bring back life to the names on the unique tombstones of the famous Jewish leaders, artists, Rabbis and intellectuals, including: Yiddish writer, author of “If Not Higher” Y.L Peretz; “Esperanto” language creator Ludwig Zamenhoff; The Warsaw theater Diva Ida Kaminska; and Adam Czerniakow, the beloved head of the “Judenrat”. The cemetery is a testimony to hundreds of years of Jewish life in Poland. Visit the Nozyk Synagogue, the last remaining pre-Holocaust synagogue in Warsaw. After, we’ll visit the Villa at the Warsaw Zoo which was once the home of the zoo director, Jan Żabiński and his wife Antonina Żabińska. Learn the story of how they saved the lives of many Jews during the Holocaust. Take a guided journey through the Warsaw Ghetto, including the Remnants of the Ghetto Wall, the Nathan Rapoport Warsaw Ghetto Memorial where we follow the footsteps of the Warsaw Ghetto Heroes along the Path of Remembrance. This wall commemorates the heroic Warsaw Ghetto uprising at Mila 18, reflecting on the last moments of the Warsaw Jewish Community at the Umschlagplatz – the gathering area of the Jews before they were sent to the death camp of Treblinka. (B, D)
Day 3 – Wednesday, October 10 Warsaw – Lodz – Warsaw
Jewish Life & History in Lodz: This morning we depart Warsaw for the town of Lodz. Our first stop will be a visit to the Jewish Cemetery of Lodz, the largest Jewish cemetery in Europe. Learn about the rich history of the city’s Jewish life through the tombstones of its Rabbis, scholars and artists, and stand along the “Ghetto field”, a mass-grave of the Lodz Holocaust victims. We’ll go back in time and touch upon the miracle of the Reicher Synagogue, the only synagogue that managed to survive WWII and still remains in Lodz. Stand next to the Moses Statue, standing in what was once the Great Synagogue of Lodz, which was destroyed by the Nazis. Walk through Koscielny Square and follow the footsteps of the last Jews in the Ghetto. Head into the Holy Mary Church where the Jewish headquarters and food storage were located during the time of the ghetto. Learn about how the church itself held the protocols and the documentation of Jewish life in the Lodz ghetto. We’ll make a lunch stop where you can get lunch on your own at Manufaktura, the complex that once held the famous Poznanski factories. Stroll through this breathtaking fashionable entertainment complex featuring shops, cafes and restaurants. Next, we’ll visit the luxurious Poznanski Castle. Learn about Izrael Poznanski, the first entrepreneur to make Lodz the most successful industrial city in Poland pre-WWI. Stop at the Radegast train station where we’ll stand on the platform which was the departure point for Jews being shipped to the death camps in Chelmno and Auschwitz during the Holocaust. After, we return to Warsaw where you will have an evening at leisure. There, you’ll have an opportunity to walk through the Old Town Square and sample some local fare or try an upscale restaurant of your choosing. (B)
Day 4 – Thursday, October 11 Warsaw – Krakow
Re-Creating Memory: This morning we leave Warsaw and head for Krakow on our three-hour train ride. Once we arrive, we connect to the story of Jewish life in Krakow with an interactive program in the Kazimierz Jewish Quarter. Our Jewish journey includes: The Altshul, the oldest synagogue in Poland which was transformed into the local Jewish Life Cycle Museum; The Rema Synagogue which was the synagogue of Rabbi Moses Isserles (the “Rema”), the great codifier of Jewish law; The Rema Cemetery where many great rabbinical leaders of Polish Jewry are buried; The Temple, once the first “Modern” orthodox synagogue; and The Galicia Jewish Museum, which exists to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust and celebrate the Jewish culture of Polish Galicia, presenting Jewish history from a new perspective. Learn and explore the past, present and future through the unique photo exhibit which captures life through the still media. Next, we’ll take a guided journey following the Jewish community on their descent from Kazimierz, crossing over the bridge into the Jewish Ghetto of Podgorze which includes The Krakow Umchlagplatz Memorial, now called Ghetto Heroes Square. View the Pharmacy “Gateway to the Ghetto.” Learn the story about the Polish “Righteous among the Nations” about Pharmacist Tadeusz Pankiewitz and his role in saving the Jews of Krakow. Tonight we’ll have a free evening to explore the nightlife of Krakow. (B)
Day 5 – Friday, October 12 Krakow
The Destruction of European Jewry: Our discovery today is so meaningful and emotional as we take a guided tour through the Auschowitz – Berkenau Complex, reflecting on personal stories and texts. Walk through the Auschwitz Museum exhibits which are built in the original blocks of the camp, see the original artifacts and footage and witness the life and death of the prisoners of this work camp. A short drive will take you to the Auschwitz II death camp, better known as Birkenau. This camp was barely touched or renovated, allowing you a first-hand experience in understanding the last moments of the camp’s prisoners. Tonight, we’ll experience Shabbat services at a local synagogue. After, we’ll join together for a Shabbat evening program at the Krakow Jewish Community Center with Jonathan Ornstein, the JCC Director. Enjoy Shabbat dinner with members of the local Jewish community and learn more about the cultural and religious revival happening at the JCC. (B, L, D)
Day 6 – Saturday, October 13 Krakow
Shabbat in Krakow: This morning we enjoy a visit the famous Wieliczka Salt Mines. Explore magnificent chambers chiseled out of rock salt, underground saline lakes and unique statues sculpted in salt. This afternoon, we’ll take a guided walking tour of Krakow’s Historical Market Square with its medieval architecture, basilicas and sculptures. This UNESCO World Heritage site, once the capital of Poland, was not destroyed during WWII and bears witness to the rich history of the country. The remainder of the afternoon is free for you to explore the city on your own, do some shopping, take photos or relax in a café. Tonight, we’ll have our Amazing Journeys Farewell Event which will include Havdallah, a group dinner and Klezmer music at a local restaurant. (B, D)
Day 7 – Sunday, October 14 Krakow – Tour Ends
Return Home: Our tour ends this morning in Krakow when we transfer to the airport to fly home, leaving behind our heritage and taking with us life-changing memories. (B)
Your Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1-3 Sofitel, Warsaw
Day 4-6 Radisson Blu, Krakow
Please Note:
1) Alternate hotels may be utilized.
2) The price of the tour package does not include flights.
3) Roundtrip airport-to-hotel transfers are included when arriving or departing at our recommended times. If you are arriving at any other time, you will transfer to and from our hotels on your own.
4) The order of this tour may change.
Rates |
Double | Single |
|
Sold Out | Sold Out |
A deposit of $375 is due with your reservation for Poland. For the Prague pre-tour, a deposit of $100 per person is due. Full payment is due August 1, 2018.
Rates are subject to change based on availability.
These rates are based on an all-inclusive, custom-designed package that differs from offerings seen in public advertising. We are unable to make any of our package components available to anyone who is not part of our Amazing Journeys group.
Roommate matching is available.
Pre-Tour Stay: For those who want to arrive prior to the start of the tour, we have a limited number of rooms held at our group hotel. Please note – there will be no Amazing Journeys staff present nor will there be programming on these days.
We are not able to match roommates for extra night stays.
Prague: October 3 and 4 – $110 double (per person), $210 single.
Warsaw: October 6 and 7 – $110 double (per person), $210 single.
Krakow: October 14 and 15 – $110 double (per person), $210 single.
All rooms where we provide roommate matches are non-smoking. Items listed on this website are subject to change at any time. By providing payment you agree to the terms and conditions as outlined on this website.
Cancellation Policy: From the time of deposit until April 3, 2018, there is a $75 penalty for cancellation. From April 4 – July 31, 2018 the cancellation penalty is the amount of your deposit. From August 1 – September 1, 2018, the cancellation penalty is 50% of the total package price. From September 2, 2018 until the day of travel, the cancellation penalty is 100% of the total package price. Cancellations made on the day of departure and “no-shows” will receive no refund. There is no refund in the event of interruption or cancellation by the passenger after the start of the journey.
Travel Protection: Amazing Journeys recommends you purchase Travel Protection. Information will be sent with your trip confirmation.
Passport and Visa Requirements: A valid passport is required. It must have at least 6 months validity beyond the last date of travel. A visa not is required for entrance into Poland or the Czech Republic for US or Canadian citizens. If you are not from the US or Canada, please consult the Embassies in Poland and the Czech Republic for necessary documentation. Please note that visa requirements may change at any time.
Taxes and Gratuities: All taxes, service charges and government fees have been included in the cost of the tour package. Gratuities have been included on this itinerary for included features. They include tips for drivers and guides, tour manager, servers for included meals, and baggage handling in and out of each hotel. Taxes, service charges and government fees are subject to change. At this time, there are no departure taxes from the airports on this itinerary.
Flights: Airfare has not been included in the tour rates. It is important that you not purchase airfare until you receive a confirmation letter which will contain specific flight parameters.
Transfers:
Prague Pre-Tour – Transfers from the airport to our meeting point in Prague are not included. One group transfer from our Prague hotel to the airport will be included at a specific time. Please refer to flight perimeters on your confirmation letter.
Poland – One group airport transfer in Poland will be available for those arriving and departing at the set times as shown on your confirmation letter. For those arriving and departing at those specific times, you are welcome to join us on our group transfer.
If you are arriving or departing outside of our group times, it is very easy to take a taxi to and from the airport.
Currency Fluctuations: In case of currency fluctuations greater than 3%, we reserve the right to adjust our prices accordingly in order to operate the tour.
This tour is operated by Da’at
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