JEWISH HERITAGE TOUR OF PRAGUE AND BUDAPEST 2010

JEWISH HERITAGE TOUR OF PRAGUE AND BUDAPEST 2010

SUNDAY, March 7

Depart Memphis

MONDAY, March 8

Prague

Arrive Prague - individual transfers to hotel Welcome Dinner at a restaurant.
OVERNIGHT: INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL, PRAGUE

TUESDAY, March 9

Prague

Jewish Quarter:

It dates back to the 13th century but its present appearance is mainly the result of a vast redevelopment action undertaken between 1893- 1913. Only a few most significant buildings were saved, the living testimony of the history of Prague Jews which lasted for many centuries. Yet these buildings form the best present complex of Jewish historical monuments in the whole Europe. Six synagogues remain from this old settlement which includes the Jewish Town Hall and the Old Jewish Cemetery - the most remarkable in Europe. Except the Old-New Synagogue they are part of the Jewish Museum.

Old-New Synagogue (Staronova synagoga)
The oldest preserved synagogue in the Central Europe. It was built in the early gothic style in the late 13th century and richly adorned by stonework. Also the inside furnishings (gothic wrought-iron grill, wrought chandeliers) are of ancient origin. Up till now it has served as a house of prayer and the main synagogue of the Prague Jewish community.
Maisel Synagogue (Maiselova synagoga)The neo-Gothic synagogue replaced a Renaissance original built by Maisel and destroyed by fire. Permanent exhibition: History of the Jews in Bohemia and Moravia between 10th to 18th centuries.

Klaus Synagogue (Klausova synagoga) Baroque building near the cemetery entrance. Permanent exhibition: Jewish customs and traditions. The Flow of Life.

Spanish Synagogue (Spanelska synagoga) Named after its Moorish interior. Permanent exhibition: History of the Jews in Bohemia and Moravia since their emancipation

Lunch on own in the center of town
After lunch depart by car with your guide for a; tour of Golden Prague, including the 1,000 year old Royal Castle of Hradcany. Prague Castle is the most popular sight visited in Prague. It is the largest ancient castle in the world (570 m long, on average 128 m wide, area 7.28 hectares).
Constructed in the 9th century by Prince Boøivoj, the castle transformed itself from a wooden fortress surrounded by earthen bulwarks to the imposing form it has today. Rulers made their own additions so there is a mixture of styles. Prague castle has had four major reconstructions, but it keeps its classical facelift it took on in the 18 century during the reign of Maria Theresa.
The castle has three courtyards and it has always been the seat of Czech rulers as well as the official residence. Allow at least half a day (it does not include time for museum visits) if you want to examine it in depth., the Astronomical Clock in the Old town square Being Prague's heart since the 10th century and its main market place until the beginning of the 20th century, the spacious 1.7 hectare. Old Town Square has been the scene of great events, both glorious and tragic. There are beautiful pastel-coloured buildings of Romanesque or Gothic origin with fascinating house signs. Some of the most prominent examples include the Kinský Palace, the House of the Stone Bell and the Štorch House. Today, the Old Town Square offers visitors a tourist information office, number of restaurants, cafés, shops and galleries.  And Charles Bridge. Named after the Emperor Charles IV in 19th century the Charles Bridge is Prague's most familiar monument. Designed by Petr Parler, it was completed in 1400 and it connects the Lesser Town with the Old Town. Although it is now pedestrianised, it withstood wheeled traffic for 600 years. There are thirty statues on the bridge, many of them have been replaced with copies. Originals are kept in the Lapidarium of the National Museum and at Vyšehrad. The magnificent Gothic Old Town Bridge Tower was designed by Petr Parler and built at the end of the 14th century. It is considered the finest Gothic tower in central Europe, mainly for its decoration. There are marvellous views of the Vltava river Valley, the Žofín, Støelecký Island, the Old Town and the Lesser Town, as well as other sites of interest.  
Pass through the Church of Our Lady before Tyn, the baroque St. Nicholas church, the Stone Bell house – a gothic city palace from the 14th century and the Memorial to Master Jan Hus.
View the tower which bears a unique astronomical clock from the year 1410 which shows the statues of 12 apostles at every hour between 9 am to 9 pm.

WEDNESDAY, March 10

Prague

Breakfast
Depart the hotel with lunch box; for Terezin, the former “model” concentration camp. Meet Elishka Levinska a survivor of Terezin
Begin at the Small Fortress, the actual prison and death camp and then continue to the Museum of the Terezin Ghetto, the Magdeburg Barracks, the recently uncovered secret synagogue and the Crematorium.
Conclude the visit with a Yizhkor Service at the River Ochre.
Return to Prague

Explore on own Old Towne Square, with its 14th Century Astronomical Clock, its many boutiques and Galleries.

THURSDAY, March 11

Budapest

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Budapest
Meet and assist luggage truck will depart with the luggage to
The hotel and group will depart with Guide and Driver for:
BUDAPEST JEWISH TOUR:

Today, Budapest has the largest Jewish community in Central Europe. The city has 22 congregations (synagogues and prayer houses), secondary schools and kindergartens, a hospital and two homes for the elderly as well as several cemeteries that are still used.

Our sightseeing tour will take you on a visit to the Dohany Street Great Synagogue (Europe's largest synagogue), which was designed by Viennese architect Ludwig Forster, built in 1854-1859, and has recently been renovated with funds raised by the Hungarian government and the New York-based Emanuel Foundation, named after actor Tony Curtis's father, the late Emanuel Schwartz, who emigrated from Budapest to New York. The impressive Byzantine-Moorish style copper-domed building with its two 43 meter high towers can be seen from afar. As we enter the main nave of the three-nave hall of the temple, the first thing one will notice is the exquisite mosaic work of the floor. On the eastern wall is the large Ark of the Covenant. The two pictures here contain the symbols of the 12 sons of Jacob, the 12 tribes. The ante-room is surrounded by carved wooden railings with the pulpit in the center. Behind it is the Torah reader's table, on the other side are the ornate chairs of the magistrates. The sanctuary lamp in front of the Ark is always aflame. There are 1,492 seats for men and 1,472 for women in this great synagogue.

The Jewish Museum is in the annex to the left, which was built on the site of the house where Theodor Herzl, the father of modern Zionism, was born in 1860. The museum's four rooms contain objects of religious and everyday life. The last room relates to the events of 1944-45.

Behind the Great Synagogue is a more modern building, the Heroes' Temple, built in 1931 for services on weekdays and in wintertime.

The Holocaust Memorial, designed by sculptor Imre Varga in 1989, stands in the courtyard over the mass graves of those murdered by the Nazis in 1944-45. On the leaves of the weeping willow made of metal are the names of some of the 400,000 Hungarian victims of the Holocaust.

Check in hotel.

Evening twilight river cruise on the Danube

FRIDAY, March 12

Budapest

Breakfast at leisure

The sightseeing tour of Budapest usually starts at your hotel, therefore the route and sequence of sights might be different. However, the following sights will always be included:
We will follow Andrassy Avenue, one of the city's main thoroughfares. It was once the site of palaces of the rich and famous, and some of the buildings still emanate the old glory: among them the beautiful Hungarian State Opera House.
At the end of the Avenue, we will stop at the Millennial Monument (left) on Heroes’ Square to see the most prominent kings and leaders of Hungarian history. Heroes' Square was built in 1896 as an entrance to the World Exhibition that was to commemorate the millennium of Hungarian Conquest. Behind it is the city's largest park, City Park, which is the favorite gathering place of Budapestians, also a treasure trove of the city's finest museums, spas and some of its finest restaurants.

Arriving back to downtown, our first stop will be the city's largest church, St. Stephen’s Basilica, which we will visit also from the inside. Then we will continue through the financial district and pass the majestic Parliament Building (right), built at the turn of the last century in our grand era, rivaling the Houses of Parliament in London. Then we will hit the Danube embankment with the hills of romantic Buda coming into sight. We will cross over Margaret Bridge and drive by Margaret Island, this perfect big city hideaway in the middle of the river between Pest and Buda, used as a recreational area already by the Romans in the 2nd century A.D.

Getting on the Buda side, the hilly, residential and historic part of the capital, we will proceed to the Castle District, the historic heart of Budapest, where Gothic Matthias Church and the eclectic Fishermen’s Bastion, one of the best vantage points in Budapest, offer a unique combination of sights.

After a half hour pause to sip coffee, buy souvenirs at the many kiosks or simply relax and enjoy the view, we will continue to Gellert Hill for the ultimate panorama of the majestic river and twin cities underneath.

Evening :  Services at the Dohany Synagogue followed by a Shabbat Dinner

SATURDAY , March 13

Budapest

Breakfast at leisure
Morning Services at the Synagogue followed by a tour of the Parliament
Parliament Building built at the turn of the last century in Hungarian grand era, rivaling the Houses of Parliament in London

Lunch on own in the afternoon a walking tour of the area where were many of the “safe houses” set up by the Swedish diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, one of the best known “righteous gentiles” honored by Jews around the world, who rescued 35,000 Hungarian Jews during World War II. Wallenberg issued Swedish passes and organized “safe houses” flying the flag of neutral countries where Jews could seek asylum.

Evening on own at leisure open for a Cultural performance if available

SUNDAY, March 14

Breakfast

Group transfer to the airport