Thinking of Travel? A Jewish Vacation May Satisfy Your Adventurer's Thirst

The holiday season is the perfect time to travel with family and friends. Given the added work incentives, the allotted time for Christmas and New Year celebrations, and relatives going home from far places to meet with their loved ones, it is a great period for catching up and sharing of experiences. If you’re looking for places to visit, a Jewish vacation is a good addition to your bucket list.

The perks of a Jewish vacation include historical places and cultures of communities that will surely put you in awe. Right now, to cut the burden of making an itinerary for travel, there are Jewish heritage tours that offer opportunities to immerse into Jewish rich historical background, infrastructures, and preserved remains of the early inhabitants.

Here’s a summary of recommended places to go if you want to indulge in  Jewish vacation: 

1. Jewish Ghetto in Venice. When the Jews were relocated in Venice, this has become their ghetto. It is considered crucial in Jewish history. Right now, it houses the museum and five ancient synagogues.


2. Subotica synagogue in Serbia. Built when the art nouveau architecture flourished in the early 1900, this synagogue isn’t only significant for sacred activities such as prayer, reading of Tanakh, study, and assembly but also famous for its complex architectural design and structure.


3. Jewish cultural quarter in Amsterdam. This has become the resettlement site of immigrants from Spain and Portugal that became a city’s Jewish district, including museums, a synagogue and a former theater. Then, turned into a detention center in 1942, now a war memorial.
   
   Also, don’t forget about the wonderful places that will surely bring you closer to nature, history, and architecture.


4. Plovdiv, Bulgaria. A place that marries the richness of history and architecture,  it was considered as the  2019 European Capital of Culture. You can witness intact, Greek-era amphitheater alongside a cobblestoned, 19th-century historic district lined with Nationalist Revival-style buildings in this place.


5. Normandy, France. This place allows you to experience the wonders of cobblestone villages, spectacular white stone cliffs, medieval cities with vibrant Jewish communities. Apart from the interesting architectural structures, Normandy is also the residence of Monet’s favorite cathedral and the recently discovered 12th-century yeshiva that may be France’s oldest Jewish artifact. 

Aside from the usual plane travel, you can also travel to some of these places by booking a cruise. There are travel operators such as Kosher Riverboat Cruises that combines the luxury and ease of riverboat cruising with exciting and educational land touring and delicious Glatt kosher cuisine.

You’ll surely enjoy intimate moments with your friends and family inside a cruise while traversing the world's most famous rivers and immersing into the ever-vibrant Jewish heritage and culture.