"Rejoicing for what was; commemorating what is no longer."
The World That Was
Budapest, Bratislava & Vienna
Tour of Remembrance for Christians
June 16 - 20, 2019
Itinerary*
Itinerary
Day One: Budapest
Sunday, June 16
We will begin our journey in Budapest, discovering Hungary’s rich history. We will visit Heroes Square, originally built in 1896 in honor of 1000 years of the State of Hungary. Andrassy Avenue is a tree-lined boulevard with cafes, boutiques, the State Opera House, embassies and other important buildings. Facing the Danube River, the Hungarian Parliament Building, built in 1904, is Hungary’s largest, and Budapest’s tallest building. Fisherman’s Bastion is a 1900 terrace built on the Buda side of the Danube with breathtaking panoramic views. Liberty Statue, built in 1947, in honor of the Soviet liberation of Hungary from the Nazis, had its original inscription changed with the fall of communism.
Overnight: Budapest
Day Two: Budapest
Monday, June 17
The day will focus on Jewish life in Hungary, past and present. We will visit the Dohany Street Synagogue Complex, which includes the Hungarian Jewish Museum, Hero's Temple, Jewish Cemetery, the Raoul Wallenberg Holocaust Memorial Park and the Great Synagogue (Europe’s largest). We will see the Rumbach and Kazinczy Synagogues and learn about the different forms of Judaism practiced in Hungary, including Neolog. We will pay tribute to the Holocaust victims at the Shoes on the Danube Bank Memorial. At the JCC, we will witness first-hand how Jewish life continues in Hungary today. At the Glass House, we will learn about Carl Lutz’s remarkable actions that saved more than 62,000 Jews during the Holocaust.
Overnight: Budapest
Day Three: Bratislava
Tuesday, June 18
After breakfast, we will take a scenic drive to Bratislava, Slovakia. We will walk through Bratislava’s Orthodox Cemetery, which was established in 1845 and is still functioning today. It is also the resting place of the Ketav Sofer and the Shevet Sofer (the Chatam Sofer’s son and grandson). We will visit the Chatam Sofer Memorial, a memorial for Rabbi Moshe Sofer, who established the Pressburg Yeshiva in 1806 (Pressburg, Hungary is presently Bratislava, Slovakia). His traditional leadership prevented Reform Judaism from developing in Pressburg. We will visit the Heydukova Street Synagogue, which was completed in 1926, and is Bratislava’s only Shul to survive the Holocaust. We will take a walking tour of Old Town Bratislava, to sites of Jewish and secular interest, complete with a historic overview of Bratislava.
We will continue our journey with a drive to Vienna, Austria.
Day Four: Vienna
Wednesday, June 19
We will tour the Judenplatz, the center of Jewish life and the Viennese Jewish community in the Middle Ages. We will pay our respects at the Austrian Holocaust Memorial, initiated by Simon Wiesenthal to remember the 65,000 murdered Austrian Jews. We will tour the Jewish Museum of the City of Vienna, founded in 1896, which teaches the history of the Viennese Jews from the 14th century onwards.
We will visit the breathtaking Stadttempel Shul, completed in 1826. It is the only Viennese Shul to survive the Holocaust. The other 93 Viennese Shuls were destroyed by the Nazis.
Overnight: Vienna
Day Five: Vienna
Thursday, June 20
We will tour Schoenbrunn Palace, the 1,441 room summer home of the Habsburg family, who ruled over much of Europe from 1521 to 1918. We will pay our respects at the 9th District’s Jewish Cemetery, which functioned from 1540 until 1783. The cemetery was razed by the Nazis, but many of the tombstones were re-erected in the 1980s.
Closing dinner and transfer to Vienna International Airport
*subject to change
Your Guide
Rabbi David Abrahamovitz:
Born in Toronto, Canada, David has been living in Israel since 2004. For over a decade, he has been teaching Bible Studies and Jewish Law in Jerusalem. David studied Jewish history throughout his life and all four of his grandparents were Holocaust survivors. Nonetheless, only after his first visit to Poland did he begin to comprehend the enormity of Eastern European Jewish history and the Holocaust.
Since 2007, he has led many successful Eastern/Central Europe tours for participants from all over the globe, and from many different backgrounds. His trips are educational and meaningful. His guiding is informative and always enthused with passion.
David lives with his lovely wife and children in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Why Central Europe?
Life experiences shape our personalities and subsequently change our lives. Today, a Jewish history trip to Central Europe is an inspirational and enriching experience. The affects of the Holocaust can be felt across the continent. As we appreciate and celebrate what was built, and acknowledge and comprehend what was lost, our appreciation for the land and the people of Israel is multiplied exponentially.
Who is this trip for?
This trip is geared towards Christians who would like to tour Central Europe with a focus on European Jewish history, and specifically the Holocaust. The tour is guided by an Orthodox Rabbi and is recommended for adults, and for young adults above the age of 16.
How do we meet up?
We will meet at our Budapest hotel on Sunday, June 16, at 11:00am. Our trip concludes at Vienna International Airport on Thursday, June 20, at 7:30pm.
For those participants who require accommodations or logistical assistance before or after the trip, please send an email to david@theworldthatwas.org.
What is included?
The tour includes hotels, all land transportation, all entrance fees and 3 meals a day.
Insurance
Prior to our trip, our participants should arrange their own medical/travel insurance.
Payment
-
The all-inclusive tour land cost is $1,195 USD*. (Based on double occupancy. The single room supplement fee is $285 USD.)
-
Your spot is reserved upon paying a deposit of $400 USD.
-
Deposit due Sunday, February 3, 2019.
-
Balance due Friday, March 1, 2019.
Participants individually arrange, and pay for their flights.
Cancellation Policy
Please note deposits are nonrefundable.
In the event that the balance has been paid:
-
Cancellations more than 60 days prior to tour – 90% of balance refunded.
-
Cancellations between 30 to 60 days prior to tour – 50% of balance refunded.
-
Cancellations less than 30 days prior to tour – no refunds.
For all inquiries, please do not hesitate to email david@theworldthatwas.org