Tour Option

Jewish Heritage, Heritage & Music - Bologna, Verona, Florence, Venice & Lake Garda 

 

Tu 01 July: Arrive at your hotel, check-in, dinner & orientation 

 

We 02 July - Bologna: Today we depart our hotel for the city of Bologna, where we will explore the cities Jewish history & heritage.  

 

Bologna: The layout of Bologna's 16th century ghetto can still be precisely traced amid the narrow streets in the medieval heart of the city: here, a maze of alleys, covered bridges and small windows tells the story of a whole community forced to live in a specific area of the town by order of the Papal State beginning from 1556. In Bologna, Jews lived in the ghetto until 1569, when they were expelled for the first time. In 1586, they were allowed to come back to town and lived here again until 1593, year of their final expulsion: 900 people left Bologna and no Jewish community was allowed into town for more than two centuries. Entrances to the Jewish quarter were opened in the morning, sealed at dusk and constantly watched: one entrance was at the beginning of via de' Giudei, a second one at the intersection between via del Carro and via Zamboni, a third one in via Oberdan, where an arch looks onto vicolo Mandria. The ghetto is undoubtedly one of the most charming areas in town enlivened with artisan workshops and encircled by palaces which belonged to rich Jewish merchants and bankers.  

 

Th 03 July - Day at leisure evening Opera Aida: Today will be at leisure to explore the many area activities or just rest and relax at the hotel. In the evening we depart for Verona to attend the opera Aida. 

 

Fr 04 July - Lake Garda: This morning we will take a relaxing drive around the Lake Garda stopping at various places such as Sirmione, where we can explore the castle and famous Roman ruins.  

 

Sa 05 July - Shabbat: Today we will have Shabbat services and lecture series and program by our Rabbi.  

 

Su 06 July – Florence: This morning we depart our hotel and head for the city of Florence. Tour begins at the synagogue where we will be given an introduction to Florence Jewish history and explore the beautiful Synagogue and Jewish Museum. Continue with a walking tour to the city center to discover the unexpected presence of Jewish history in some of the most famous landmarks such as Duomo area (outdoor) and Baptistery’s ‘Gates of Paradise’ with Tanach stories, Piazza della Republica where the ghetto once stood, Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio area where ‘Via dei Giudei’ (the ‘Jews’ street’) was located. Then on to the Academia Gallery, where we can see David and many other beautiful works of art. After, if we have time we can stroll to the many bridges across the river Arno, before heading back to our hotel.  

 

Mo 07 July – Venice: This morning we leave to spend the day in Venice.  

 

Upon arrival we will embark on a canal cruise by water taxi: the Garda Canal, with its wonderful palaces, residences of the richest families throughout the centuries and the Giudecca Canal, with a glimpse to the most ancient place where the Venetians are still buildings Gondolas, the Squero of St. Trovaso, active since the XVI century. From there we embark on a walking tour through the hidden Venice, discovering curious corners of the city, full of charm and history, to end up in the Jewish Ghetto. Spend the first part of the tour with your guide, than continue with a tour of the Synagogues. We will continue to the Cannaregio and Ghetto where we visit the Cannaregio area, passing by the house of Marco Polo, the house of our famous painter Tintoretto, a fine view of the north of the Lagoon, to end up in the Ghetto to learn the unique history of the Jewish community in Venice, what life was for the Jews throughout the centuries and the role they played in Venetian society. After a most interesting day we depart Venice to return to our hotel  

 

Tu 08 July: Day at leisure to explore the many activities surrounding Lake Garda.  

 

We 09 July – Verona, evening Turandot Opera: Morning at leisure the afternoon departure to Verona, where you can explore on your own before entrance to the opera Turandot. 

 

We 10 July – Departure

 

Food & Kashrut: All daily kosher meals will be freshly prepared in our own on site kosher kitchens by the renowned chef Malcolm Green and his team. The whole tour will be supervised by our Rav Mashgiach Rabbi Stewart Weiss. He received his Semicha at the Hebrew Theological College (Bet Midrash L’Torah in Skokie, Illinois as well as an M.A. from the University of Illinois in English Literature. He served congregations in Chicago and Dallas, Texas and was head Jewish chaplain at Chicago’s Rush Medical Center. Since making Aliyah in 1992, Rabbi Weiss has directed the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra’anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new Olim. Rabbi Weiss is a regular columnist for the Jerusalem Post and Arutz Sheva, and lectures frequently in Israel, the United States and South Africa. When not on land, he is frequently at sea, having led more than 50 kosher cruises all over the world over the past decade. Rabbi Weiss is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America and the Chicago Rabbinical and certified in Hashgacha by Israel.   

 

Chef Malcolm Green: Malcolm has been in the catering and hotel business since 1970. He ran his own 80 bedroom kosher hotel in the U.K. for five years. He was the Executive kosher chef for the Orient Lines Cruise Company for five years and is also currently Executive kosher chef for Kosher Cruise Experiences of New York and Ophir Tours of Israel. He has also taken over and run a hotel in the U.K. for Pesach for the past 23 years. Malcolm has catered in six of the seven continents. He holds Kashrut licenses in Israel (Netanya) and in the U.K. (KLBD). He caters in both countries and is one of the kosher world’s leading caterers.  

 

Getting to Lake Garda: Lake Garda is in a strategic position within easy reach of the principle national and international airports, the nearest being Verona-Villafranca, approximately 15 km, and Brescia-Montichiari, 30 km. Both are situated south of the lake and are connected to the Verona and Brescia railway stations by an airport coach service. We are offering airport pick-up at the Verona International Airport. 1 transfer time will be included in the cost of the tour please call for details.  

 

Another important airport is Bergamo-Orio al Serio, about 80 km from the lake. Personalized transfer services are available to and from all the localities on the lake. The Milan (Linate and Malpensa) and Venice airports are about 100 km from Lake Garda.