Jewish Culture and Tragedy: Poland - Belarus - Lithuania

1 DAY

Arrival to International Airport in Warsaw. Our representative will meet you.

Check-in at hotel. Free time.

Lunch.

“Jewish Warsaw” city tour (~4h):

IAn old legend says, in the 1st century Jewish traders had found out the Poliane country. The name of the new country surprised them, because in Yiddish sounded like «Po-Lin», means, "There, we'll find peace". In a new country, which was recognized as a blessed land by rabbis, Jews found good conditions for the living and business as well.

The Warsaw Jewish community was located in the North-West part of the city called Muranov (Muranow). It was the second biggest diaspora after New York in the world. By knowing this, the Nazis staged here Europe's largest ghetto ... The Holocaust - a terrible tragedy of the Jewish people during The World War II. Sightseeing tour in Warsaw - Memory and Dignity, the Way of Tortures and Resistance of Jews in Warsaw.

Free time. Night at hotel.

2 DAY:

Breakfast. Check out.

Drive to Auschwitz (Oswiecim)-Birkenau  (~315 km).

Auschwitz was the largest and extermination center of the German Nazi , where more than 1, 5 million prisoners were tormented. UNESCO put this place in the World Heritage List as a reminder for people about the most terrible tragedy in the human history had happened here. Everything is kept unchanged there. This place should be visited by everyone.

During the excursion, you will visit both parts of former complex of concentration camps. you will visit exposition of the main camp with it's sad history, statistics, biography, and photomaterials. In the second part of the tour excursion goes through the territory of the Birkenau with its huge gas chambers, former inspection barracks,  ramps and crematoria.

Drive to Krakow (~70 km).Check-in at hotel.

Dinner.

3 DAY

Breakfast

“Old Krakow” walking tour (~1,5h): you will walk on “Royal Route” that used to be the entrance for Polish kings to “Wawel castle” residency. There was Kleparz town (known as the Floriańska Gate) in front of the entrance to Krakow. The route leads through circular fortress Barbican and to the main market`s square -“Rynek”. During the walking  tour, you will get acquaintance with  main sights of historical city center and it will be easy to orient when you have free time.

Excursion   in   Kazimierz-Jewish   section  (~2h): Kazimierz used to be independent town until XIX century. Since 1495 until 1941 Jews had lived in North-Eastern part of the town (they had to move there). Stone wall separated Jewish section “oppidum iudaeorum” from Christian part of the town. Christianity and Judaism existed peacefully during several centuries.

During the excursion you will know how Jewa lived, including the second World War. You will visit the Remuh Synagogue, Jewish cemetery, Ghetto Heroes square in Podgorze district.

Lunch.

Free time.Night at hotel.

4 DAY

Breakfast. Check-out.

Arrival to Lublin (~310 km).

Lublin is unique medieval city with manufactures, city halls, market squares and fortresses that reflects several periods. For instance, Krakow Gates (XIV – XIX) include Gothic, Renaissance and Barocco. Everyday at 12 o`clock window was opened and a city trumpeter played Heinal - what has been happening till nowadays!

Small walking tour “Lublin is a city of cultures” in historical center.

Visit concentration camp “Maidanek” (the second greatest camp of Hitler`s Germany during the Second World War after Audchwitz). Nowadays it works as opened-air museum with exhibits on large territory. It`s a real monument of human fanaticism.

Drive to Poland-Belarus border.

Late arrival to Brest (175 km). Check-in at hotel.

5 DAY

Breakfast.

Brest City-tour (~1,5h) tells you about history of the city and its inhabitants, as well. In XVI century Brest was named as Jewish capital of Great Lithuania, and in 1860 there were just 8829 people in Brest-Litovsk. Among them 7510 were Jewish. But during The World War II, Brest Ghetto was organized, almost all its people were killed for the time of Holocaust.

“Jews of Brest” Museum(~0,5h): the main exposition tells you about Brest Jewish community life in the XX century. Since 1920 exposition, devoted to Holocaust, was organized. It tells you about tragic time in history of Brest Ghetto, famous people, including Menachem Begin who won the Nobel Peace Prize and took part in creation of the State of Israel. The most remarkable museum rarities are part of the Torah roll (XIX century), it was founded on the garret of one of the buildings in Brest; textbook for boys (published in 1858)  the main idea of which was to teach them basic Judaism; “Laws of prayers and aspects of the Religious Behavior of Jews in Synagogue” was published in Warsaw in 1858.

Lunch.

Drive to Kamenets (~38 km) – small town with 700-years history.
Walking tour and visit of Yeshiva and Synagogue.
Tour in Kamenetskaya Vezha and scenic view point visit.
Kamenetskaya Vezha– typical building of 13-17 centuries in Belarus. Brest, Grodno, Mstislavl, Myadel, Novogrudok, Polotsk, Radoshkovichi, Turov, Shklov used to have similar towers but the only one still exists in Kamenets, this is the reason why it's considered to be unique all over Eastern Slavic areas.
Drive back to Brest. Check-in at the hotel.

6 DAY

Breakfast. Check out.
Arrival to Mir (~260 km) – multi-religious town, center of handicrafts and trade, this town is world-known by its rich history and heritage.
Mir tour: Jews inhabited Mir in XVII century. Jews were governed by communities-Kahals, they had their own chairmen, court and they formed basis of merchant class. Mir has saved many objects reminded those times: complex of Synagogue buildings, Main and "Warm" (Merchant) Synagogues, religious elementary school-Cheder and Yeshiva, kahal's building, bank and many others.
Visit Jewish cemetery and Rabbi Yeruchem Leibovitz grave–spiritual leader of "Mir" yeshiva. In Belarus and abroad authority of Mir Yeshiva was very strong. In 1920-1930 there were about 400 students from all over the world.
Visit exposition "Ghetto in Mir Castle", that tells about culture of Jews, describes that tragedy what people faced with during Holocaust time and history of the town in time of the war. In the memory of dead inhabitants of the town, besides, you can find a book of ghetto victims.
Excursion in Mir Castle – is in UNESCO list, symbol of Belarus, the most famous castle of Radzivilov dynasty.
Lunch.
Excursion around Niasvizh.
Nesvizh castle is UNESCO sight and one of the oldest surviving castles in Belarus. Main sights of the town are Nesvizh Town hall, Complex of the former Benedictine and Bernardine monasteries, Radzivills' family burial-vault – the greatest one in Europe.
Drive to Minsk (120 km).
Check in the hotel.

7 DAY

Breakfast.
Jewish Minsk City tour (~2,5h). During excursion, you will visit historical and religion sights related to Jews history and culture in Minsk – Svobody Square, Rakovskoye Predmestye (Rakovskoye surburb), Yubileynaya Square, Old Jewish cemetery. A lot of places are connected to Holocaust period and Minsk Ghetto – one of the largest Ghetto in Europe, the monument "Yama" – symbol of murdered Jews in Belarus during The World War II.
Lunch.
Visit Jewish History and Culture Museum of Belarus (~1h): museum possesse a wide collection of more than 15 000 exhibits: photographs, unique documents, films and artifacts related to the centuries-old
history of Belarusian Jews. The mission of the Museum is to save and transfer historic and cultural heritage of Jews to new generations. Museum constantly looks for evidence of Jews survival during nazi occupation period in Belarus and solicits Yad Vashem museum for giving survivals the rank of Righteous of the World Nations.
Free time. Night at the hotel.

8 DAY

Breakfast. Check-out.

Transfer to Kreva (~112 km)
Ancient town Kreva famous with historical events that took place here in XII-XII centuries. You will see the ruins of Kreva Castle, where Kreva Union between Grand Duchy of Lithuania and The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was signed. Visiting of old Mikvah – the only one building of a ritual pool saved in Belarus. As well, visiting of old synagogue, ieshiva, kheder.
Drive to Golshany (~23 km).
Golshany city tour, visiting Golshany Palace (~2 hours). The settlement Golshany was first mentioned in the "Bychovets Chronicles" in 1280. It was property of Lithuanian dukes. Mail tourist sights – the Jewish quarter, old streets, Golshany Palace - Stefan Sapieha residence and legendary Black Castle.
Lunch.
Drive to Oshmiany (~23 km). City tour.
An ancient settlement, Oshmiany is an exceptional connection between old historical buildings and modern convenient infrastructures. It has numerous places of interest, dating back to the 18-19th century. Visiting a unique synagogue building built in 1912, remained until our days in excellent condition.
Drive to Vilnius (~55 km)
Pass borders Belarus-Lithuania
Arrival to Vilnius (~170 km).
Check-in. Night at hotel.

9 DAY

Breakfast. Check-out.

“Jewish Heritage of Vilnius” (~3h): Jews have been living in Lithuania for almost 700 years.They created rich and diverse culture. Vilnius hosted very famous Jewish scientists and Rabbis. It used to be called as “North Jerusalem”. Holocaust was real tragedy of The World War II for the city, so tourists can see signs of Jewish culture, functioned cultural centers, Synagogues etc.

“Panerai” Memorial Museum” (~1h): this memorial is devoted to Nazism victims. Mass killings of Jews from Vilnius, Soviet prisoners of war were in Pomarah forests (suburbs of Vilnius)

Lunch.

Transfer to International Vilnius Airport.