I hope you will post a review of this trip when you return. I’ve thought about going on this journey, but wondered how being immersed in the horror of this time in history would feel. I’m Jewish and always take a Jewish walking tour while I’m on a tour and it’s always very interesting. I have not been to any camps, but have been to many holocaust museums. Would really like your opinion post trip.
I took the non Jewish version of this tour a few years ago. I’m assuming that the most harrowing part of the tour would be your visit to Auschwitz. It was indeed a haunting place to visit. Tauck gave us all a single red rose to place anywhere we felt was appropriate. Our tour director, who was Jewish, expressed that he felt it was important for us to go on behalf of others who just could not face the horror of it so that this terrible chapter in history would never be forgotten and that we could witness it really did happen. We felt just awful after the visit, we both could barely keep back the tears. Within a year, we went to the famous prison in Cambodia and by the time we had also been to the Museum in Namibia where we learned that Hitler got his ideas about death camps in that country, we realized that man’s inhumanity to man will just never go away.
When we mention to our many Jewish friends that we visited Auschwitz, not one of them felt they could go.
fran - I did the "regular" tour several years ago (2017). I considered doing the Jewish Heritage tour, but decided not to as I thought it would be too depressing. I had visited Dachau many years ago and we visited Auschwitz on this tour. I didn't feel the need to visit additional camps.
At the time I did the tour, besides the additional camps, the only other difference was a visit tp POLIN in Warsaw was included in the Jewish Heritage tour, but not the regular tour. I went to the museum during free time. It was well worth the visit.
I have a different perspective and a deeply personal one for having visited the camps. We, collectively, must never forget what happened and we must never allow such pernicious hate to rise up again. Never.
The non-heritage tour includes many of the Jewish sites including a visit to all 5 synagogues in Prague, a tour of the Jewish quarter in Prague, an optional tour of Aucshwitz (depressing but also fascinating) a visit to Grand synagogue in Budapest etc. We did not feel that it was necessary to overdo the concentration camps. We did do a visit to the Jerusalem Jubilee synagogue on our own.It is very unique because of its bright pastel coloring. It is located just off Wenceslaus square. Our tour director was also very helpful in arranging for a small group excursion to hear a Klezmer concert in Krakow.
One thing I did during a free afternoon in Warsaw, which is included in the Jewish heritage tour, but not the regular tour, is visit POLIN. A great museum.
Comments
I meant to add that we might go to services Friday night, June 2 at the Progressive synagogue if anyone is interested.
I hope you will post a review of this trip when you return. I’ve thought about going on this journey, but wondered how being immersed in the horror of this time in history would feel. I’m Jewish and always take a Jewish walking tour while I’m on a tour and it’s always very interesting. I have not been to any camps, but have been to many holocaust museums. Would really like your opinion post trip.
I took the non Jewish version of this tour a few years ago. I’m assuming that the most harrowing part of the tour would be your visit to Auschwitz. It was indeed a haunting place to visit. Tauck gave us all a single red rose to place anywhere we felt was appropriate. Our tour director, who was Jewish, expressed that he felt it was important for us to go on behalf of others who just could not face the horror of it so that this terrible chapter in history would never be forgotten and that we could witness it really did happen. We felt just awful after the visit, we both could barely keep back the tears. Within a year, we went to the famous prison in Cambodia and by the time we had also been to the Museum in Namibia where we learned that Hitler got his ideas about death camps in that country, we realized that man’s inhumanity to man will just never go away.
When we mention to our many Jewish friends that we visited Auschwitz, not one of them felt they could go.
fran - I did the "regular" tour several years ago (2017). I considered doing the Jewish Heritage tour, but decided not to as I thought it would be too depressing. I had visited Dachau many years ago and we visited Auschwitz on this tour. I didn't feel the need to visit additional camps.
At the time I did the tour, besides the additional camps, the only other difference was a visit tp POLIN in Warsaw was included in the Jewish Heritage tour, but not the regular tour. I went to the museum during free time. It was well worth the visit.
I have a different perspective and a deeply personal one for having visited the camps. We, collectively, must never forget what happened and we must never allow such pernicious hate to rise up again. Never.
The non-heritage tour includes many of the Jewish sites including a visit to all 5 synagogues in Prague, a tour of the Jewish quarter in Prague, an optional tour of Aucshwitz (depressing but also fascinating) a visit to Grand synagogue in Budapest etc. We did not feel that it was necessary to overdo the concentration camps. We did do a visit to the Jerusalem Jubilee synagogue on our own.It is very unique because of its bright pastel coloring. It is located just off Wenceslaus square. Our tour director was also very helpful in arranging for a small group excursion to hear a Klezmer concert in Krakow.
One thing I did during a free afternoon in Warsaw, which is included in the Jewish heritage tour, but not the regular tour, is visit POLIN. A great museum.