Explore Jewish Life, Literature and Learning (June 29-July 8, 2025)
Guides: David Bernstein & Jeffrey Saks 

Experience the rich history of Central European Jewry in the setting where it unfolded. Walk in the footsteps of great Jewish leaders, writers, thinkers and rabbis, from the medieval period through the confrontations with modernity, and study their texts and ideas with our outstanding scholars and guides. All tours and lectures in English.

COST
Including roundtrip flights from/to Tel Aviv: US $5,290.00 person/double room.
Without group flights: $4,720.00 person/double room.
(Additional $820.00 for individual in private room.)
See cancellation policies and important travel insurance info (and read the “fine print” below).

 

 

 

 

 

For general inquiries or more information contact Jeffrey Saks at tel. or WhatsApp +972-52-321-4884 / [email protected].

Full-board kosher catering and Shabbat-appropriate itinerary / Luxury hotels in best locations / Expert scholars and guides / Space limited!

GROUP FLIGHTS
ELAL #2523: Depart Ben-Gurion (TLV) on Sunday, June 29 at 5:55pm – Arrive at Vaclec Havel Airport Prague (PRG) at 9:00pm.
ELAL #2368: Depart Budapest Liszt Airport (BUD) on Tuesday, July 8 at 11:35pm – Arrive Ben-Gurion (TLV) on Wednesday, July 9 at 3:40am.
(Those traveling independently should book flights that best coordinate with the Tel Aviv group flights and arriving/departing airports.)

HOTELS
Prague: Majestic Plaza (3 nights)
Vienna: Hilton Plaza (2 nights)
Budapest: Hilton Garden Inn City Centre (4 nights)

ITINERARY (Subject to change) – View the route on our interactive map

Sunday, June 29 (3 Tammuz)
Evening arrival in Prague (ELAL #2523 from Tel Aviv departs 5:55pm arrives Prague 9:00pm)

Monday, June 30 (4 Tammuz) / Prague
We wake up in the enchanting city of Prague and begin our tour at the city’s magnificent Jewish Museum, a campus that is a combination of buildings and artifacts — the largest collection of Judaica in the world from one geographic area. Highlights include a number of beautiful synagogues including the Pinkas Shul and the Old Jewish Cemetery of Prague, burial place of Maharal of Prague, Kli Yakar and other notables. Chevra Kadisha building and Klausen Shul (pending renovation). Lunch followed by the Old Town Square and Astronomical Clock Tower and free time in Old City. We will see the magnificently restored 19th century Spanish Synagogue, built on the site of the earliest known shul in Prague—itself a response to modernity and Maisels Shul. We will visit and pray in Europe’s oldest synagogue, the Atlneushul, built around 1270—according to the legend, the hiding place of the Golem of Prague.

Tuesday, July 1 (5 Tammuz) / Prague
Morning: Prague Castle; Charles Bridge; statue of Maharal at New Town Hall. We will travel outside of Prague to the village of Lidice, site of the Nazi reprisal for the murder of Reinhard Heydrich, head of the SS Main Security Office and one of the architects of the Final Solution. Visit Terezin (Theresienstadt), the ghetto/transit camp for most of Prague Jewry and for much of the intellectual elite of German Jewry. Terezin was known as the “show camp” for the Nazis when the Red Cross came to visit. Return to Prague for dinner.

Wednesday, July 2 (6 Tammuz) / Prague-Vienna
Depart Prague for arrival in Vienna hotel, lunch and visit the Judenplatz, the center of Jewish life in the medieval period, with its exhibits on the important medieval Jewish community, including the archeological finds of the remains of the synagogue from the Middle Ages, and the Staddtempel, the central and oldest synagogue in Vienna, built almost two centuries ago. Dinner followed by a brief guiding in the city center.

Thursday, July 3 (7 Tammuz) / Vienna
Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens, summer residence of the Habsburgs monarchy, often compared to Versailles. Jewish Museum of Vienna followed by a tour of the city center. Free time in afternoon with suggested options: Albertina Art Museum / Albertina Modern / Museum of Fine Arts / Freud Museum / Explore city center. Group dinner and optional evening concert at the Vienna Mozart Orchestra (Musikverein) or free time on the town.

Friday, July 4 (8 Tammuz) / Vienna — Budapest
Walking tour through Leopoldstadt, the heart of Jewish Vienna of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the home of Theodor Herzl, Sigmund Freud, Joseph Roth, Viktor Frankl, and many others.  Travel to Budapest, arriving in time to prepare for Shabbat.  Celebrate Shabbat dinner together at the Carmel Restaurant.

Shabbat, July 5 (Parshat Hukkat) / Budapest
Shabbat prayer options at Chabad (Orthodox) or Dohany (Neolog) synagogues; Shabbat lunch followed by walking tour through the heart of Jewish Budapest, including Rumbach Street Synagogue, memorials, Herzl’s birthplace and return to hotel for rest and relaxation. Toward end of Shabbat walking tour to Zsilipshul for Seuda Shlishit, some “processing time” and a Shiur. Return to hotel for end of Shabbat and Havdala.

Sunday, July 6 (10 Tammuz) / Budapest 
Ghetto Wall. Tour of the largest synagogue in Europe, the famous Dohány Synagogue, including the Jewish Museum, Garden of Remembrance and cemetery, Hero’s Temple, Wallenberg Memorial Garden. Afternoon lunch at Margaret Island with rose garden, bicycle and scooter rentals, and musical fountains. Funicular ride up to Buda Castle Hill, Jewish Quarter and the Medieval Synagogue, Fisherman’s Bastion for panoramic view of the city. Free time with suggested options of Buda Castle, shopping, Market Hall, spa fans can have fun at the famous Szechenyi Baths, or Terror House museum devoted to the Nazi and Communist regimes in Hungary. Dinner followed by evening boat ride on the Danube.

Monday, July 7 (11 Tammuz) / Budapest 
We head out of town to the scenic “Bend in the Danube” where we’ll visit Esztergom (capital of the Kingdom of Hungary from 10-13th centuries) which had one of the oldest Jewish communities in Hungary, continue to Visegrád Citadel with its breathtaking panoramic view of the Danube and its exhibit of medieval royal jewels and weaponry. We’ll end our excursion in the charming village of Szentendre with its lively art scene and plentiful gift shops (and “world’s smallest synagogue”). Return to Budapest for dinner.

Tuesday, July 8 (12 Tammuz)
Hungary’s magnificent Parliament Building. Shoes on the Danube memorial. Then visit the “Heroes Square” and the large and beautiful City garden. Visit the Teleki Shul (in Josephtown neighborhood) which is both a time capsule of Budapest Jewry in 1900 and also a model for the once-again flourishing community, where we will meet some of the community members responsible for revival. End our touring by ascending 150 meters in the City Garden’s Balloon Fly for a final panoramic view before our Farewell Dinner.
We say goodbye to Central Europe on ELAL flight #2368 departs Budapest at 11:35pm and arrives in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, July 9 at 3:40am.

GUIDES & STAFF
Rabbi Jeffrey Saks is the Director of Research at the Agnon House and founding director of ATID and WebYeshiva.org; Series Editor, S.Y. Agnon Library at the Toby Press; and Editor of the journal Tradition. He is a veteran educator, having taught at many institutions in America and Israel, and has published widely on Jewish culture and learning (sample here), and has been leading traveling seminars for years in Israel and locations across Europe.
Dr. David I. Bernstein, the Dean Emeritus of Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, previously served as the director of Midreshet Lindenbaum, and was the director of informal education at the Ramaz Upper School in New York, where he pioneered an integrated world and Jewish history curriculum. Over the last 25 years, he has served as the historian-guide for more than 70 groups on Jewish heritage tours throughout Europe.

Catering & Logistics: Elyakim & Tzippi Italie. Travel arrangements by Yehuda Chen and Shai Bar-Ilan Tours.

For inquiries or more information contact Jeffrey Saks: tel. or WhatsApp +972-52-321-4884 or [email protected]

Praise from participants on Agnon House tours (Ukraine 2018; Lithuania 2019; Central Europe 2022; Portugal 2023; Germany 2023, Poland 2024):
“We were thrilled with the tour leaders because of their knowledge and teaching skills, the way they cared for each person in the group, and their good humor and amiable personalities. Mixing with such an eclectic and friendly group of fellow travelers made for a wonderful journey.”
“Transformative! Above and beyond other trips we’ve taken — like two university semesters in 9 days!” “Eye-opening and educational.”
“A good balance between general history, Jewish history, and related literature. It was very evident that the trip was well thought out in advance and it was executed beautifully.”
“I loved the variety of historical, literary, secular and religious sites and sources. It reflected the diversity and vitality of Jewry at that time and place.”
“ ‘Very Good’ is not good enough to describe the guides. Each of them exhibited vast knowledge and exceptional speaking and teaching ability. [Their] enthusiasm, warmth, helpfulness, and expertise was delightful.”
“We were delighted by the exceptional camaraderie of all our fellow participants—such an interesting, intelligent, kind, and friendly group of people from diverse backgrounds coming together in such a special way really enhanced the trip. We’ve made great new friends and will remain in close touch.”
“The meals and accommodations were far above our expectations.”
“The resources and materials you shared offer a treasure trove for as much further study as one has the time and appetite for. It made for an exceptional integration of learning and experiencing.”

Fine Print:
Are you “up” to it? Traveling can be exhausting. While we design an itinerary mindful of the typical demographic attracted to join our tour, and try to pace the group accordingly, the days are full and you are the best judge of whether or not you are up to traveling with us. While we won’t be hiking the Alps or running marathons, there is a good deal of walking. Ask yourself if you can walk 1.5 km (about a mile) over gently inclined or mostly flat ground (but with occasional patches of cobblestones) in about 25-30 minutes? Are you able to go 2 hours or so on a bus without a bathroom break? COVID: Consult with your physician to determine if a vaccine booster is recommended for you before traveling.
Is this trip for you? Our group typically numbers around 30 or so travelers plus our staff, forming a collegial, open-minded, accepting and respectful assembly of people interested in touring and learning together. While we attract friendly folks from all corners of the Jewish world and everyone is welcome to join us irrespective of his or her level of Jewish observance, the group activities enable traditional halakhic standards, including accommodating full Shabbat observance and Kashrut. Typically there are minyanim 3 times a day for those who wish to join.
Feel free to be in touch with us to discuss any of these issues if you have concerns.
Travel Visas: Please check that your passport is valid for 6 months from the date of departure! Israeli, USA, Canada, UK and EU passport holders do not require travel visas for our destinations. Citizens of other countries should check visa requirements.
Dates: The tour ends in Budapest late in the evening of Tuesday, July 8—group flight touches down in Tel Aviv early in the morning of Wednesday, July 9.

Insurance: It is strongly recommended to purchase comprehensive insurance to cover medical, personal, baggage, and cancellation and to do so at the time you make your first payment or deposit to tour provider or airline (you may not be fully covered if you delay).
Note that all hotels, flights, and itinerary arrangements are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. The itinerary may be impacted by unexpected flight-schedule changes by the airline. If necessary, all efforts will be made to substitute accommodations with equivalent quality.
See important cancellation, refund, and insurance information here.