Sephardic Balkans: Jewish Heritage Trips

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Sephardic Balkans: Jewish Heritage Trips

We offer Jewish heritage tours to the Balkans. We focus on Jewish history, culture, and traditions. Joseph Benatov holds a Ph.D.

Sephardic Balkans: Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Greece

Offered every summer, normally in June

Travel program led by Joseph Benatov

In 1943, Bulgaria complied with German demands and deported nearly 11,400 Jews from occupied territories in northern Greece and Yugoslavia (Macedonia). At the same time, Bulgaria resisted German pressures to deport the 50,000 Jews living in Bulgaria. As we travel,

we will analyze the historical context for these events and will experience first hand the rich Sephardic history and culture of these Jewish communities. Seven overnights in Bulgaria, two in Macedonia, and two in Thessaloniki (Salonika), Greece, will allow us to:

* Explore Sofia and Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s two main cities, and meet their vibrant Jewish communities. Listen to the melodious Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) spoken – and sung! -- by the older generation. Appreciate traditional Sephardi handiwork crafted by women of the “Blessed Hands” group. Savor a rich spread of classical Sephardic dishes, specially prepared for us.

* Navigate the streets and bazaars of North Macedonia’s capital, Skopje, and visit the new Holocaust Memorial and the Bet Yaakov Synagogue. Revel in the beauties of North Macedonia’s most spellbinding city-on-a-lake – Ohrid.

* Enjoy the spectacular beauties of Thessaloniki – “the Jerusalem of the Balkans” – as we visit its two synagogues and the city’s cultural sites.

* Visit Bulgaria’s Rila Monastery, the medieval capital Veliko Turnovo, the Rhodope Mountains, and much, much more. in comparative literature from the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches Hebrew. He is originally from Bulgaria and a member of Sofia’s Jewish community. Joseph has over 10 years of experience leading travelers across Bulgaria, including UNESCO representatives, 92nd Street Y visitors, JDC board members, and Anti-Defamation League officials. He also lectures regularly on the history of Jewish life in Bulgaria and has published on the fate of Bulgaria’s Jews during the Holocaust. Joseph takes a keen interest in Bulgarian cuisine and winemaking, so be prepared for some fine wine-and-dining along the way. For details, contact Joseph at [email protected].

06/14/2025

Explore Jewish Salonica with Sephardic Balkans.

05/26/2025

Good morning from Kotor. Our Jewish tour of Montenegro, Albania, and Corfu starts today. Join us in 2026.

05/23/2025

At the synagogue in Sighisoara. Jewish Romania, Serbia, and Szeged. Join our 2026 Jewish heritage tour.

05/22/2025

Sephardic Balkans Jewish Heritage Tours is in Viscri, Romania. Discover the rich Jewish heritage of Romania. Join us in 2026.

05/14/2025

05/08/2025

Guess which building is the Dubrovnik synagogue. Join our next Jewish tour of Dubrovnik and the rest of Croatia (as well as Sarajevo, Slovenia, and Trieste. sephardicbalkans.com

12/12/2024

Our Jewish tour of Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Greece just got better! Now that Bulgaria is part of the border-free Schengen zone, it will be smooth sailing as we travel from Greece to Bulgaria. Join us! Dates are 9-20 June 2025.

11/24/2024

Join our Bulgaria Food, Wine, and Culture Tour: 24 June-2 July 2025! Save $150 if you book by 31 December!
Details: https://sephardicbalkans.com/

Address

Philadelphia, PA

Telephone

+12679701817

Website

http://sephardicbalkans.com/

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