Exclusive Destination Management Services
Jewish Interests Tours
We offer several tours of Jewish interest. Some are in Prague, some are outside of Prague. Please click on them below.
Prague Jewish Quarter - a 3-4 hour tour with a professional, English speaking guide through all the Jewish sites in the Old Town of Prague such as the Old New Synagogue, the Burial Society building, the Klaus Synagogue and the Spanish Synagogue. The Jerusalem Synagogue can be included if open.
Terezin Memorial – a former concentration camp - 1 hour drive from Prague
Bohemian Adventure - a 9 day tour around Bohemia with stops in other towns of significant Jewish interest as well as Prague.
Please note, all Jewish sites of Prague and in the Czech Republic, as well as the crematorium in Terezin is closed during Sabbath - Saturdays. They are also closed during some Jewish holidays.
Brief Jewish history of Prague and the Czech Republic:
Prague and the Czech Republic has had a long, religious history. The majority of the inhabitants became Christians after Borivoj, one of the early kings, was baptized and the pagans were “convinced” or defeated. Jewish people came to Prague a few hundred years later, invited by the kings, and settled here. Even though in a minority, the Jewish population of Prague was an important part of it's history. The kings conferred with the prominent Jews such as Rabi Loew and other. They were their bankers, advisors and held important positions in the royal court. As many as 160,000 Jews lived in Bohemia and Moravia at it's peak and influenced their culture and way of life. However, the differences between the religions were a reason for clashes and conflicts, often resulting in the infamous “pogroms”. World War II brought on the most hideous of these. Hitler gave orders to have all Jewish people of Bohemia and Moravia sent to Terezin, a concentration camp and from there, they were sent further to Auschwitz and their deaths.
Communism (1948-1989) was an ideology that was against all religions and the synagogues as well as churches were ignored by the political regime. Some churches were open and the artistic expression was the preferred way of showing them, not the spiritual side of them. Many priests were persecuted by the communists and many lost their lives. The Jewish sites were mostly closed altogether. People that wanted to practice their religion were often “stepped over” when a higher position or a better place to live or any “perk” was distributed by the appointed governmental workers.
In 1989, when democracy came back to then Czechoslovakia, the Jewish congregation of the world came and successfully claimed the Jewish sites. They invested huge sums to refurbish them. The Old New Synagague is the oldest in Europe, built in 1270, the Spanish is again a stunning show of gold and Moorish architecture, the Old Jewish Cemetery, nestled in the middle of the old city, is an unusual site of headstones gone wild.
The Jewish Museum in Prague is a collection of buildings and sites that came together under one authority and one entrance fee. They are all former working synagogues, however now serve as a museum.
Sites are closed each Saturday for Sabbath and during Jewish holidays.
