Jewish heritage tour II
DURATION: 7 DAYS / 6 NIGHTS


The tour includes visit of Minsk, Capital city of Belarus and Vitebsk - the birth-place of the famous Jewish painter Mark Chagall.

DAY 1
Arrive in Minsk. Half-day city tour of Minsk including architectural, historical and cultural monuments of 17th-18th centuries, Troitskoye Predmestye (Trinity Suburb) - restored buildings of the 19th century, modern centre of the city, the local Arts Museum.

Folklore concert "Presentation of Belarus".

DAY 2
Morning Jewish interest tour features sections where Jews used to live, the former GHETTO area, a place of mass execution of Jews during World War II, the "Yama" Memorial, a moving monument commemorating in both Russian and Jiddish the Jews of Minsk killed in World War II.

This is one of the first such monuments on the territory of the CIS countries .

Afternoon Jewish interest tour visits the World War Museum View the halls commemorating the resistance of the Jewish people against Nazi Germany. Meeting the former GHETTO prisoners.

DAY 3
Tour to the Khatyn Memorial (60 km from Minsk), built on the site of the former village of Khatyn one of the 186 Belarusian villages burnt to ashes by the Nazis during World War II.

Meeting the students of Aish HaTorah (Belarus Branch) opened in 1996. The meeting is followed by a concert of popular Jewish music.

DAY 4
Morning pilgrimage to "Maly Trostenets" Memorial Monument, built on the site of the former death camp, where 200000 Jews were martyred.

Shabbat evening service at the Synagogue followed by Shabbat dinner.

DAY 5
Depart for Vitebsk (270 km from Minsk) by a comfortable "Sakub-Holiday" bus or by train. Check-in to the hotel "Vitebsk".

Before World War II, Belarus was one of the local points of European Jewish culture.

Here in the town of Vitebsk the famous Jewish painter Mark Chagall was born, spent his childhood and began to work. Now his paintings hung in the best museums all over the world.

City tour including visit to Mark Chagall Art Centre and the house where the artist lived.

Overnight in Vitebsk.

DAY 6
Depart for Minsk. On the way visit Polotsk (100 km from Vitebsk). City tour and a close look at ancient architectural monuments of Slavic Rus - St.Sophia Cathedral (11 century) Lower and Upper Castles.

Lunch in Polotsk. Check-in to the hotel in Minsk.

Gala dinner. Members of the Minsk Society of Jewish Culture are present..