Overview
In the words of Jewish comedian and legendary New Yorker Lenny Bruce, “It doesn’t matter even if you’re Catholic; if you live in New York, you’re Jewish.” The greatest city in the world, once entirely transformed by Jewish immigrants, is still the center of modern Jewish culture: the birthplace of Zabar’s, B’nai B’rith, Sandy Kofax, Bella Abzug, and Seinfeld. This is where Jewish refugees arrived after escaping the horrors of Europe, flooding Ellis Island under the shadow of The Statue of Liberty, with a sonnet by Jewish poet Emma Lazarus welcoming them: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”
The Big Apple remains America’s greatest Jewish city, with the largest population of Jewish people anywhere outside of Israel. Though a complete accounting of our history in this town would fill volumes and require years, this whirlwind four-day trip will immerse you in the very best of Jewish New York. Our curated tour lets you experience the most cherished Jewish restaurants, museums, and institutions. We’ll see vibrant Jewish landmarks, both past and present, while staying at a luxury New York hotel. We’ll visit the Lower East Side, the Tenement Museum, the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Jewish Museum, and the Museum of Jewish Heritage, and even hear direct testimony from a Holocaust survivor, a witness to history, at the Keeping History Center.
Highlights
- A private reception at the Museum of Jewish Heritage with the museum’s president & CEO and a presentation from a Holocaust survivor.
- A private tour of the museum’s exhibition, “The Holocaust: What Hate Can Do” followed by a kosher meal in the museum’s restaurant, LOX at Cafe Bergson.
- A walking tour of the Lower East Side, followed by an immersive tour of the Tenement Museum.
- A special visit to the Library at the Jewish Theological Seminary and a private tour of the Jewish Museum.
- A special guided tour of Ellis Island, including access to parts that have been closed to the public for 60 years.
- Three nights of deluxe accommodations at the luxurious Mr. C Seaport hotel, overlooking the East River, Brooklyn Bridge, and the New York City skyline.
- Dining experiences at iconic New York delis and historic Jewish culinary locations.
Itinerary
Sunday, April 30 | Museum of Jewish Heritage
Our program begins with an opportunity to drop off luggage at the Mr. C Seaport, a 4-star deluxe hotel located in the historic district of South Street Seaport. From there, we’ll travel to the Museum of Jewish Heritage, a living memorial to the Holocaust, located in Battery Park City. We’ll receive a guided walking tour of the area to learn about its history, followed by a special private opening and tour of the museum’s current exhibitions, installations, and permanent collections.
In the evening, we’ll be joined by the museum’s president and CEO, Jack Kliger, for a private reception, including dinner, to discuss the institution’s history and its mission: to educate people of all ages and backgrounds about the broad tapestry of Jewish life in the 20th and 21st centuries — before, after, and during the Holocaust. In the evening, we will return to our hotel to check in. The remainder of the evening is free for you to relax or explore the cobblestone streets and lively nightlife of the neighborhood.
Monday, May 1 | Jewish History in New York (breakfast and lunch included)
Our day will begin with a special visit to the Library at the Jewish Theological Seminary, one of the greatest Judaic studies libraries in the world, with 400,000 circulating volumes and the world’s largest collection of Hebrew manuscripts. We will tour this world-renowned assemblage under the guidance of the library’s director, Dr. David Kraemer, professor of Talmud and Rabbinics. We’ll then receive a private guided tour of the Jewish Museum, the first institution of its kind in the United States and one of the oldest Jewish museums in the world, with a collection of nearly 30,000 works of art, ceremonial objects, and media reflecting the global Jewish experience over more than 4,000 years.
After lunch, we will be joined by the executive director of JewishGen, the nonprofit “global home” for Jewish genealogy, with unparalleled access to millions of records, award-winning resources, and historical offerings. Avraham Groll will speak with us about the organization, its expanding resources, and how JewishGen transcends basic genealogy to connect people to their Jewish history and heritage.
Tuesday, May 2 | Living History (breakfast, lunch, and dinner included)
In the morning, we’ll receive a guided tour of Ellis Island, including special access to the island’s south side, which has been closed to the public for 60 years. We will then return to the Museum of Jewish Heritage for a private presentation at the Museum’s Living History Center, where a survivor, a witness to history, will share their story with us.
Wednesday, May 3 | Lower East Side (breakfast and lunch included)
In the morning, we’ll check out of the hotel before heading out to the Lower East Side, once the primary neighborhood for Jewish immigrants from Europe — the capital for Jewish America at the turn of the 20th century. On our guided walking tour, we’ll grab a nosh at Katz’s Delicatessen, famous for being the oldest deli in New York (and even more famous for its appearance in the film When Harry Met Sally). Afterward, we’ll join an immersive tour at the Tenement Museum to explore life in this neighborhood a century ago. Finally, we’ll enjoy a special celebratory lunch and bid farewell to our fellow tr
Gallery
Meet and learn from…
Accommodations
Mr. C Seaport Hotel
Opened in 2018 by the Cipriani brothers (of the Cipriani restaurant empire), this contemporary-yet-classic retreat mixes modern European hospitality with refined Italian fare — all in a setting that is “unmistakably New York.” The boutique 66-room property is on the corner of two cobblestone streets, a stone’s throw from the Brooklyn Bridge, shopping, and major sights — and just a 13-minute walk to Ground Zero. Rooms are furnished with sleek handmade Italian furniture made exclusively for the hotel. A quiet oasis hideaway in the bustling downtown area.
Details
Program Cost: $1,990* includes:
- 3 nights’ accommodations at deluxe hotels
- Full breakfast daily; 3 lunches; 1 reception; 1 dinner
- All group transportation
- All lectures, guided tours, museums, and site entrance fees
*Per person, double occupancy; single supplement: $840. Fees not included: Gratuities: $65. Museum of Jewish Heritage membership for nonmembers: $54.
Secure your place
Book Now: use the link below to reach our easy online booking form.
By phone: 845-256-0197 Monday–Friday, 10am–4pm EST.
Payment Reserve your space with a nonrefundable deposit of $500 per person. Final balance is due 120 days prior to departure.
Membership Tours offered by the Museum of Jewish Heritage are available to active members. The individual annual membership is $54 and will be collected at the time of final payment for any nonmembers. To see the list of benefits, visit the museum’s website.
Participation Tour sizes are limited to 26 participants unless otherwise noted. Trips entail considerable walking including over uneven terrain. Participants need to be in good health, be able to keep up with the group, be able to experience group and cultural differences with grace, and be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Please let us know if you have any physical conditions that may require special attention while on tour.
Cancellations All cancellations must be received by Jewish Heritage Travel in writing. Cancellations received 120 days or more prior to departure: full refund less nonrefundable deposits, per person; 119–60 days prior to departure: 50% refund per person after nonrefundable deposits. 59–0 days before departure: no refund.
Trip Cancellation Insurance Jewish Heritage Travel strongly urges all participants to purchase travel insurance for coverage of losses necessitated by having to cancel due to illness or accident. For your convenience, we are providing a link to Allianz Global Assistance, which many past participants have used. Please use code ACCAM/Agency ID# F026815 or feel free to use your own insurance agent. When purchasing insurance, please consider the plans carefully to familiarize yourself with what is covered. In this context, do take note that most insurance companies generally will waive exclusion for preexisting conditions only if your application is received by them within 14 days from the date of your program registration. If you have a preexisting medical condition and are interested in taking trip insurance, you should do so either with Allianz or through your own insurance agent within 14 days of registration.
Changes All rights are reserved by Jewish Heritage Travel to make scholar substitutions and/or to modify the itinerary (including hotels) as needed. Every reasonable effort will be made to operate the program as planned; however, should unforeseen world events and conditions require the itinerary to be altered, Jewish Heritage Travel reserves the right to do so for the safety and best interest of the group. Any extra expenses incurred in this situation are the responsibility of the participant.
Disclaimer of Responsibility By registering for this program, participant specifically waives any and all claims of action against the Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Jewish Heritage Travel office and their respective staffs for damages, loss, injury, accident, or death incurred by any person in connection with this tour. The Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Jewish Heritage Travel office and their respective staffs assume no responsibility or liability in connection with the service of any train, vessel, carriage, aircraft, or other conveyance that may be used wholly or in part in the performance of their duty to the passengers. Neither will the Museum of Jewish Heritage or the Jewish Heritage Travel office or their staffs be responsible for any injury, death, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity through neglect or default of any company or person engaged in carrying out the purposes for which tickets, vouchers, or coupons are issued. No responsibility is accepted for losses or expenses due to sickness, viruses, weather, strikes, wars, and other causes. In the event it becomes necessary or advisable for any reason whatsoever to alter the itinerary or arrangements, including hotels or scholars, such alterations may be made without penalty. All rights reserved to require any participant to withdraw from the tour at his/her own expense when such an action is determined by the tour staff to be in the best interest of the participant’s health and safety and that of the group in general. Prices subject to change. Cost in effect at time of registration will be honored
