Sephardic Balkans:
Trip 1: May 18-29, 2017
11 nights/12 days
Trip 2: June 15-27, 2017
12 nights/13 days
Trip 3: June 14-26, 2018
12 nights/13 days
Save $100: Register for Trip 3 by June 1, 2017
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.
Joseph Benatov holds a Ph.D. 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 15 years of experience leading travelers across the Balkans, 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 Balkan cuisine and winemaking, so be prepared for some fine wine-and-dining along the way.
For details, contact Joseph
at benatov@gmail.com or
267-970-1817
or leave your details
Bulgaria, Macedonia and Northern Greece
Travel program led
by Joseph Benatov
Twelve overnights in Bulgaria, Macedonia,
and 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
Macedonia's capital, Skopje, and visit the
new Holocaust Memorial. Visit Bitola (Monastir) and
its famous Jewish cemetery. Revel in the beauties
of Macedonia’s most spellbinding city-on-a-lake – Ohrid.
Take in the splendor of
the Royal Tombs of Vergina, including
the Great Tumulus of Philip II of Macedon.
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
unique Boyana Church, the
Rhodope Mountains, and much, much
more.
LAND COST: $2980
Trip 1
LAND COST: $3260
Trip 2 & 3
Save $100: Register for Trip 3 by June 1, 2017
Details: benatov@gmail.com or 267.970.1817
Testimonals:
We came back from our Sephardic Balkans trip with all hopes and expectations met and then some. The trip was meticulously prepared, and it unfolded without a glitch or a wrinkle. Joseph was the most informative, patient and attentive of guides, and accommodations, meals, local guides, the bus driver, the itinerary itself . . . all were completely excellent. Probably most memorable of all was the time spent with local Jewish groups in Sofia and Thessaloniki – communal meals with the direct descendants of the Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1492, in whose collective memory the expulsion still seems completely fresh and vivid. Their history (up through the Second World War and the Communist years) turned out to be so interesting and moving, and they were so warm and welcoming – these were encounters we will never forget.
Carol Sabersky and Stephen Lehmann, Swarthmore, PA
The Sephardic Balkans tour led by Joseph Benatov is an incredible and unforgettable experience. It presents Jewish and general history, geography, culture, and gastronomy in Bulgaria, Macedonia, and northern Greece. One learns what was and what is in a part of the world that is both familiar and exotic. The trip is immeasurably enhanced by its leader, Joseph Benatov, who is extraordinarily knowledgeable and caring for each participant.
Ann K. and Joseph L., Wynnewood, PA