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✈ Nice, France

August 4th, 2010 | View Comments | Posted in Europe, France

Contributed by: Michelle Szpilzinger | Last Visited: June 2010

Nice

Kosher Info: Nice has a small Jewish community and a few restaurants and kosher shops. There are two good and mostly (but not entirely) accurate sites that list kosher places in France. One is 123 Kosher and the other is Kosher in France. As with almost all of Europe, most places close during midday.

I have made a Google Map showing all of the restaurants and shops that I know about. The ones that don’t have numbers are ones I didn’t get a chance to check and make sure still exist. If you see a listing for something called “Anat” I can tell you firsthand that it either doesn’t exist or has moved to a different address that isn’t listed. I was also in the area where something called “Le Keter” would have been and didn’t see it.

There is a previous entry about Nice that gives a nice review of Chez Arthur, but even though it was right next door to our hotel, we didn’t get a chance to eat there. We did pick up croissants every day at Le Kineret. They also carry other breads, pastries, and takeout and have a small (meat) restaurant in the back.

We went to Le Leviathan for lunch on our first day in Nice and they informed us that they only had pizza at that time. This was fine as the pizza was delicious. A few days later we had dinner there and got tuna steaks and salmon fillets. All of it was excellent and very reasonably priced.

Lechem Chamaym is the Chabad restaurant and it’s also very good and reasonably priced. The pasta was excellent and they had crepe desserts. When we went there we also inquired about meals for Shabbat and they were able to set us up for both meals.

For those in need of ice cream, there is a Haagen Dazs cafe in a pedestrian zone on the corner of Rue Massena and Rue Magenta that has a freezer with packaged bars that have an OU.

The hotel we stayed in was Hotel Aria, right next door to Chez Arthur. We chose it because they use regular keys so there is no worry for Shabbat, though the front door is automatic. If you’re there for Shabbat just tell the staff and they will make sure to open the door for you manually to get in to the building. The hotel is in an older building and is not what one would call lavish, but if you just want someplace serviceable to sleep and don’t plan to spend a lot of time in the hotel, it’s fine. The rooms do have small fridges.

Tourist Info:Nice is a beautiful city with an Italian flare, having only joined France in 1860. The Old Town has the colorful buildings and narrow streets one would expect to see in any Italian city. The beach is beautiful (but rocky — no sand here) and anyone in Nice should take a relaxing stroll along the beachfront promenade called the Boulevard des Anglais. Be forewarned — this is the south of France, and some women do go topless on the beach. But if you stay on the promenade and don’t look down to the beach itself, you can avoid seeing anything you don’t want to. There is also an excellent Chagall Museum as well as a Matisse Museum, both easily reachable by bus. Near the Matisse Museum is an archaeology museum with some Roman ruins for Ancient Rome aficionados (although some of them are currently closed and can only be seen through the window of the museum.) For the kosher traveler, Nice makes an excellent base from which to explore the French Riviera as Monaco, Antibes, Cannes, Villefranche sur Mer, and other sites are only a short train or bus ride away.

Jewish Info: Nice has a small, quiet Jewish community. We didn’t really encounter much outside of Chabad and at the kosher shops and restaurants.

The hotel we stayed in was Hotel Aria, right next door to Chez Arthur. We chose it because they use regular keys so there is no worry for Shabbat, though the front door is automatic. If you’re there for Shabbat just tell the staff and they will make sure to open the door for you manually to get in to the building. The hotel is in an older building and is not what one would call lavish, but if you just want someplace serviceable to sleep and don’t plan to spend a lot of time in the hotel, it’s fine. The rooms do have small fridges.

Anyone needing Shabbat meals should contact Chabad.

If you want to stay in for Shabbat and have a place to keep and refrigerate food, the kosher groceries listed have deli, cheeses, wine, snacks, etc.

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✈ Paris, France

July 15th, 2010 | View Comments | Posted in Europe, France

Contributed by: Rachael Abrams | Last Date of Travel: June 2010

Kosher Info: With a large Jewish community, Paris provides a wide variety of Kosher restaurants. It is nice to stay in one of the most incredible cities in the world, knowing there’s a good kosher boulangerie nearby. The beauty of Paris lies beyond the architecture and the Louvre—you can find it in just about any restaurant.

My favorite in the Le Marais district, is L’As Du Fallafel. This hole-in-the-wall falafel spot, has some of the best falafel. With perfect pita, the Israeli salad and hummus provides you with a comforting meal. Eat on the streets for a real Parisian experience. The wait can be up to an hour, but the delicious schwarma and falafel is worth it. If you’re in the mood for something sweet there are many Kosher bakeries close by.

Recommended Restaurants:

  • L’As Du Fallafel- 34, rue des Rosiers 75004 (tel: 01.48.87.63.60)
  • Kavod- 26, rue Jean Mermoz 75008 (tel: 01.42.25.65.26)
  • Gaspard- 84, rue Lauriston 75016 (tel:01.45.05.31.89)
  • Cook- 27, avenue Niel 75017 (tel: 01.42.67.36.54)
  • Le Relais Sucré- 69, rue Manin 75019 (tel: 01 42 41 20 98)
  • Urban sushi- 44, rue Jouffroy d’Abbans 75017 (tel: 01.43.80.08.00)
  • La stella- 158, avenue Daumesnil 75012 (tel: 01.43.47.18.68)
  • Au Grand Méchant Louvre- 24, quai du Louvre 75001 (tel: 01.42.33.25.53)
  • Le 17- 28, rue Poncelet 75017 Paris (tel: 01.42.67.21.05)
  • Le Petit Télégraphe- 3, rue des Forges 75002 (tel: 01.42.36.40.83)
  • Darjeeling- 1, rue des Colonels Renard 75017 (tel: 01.45.72.09.32)
  • Le Chateaubriand- 125, rue de Tocqueville 75017 (tel: 01.47.63.96.90)
  • O You- 164, avenue Daumesnil 75012 (tel: 01.43.07.68.97)
  • Osmose- 31, avenue de Versailles 75016 (tel: 01.45.20.74.12)
  • Tutti Quanti- 18, esplanade des Abymes 94000 (tel: 01.43.99.41.03)
  • Ventura Avenue- 98, avenue des Ternes 75017 (tel: 01.74.30.62.02)
  • Burgar Bar 231- 231, boulevard Voltaire 75011 (tel: 01.43.73.02.02)
  • Le Lotus de Nissane- 39, rue Amelot 75011 (tel: 01.43.55.80.42)
  • TLV- 92, rue Saint-Maur 75011 (tel: 01.74.30.93.24)
  • Allo Sarina- 38, rue Curial 75019 (tel: 01.40.35.08.98)


Tourist Info:
There’s no better way to describe Paris than using the word “magical.” This city is full of charm, life and everything lovely. The Louvre is definitely a must-see as well as relaxing in the tuileries (the gardens behind the museum).

One of my favorite museums, which I continue to dream about is Musée de l’Orangerie. In this small gallery, there is a large collection of Monet’s work. If you like modern art, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve visited the Centre Pompidou. Its tantamount structure was enough for me, but if you like contemporary and unusually dark art, this is the place for you.

In the Le Marais district you can find many Jewish gift shops. There’s a Jewish museum, full of beautiful artifacts from synagogues before WWII. There is also a Holocaust museum and memorial close by. Today, Paris is full of life and the Jewish community is vibrant. There is no reason to feel uncomfortable as a Jew in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. With all of the mezuzas on the doorposts, young men in kipot, and Kosher establishments you will feel right at home…as long as you can speak the language (bring a pocket dictionary).

  • Louvre Museum (1 Place André Malraux)- Allot a good amount of time for the Louvre. This enormous museum is full of incredible art from just about every era around the world. The architecture is absolutely breathtaking.
  • Musée de l’Orangerie (Jardin des Tuileries)- A significant amount of Monet’s water lilies are displayed elegantly at this fine museum. If you didn’t have the chance to visit the gardens during your visit to the Louvre, stop by the Tuileries after.
  • Centre Pompidou (Place Georges Pompidou)- The building is quite a spectacle, with escalators taking you to each floor and providing magnificent views of Paris along the way. If you don’t care for modern art, I recommend a quick visit just to see the outside.
  • Musée d’art et d’histoire du Judaisme (71 Rue du Temple)- Visit this Jewish museum for a rich history of the Jewish art in France. Use the audio headset for a nice tour and on the way out, relax in the beautiful courtyard.
  • Mémorial de la Shoah (17, rue Geoffroy-l’Asnier)- Museum and memorial dedicated to the European Jews who died in the Holocaust. Definitely worth going to.

Jewish Info: I spent shabbat with a friend, and enjoyed a traditional Tunisian Sephardic Shabbat meal. With a strong Jewish population, there are many synagogues in Paris (many Sephardic synagogues in particular). A Chabad house is located on the renowned Champs Elysées. During my travels I saw many mezuzas, kipot and Jewish stars—even on the metro. Listing of Chabads in the Paris area.

Bon Voyage!

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✈ Cannes, France

July 7th, 2010 | View Comments | Posted in Europe, France

Contributed by: Michelle Szpilzinger | Last Visited: June 2010

Kosher Info: This is a Google Map I made of kosher places. There are two kosher restaurants in Cannes.

Le Tovel is a very nice meat restaurant run by Chabad that has indoor and outdoor seating and is just a few blocks inland from the beach. My friend ordered lamb and I ordered a steak. Both were excellent. We did not see them, but other friends who have been there say the restaurant has menus in Hebrew. (We only saw the French ones.)

Kitchen is just down the street from Le Tovel. It serves French cuisine and has what looked like a very good (but somewhat more limited) menu.

The kosher grocery listed was closed when we went there (at about 2pm) and I have no idea what their hours are. We took a peak inside and saw the usual kosher packaged products and snacks but couldn’t tell if they had refrigerated products. We were not able to check to see if the butcher store exists or what they have.

There is a Haagen Dazs on La Croisette across from the festival hall with packaged bars that have an OU.

Tourist Info: Cannes’s claim to fame is the yearly Cannes Film Festival which runs in May. If you go during festival time, you might want to book a year in advance and expect huge crowds. In early June it’s a lovely, pleasant place to visit and you can walk the red carpet (or blue carpet when we were there) of the Palais des Festivals and pretend to be a movie star yourself. Just outside the festival hall is a Hollywood Walk of Fame style row of handprints from many international movie stars.

Those interested in history will want to climb up to Le Suquet, Cannes’s historic core, but most just come to shop and browse at the fancy designer stores and hotels along Boulevard de La Croisette, Cannes’s beachfront promenade. You can also take a ferry to Ile St. Marguerite, a pleasant island nearby with nice views, parks, and the fort and building that once held the famous “Man in the Iron Mask.”

Jewish Info: We were not in Cannes for Shabbat, but you can probably contact Chabad for meals and resources. We did see a fairly large Synagogue near the train station, but it was closed when we were there.

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✈ Florence, Italy

June 21st, 2010 | View Comments | Posted in Europe, Italy

Contributed by: Elina Rokhkind | Last Date of Travel: October 2009

Kosher Info:

There are three sources of kosher food in Florence, all of them located in close proximity to the synagogue.

The first is the dairy vegetarian Ristorante Ruth. Since it’s the only sit-down place, you get to meet here all kosher tourists visiting Florence at the time. The menu is not too extensive and rather eclectic, as is the restaurant’s décor. The food itself is decent, but not overly sophisticated; the house wine is pretty good. You can order here fish, pasta and vegetable dishes, as well as soups, pizza, and deserts. The restaurant’s owner, Simcha, is a very friendly and interesting man, who personally serves and gets to know his customers.

Then, there is a small store – Kosher Market, which sells packaged goods and wine, as well as a selection of imported frozen products, so they can prepare pizza or schwarma for you on the spot. They can also serve tea and instant coffee, and there are a few tables to sit while grabbing a bite. The frozen food is not great and overpriced, compared to the US. On the bright side, they sell some local cheeses and deli meats, which are delicious, and a good value too. Order a sandwich to take with you for the day of touring, and pair it with some delectable fresh Italian produce; then come back in the evening for a sit-down meal in the restaurant – this is a good plan in the kosher-limited Florence.

The third place – Chabbad of Florence – was always locked when we passed by, so you probably need to make the arrangements in advance.

Tourist Info:

We fell for the charm of Florence in an instant. This amazingly beautiful city surrounded by picturesque Tuscany hills exudes harmony and has a healthy dose of everything. Being the cradle of Renaissance, Florence is loaded with historical sites and grand art, yet the tourist crowds are manageable. For a modern cosmopolitan city with vibrant economic and cultural life, Florence is moderately-paced as Florentines prefer enjoying Dolce Vita to hectic lifestyles. The historical center is quite compact, which allows exploring it entirely on foot.

The heart of Florence is the Piazza del Duomo, where the famous Gothic Cathedral (known as Duomo) with its beautiful multi-colored facade is located. The Cathedral’s enormous red dome, renowned for being the first free-standing dome of its size since antiquity, is seen from everywhere around the city. Next to the Duomo is the Campanile (bell tower), which you can climb (all 414 steps of it) for the breathtaking views of the city and surrounding countryside. The architectural trio of the Piazza is completed with the Baptistery – the oldest Florentine building from the 11th century.

The powerful Medici family that ruled Florence during the Renaissance times was instrumental in beautifying the city, and lots of magnificent art pieces used to stand under the open sky. Nowadays, however, most of them are sheltered inside the numerous museums, and their place in the streets is taken by skillfully made copies. One couple we met during our travels was convinced they saw David’s Michelangelo a while ago in front of the Palazzo Vecchio (the old Town Hall). This was indeed the historical place of the famous symbol of Renaissance, but since 19th century David’s home is under the specially designed dome in the Accademia art gallery.

As it was said, the art is abundant and museums and palaces are plentiful in Florence – schedule carefully what you wish to visit. During our trip we managed to see the above mentioned Accademia (where aside from David you can find several more sculptures of Michelangelo), Palazzo Medici-Riccardi (early Medici residence, most famous for its frescoed private chapel), the immense and luxurious Palazzo Pitti (later Medici residence, complete with beautiful gardens and more art), and the free Palazzo Davanzati (a restored medieval house where you can glimpse into the life well before food-processors and modern bathrooms, and be surprised how ingenious people had been). And of course the Uffizzi – one of the most prominent Europe’s galleries – is an art-lover’s absolute must! Indeed, this surprisingly manageable museum housing the best Renaissance art in addition to classical sculptures, have the highest concentration of masterpieces per square foot we’ve ever encountered. In order not to stand in line for hours, it is highly recommended to use their advance reservation system.

Aside from enjoying its art and architecture, Florence is just a picture-perfect place to stroll. Admire the big castle-like Palazzo Vecchio, and imagine the tumultuous past unfolding on the Piazza della Signoria in front of it. Take a buggy ride on the cobblestones of the city center, or ride a carousel in the dusk on Piazza della Repubblica accompanied by the lively tunes of street musicians. Drop by the San Lorenzo market with its rows of bargain-priced leather goods, and get amazed by the abundance and variety of produce, and design of food shops at the nearby Mercato Centrale. Cross the romantic Ponte Vecchio– the oldest Florentine bridge spared by the Nazi during their retreat, and take a walk down the Oltrarno neighborhood’s winding streets among ancient buildings and artisan shops. Take a mini-hike to Piazzale Michelangelo for some amazing city views from the top of the hill. Finally, peep inside the big-name boutiques in this fashion-conscious city, and have a look at other interesting shopping options like a 600-year-old perfumery.

Although, we did not have time for it, we read the trips to the nearby Tuscan hill towns, such as San Gimignano, are really lovely. Other day trip options from Florence are to the interesting cities of Pisa, Siena or Lucca.

Jewish Info:

The imposing Great Synagogue of Florence with its green dome distinctive on the Florentine skyline of red-tiled roofs, was built in Moorish style in the end of 19th century. The grand and beautiful building is, unfortunately, mostly empty as minyan gathers for morning services only 3 times a week. The synagogue houses a small museum, and organizes guided tours of its inside, providing some background on the Jewish history in Florence.

Unless you hire a private guide knowledgeable about the Florentine Jewish history and sites significant to it, there is nothing explicitly Jewish to see in Florence. The Ghetto, formerly located on the place of the present Piazza della Repubblica, was completely destroyed in 19th century. Giovanna Bossi specializes in Jewish Florence tours, but we ended up not using her services, which I partially regret. Please refer to Jewish Italy website for relevant contact info.

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Kosher Hotel Opens in Ukrainian Town

June 17th, 2010 | View Comments | Posted in Europe, Ukraine

I spotted this article shared on the JewishJournal site. Thought it was worth sharing. If you find out about similar “Kosher Travel” news, please let us know.

A hotel with a kosher restaurant has opened in a southwestern Ukrainian town.

The Under the Temple hotel in Ivano-Frankovsk, near the town synagogue, is the first kosher hotel in the western part of the country, where many former Jewish regions are located.

The hotel’s 11 rooms are decorated with artifacts of Jewish culture and everyday life.

Food production at the Tsimmes restaurant is under the supervision of the region’s Chief Rabbi Moshe Kolesnik.

Before World War II, Ivano-Frankovsk was home to seven Chasidic leaders. Many of the tourists who come to the area from all over the world are descendants of the Jews who lived in the area, called Ruthenia, before the war.

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Travel Warning to Turkey

June 13th, 2010 | View Comments | Posted in Blog, Travel Tips, Turkey

Israelis, and Jews the world over have enjoyed traveling to & around Turkey for the past decade or more due to exceptional Israeli – Turkish relations in the region. However, due to last month’s flotilla incident, Israel’s National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Bureau (NSCCTB) has issued a travel warning to Israelis planning trips to Turkey.

In response to the events surrounding the protest flotilla, there are growing protests by the government and public in Turkey. This delicate state of affairs is liable to deteriorate into violent outbreaks against Israelis in Turkey.

Americans too have enjoyed years of friendly travel to the Turkish state. However, recently, the American Embassy in Ankara, Turkey issued travel warnings to to the country well before this incident:

April 8, 2010

The Department of State would like to remind American citizens that there is a current travel alert for Turkey based on a continuing valid threat.

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to evolving security concerns in Turkey, and reminds them of the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against U.S. citizens and interests.

U.S. citizens in Turkey should be particularly vigilant in light of the ongoing “Get Out America, This is Our Country” campaign and upcoming significant anniversaries associated with the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C), a designated terrorist organization. Actions against American and/or Turkish-American cultural and business establishments in Turkey are possible. We remind U.S. citizens to maintain a high level of vigilance and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness.

Given current events this may be common sense, but nonetheless, this is still an important message to spread until potential terrorist activity in Turkey subsides, and/or relations between Turkey and Israel are
normalized.

Take care and have happy & safe travels!

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✈ Venice, Italy

March 10th, 2010 | View Comments | Posted in Europe, Italy

Things To Do on raveable

Contributed by Elina Rokhkind | Last Date of Travel: October 2009

Venice1Kosher Info: All Jewish life in Venice is clustered inside the former Ghetto area of two compact squares – Campo di Ghetto Nuovo and Campo di Ghetto Vecchio. Here you can find two meat kosher restaurants: Gam-Gam, which is owned and operated by Chabad, and Le Balthazar with the adjacent new kosher hotel Giardino del Ghetto (same ownership) under the supervision of Chief Rabbi of Venice.

It was packed in Gam-Gam on Thursday night, so reservations are recommended. The food was tasty and the service efficient, but the menu was mostly Israeli style with just a few Italian selections. On Shabbat Gam-Gam hosts communal meals (free, but donations are appreciated). They told us that in the summer they had up to 700 guests each week eating in shifts! During our October stay it was less crowded, but the restaurant was full nevertheless.

Le Balthazar also offers Shabbat meals, which you have to pre-pay. During our visit they hosted a morning Kiddush for everyone in their quaint backyard garden, so we got a glimpse of Le Balthazar’s cuisine and atmosphere. I must say, we were rather impressed, both the fresh authentic Italian delicacies they served and the lovely décor contributed to an extremely pleasant experience.

There is another small B&B in the Ghetto – Locanda del Ghetto, which only serves catered kosher breakfast for its guests.

Venice2There are also two kosher bakeries – one was never open while we were there, and the other had a nice selection of breads and pastries, and sold kosher packaged products and wine. The bakery is apparently owned by non-Jews, since it was open on Shabbat, while displaying two kashrut certificates. Chabad also runs a small makolet, where you can buy some dry goods and dairy, but it does not have set operation hours, so you need to arrange with them to open it.

Another dining option is the dairy cafeteria in the Jewish Museum of Venice, open during the museum hours. We tried it and were pleasantly surprised, as it offered simple but yummy Italian dishes and heimishe service. Finally, we discovered a gelateria Il Gelatone within a 5-minute walk outside of the Ghetto: all flavors marked with a K are kosher, but cookie holders are not permitted – ask for a paper cup.

Travel Info: Considered an ultimate romantic city with its web of narrow streets and myriads of canals, cozy squares, dreamy bridges and unique architecture, Venice would indeed be so if not for the masses of tourists. But even with the Manhattan-like crowds, the place is worth touring.

Many day-trippers never get to explore Venice beyond the St. Mark’s Square and a gondola ride. In fact, the city has a number of interesting museums and palaces one can visit, but the best part is just to roam through Venice, discover some back streets which no tourists reach, get lost in the narrow lanes and be amazed by the past grandeur and the ongoing struggle with the water to keep the history from decay. The Venetian phenomenon of acqua alta (“high waters”) caused primarily by the exceptionally high tides in the Adriatic Sea and magnified by the Venice’s continuous sinking into the lagoon, brings about periodical flooding of the area and challenges the upkeep of the suffering buildings.

Take a vaporetto (waterbus) ride along the Grand Canal – the once magnificent facades are somewhat dilapidated, but still charming. During the “high waters”, which foremost hit the overwhelmed by tourists San Marco area – the city’s lowest point, people navigate on raised platforms, and traffic can be slow.

venice3By all means, take some guided tour once in Venice to learn more about the rich and interesting history of the Venetian Republic. Both the Doge’s Palace “Secret Itineraries” tour (where they bring you to otherwise inaccessible floors of the palace) and the Clock Tower tour we took were very engaging and are highly recommended. The Doge’s Palace and the Clock Tower are both located on the famed Piazza San Marco together with the Basilica San Marco, the Campanille (bell tower) and several museums. Cafes with outside seating on the Piazza feature baroque and jazz music bands, and at night the square becomes a scene of “dueling orchestras”, when bands from different cafes take turns in showing off their virtuosity.

If you have a chance, visit other islands in the Venetian lagoon. Murano Island, famous for its glassmaking shops, is an interesting option, where you can catch a glass-blowing demo and purchase discounted (compared to Venice) glass pieces.

Jewish Info: The Ghetto area is the center of the Jewish life in Venice. Venetian Ghetto is the oldest in Europe – in 1516 it was decreed that Jews are to live in the small area in sestiere Cannaregio where the old foundries (geti in Italian) were located. Due to the guttural pronunciation of the German Jews who first settled in the geti area, the word “ghetto” appeared. Initially the Jews were given the Ghetto Nuovo, but later the Ghetto was enlarged to include Ghetto Vechio (the names of New and Old refer here to the new and old foundries, not sites of Jewish settlements). The Ghetto was closed at night, and the surrounding canals were patrolled by Christian guards. The Ghetto was abolished with the Napoleon’s conquest in 1797.
Several thousands Jews lived in this pretty confined area of two squares. Unusually high buildings with subdivided floors are the result of the cramped living conditions.

The synagogues in Ghetto Nuovo are located on the top floors of the buildings. Five beautiful 16th century synagogues (called Scole) are well-preserved and can be seen on a guided tour through the Jewish Museum of Venice. Two synagogues are open for services (the Levantine Scola in the winter, the Spanish Scola in the summer), with other synagogues functioning during the holidays.
Aside from the synagogues and the Jewish Museum, there are two Holocaust memorials, Beit-Chabad and their small yeshiva, and a bunch of Judaica stores in the Ghetto. For additional details check the Jewishitaly.org website.

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✈ Barcelona, Spain

February 5th, 2010 | View Comments | Posted in Europe, Spain

Things To Do on raveable
Contributed by: Esther Zar | Last Date of Travel: September 2009

Kosher Info: We flew into Barcelona with a list of three potential options for kosher food. Well as we eliminated them (one didn’t answer, and the other seemed questionable in kashrut), we were left with one last option: Isamar Kosher (Address: Carrer de l’Avenir, 29). barcelona1 We didn’t know much about it, except that it’s a kosher supermarket. We decided to use our google maps to walk there and get a taste of Barcelona while we were at it. Great idea! It was easy to get to, a pleasant walk from our hotel in the city center, and ended up being a great experience. When we first walked in, we saw a small gourmet-ish kosher supermarket with particularly good meat and cheeses. We were really craving hot food, so we asked if they have a place to maybe warm up something we buy there. Next thing you know, they open up a door and we see that they have a small restaurant that they have created on the side. They had very fresh and tasty meat options that were ready to go on the grill. We chose the burgers (though the kababs looked very good as well) and the cook prepared our food with real pleasure. The few people who walked in and out were very friendly and welcoming as well. What really stuck out in my mind was that a man walked in with his children at one point and we got to talking with him. He told us that there are only 5-6 families in all of Barcelona that actually keep kosher. Very few people know about this establishment, which is truly a shame. The food is good, and if there are only a few kosher families in Barcelona, the only way for these guys to stay open is with the visits of kosher tourists. Anyway, I highly recommend this place.

barcelona2
Tourist Info: Right after we dropped off our bags at our hotel, we immediately hopped on one of those red tour buses. What a great idea. We literally got to see all the imporant sights in Barcelona, which enabled us to plan what we wanted to really see the next day. Also, the architecture in Barcelona is absolutely breathtaking, so getting to see all the different neighborhoods enables you to really get a taste of the varying types of architecture in Barcelona.

Another fun thing to do is to go through the market in the center of town. It’s extremely lively and you get a good sense for Spain’s people and smells. There’s also a beach, a beautiful stadium, and Gaudi’s park which are all interesting. But really, just wandering around through the center of town, you stumble upon the most amazing original and historic buildings.

Jewish Info: Apparently there are thousands of Jews in Barcelona, however very very few orthodox Jews. We weren’t there over Shabbat and didn’t really meet any other Jews other than that one experience in the supermarket/restaurant.
You can get more info from the Chabad (Jabad) in Barcelona here.

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