This 10-day trip began in Palermo, Sicily and continued on to the medieval cities of Monreale and Erice, Syracuse and Catania, where we saw centuries-old traces left behind by Jewish artisans, thinkers and mystics. Along the way we learned Italian Jewish melodies together, tasted iconic dishes like cannoli and caponata (with Sephardic roots!), and experienced the magnificence of Mount Etna. On the mainland of Southern Italy we explored the Jewish history of Bari, Matera and Trani, and in Naples we visited the current synagogue and enjoyed a cooking workshop with the local Jewish community. We capped off the tour visiting the stunning ruins of Pompeii and enjoying the beauty of Sorrento, a gem on the Amalfi Coast. A delicious trip all around!

This rich 12-day adventure began in Thessaloniki (Salonika), Greece, once known as the “Jerusalem of the Balkans.” Then we traveled to Stobi N. Macedonia, where synagogue remains from the 2nd century still stun visitors. From there we explored the deep Sephardic history of Bitola/Monastir, Ohrid and Skopje and learned stories of the centuries old Sephardic community who once flourished in the region. Along the way we cooked, we sang, we danced and we reveled in the beauty of the diversty of Jewish history. 

What a fabulous time we had leading Temple Shalom congregants from Naples, FL on a Sephardic tour beginning in the Canary Islands, and then traveling to cities across Spain, Morocco, Gibraltar and Portugal. It was a 10-day whirlwind of tastes, sounds, flavors and smells. We sang, we cooked, and we learned together about the deep history of the Jews from the Iberian peninsula, and their lasting impact on Jewish culture today.