The Jewish Heritage private tour of MOLDOVA and TRANSDNIESTRIA
Jewish history in Moldova dates back several centuries. The Jews living on the territory of Moldova and Bessarabia had left a very significant mark in the history of the country. They were always considered a great people having rich knowledge in almost all spheres, showing the good deeds and playing an important role in the economy of the area.
They contributed much to the history and way of life of the Moldovan people and were always causing envy in people by their success and prosperity. According to the Census, at the beginning of the 19th cent the Jews were living in 24 Moldavian cities, as well as in many towns and villages having 16 Jewish schools and 70 synagogues. The region has become a center of literature written in Hebrew and Yiddish.
By the beginning of the 20th century economic differences between Jewish and other communities had been evident. Some Jewish young people joined the revolutionary movement, and an anti-Semitic newspaper called “Bassarabets” had appeared causing horrible pogroms and victims among the Jews.
During the World War II the Jews in Bessarabia had faced and suffered even more violent events as “Bessarabia’s Clean-Up” resulted in a massacre of the Jews in the villages and to the concentration of the city’s Jews into a ghetto. In July, August 1941 about 150000 of the Jews were exterminated by the so-called “special train” created by the Nazis Army aiming to murder all the Jews.
Moldavian Jews played a significant role in the anti-Nazi resistance movement.
After the war, Jewish cultural life of Moldova did not revive. Many Moldova Jews suffered from the Soviet Union anti-Semitic campaigns, culminated by the Doctors case; many Jewish physicians were arrested in Moldova.
Since the late 1960s Moldovan Jews played an active role in the struggle for repatriation to Israel. According to the Census 1979, 80,000 Jews (two percent of the total population) were living in Moldova.
In the period 1989 – 2002 there was a mass immigration of the Jews from Moldova to Israel, Germany, U.S. and other countries.
Nowadays, around 18 000 of the Jews live in Chisinau, 3 000 in the northern Moldova, and more than 2 000 in Tiraspol (Transdniestria).
Large Jewish communities are situated also in the cities Rybnitsa, Bendery, Soroca, Orhei.
Highlights of the tour :
- Getting acquainted with the rich Jewish heritage of the country
- Visiting Jewish sites throughout Moldova (synagogues, cemeteries, monuments) (both functional and non- functional)
- Visits to the Jewish community centers, meeting with local representatives
- Get to know the history and cultural life of the Moldovan people
- Learn Moldavian wine and gastronomy
- Optional visit of the second biggest wine cellar in the world
Day 1
| Time | Activity |
| 07:30 | Departure from Bucharest |
| 07:30 – 16:30 | Travel to Chisinau via Urziceni,Focsani,Husi,Leuseni,Albita |
| 16:30 | Arrival in Chisinau Check In / Accommodation at 3* sup, 4* or 5* Hotel |
| 16:30 – 19:30 | OPTIONAL Cricova wine city/ cellars and winery Underground tour including wine tasting and dinner.
Cricova winery lies under the town of Cricova and partially under the capital of Moldova, Chisinau. The cellars represent 120 km of labyrinths,galleries and streets having the names of the precious wines “Feteasca”, “Chardonnay”, “Cabernet”…..
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Day 2
| Time | Activity |
| 07:00 – 08:00 | Breakfast at the hotel |
| 08:00 – 10:00 | Transfer from Kishinev / Chisinau to Bendery / Tighina |
| 10:00 – 12:30 | Bendery / Tighina City Tour
– Tighina Fortress without visit inside ( see it from the bridge over Dniester river ) – Old Jewish Synagogue (1812) and Jewish community “Habad Liubavich” on 30 Suvorov Street – the only functional synagogue in Bendery at present. Initially and till 1939 it was SalesClerk’s Synagogue, since 1989 after reconstruction there has been activating the synagogue of the Jewish religious movement “Habad Liubavici”. Today the building is in disrepair. -Coopers Synagogue (1914), now the building is used for the sport school, – Former Hasidic Synagogue of 1814 “Sadigurer Klois” (28 Suvorov Street)– during the World War II used by the fascists as a stable, after War it was restored as a synagogue, now it’s the boxing school – Monument to the victims of Holocaust set up on the front of the river Dnistr in Bendery in 2002 – Tighina center by foot
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| 12:30 – 13:00 | Transfer from Tighina to Tiraspol |
| 13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch at Kumanek Restaurant (Ukrainian cuisine ) |
| 14:00 – 15:00 | Back to USSR short tour of Tiraspol includes the following highlights :
– Jewish Synagogue – Central Area with the Monument to Alexander Suvorov – House of Soviets – Square with bust to Ekaterina II – Glory Memorial (1972) – Monument of the Victims of Fascism and the Bed of Honor |
| 15:00 | Departure to Dubossary |
| 16:30 – 18:00 | Visit the town of Dubossary established in 1792 as a Russian military settlement. The largest mass burial of the victims of Holocaust had place at the outskirts of Dubossary. More than 3000 names of the victims are engraved on the granite slabs. The Memorial has 11 beds of honor with thousands of victims each. |
| 18:00 – 19 : 30 | Drive to Kishinev / Chisinau |
| 19 : 30 | Arrival in Kishinev / Chisinau |
| 19:30 – 21:00 | Optional dinner at typical Moldavian Restaurant |
Day 3
| Time | Activity |
| 07:00 – 08:00 | Breakfast at the hotel |
| 08:00 – 12:30 | Chisinau City Tour including
Some of the significant places of the Jewish Heritage such as: 1 Ciuflea str. where the Progrom from 1903 begun 1. Former Synagogue, now Odeon Cinema (55 Eminescu Str. ) 2. Former Coral Synagogue, now the Russian Chehov Theater (Vlaicu Parlab str.) 3. Monument to the Victims of the Chisinau Ghetto – erected in 1992 on Jerusalim Street 4. Monument to the victims of fascism ( only from the van) 5. Following the steps of 1903 pogrom – the Jewish residence at Aziatskaya 13 (Romana str.) 6. Talmud Tora former school and Magen David former school(Rabbi Tirilson str./ only from the van) 7. Synagogue of the Glaziers (Habad Liubovici str
8. Building of the Synagogue “Sennaia” (“hay synagogue”) (non-functional) – was built in Chisinau in 1886 During the World War II there was the Gestapo Residence( 5 Shuseva Street) 9 . Museum of Jewish History and House of the Jews “KEDEM” – the building of the former Synagogue “Wooden” built in 1835. 10. Monument to the Chisinau 1903 pogrom victims (Alunelul Park) 11. short Visit of the Jewish Cemetery (Milano str.) Some of the significant Classic Sights such as : Central Square Stefan the Great and Saint with Monument to Stefan the Great and Saint; the Bell Tower; Lord Nativity Central Cathedral; the Triumph Arch; the Parliament; the Presidency; the City Hall; the Memorial Eternity; the Souvenir’s shop and market; the Alley of Classics with sculptures of Romanian Classics; National Museum of History and Archeology
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| 12:30 – 13:30 | Free time for lunch |
| 13:30 – 22 : 00 | Travel to Bucharest |
Prices
(the confidential prices will be sent to you by e-mail )
ultra central hotels
| Hotel name /
Group size (persons) |
Total tour price per person (EUR) | |||||||||
| 4 | 5-6 | 7-8 | 9-10 | 11-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-25 | 26- 30 | SGL SPL | |
| Central Park 4* (Agency rating 3,75*) | ||||||||||
| Jolly Alon 4*
Superior Room |
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| Bristol 4* (Agency rating 4,25*) | ||||||||||
| Radisson Blu Leogrand 5* | ||||||||||
| Nobil 5*
Deluxe Room (Agency rating 5* LUX) |
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central hotels
| Hotel name /
Group size (persons) |
Total tour price per person (EUR) | |||||||||
| 4 | 5-6 | 7-8 | 9-10 | 11-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-25 | 26- 30 | SGL SPL | |
| Regency 4* | ||||||||||
| Best Western Flowers 4*
(Agency rating 3,25*) |
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The price includes:
- accommodation at the hotel of your choice for 2 nights;
- breakfast at the hotel;
- excursions on the entire itinerary;
- entrance fees according to the program;
- private transportation in modern minibus / van
- portages in the hotel;
- English speaking tour-guide in Rep. of Moldova and Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (Transdniestria) during the whole itinerary;
The price does not include:
- CRICOVA Underground tour, wine tasting and dinner
- Other meals