Picturesque Sao Miguel
I’m looking at the stone floor of what used to be a mikvah (ritual bath), inside the Sahar Hassamaim Synagogue on the island of Sao Miguel in the Portuguese Azores. In the room next door, the synagogue has been restored…
Travel
In the name of love and art
I recently visited some of the small historical Jewish communities of Italy. My travels took me to the regions of Marche, Umbria and Emilia-Romagna and, specifically, to Rome, Urbino, Ancona, Senigallia, Bertinoro, Ravenna, Bologna, Soragna, Modena and Ferrara. Jews have…
Once-in-a-lifetime trip
The Grade 12 class of King David High School traveled to Panama last month. (photo from KDHS) In February, the outbreak of war in the Middle East meant that the long-awaited Israel trip for the Grade 12 class of King…
Panama City welcoming
The ceiling of the Sephardic synagogue Shevet Ahim, which is located in the Bella Vista neighbourhood of Panama City. (photo by Janice Masur) My solo trip to Panama City this past February had seemed so far away when I organized…
Visit to cradle of Ashkenaz
Buried next to Maharam of Rothenburg’s grave is Alexander ben Salomon of Wimpfen (known in some sources as Alexander Süsskind Wimpfen) – the man who paid for the release of the rabbi’s remains. (photo by Pat Johnson) They say that…
New draw to Ben-Gurion site
In 2023, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev opened a new home in Sde Boker for the David Ben-Gurion archives. (photo from Ben-Gurion University) For visitors to Israel – and for Israelis looking for an engaging getaway – there is a…
Israel has so much to see
Light projections on the internal walls of the Tower of David, in Jerusalem, part of the Night Spectacular. (photo by Pat Johnson) Tourism to Israel plummeted after Oct. 7, 2023. For example, January 2024 saw an 80% drop in visitors…
Bucharest a city of contrast
There is an abundance of street art in Bucharest. (photo by Deborah Rubin Fields) What could be more Israeli than the hora? Well, truth be told, the hora is not Israeli! The word hora comes from Romania. And, like the origins…
Trip sparks realization
Starting in 1539, it took Spain 250 years to construct the six-level fortress El Morro in Puerto Rico, and Spain’s former power still emanates from the walls. (photo by Lauren Kramer) I was in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, recently,…
Enjoy weekend in Montreal
A bike tour with Fitz Montreal. (photo © Fitz and Follwell Co) There’s nothing like a weekend in Montreal, whether you’re in the mood for a classic bagel, a mouthwatering babka dripping with chocolate, or a heaping smoked meat sandwich…
