Explore Jewish Greece and Corfu with Temple Beth Jacob and Congregation B’nai Emet
May 2, 2027 - May 13, 2027
Led by Rabbis Doug Kohn and Michele Plaskow
From Athens in the South to Salonica and Ioannina in the North, see and learn about iconic Greek sites while also engaging with both the ancient and modern Jewish stories of this beautiful country. Meet local Jews, descendants of generations of our people who have been settled in "Hellas" for thousands of years. The trip also includes 3 days on the island of Corfu.
1
Sunday, May 2, 2027
DEPARTURE
- Depart USA for Athens.
Overnight: In-Flight
2
Monday, May 3, 2027
ARRIVAL TO ATHENS
- Arrive at Athens International Airport, with assistance from a Makor Educational Journeys representative.
- Transfer to hotel in Athens.
- Introduction: Jewish Greece and its Communities – The Romaniyot Jews.
- Welcome dinner at the hotel or at a local restaurant.
Overnight: Cypria Hotel, Athens
3
Tuesday, May 4, 2027
CLASSICAL ATHENS
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- In-depth guided tour of the Acropolis and Parthenon.
- Lunch on own.
- Visit Classical sites in Athens, including Agora (role-play Socratic debate), Olympian and Hadrian’s Library.
- Guided tour to see highlights of the National Archaeological Museum.
- Dinner at a local restaurant with a leader of the Athens Jewish Community for a discussion about contemporary Jewish life in Greece.
- Return to hotel.
Overnight: Cypria Hotel, Athens
4
Wednesday, May 5, 2027
JEWISH ATHENS
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Curator led tour of the Jewish Museum of Greece with Zanet Battinou.
- Visit the Jewish School of Athens and meet with its Headmaster George Kanellos.
- Lunch on own.
- Synagogue is a Greek word: Guided tour of the Beth Shalom and Etz Chaim Synagogues.
- Visit Holocaust Memorial and Jewish Cultural Center.
- Visit Syntagma Square symbol of Greek independence and the modern Greek state.
- Explore lively Plaka Quarter.
- Dinner on own.
Overnight: Cypria Hotel, Athens
5
Thursday, May 6, 2027
THESSALONIKI
- Breakfast at the hotel and check-out.
- Morning flight to Thessaloniki. (Salonica).
- Guided tour of Thessaloniki, including the Rotunda, Fortress (Eptagyrion), White Tower and Ataturk Museum.
- Lunch on own.
- Free evening to explore the Ladadika District with dinner on own.
Overnight: City Hotel, Thessaloniki
6
Friday, May 7, 2027
SALONIKA – JERUSALEM OF THE BALKANS
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- In depth tour of Jewish Salonica, a major center of Jewish life and learning before the Holocaust, including Museum of the History of the Jews of Salonica, Yeni Mosque, Synagogues, Jewish Cemetery, Allatini and Modiano Villas.
- Market Tasting Lunch Tour.
- Return to hotel for rest and relaxation.
- Kabbalat Shabbat at the community synagogue
- Shabbat Dinner with the Jewish community of Thessaloniki or at a local restaurant.
Overnight: City Hotel, Thessaloniki
7
Saturday, May 8, 2027
METEORA – LAND OF CLIFFHANGING MONASTERIES
- Breakfast at the hotel and check-out.
- Drive to Meteora, with music and Shabbat learning.
- Visit Nikolaus and other cliff hanging monasteries in Meteora dramatic landscape.
- From Olympus to Sinai: Shabbat reflections on the mountaintop.
- Lunch in Kalambaka overlooking the views of Meteora.
- Continue to Ioannina.
- Ioannina and the Jews, a Special Relationship, with educator en route.
- Check in to the hotel.
- Lakeside dinner at a restaurant in Ioannina.
Overnight: The Lake Hotel, Ioannina
8
Sunday, May 9, 2027
IOANNINA – CITY OF LEVITES
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Walking tour of the Old Town (Kastro), the walled city that was once the heart of the community.
- Visit the Kal Kadosh Yashan Romaniyot Synagogue. Explore the surrounding Old Jewish Quarter, visiting the historic homes and sites of the community before its near destruction during the Holocaust.
- Lunch on own.
- Visit the Jewish Museum of Ioannina to understand the 2,000-year history of the Romaniyot Jews. Take a walk to the Jewish Cemetery (located near the Kastro) for a moving, quiet reflection.
- Join for an authentic Greek cooking class. Learn traditional recipes while savoring local flavors and enjoy a delicious dinner made with expertly chosen ingredients.
Overnight: The Lake Hotel, Ioannina
9
Monday, May 10, 2027
TRANSITION TO CORFU
- Breakfast at the hotel and check-out.
- Drive to Igoumenitsa for ferry to Corfu
- Ferry to Corfu.
- Visit the Corfu Old Town, including the Venetian Fortress and Spyridon Church, with lunch on your own.
- Visit an authentic olive oil museum or mill, such as The Governor’s Olive Mill, to experience Corfu’s agricultural heritage.
- Check into the hotel, with free time for personal exploration.
- Free evening and dinner on own.
Overnight: Kontokali Bay Hotel, Corfu
10
Tuesday, May 11, 2027
A DAY IN THE CORFU SUN
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Free time for Relaxation in the Sun on one of Corfu’s famous beaches.
- Boat Tour along the Corfu coast.
- Lunch on your own.
- Free time to enjoy the hotel’s pool and more time to relax.
- Later afternoon excursion to a Corfu Winery, followed by Dinner and Music at a Greek Tavern.
Overnight: Kontokali Bay Hotel, Corfu
11
Wednesday, May 12, 2027
CORFU
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Guided tour of Corfu’s Jewish Quarter and only surviving synagogue, the Scuola Greca.
- Visit the Holocaust Memorial of Corfu and the street named Evraion Thymaton Nazismou (Jewish Victims of Nazism).
- Lunch on your own in one of the cafes along Liston Promenade.
- Free time for last shopping and relaxation.
- Return to hotel.
- Festive farewell dinner in local restaurant.
Overnight: Kontokali Bay Hotel, Corfu
12
Thursday, May 13, 2027
DEPARTURE
- Breakfast at the hotel and check-out.
- Free morning for self-exploration.
- Transfer to Corfu Airport for flights to U.S.
- Depart on return flight to the United States.
6,760*
Per person, Double-Occupancy
1,020*
Single-Occupancy supplement
*Price does not include international flights
HOTELS:
3 nights Athens – Cypria Hotel
2 nights Thessaloniki – City Hotel
2 nights Ioannina – The Lake Hotel
3 nights Corfu – Kontokali Bay Resort
LAND PRICE INCLUDES:
- Arrival Welcome at the airport for one group flight upon arrival
- Airport Transfers
- All Domestic flights and transfers:
- Makor Educator/Field Staff – 11 days:
- All group Transportation on a private luxury bus – 11 days
- Hotel Accommodations per above or similar, pending confirmation
- Source Materials, Hat, Bag, Map
- Water provided daily on bus
- Porterage at hotels
- Field Coordinator
- All Site Admissions as per the itinerary
- Meals:
- Daily Breakfast
- 2 Lunches
- 7 Dinners
LAND PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Tips for Guide and Driver
- Meals on own and out-of-pocket expenses
- Travel and Medical Insurance
- International Flights
PAYMENT AND REFUND SCHEDULE:
Payment Schedule
Upon Registration — NON-Refundable deposit of $500 per participant
January 15, 2027 — 50% of total Payment
April 1, 2027 — Full Payment
Refund Schedule
Cancel before January 15, 2027 — Full Refund
Cancel between January 16 – March 31, 2027 — 50% of monies paid
Cancel after April 1, 2027 — No Refund
TRAVEL INTERRUPTION AND MEDICAL INSURANCE:
We urge you to check with your provider about your medical coverage while traveling oversees, and to purchase medical insurance & supplemental medical coverage if necessary (which covers pre-existing conditions).
We also urge you to purchase trip cancellation insurance. This is a smart way to safeguard against life’s uncertainties. You can often purchase a policy through a travel agent when you purchase your plane ticket, through your personal insurance agent, or on-line.
A note about Insurance:
- most insurance policies require purchase within 21 days of your first payment in order to receive maximum coverage (pre-existing conditions, bankruptcy insurance, etc).
- even if you do not yet know the final trip cost (e.g. flights), write down the amount you do know – and then at a later date, the insurance premium can be amended.
- trip dates are for the entire period away from home
- trip costs are all pre-paid expenses (e.g. airfare + land costs)
For more information, contact Rabbi Doug Kohn (rabbidougkohn@gmail.com), Rabbi Michele Plaskow (michmich805@gmail.com) or Makor Educational Journeys’ representative, Rabbi Misha Zinkow (misha@makorjourneys.com; 1-833-GoMakor)
Recommended or Group Flights will be announced.