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Rabbinic Leadership Familiarization Trip to Greece

Feb 16, 2026 - Feb 24, 2026

Registration
Join colleagues on an exclusive Makor journey to explore the beautiful country of Greece and immerse in its Jewish story(ies).
This trip will orient you to become an "expert" Jewish guide and inspire you to organize a group for your congregation.* (*not a promise you have to make or keep!)
Day 1
Monday, February 16, 2026
DEPARTURE
  • Depart USA for Athens.
Overnight: In flight
Day 2
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
ARRIVAL
  • Individual arrivals at Athens International Airport
  • Transfer to hotel in
  • Check in to the hotel.
  • Meet in lobby as a group.
  • Introduction: Jewish Greece and its Communities – The Romaniyot Jews.
  • Welcome dinner at the hotel.
Overnight: Brown Acropol Hotel, Athens
Day 3
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
CLASSICAL ATHENS
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Rosh Chodesh tefilla with the Jewish community at the synagogue.
  • Continue with the city tour of Athens including Agora, the site of Athens traditional classical market, Olympian and Hadrian’s Library (outside visit).
  • Lunch on own.
  • Visit Syntagma Square, symbol of Greek independence and the modern Greek state.
  • Explore lively Plaka Quarter.
  • Dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight: Brown Acropol Hotel, Athens
Day 4
Thursday, February 19, 2026
JEWISH ATHENS
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Tefila at the hotel.
  • Meet with film producer Prof Esther Solomon about her film, her research and the Romaniyot community.
  • Synagogue is a Greek word: Guided tours of the Beth Shalom and Etz Chaim Synagogues.
  • Visit the Holocaust Memorial and Jewish Cultural Center.
  • Visit the Jewish School of Athens and meet with its headmaster George Kanellos.
  • Lunch on own.
  • Guided visit to the Acropolis archaeological site.
  • Dinner at a Tavern with traditional Greek Music.
Overnight: Brown Acropol Hotel, Athens
Day 5
Friday, February 20, 2026
THESSALONIKI
  • Check out of the hotel.
  • Early departure to the airport for flight to Thessaloniki, with breakfast boxes.
  • Morning flight to Thessaloniki.
  • Visit the Jewish museum.
  • Lunch on own en route.
  • Guided tour of Thessaloniki, including the Rotunda, Fortress (Eptagyrion), White Tower (outside visit) and Ataturk Museum.
  • Check in to the hotel.
  • Time to freshen up and prepare for Shabbat.
  • Shabbat begins at 5:51 pm.
  • Walk to the community synagogue for kabbalat shabbat.
  • Shabbat dinner at the local kosher restaurant.
Overnight: NYX Thessaloniki Hotel, Thessaloniki
Day 6
Shabbat, February 21, 2026
SHABBAT IN THESSALONIKI
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Tefila with the Jewish community at the synagogue.
  • Walking tour of Jewish Thessaloniki, including the Karasso Arcade, Modiano Market, Yahoudi Hammam, and Freedom Square Holocaust Memorial dedicated to 65,000 Salonica Jews murdered in the Holocaust.
  • Shabbat lunch at the kosher restaurant.
  • Return to the hotel.
  • Havdallah (6:50 pm)
  • Dinner and evening on own.
Overnight: NYX Thessaloniki Hotel, Thessaloniki
Day 7
Sunday, February 22, 2026
METEORA – LAND OF CLIFFHANGING MONASTERIES
  • Tefila at the hotel.
  • Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
  • Departure from Thessaloniki to
  • Guided visit of the unique Meteora Monasteries.
  • Lunch overlooking the views of Meteora.
  • Continue to
  • Ioannina and the Jews, a Special Relationship, with educator en route.
  • Check in to the hotel.
  • Dinner and evening on own.
Overnight: Grand Serai Hotel, Ioannina
Day 8
Monday, February 23, 2026
IOANNINA – CITY OF LEVITES
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Check out of the hotel, for those flying to Athens in the evening.
  • Tefila at the Kal Kadosh Yashan Romaniyot synagogue.
  • Guided visit of Castle Town, including the former Jewish quarter
  • Farewell lunch.
  • Free time for personal exploration.
  • For those flying to Athens, transfer to the airport for evening flight to Athens.
  • Check in the hotel in Athens.
  • Dinner and evening on own.
Overnight: Grand Serai Hotel, Ioannina // Sofitel Airport Hotel, Athens
Day 9
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
DEPARTURE
  • Breakfast at the hotel and check out.
  • Transfer to Ioannina airport for flight to Athens.
  • Return flights to USA
$2,230
per person, double-occupancy; minimum 15 participants
$1,975
Per person, double-occupancy; minimum 20 participants
$280
Single-Occupancy Supplement

HOTELS
  • 3 nights, Athens: Brown Acropol Hotel, Athens
  • 2 nights, NYX Thessaloniki Hotel, Thessaloniki
  • 2 nights, Grand Serai Hotel, Ioannina
LAND PRICE INCLUDES
  • All domestic flights in Greece, per the itinerary
  • One group Transfer from Athens airport for participants arriving within designated parameters on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 (TBD and posted at a later date), and one group transfer to Athens airport for departure from Greece to U.S. upon the conclusion of the journey on the morning of Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
  • Licensed Government Tour Educator– 8 days
  • All group Transportation during tour on a private luxury bus – 8 days
  • Hotel Accommodations per above or similar, pending confirmations
  • Source Materials, Hat, Bag, Map
  • Water on bus daily
  • Porterage at hotels
  • Makor Staff Person throughout
  • All Site Admissions as per the itinerary
  • Meals:
    • Daily Breakfast
    • 2 Lunches
    • 5 Dinners
NOT INCLUDED IN PACKAGE
  • International Flights
  • Tips for guide, driver, hotel or staff
  • Meals on own and out-of-pocket expenses
  • Travel and Medical Insurance
PAYMENT AND REFUND SCHEDULE:
Payment Schedule

Upon Registration — $500 Deposit (refundable until October 1, 2025)

October 25, 2025 — 50% of remaining Payment (will be billed to you)

December 5, 2026 — Balance of Full Payment (will be billed to you)

Refund Schedule

Cancel before October 1, 2025 — Full Refund

Cancel between October 1 and October 25 — forfeit of Deposit

Cancel between October 25, 2025 and December 5, 2026 — 75% of amount paid will be refunded

Cancel after December 5, 2025 — No Refund

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Rabbi Misha Zinkow, Makor Educational Journeys liaison, misha@makorjourneys.com, 833-GoMakor (833-466-2567)

TRAVEL INSURANCE INFORMATION

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 if you wish to receive maximum coverage (e.g. pre-existing medical conditions, bankruptcy, etc).  However, travel insurances policies (without coverage for pre-existing conditions, etc.) can be purchased at any time before a trip’s departure date.
  • 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 coverage 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)

 

There is no "group flight" for this journey, i.e. no pre-arranged block of seats. You are invited to purchase tickets through a travel agent or on the Internet. Once the trip registration approaches 15 participants, we will recommend arrival and departure windows for your flights to and from Athens. We will also provide the name and contact information of a travel agent that Makor uses for its purchase of plane tickets.

Questions?  Contact Rabbi Misha Zinkow: misha@makorjourneys.com; 614-560-9594

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