Prague

Please click here to download the PRAGUE 2010 APPLICATION FORM

Experience the overwhelming and proud history of the Jews of Prague, as senior Lecturer and Historian Richard Goldstein, together with the LJCC Tour Director Lionel Unterhalter, unfolds its background, development and tragic events during WWII.

The themes of the tour cover 'Medieval Prague and the Jews', 'The Czech People and their struggle for Freedom', 'Jews and the 20th Century', 'Czech Jews and the Shoah', 'Jews and Communism in Prague' and 'Looking to the Future' .

Included in the itinerary will be visits to the Josefov, the site of the oldest Jewish settlement in Europe, with its historic Jewish Quarter nestled in winding, cobbled side streets. Six synagogues, a medieval cemetery and a Town Hall survive as powerful reminders of a community that has existed here for more than a millennium. View the River Vltava, explore the Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Tyn Cathedral and other interesting locations including the Museum of Communism. There will also be a morning trip to Terezin.

A pre-tour lecture evening will be held for all participants at Ivy House shortly before departure.

The cost is £1015 per person sharing (single supplement is £320) plus airport taxes of £90 (subject to fluctuation when ticket issued) which includes 5* hotel accommodation including breakfast, economy direct flights, airport transfers to/from hotel, Shabbat Dinner, entrance fees to all places of interest, guide fees and coach transportation on tour and the pre-tour lecture. Other meals and free time activities not included.

Itinerary

DAY ONE: Thursday 7 October
• 07:35: Depart London on Czech Airlines Flight OK 860 to Prague
• 10:30: Arrival at Prague Ruzyne Airport. Coach transfer to the 5* Radisson Blu Alcron Hotel, located in the heart of Prague’s cultural, historic and shopping district and a short walk from the Old Town Square. Enjoy the hotel’s fine facilities including a Health and Fitness Centre.
• Check into our hotel followed by a lunch break
• Afternoon: Board coach. The programme for today covers “Introduction: Beginning the Story”
• Beginning the story:
• River Vltava
• Orientation coach drive through the Castle District of Hradcany and see-
• The Old Royal Palace and Gardens
• Picturesque Baroque houses, cobblestone streets and traditional Czech shops of the Mala Strana (Little Quarter)
• Some free time for you to explore this area and stop for a refreshment at one of the cafes
• Early evening: Return to hotel
• Evening: At leisure to enjoy the facilities of our Hotel or have dinner at one of Prague’s many fine restaurants. You may want to make reservations for a performance of Puccini’s Opera Turandot (as presently advertised) at the majestic Prague Opera House. ( visit www.opera.cz Box Office tel:+420 224 227 266 or Bohemia Ticket visit www.bohemiaticket.cz - price not included)
• Later: If not too tired, why not meet in the hotel lounge for a drink and chat before retiring


DAY TWO: Friday 8 October
• Breakfast at hotel.
• 08:30 Walking tours for today’s programme Medieval Prague and the Jews covering –
• The Jew in the Medieval World
• Jews in the Traditional World
• Relations with non-Jews
• Religious Zionism-exile, Zionism and national freedom
• Political Zionism and Reform Innovation
• During the morning, we visit –
• Old Town Square, showpiece to some of Prague’s most famous and beautiful monuments such as the colourful Orloj (Astronomical Clock) and the traditional heart of the city
• Jan Hus Monument, now a powerful symbol of Czech Nationalism
• Mighty Tyn Cathedral, an impressive Gothic structure with its two irregular towers
• Lunch break
• The tour continues into the Josefov, the Jewish Quarter, with its own pensive and reverent atmosphere where we visit –
• The Medieval Jewish Cemetery established in the 15th Century
• Altneushul, begun in the second half of the 13th Century and the oldest functioning synagogue in Europe and still the religious centre for the Orthodox community
• Jewish Town Hall, one of the few such buildings which survived the Holocaust
• Klausova Synagogue founded in the 1690’s by Mordecai Maisel,
• Pinkas Synagogue built in the 1530’s for the powerful Pinkas Family
• Spanish Synagogue
• Note that Jewish artefacts from all over central Europe were gathered in this area and now make up one of the richest collections of Judaica in Europe
• Return to our hotel. Rest of afternoon free.
• Shabbat comes in at 18:10
• Optional Shul attendance for Friday night
• Group Shabbat dinner (Venue to be announced)
• Evening: Enjoy the Maharal and the Golem programme in the Jewish Quarter



DAY THREE: Saturday 9 October
• Breakfast at our Hotel.
• Optional: Tefillot at Jeruzalemska Synagogue or Beit Simcha or Beit Praha
• Morning free time for you to shop, explore Prague, visit a museum or one of the city’s famous sites or just relax at the Leisure Centre at our Hotel
• 14:30 Richard continues our themed tour with the “Czech Struggle for Freedom”. He will take us on a walking tour (about 1.5 hours) covering
• Old Town Square, Jan House
• Rudolphinium
• Charles Bridge
• Crucifix Monument
• Magic Lantern Theatre
• Narodni Street
• Wenceslas Square
• Optional: Relax at Café Franz Kafka and join in a text discussion over coffee featuring Franz Kafka and the Jewish Community
• Evening: At leisure. You may want to attend a performance at the Prague Opera House of Tchaikovsky’s Ballet Swan Lake (as presently advertised, see booking details above) or dine at one of Prague’s fine restaurants. (Cost not included)
• For Jazz aficionados, great sessions from 21:00 at the Reduta Jazz Club. Visit www.redutajazzclub.cz for more information (Costs not include)


DAY FOUR: Sunday 10 October
• Breakfast at our hotel.
• The theme for this morning is Jews and the Shoah covering –
• Prague during the Nazi Occupation with a visit to Church of St Cyril and Methodius
• Prague Jews and the Holocaust - a 45 minute coach ride to visit Terezin (Theresienstadt) from where many tragically ended up in Auschwitz and Treblinka
• The afternoon session deals with Prague, Jews and Communism
• Visit the Museum of Communism
• The concluding programme is Looking to the Future covering –
• Prague Castle
• St Vitus Cathedral
• Golden Lane
• Evening at leisure. This evening there is a performance of Dvorak’s Opera Rusalka at the Opera House



DAY FIVE: Monday 10 May
• Breakfast at our hotel
• Check out and please make sure all extras are paid
• Some free time for last minute shopping
• Coach to airport for return flight to London (return flight details to be confirmed)


The LJCC reserves the right to amend this itinerary.
The tour is operated by West End Travel Ltd who have appointed us their agents for this tour under their ATOL 938. Participants must confirm that they are adequately insured. This insurance can be arranged by you through West End Travel (tel 020 7629 6299 ask for David Segal)

For further information and assistance please contact LJCC Tour Director Lionel Unterhalter, ljcctours@yahoo.co.uk or call 020 8209 0621. Please note, places are limited & demand is expected to be high.

Terms & Conditions
• As part of the total tour cost, a registration fee/deposit of £500 is payable when you apply to join the tour. A portion of this amount will be used to cover our initial costs of administration, pre-tour seminar and actual tour costs especially to partially secure flights/hotel commitments and a portion represents a donation to the LJCC for organisation and escorting the tour.

• The balance of £515 plus taxes (presently £90) (if applicable, plus single supplement £320) will be collected before departure and will be used to pay West End Travel Limited for your flights and hotel accommodation and for other tour expenses including coach hire, Shabbat Dinner, entrances, tours and guide fees.

• We act as duly appointed agents to West End Travel Limited, ATOL protected number 938. Upon request, you will be issued an appropriate receipt to confirm that your payment (other than the administration costs and donation) is protected by the ATOL bond of West End Travel Limited.

• It is your responsibility to determine whether this tour is suited to your physical condition. Please note there are several walking tours in the itinerary. You are liable for the cost of any medicines or medical care you may require during the trip for any reason. Please make sure you have adequate personal medical/travel insurance to meet any medical need or emergency which may arise as this is not covered at all by the London Jewish Cultural Centre.

• The LJCC will not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from this tour and by your signature to the Booking Form you acknowledge your understanding and acceptance of this limitation and all the other terms and conditions.

• We reserve the right to amend the itinerary where necessary and to cancel this tour if the minimum number of participants is not reached. In the latter event, all monies you pay us will be refunded.

• Please note early time of departure flight to Prague.

• The tour costs above are based on exchange rates at 28 May 2010 and are subject to a currency surcharge should there be a significant fall in the value of the Pound.

Places are limited, please place your booking as soon as possible.

Please click here to download the PRAGUE 2010 APPLICATION FORM