Shalom ! I created European Jewish Heritage Tours in 1998 because I strongly believed that Europe was making amends for its terrible past, by investing in the rebuilding of Jewish communities across the Continent, and inaugurating new museums and Jewish centers in key European capitals.
As the European Editor of INSIDE Magazine, the quarterly published by The Jewish Exponent of Philadelphia, I had the chance to personally visit and write about many of these destinations and in so doing, found a fascinating Jewish legacy everywhere I went. I also discovered others through researching my four books: Little-known Museums In and Around Paris, London, Berlin and Rome.
The aim of European Jewish Heritage Tours today is to propose private customized tours for groups and individuals that offer an overview that both reveals the European Jewish past, and invites a discovery of Jewish life today. As the “Chosen People” we have the privilege and responsibility of knowing and honoring our heritage wherever it may be.
Through my book, article and touring research, I have discovered multi-faceted Jewish communities that have contributed culturally and economically to the glory of Europe when they were free to do so; these include Great Britain, France, Germany and Austria. Jewish financiers helped to build these great nations’ capitals, and contributed significantly to their Industrial Revolution. In addition, they invested in the building of opera houses, concert halls, train stations, department stores and luxury hotels, and contributed lavishly to the world’s most important museums, especially the Louvre. (The aim of European Jewish Heritage Tours is to tell this story as well).
At the same time, we want to propose unique Jewish-oriented events including donors programs for museums and institutions such as UJA and Federation, as well as to Jewish museums around the world. We have had the privilege of doing such events for the Simon Wiesenthal Center of Tolerance—and it was one of the great moments of my professional life.
We also arrange bar and bat mitzvahs in London, Paris and Amsterdam, and we are happy to organize Jewish weddings throughout France through our sister company Ooh La La! France Wedding Planner.
As you go through the website, please take the time to read through our different European Jewish Heritage Tour pages, because you will discover many places that you may not know existed. We also invite you to visit our sister company www.frenchlinks.com to learn more about our secular tours offered throughout Europe—notably in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. We look forward to adding to these in 2016.
I look forward to hosting you, your friends and your families to the best of our abilities, while showing you a sight of Europe that you may have missed.
With my warmest regards,
Rachel Kaplan
