Halifax, Nova Scotia – This August 10-18, Nova Scotia will host the Congrés mondial acadien (CMA), a worldwide celebration that takes place every five years and brings together the Acadian diaspora from around the world. With events stretched across the southwestern tip of the province, travelers can explore the history, culture, language, genealogy, music, food, crafts, and more, that are the essence of Nova Scotia’s Acadian roots.
From the brightly painted houses of Yarmouth and picturesque views of seaside villages like Belliveau Cove and Pointe-de-l’Eglise, visitors will find vivid reminders of the French settlers who first claimed Nova Scotia as their home in the early 1600s. The CMA reunites and welcomes communities, families, and visitors to the province to honor Acadian history and to commemorate the thousands displaced in 1755 when the Acadian people were expelled from the province by the British for not taking a vow of loyalty to King George III.
Congrès mondial acadien 2024 Festivities
The nine-day CMA celebration will bring together the worldwide Acadian diaspora to enjoy musical events, culinary and cultural attractions, and family gatherings. Several major outdoor concerts featuring noted Acadian artists are scheduled for several days, including Canada’s National Acadian Day on August 15.
Family reunions have been an integral part of the CMA since its founding in 1994 and are organized by related associations with support from the CMA to provide Acadian families the chance to meet cousins from across the world and celebrate family contributions past and present. Acadian families from the Amiraults, Gallants, LeBlancs, Thibodeaus and many more are planning activities, meals, dances, and presentations. For the most up-to-date list of family reunions taking place this year, those interested can visit https://cma2024.ca/en/family-reunions/information-for-participants.
Various culinary experiences will also be available to guests of the CMA 2024 including demonstrations, kitchen parties (an Atlantic Canadian tradition of casual gathering with songs, local food, and newfound friends), and opportunities to try famous Nova Scotian cuisine like rappie pie (a savory dish of potatoes, onion and chicken, beef or clams) along with the province’s famed fresh seafood.
The CMA is also an opportunity to tackle topics that are important to the Acadian community, including an economic conference, a women’s summit, thematic presentations, and major discussions on the future of Acadie. Young francophones aged 18 to 35 will have the opportunity to take part in workshops to help them hone skills in leadership, learn how to become engaged citizens, develop awareness of challenges in the Francophonie, and gather to exchange ideas and foster long-lasting connections. For more information about the Congrès Mondial acadien festivities, visit https://cma2024.ca/en/.
Throughout the summer, there are important Acadian historic sites to visit in Nova Scotia:
Grand Pré National Historic Site
Open from May 17 to October 14, the Grand Pré National Historic Site is a powerful way to discover the history of l’Acadie (a historical Acadian village in Nova Scotia settled from 1682 to 1755), its people and its culture. The location is a monument that unites the Acadian people, and for many, it is the heart of their ancestral homeland. Guided tours lead visitors through the center of this Acadian settlement and where they can learn about the history of the mass deportation of the Acadians, “Le Grand Derangement,” that began in 1755. This tragic event continues to shape the vibrant culture of modern-day Acadians across the globe. Tours are available in July and August.
Le Village Historique Acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse
Visitors wishing to immerse themselves further in the vibrant Acadian culture of Nova Scotia can explore the oldest Acadian region still inhabited by descendants of its founder in Le Village Historique Acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse. Founded in 1653 by Sieur Philippe Mius-d’Entremont, the village is a breathtaking, 17-acre space overlooking Pubnico Harbour. Attractions include historical buildings and original nineteenth century wooden homes like Duon House and Maximin d’Entremont House, a lighthouse and local cemetery, nature trails with natural fauna and flora indigenous to the area, and opportunities to learn about the historic Acadian fishing and farming traditions.
Rendez-vous de la Baie Visitor Centre
Open year-round and located on the campus of Université Sainte-Anne in Clare is Rendez-vous de la Baie Visitor Centre, an Acadian cultural and interpretive center. Attractions include an artist-run gallery, a souvenir boutique, a 263-seat performance theatre, an outdoor performance area, and more. Travelers can experience the interpretive center and museum which delve into the Acadian peoples’ history through multimedia displays of music and language with free guided tours available. The venue is also a trailhead for a three-mile network of walking trails leading to the breathtaking Nova Scotian coast, and guided walking tours are available.
For more information on the four provinces, visit these websites or follow on social media:
Road Scholar has launched a new intergenerational program for grandparents and their families focusing on the pivotal Civil Rights Movement. The program, titled “The Heart of the Civil Rights Movement With Your Family,” is a continuation of Road Scholar’s commitment to providing immersive and educational travel experiences.
BOSTON, Mass.— Road Scholar, a leader in educational travel for older adults, has launched a new intergenerational program for grandparents and their families focusing on the pivotal Civil Rights Movement. The program, titled “The Heart of the Civil Rights Movement With Your Family,” is a continuation of Road Scholar’s commitment to providing immersive and educational travel experiences.
Drawing inspiration from its highly acclaimed and impactful program, “The Civil Rights Movement: Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham,” Road Scholar’s new offering is designed to provide an enriching journey through the history of the Civil Rights Movement, with a special emphasis on fostering intergenerational dialogue and understanding.
“We are excited to introduce this innovative program that allows our participants to explore and learn together about civil rights history with their children and grandchildren,” said Maeve Hartney, Chief Programs Officer at Road Scholar. “Our aim is to create meaningful experiences that not only educate but also strengthen family bonds and inspire future generations to champion equality and justice.”
Participants in the “Heart of the Civil Rights” program will have the opportunity to visit iconic landmarks and pivotal sites in Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, and Birmingham, where key events of the Civil Rights Movement took place. Led by expert instructors, including historians and local activists, participants will engage in interactive discussions, hear personal accounts, and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs of the movement.
“The civil rights family program was developed to ensure that the story of the Civil Rights Movement is not forgotten,” said Bobbie Duncan from the Center for Educational Adventure, which is partnering with Road Scholar for this program. “Through educational content and thought-provoking conversations, we hope to bridge the generation gap between Road Scholar grandparents and their grandkids and keep the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement alive in them.”
The program is now open for enrollments to grandparents and their children and grandchildren, ages 13-18. (Grandparent and grandchildren may also attend without the parents, as a “skip-gen” experience). The first departure date is scheduled for June 22-28, 2025. Road Scholar encourages interested individuals to visit their website or contact their customer service team for more information and to reserve their spots for this transformative journey.
Road Scholar is the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for older adults, offering learning adventures on seven continents and across the U.S. Founded in 1975 as “Elderhostel,” Road Scholar’s mission is to inspire adults to learn, discover, and travel. Learn more at www.roadscholar.org
Wednesday, June 19 is Juneteenth, the national holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States. This year, Visit Williamsburg is again partnering with the Juneteenth Community Consortium to promote the significance the destination played in this Black experience in American history.(Photo from Colonial Williamsburg)
Wednesday, June 19 is Juneteenth, the national holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States. This year, Visit Williamsburg is again partnering with the Juneteenth Community Consortium to promote the significance the destination played in this Black experience in American history.
Among the events marking Juneteenth: talks and demonstrations at the Public Armoury by Master Blacksmith Darryl Reeves, a third-generation metal worker and owner of Andrew’s Welding & Blacksmith Shop in New Orleans’ Seventh Ward. In addition to his contemporary furniture and decorative art creations, Reeves is the most celebrated architectural blacksmith in the Gulf South. He is especially renowned for his meticulous, historically accurate wrought iron restorations of antique fences, gates, balcony railings, and window grilles in the French Quarter and beyond. Reeves is reviving the traditions of New Orleans’ 18th- and 19th-century African American ironworkers by transmitting his vast institutional knowledge and trade skills to a new generation of apprentices through the New Orleans Master Crafts Guild.
Art Exhibit, “I made this…”: The Work of Black American Artists and Artisans, on view in the Miodrag and Elizabeth Ridgely Blagojevich Gallery,celebrates the lives of eighteenth through twentieth-century Black American artisans and artists through the material culture they created. The title comes from a quote by 19th-century enslaved potter David Drake who inscribed these words on one of his pots despite laws prohibiting literacy for enslaved people. Drake is just one of the many artists represented in this exhibition. Objects from both Decorative Arts and Folk Art collections will be displayed in the same gallery contrasting the aesthetics and designs of men and women from different times, places, and backgrounds. These pieces represent the inspirations, resilience, and legacies of these talented makers.
Free Juneteenth Single-Day Ticket: In observance of Juneteenth, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is offering free admission to the Historic Area and the Art Museums on June 19 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
EF Go Ahead tours is opening up bookings for a new education-based travel experience to Europe commemorating the 80th Anniversary of D-Day next June 2024 this D-Day, June 6th.
The new tour assembled by EF Go Ahead Tours, a premiere provider of immersive group travel, builds on the incredible response to EF Go Ahead’s signature tour marking D-Day’s 75th Anniversary in 2019. Bookings for that tour were incredibly popular and demand for 2024 is expected to be similar!
Steeped in history, the 12-day tour will traverse destinations in England and France through the lens of the events of D-Day and is sure to draw interest from the remaining ranks of those who served there, their descendants, other veterans as well as history buffs.
Special highlights are included below with more details forthcoming as the itinerary is finalized:
Starting in London, the group will visit museums and engage in walking tours to experience what war-torn London was really like. Highlights include the Imperial War Museum, Westminster and the Wellington Barracks.
On to France, the group will spend D-Day in Normandy with a special Anniversary event arranged by EF Go Ahead, a walk on the beach, and guided tour of the Colville American Cemetery. Then continue by bus to stop at Pointe du Hoc Ranger Monument which overlooks Omaha Beach to visit a network of bunkers and fortifications.
The tour will conclude in Paris with walking tours at Le Meurice hotel, site of Nazi headquarters during Occupation, Le Palais Royal and past the Louvre Museum to Ile de La Cite. Travelers will see Notre Dame Cathedral, Police Prefecture, and Deportation Martyrs Memorial. Local guides and the Tour Director will share details from the Occupation, Resistance, and history of French heroes before a walking tour in Le Marais/Jewish Quarter.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced plans for an I LOVE NY Black travel initiative, designed to grow New York State tourism and encourage Black traveler visitation. The Governor made the announcement at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater as part of the state’s commemoration of Black History Month. The program will build on the success of the state’s tourism programs like I LOVE NY LGBTQ and Accessible NY which highlight destinations of interest to and supportive of specific travel communities.
“The new I LOVE NY Black travel initiative will be a celebration of New York’s unparalleled Black history, culture, food, and arts,” Governor Hochul said. “From sites and museums that bring Black history to life to world-class arts and cultural institutions like the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, New York has so much to offer. I look forward to working with our partners to welcome even more visitors to experience Black culture in our state.”
I LOVE NY’s Black travel initiative will be a comprehensive program that promotes New York State as a great vacation destination for Black travelers. It will have a dedicated presence on the I LOVE NY website, and a promotional campaign based on market research and stakeholder outreach that highlights existing assets and supports new programming to provide a direct invitation welcoming Black visitors and their families to experience New York’s unparalleled Black history, culture, food, arts and events.
New York is home to dozens of Underground Railroad sites and one of the largest Juneteenth festivals in the nation. The state has deep ties to leaders like Fredrick Douglass, Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman, and is where hip hop was born. Museums and venues celebrating Black culture, art and heritage can be found throughout the state – from the Jackie Robinson Museum in Lower Manhattan, to the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn, to the Colored Musicians Club in Buffalo.
In a survey of Black travelers, 64 percent reported that the availability of Black culture and heritage attractions is important when making a destination choice. Another survey of Black travelers reported that diversity in marketing is a top factor when choosing a travel destination, with 54 percent of U.S. Black travelers more likely to visit a destination with Black representation in advertising. I LOVE NY already includes diverse imagery in its marketing and promotes themes, attractions and events of interest to a wide variety of communities. This new travel program is the next phase of the Division of Tourism’s segment promotion work, joining specific invitations and overtures to LGBTQ travelers and guests with accessibility needs.
The Division of Tourism will utilize existing relationships with international travel trade operators to encourage the creation of Black travel itineraries and engage travel journalists and content creators to share all that awaits Black travelers and their friends and families across New York State. I LOVE NY will also collaborate with other State agency partners and local tourism promotion agencies to amplify their Black travel messaging.
The annual economic impact of tourism and travel in New York State as of 2021 is $85.5 billion, and it generates enough in state and local taxes to save every household in the state more than $1,000 annually. The tourism and hospitality sector is the state’s third largest industry, supporting one in 10 private sector jobs. Black travelers represent more than 13 percent of the domestic leisure travel market, spending over $109 billion annually.
“New York embraces its diversity, and we want to ensure that visitors from around the world recognize the opportunities to celebrate Black history and heritage throughout the state,” said Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight. “Given the unparalleled depth and variety of attractions here that appeal to Black travelers, this program is a perfect fit to spotlight and showcase these places, stories and people.”
“I LOVE NY is excited to work with stakeholders throughout the state to build and launch this new program, which will complement other tourism programs like Path Through History, I LOVE NY LGBTQ and Accessible NY,” Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said. “This new initiative will help amplify and extend the efforts of our travel industry partners that are already highlighting Black travel attractions, and extend an invitation to Black travelers from around the world to come find what they love in New York State.”
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Artistic Director Robert Battle said,”As an institution born out of the Black experience in New York more than 65 years ago, we are proud that Governor Hochul chose to announce this valuable program at Ailey’s home – The Joan Weill Center for Dance – the largest building dedicated to dance here in the capital of dance. We look forward to welcoming the world to New York with others, thanks to the I LOVE NY Black travel initiative, and seeing more visitors inspired by Ailey’s performances and classes.”
New York State is a premier vacation destination with world-class attractions, picturesque natural beauty, locally sourced cuisine and a booming craft beverage scene, an array of accommodations, and iconic, year-round festivals and events. Its 11 diverse vacation regions feature some of the world’s top ranked beaches; two out of America’s top three favorite state parks; breathtaking Niagara Falls; more ski areas than any other state; one of the nation’s longest foliage seasons; multiple Halls of Fame; North America’s longest, fastest and highest zipline; the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States; and the country’s longest multi-use trail. Add in the state’s unique museums, historic landmarks, cultural sites, charming small towns and urban playgrounds, and it’s no wonder New York has been consistently chosen as a top getaway by travel publications and experts. To help plan your next New York State vacation, visit www.iloveny.com.
In December 2021, 1,700 flags were raised to commemorate 1,700 years of Jewish life in Germany. “Auf das Leben!” German for: “To life!” (l’chaim). This Jewish toast can be read on these flags, flying high in state parliaments, synagogues, churches, universities, museums, the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and many more public places.
A series of celebrations, exhibitions, events and commemorations throughout Germany, the festival year #2021JLID is being extended until July 31, 2022.
The history of Jews in Germany dates back to the year 321 when the Roman Emperor Constantine issued an edict that marked the earliest evidence of Jewish life in Germany. The story of the edict is quite fascinating since it was born out of a profane need: the city council of Cologne had to repair a damaged bridge but lacked the financial means. A Jew named Isaac offered monetary assistance but required a professional position in the city council to do so. Emperor Constantine granted the ensuing request for permission, resulting in the first firmly written evidence of Jewish life in Europe, North of the Alps.
Despite a varied history and the unspeakable crimes against humanity of the Nazi regime during the Shoa, Jews resettled in Germany following World War II. Today, more than 200,000 people have made their home in about 100 Jewish Communities across the country. They contributed greatly to the development of Germany in the arts, philosophy, science, medicine and economic landscape, and became an inseparable part of our society.
The anniversary year conveys aspects about Jewish culture, traditions and customs and sends a clear message against anti- Semitism. Events are organized nationwide under the name #2021JLID – Jewish Life in Germany, including concerts, virtual exhibitions, music, podcasts, video projects, theater, and films.
The Shared History Project was initiated by the Leo Baeck Institute – New York | Berlin (LBI) and supported by #2021JLID – Jüdisches Leben in Deutschland e.V. with funding from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (BMI).
A joint initiative between the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Catholic, Protestant churches and other groups provides cultural and historical exhibitions about Jewish life and faith in the country as well as commemorations, postage stamps, and the production of a Jewish food guide.The wide-ranging activities – almost 1,500 overall – both in analog and digital form, have one goal in common: to strike a balance between past, present, and future.
The events throughout the year 2021 brought a sense of new confidence to light, allowing many Jews to show their culture and customs in the streets of Germany, resulting in an experience of togetherness between Jews and non-Jews.
The federal government has followed requests and decided that the festival year #2021JLID will be extended until July 31, 2022. For the project partners whose events could not take place in the planned form due to the Covid-19 pandemic (e.g. with an audience or with guests from abroad), this provides the opportunity to carry out the events after all. The “Jewish Traveler” e-brochure highlights 65 cities and towns with special travel tips and contact details of Jewish organizations and institutions.
A collection of resources on Jewish Life in Germany today provides current and upcoming radio programs, links to activities of government and public institutions, as well as state, city, and local authorities.
The following calendar provides insight into a variety of celebrations honoring Jewish culture in Germany.
Augsburg, Bavaria: The Jewish Museum in Augsburg shows two exhibitions reflecting on Jewish life in the city. The exhibition “Jews through the Eyes of Others” (until September 4, 2022) questions clichés, prejudices, exaggerations, generalizations, and categorizations and asks the question: what role do Jewish museums play in perpetuating such projections?
The exhibition “The End of the Testimony” (until June 5, 2022) focuses on memories of contemporary witnesses, and the question of how to maintain statements of oral history for the next generations. It shows written testimonies and video interviews of contemporary witnesses and focuses on the question of how we want to deal with this legacy in the future.
Bayreuth, Bavaria: “Jewish Life in Bayreuth” program includes lectures within the established series “Bayreuth City Talks”, workshops, a weekly series in the local newspaper in cooperation with the Nordbayerischer Kurier, an app, and more.
Bamberg, Bavaria: Exhibition, “Medieval mikvah in Bamberg.” In the area of the new “Quartier an der Stadtmauer” in the middle of Bamberg is a medieval mikvah (mikveh) – a Jewish ritual bath – from the first third of the 15th century as well as a baroque house from the 18th century, for which Jewish residents are proven. In order to convey Jewish life in historical times, a small documentation center was developed at the authentic site of the mikvah. It is the oldest still visible monument of the Jewish community in Bamberg.
Berlin: “SHARED HISTORY Conference on 1,700 Years of Jewish Life in German-speaking Lands” (video recordings available). The Leo Baeck Institute – New York | Berlin (LBI) is marking the occasion of 1,700 years of Jewish life in Germany by launching its “Shared History Project.” As the name suggests, the lives of Jews have always been tightly interwoven with the history of the regions and countries where they lived. But to what extent can we truly speak of shared experiences during the past 17 centuries in Central Europe? What forms have the social, economic, and scientific exchange between the Jewish minority and Christian majority taken? These questions will be highlighted from several perspectives.
The New Synagogue which opened in 1866 is today the home of the Centrum Judaicum, which sees itself as a link between the past and the future. It serves as a site of research and documentation and brings Berlin’s vibrant Jewish history to life. The exhibitions “Under the wedding sky – weddings in Jewish Berlin” and “Telling Jewish Berlin. Mine, yours, ours?” (until June 12, 2022) unfold a mosaic of stories, experiences, and emotions, revolving around individual perspectives and personal relationships.
The 28th Jewish Film Festival Berlin | Brandenburg (JFBB), the largest Jewish film festival in Germany, will take place this year from June 14 to June 19, 2022, in numerous venues in Berlin and Potsdam. The JFBB program aims to enliven political and historical debates, counter anti-Semitism, narrate Jewish themes beyond stereotypes, and offer points of contact for the audience. On the program are feature films, documentaries, retrospectives, international films of all genres, high-end TV series, (contemporary witness) talks, and panel discussions.
Büren-Wewelsburg, North Rhine-Westphalia: Guided tour, “An insight into the history of Jewish life in the Paderborn region.” The former Hochstift Paderborn has a fascinating Jewish history. During a tour of the historical museum of the Paderborn monastery as well as the Wewelsburg memorial and memorial site 1933–1945, the varied history can be rediscovered.
Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia: Exhibition, “SHALOM COLOGNE – discover Jewish life in Cologne, participate and set an example.” SHALOM COLOGNE is an innovative educational program that encourages to deal creatively and digitally with Jewish culture. The SHALOM-BOX contains more than 50 suggestions in the form of worksheets, videos, teaching ideas, links and hands-on tools. For the XXL poster, everyone is invited to send in selfies and pictures to create a strong motif for tolerance and respect. The big SHALOM CHALLENGE calls for artistic contributions dealing with Jewish culture.
Project: “Jewish Cologne – on the right bank of the Rhine.” Two centuries of Jewish history are closely connected to the Jewish cemetery in Cologne-Deutz. It forms the bridge between the Middle Ages and the modern age, and is also the link to Cologne on the right bank of the Rhine, the “Schäl Sick”. The project “Jewish Cologne-rechtsrheinisch” uses digital media to make history visible behind weathered inscriptions.
Dresden, Saxony: The exhibit “Rethinking City History: Perspectives on Jewish Stories and Present Lifes” (until March 31, 2022) retraces the complex Jewish life in the capital of Saxony. Until today, objects of the Jewish past can be found in living rooms, basements, or garages, finding a new place within the exhibition. Guided tours, a blog series and a YouTube video provide a deeper insight into the project.
Franconia: The anniversary is especially significant in Franconia since Jewish culture thrived in the region for almost 1,000 years. Jewish scholars, Franconian-Jewish dialects, foundations, synagogues, and more than 100 Jewish cemeteries had a significant impact on all aspects of life. This ended abruptly with the almost complete annihilation of the Jewish population during the Third Reich. Today, there are again Jewish communities in Franconia, as well as important institutions, including the Jewish Museum Franconia in Fürth, the “Museum Shalom Europa” in Würzburg, and the “Fränkische Schweiz Museum” in Tüchersfeld. Guided tours offered in many towns also invite visitors to explore the history and present state of Jewish culture.
Frankfurt, Hesse: The Jewish Museum Frankfurt is showing “Our Courage – Jews in Europe 1945-48” (until January 18, 2022). The exhibition is the first project of its kind to present the diversity of Jewish experience in the early post-war period from a pan-European, transnational perspective. The program is available for download here.
Hamburg: Movie: “Talmud Torah School Hamburg 2005-2015.” A video project with students connects the past and the future in the former Hamburg Talmud Torah school.
Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate: Dialogue, City Tour, App: “Digital stumbling block memorial routes.” In the Koblenz app, three commemorative routes can be explored which remind of former Jewish citizens, leading to stumbling blocks laid for them throughout the city.
Munich, Bavaria: Exhibition, “The Joys of Yiddish.” A roof frieze by the conceptual artist Mel Bochner at the Haus der Kunst in Munich reflects the Jewish language and the past. His work is shaped by reflections on the relationship between language and image. Born in Pittsburgh in 1940, Bochner grew up in a traditional Jewish family. The word-chain on the roof frieze of the Haus der Kunst in Munich consists of colloquial terms from Yiddish.
Nuremberg, Bavaria: Concerts, “World music and Klezmer in the Villa Leon.” Villa Leon is known for its world music and klezmer concerts. The series “World Music and Klezmer in the Villa Leon” presents the once only instrumental wedding music for Jews from Eastern Europe. The Villa Leon offers the oldest existing series of klezmer music in Germany. In addition, numerous associations or individuals organize their own concerts in respective areas.
Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate: Publication, Audio: “Jewish life in Trier.” Alongside Cologne and Mainz, the city of Trier was the earliest place on German territory where Jews settled. The long history of the Jewish community in Trier is reflected in the collections of the city. The library, for example, has the largest collection of Hebrew and Aramaic binding fragments in all of Germany. In the festival year # 2021JLID – 1,700 years of Jewish life in Germany, a series of tours, exhibitions, readings and lectures will take place in Trier dedicated to the diversity of Jewish life. Topics include civil courage, and the story of the photographer Hilde Hubbuch. The Scientific Library of the City of Trier is dedicating episodes of the podcast series “Veni, vidi, audivi” to the city’s Jewish history.
More information at German National Tourist Office, New York, NY 10018, 212-661-7175, www.germany.travel.
(New York, NY)— This fall, the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust will present an enriching line-up of in-person and virtual events, including virtual walking tours of historic Jewish sites, launches for four upcoming books about the Holocaust, and a twentieth anniversary 9/11 tribute concert with the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra.
“This fall, we’re excited to present an array of programming that will allow our visitors to explore, learn, be entertained, and remember together,” says Museum President & CEO Jack Kliger. “Whether you join us virtually or in-person in our newly renovated Edmond J. Safra Hall, we look forward to offering programs that take you to another place and time and leave you with a new or deeper understanding of Jewish heritage and the Holocaust.”
All in-person events will also be livestreamed and available virtually for audiences around the world.
Fall Highlights include:
Virtual walking tours that highlight the Jewish history and neighborhoods of major European cities such as Budapest, Berlin, and Amsterdam (September 1 – October 17)
Book launches for four new nonfiction books that explore Holocaust history: “All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days,” “ We Share the Same Sky: A Memoir of Memory & Migration,” “Into the Forest: A Holocaust Story of Survival, Triumph, and Love,” and “What They Didn’t Burn: Uncovering My Father’s Holocaust Secrets” (August 31 – October 5)
A special 9/11 tribute concert with the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestraon the 20th anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks (September 11)
For more information and a full calendar of events, visit the Museum’s events page:
https://mjhnyc.org/current-events/
During in-person events, the Museum’s LOX at Café Bergson will be open for brunch, lunch, and
dinner, serving its Museum-made smoked salmon and other kosher delicacies.
Mildred Harnack was an American activist who witnessed the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany and joined what would become the largest underground resistance group in Berlin as the only American in the leadership of the German resistance. She recruited working-class Germans into the resistance, helped Jews escape, plotted acts of sabotage, and collaborated in writing leaflets that denounced Hitler and called for revolution. When the first shots of the Second World War were fired, she became a spy, couriering top-secret intelligence to the Allies. Harnack would eventually get captured and was sentenced to execution by Hitler and was beheaded.
Join the Museum and Our Travel Circle to discover the vibrant history and culture of Jewish Budapest. On this live, virtual walking tour, tour guide Adam will bring visitors through the heart of the historic Jewish quarter of Pest—one of Budapest city center’s most intriguing areas.
“We Share the Same Sky: A Memoir of Memory & Migration” documents Rachael Cerrotti’s decade-long journey to retrace her grandmother’s Holocaust survival story. The new memoir, scheduled for release in August 2021, explores the pursuit of memory and how the retelling of family stories becomes the history itself.
Join the Museum and Descendants of Holocaust Survivors (2G Greater New York)for a program celebrating the launch of We Share the Same Sky. Cerrotti, who is an award-winning photographer, writer, educator, and audio producer and the inaugural Storyteller in Residence for the USC Shoah Foundation, will be in conversation with Ellen Bachner Greenberg, co-founder of Descendants of Holocaust Survivors.
Remembrance, Reflection, Resilience: A 9/11 Tribute Concert
The Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra present a special concert to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001. Interspersed with readings of remembrance and reflection, the concert will feature Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” the world premiere of Gary S. Fagin’s “9/11 In Memoriam,” Edward Kennedy (Duke) Ellington’s “Come Sunday” featuring the KCO’s Orlando Wells on violin, and other music of uplift and inspiration.
Join the Museum and Our Travel Circle for a live, virtual walking tour in the beautiful coastal city of Porto, Portugal.
Jews have lived in Porto since the 12th century, and the city’s Jewish population was an active part of its business and civic community in medieval times—until the Inquisition forced many into conversion or expulsion.
With our guide Sara, the walking tour will explore some of the old neighborhoods of the ancient Portuguese Sephardic Jews, turned into the boroughs of converted “New Christians.” We’ll also learn the exciting story of the rejuvenation of Porto’s Jewish community during the last century.
In the summer of 1942, the Rabinowitz family narrowly escaped the Nazi ghetto in their Polish town by fleeing to the forbidding Bialowieza Forest. They miraculously survived two years in the woods―through brutal winters, Typhus outbreaks, and merciless Nazi raids―until they were liberated by the Red Army in 1944.
During the first ghetto massacre, Miriam Rabinowitz rescued a young boy named Philip by pretending he was her son. Nearly a decade later, a chance encounter at a wedding in Brooklyn would lead Philip to find the woman who saved him. And to discover her daughter Ruth was the love of his life.
Join the Museum for a program celebrating the launch of Into the Forest with Frankel and David Rothkopf, host of the Deep State Radio podcast and CEO of The Rothkopf Group.
Dr. Rene David Alkalay was born in March 1941 in Zagreb, the capital of the former Yugoslavia (now Croatia). When Dr. Alkalay was just a few weeks old, Croatia became a puppet state of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, and his father and paternal relatives were imprisoned in a concentration camp run by the country’s new Ustaša regime. Later that year, Dr. Alkalay, his mother, and his maternal relatives were imprisoned in other Ustaša-run concentration camps, where they remained for two years.
After the camp was liberated, Dr. Alkalay hid in the forest with partisan groups for a year and then was airlifted out of Yugoslavia to a Displaced Persons camp in Italy. He spent four years after the war at a Catholic school in Rome, unaware of his true religious identity.
In 1950, Dr. Alkalay and his family emigrated to the United States, where he later became a psychotherapist, nutritionist, and pastoral counselor. Join the Museum for a program exploring Dr. Alkalay’s story of survival in Croatia.
In December 1938, Dutch social worker Truus Wijsmuller was invited to a meeting with Nazi official Adolf Eichmann regarding the transportation of Jewish children out of Nazi territory. With Eichmann’s permission, she quickly organized 600 Jewish children in Vienna and helped transport them to safety in England and the Netherlands. She then continued organizing transports for the next 18 months, becoming a central figure in the rescue network known as the Kindertransport. In total, the Kindertransport saved the lives of approximately 10,000 children.
Join the Museum and the Netherlands’ diplomatic network in the US for a virtual screening and discussion of Truus’ Children, a new film from Dutch filmmakers Pamela Sturhoofd and Jessica van Tijn exploring Wijsmuller’s remarkable legacy. As it tells Wijsmuller’s story, the film also probes the question of why Wijsmuller has been largely forgotten in the 75 years since the World War II.
This program will feature an exclusive panel discussion with Sturhoofd, van Tijn, and Ilse Bauer-Langsdorf, one of the children saved by Truus Wijsmuller. The discussion will be moderated by Michael Simonson, Head of Public Outreach and Archivist at the Leo Baeck Institute.
Since the first Superman comic was published in 1938, there has been a persistent fascination with superheroes. Today, we see them everywhere: television, movies, comics, toys, and anywhere else one can think of. Jews have played an important role in superhero culture, both as characters and creators.
Join the Museum for a program exploring Jewish superheroes with comic book writer Marguerite Bennett (DC Bombshells) and editor Danny Fingeroth (Marvel’s Spiderman Comics Line). They will be in conversation with journalist Abraham Riesman, author of True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee.
Powerhouse Jewish Women: Isle of Kiezbos & Stephanie Lynne Mason in Concert
Sunday, October 3, 2021 | 3:00 P.M.
Edmond J. Safra Hall (In-Person Event)
Celebrate Jewish women’s music at this energetic Isle of Klezbos concert, held live in the Museum’s Edmond J. Safra Hall.
This soulful, fun-loving powerhouse all-women’s klezmer sextet has toured from Vienna to Vancouver since 1998. The band, led by drummer Eve Sicular, approaches tradition with irreverence and respect and is known for its tight yet adventurous sound, lush arrangements, luscious compositions, and solos that swing the Yiddish stratosphere. The band also includes Pam Fleming on trumpet,Reut Regev on trombone, Melissa Fogarty on vocals, Shoko Nagai on accordion and piano, and Saskia Lane on double bass.
Isle of Klezbos will be opened by Broadway actress and singer Stephanie Lynne Mason, known for her leading roles in Fiddler on the Roof and Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, accompanied by Bob Marks on piano.
Growing up, author Mel Laytner saw his father as a quintessential Type B: passive and conventional. As he uncovered documents the Nazis didn’t burn, however, another man emerged—a black market ringleader and wily camp survivor who made his own luck. The tattered papers also shed light on painful secrets his father took to his grave.
Melding the intimacy of personal memoir with the rigors of investigative journalism, “What They Didn’t Burn: Uncovering My Father’s Holocaust Secrets” is a heartwarming, inspiring story of resilience and redemption. A story of how desperate survivors turned hopeful refugees rebuilt their shattered lives in America, all the while struggling with the lingering trauma that has impacted their children to this day.
Join the Museum for a conversation with Laytner and Jane Eisner, Director of Academic Affairs at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University and former editor-in-chief of The Forward, about “What They Didn’t Burn.”
Join the Museum and Our Travel Circle for this live, virtual walking tour of one of Berlin’s oldest neighborhoods. There will be an exploration of areas where Berlin’s Jewish community once flourished and explore how its tragic history is being memorialized today.
Led by tour guide Martin, the tour will begin at the Jewish Boy’s School, then head to the oldest Jewish cemetery in Berlin and the neighboring location of the Jewish retirement home. All three sites were seized by the Nazis. There will also be stops at the haunting memorial sculptures by German artist Will Lammert, the New Synagogue built in 1866, and Museum Island—a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of the city.
Introduction to the Holocaust
Thursday, October 7 – November 4, 2021 | 5:00 P.M. ET
Join the Museum for a virtual adult education course offering an introduction to the Holocaust. The five-part course will meet weekly on Thursdays from 5:00 to 6:30 PM ET. Each class will include a full lecture followed by student Q&A.
The first four sessions will be led by Dr. Avinoam Patt, the Doris and Simon Konover Chair of Judaic Studies and Director of the Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Patt is a former research scholar at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and has published extensively about Jewish life in Europe before, during, and after the Holocaust.
The fifth session will feature Maritza Shelley, a Holocaust survivor from Budapest, Hungary. Shelley survived forced labor and a Nazi death march when she was a teenager. Along with her mother and sister, she eventually escaped, obtained false papers, and hitchhiked back to Budapest with a convoy of Nazis. Shelley emigrated to New York City in 1947.
“Wallenberg,” an epic new musical with book and lyrics by the 2006 Kleban Award-winning team of Laurence Holzman and Felicia Needleman and music by Benjamin Rosenbluth, brings the incredible true story of Raoul Wallenberg, one of the greatest unsung heroes of the 20th century, vividly to life.
In July 1944, the 32-year-old Wallenberg, a businessman from Stockholm, left the safety of neutral Sweden on an American-sponsored mission to Nazi-occupied Hungary. Between face-offs with the notorious Adolf Eichmann and secret dealings with the wife of one of Hungary’s most prominent fascist leaders, Wallenberg saved over 100,000 lives—more than were rescued by any other individual during the Holocaust.
Join the Museum for an evening with the creators and actors behind “Wallenberg,” who will explore the Wallenberg story and perform a set of exhilarating and richly melodic songs from the musical’s score.
Join the Museum and Our Travel Circle for a virtual stroll through Odessa’s old town and uncover the story of Odessa’s Jewish community.
Tour guide, Olga, will be live on the streets of Odessa sharing her city’s rich Jewish heritage. She’ll showcase sites from the golden age of the city’s Jewish community, focusing on the time from the city’s founding through the 1860s and exploring the identities and motivations of Odessa’s early Jewish settlers.
Attendees will see the Brodsky Synagogue, talk about the powerful Ephrussi family, follow in the footsteps of the prominent Jewish revolutionary Ze’ev Jabotinsky, and see the beautiful mansions that were once home to Jewish merchants in the early 1800s.
Join the Museum and Our Travel Circle to travel back in time to learn about Amsterdam’s Jewish history on this live, virtual walking tour with tour guide Stephan.
Stephan will explore the city’s historic Jewish Quarter, explaining how Amsterdam became a safe haven for Jews fleeing southern and eastern Europe starting in the 16th century, and why 10% of its population was Jewish at the onset of the Holocaust.
The tour will include stops at the two Amsterdam synagogues and its famed Jewish memorial. Attendees will also see the city’s oldest park, the Hortus Botanicus—a botanical garden established in 1638—and Steohan’s favorite street in Amsterdam. Discover history through a walk along the canals.
Join the Museum and Our Travel Circle to explore the historic Jewish community of Prague, in the Czech Republic.
On this live, virtual walking tour, attendees will learn the history of the Jewish community in Bohemia since the 10th century with our guide Nikola. They will visit several synagogues: the Maisel Synagogue, the Pinkas Synagogue, and the Old New Synagogue—Europe’s oldest synagogue still in use.
The tour will explore the impact of World War II and the German annexation of Czechoslovakia through the Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) and the Terezin Ghetto. Learn the story of Nicholas Winton, the British businessman who saved 669 children with his rescue mission. And finally, attendees will hear the story of the American ambassador’s residence in Prague—the spectacular Petschka Palace.
Love in Wartime
Thursday, November 4, 2021 | 7:00 P.M. ET
(Virtual Event)
Love stories during the Holocaust are as inspiring as they are remarkable. In photographer Max Hirshfeld’s new book Sweet Noise: Love in Wartime, he offers an intimate look at one of these stories through powerful photographs, a series of emotional love letters between his parents, and the narrative of a son’s pilgrimage exploring his origins.
Join the Museum for a program exploring Hirshfeld’s work with the photographer and Jacqueline Kott-Wolle, a fellow artist and daughter of Holocaust survivors. Hirshfeld and Kott-Wolle will explore different forms of love, expression, and the idea that Jewish trauma and hardship did not end after the war.
The Light and Legacy of Rachel Cowan
Thursday, November 4, 2021 | 6:45 P.M.
(In-Person Event)
Rachel Cowan was a civil rights activist, community organizer, the first female Jew by choice ordained as a Rabbi, and a beloved and influential mindfulness teacher. After she was diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer, her years of mindfulness practice enabled her to model living well while dying. Join the Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, and presenting partners B’nai Jeshurun and the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, for an evening celebrating the remarkable light and legacy of Rachel’s life.
The program will feature a screening of Dying Doesn’t Feel Like What I’m Doing, a new film about Cowan from American-born, Jerusalem-based documentary filmmaker Paula Weiman-Kelman. The film will be followed by a panel discussion with Weiman-Kelman, Khary Lazarre-White, Executive Director & Co-Founder of the Brotherhood Sister Sol, and Jeannie Blaustein, Founding Board Chair at Reimagine End of Life. The discussion will be moderated by Rabbi Marc Margolius, Senior Program Director at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.
The Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is New York’s contribution to the global responsibility to never forget. The Museum is committed to the crucial mission of educating diverse visitors about Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust. The third largest Holocaust museum in the world and the second largest in North America, the Museum of Jewish Heritage anchors the southernmost tip of Manhattan, completing the cultural and educational landscape it shares with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
The Museum of Jewish Heritage maintains a collection of almost 40,000 artifacts, photographs, documentary films, and survivor testimonies and contains classrooms, a 375-seat theater (Edmond J. Safra Hall), special exhibition galleries, a resource center for educators, and a memorial art installation, Garden of Stones, designed by internationally acclaimed sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. The Museum is the home of National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene.
The Museum receives general operating support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and New York State Council on the Arts.
The Museum is closed on Saturdays, Jewish holidays, and Thanksgiving.
Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, 36 Battery Place, New York City, 646-437-4202, mjhnyc.org.
One of the passenger manifests in the Ellis Island database. A new service enables people to hire a researcher to find their immigrant ancestors among the 65 million arrival records of those who entered the United States through Ellis Island from 1820 to 1957.
The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, the nonprofit that collaborates with the National Park Service and raises funds for the restoration and preservation of these two national monuments, has introduced a new service in response to Ellis Island closing during the COVID-19 crisis. Each year thousands visit the American Family Immigration History Center at Ellis Island to explore their connections to the 17+ million immigrants who entered the U.S. through the Port of New York (1820-1957). Now, a newly created virtual experience replicates a visit to the Family History Center to help people along their genealogical journey.
For a $30 donation, the Foundation’s experts conduct a personalized search of the passenger database, home to about 65 million arrival records. With a successful search, donors receive two copies (a digital version and a hard copy on archival paper) of the Ship Manifest displaying the immigrant’s arrival. The Foundation is also producing a series of videos featuring research tips and interesting stories about Ellis Island’s immigration history.
This team consists of the same research staff you would normally meet at the American Family Immigration History Center on Ellis Island. Your donation secures a 30-minute research session conducted by the team, with the funds supporting the Foundation’s mission and our commitment to keeping these 65 million records available for people all over the globe.
Successful searches will result in the Foundation sending you a free digital copy of the Ship Manifest displaying your ancestor’s arrival in America! In addition, when the Foundation’s office reopens, you will receive a hard copy, on archival paper, sent with free shipping.
Each research session will be 30 minutes in length. During this time, the research team will search the vast records for your ancestor (only one per session; you can purchase more than one session). Allow up to 10 business days to receive your search results. You may purchase more than one session. If you are interested in searching for multiple passengers, you can reserve additional sessions. Research sessions occur without live participation from donor. The research team will reach out to you if they have any additional questions.
How it works
Visit the website shop to make your donation and secure your 30-minute research session.
You will receive a confirmation email from our research team. This email will include a document where you will provide as much information possible about the passenger you’d like us to research. The more information the team has from you, the more they can narrow the search.
After submitting your form, a research team member will be assigned to conduct your search.
If your search is successful, you will receive a free digital copy of the Ship Manifest (up to a $50 savings!)
If your search is unsuccessful, you will receive a 10% off promo code for the Ellis Island Shop.
The Ellis Island Database, which is free for all, is an amazing gateway to history. There are close to 65 million records documenting the people who came to America through the Port of New York, from 1820 to 1957.
In the coming weeks, The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation will unveil a series of videos on social media that will guide you along a genealogical journey, providing research tips and historical fun facts from our staff.
Ireland is rich in culture with its wild landscapes and hearty culinary delights. From enjoying a pot of Irish stew, to exploring Ireland’s lush lands and regal castles, connect with your Gaelic Roots on Insight Vacations’ immersive experiences.
Ireland may be a small country but it is rich in culture
with its wild landscapes and hearty culinary delights. From enjoying a pot of
Irish stew, to exploring Ireland’s lush lands and regal castles, you’ll connect
with your Gaelic Roots on Insight Vacations’ immersive experiences.
Lonely
Planet named Galway as one of the top places to visit
in the world in 2020—a cultural destination highlighted on Insight Vacations’
Ireland itineraries. The accolade has been
given in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2020, describing the city as “arguably
Ireland’s most engaging city”.
According to the European
Capital of Culture, visitors to Galway can expect to
experience the city and county’s best year yet, with a year-long program of
extraordinary street spectacle, live and digital art as well as world-class
music, theatre and dance.
As the award-winning leader in premium escorted
travel, Insight Vacations wants travelers to observe Galway with experiences
that go beyond the ordinary. On Insight’s journeys to Ireland, guests
are invited to meet and interact with locals and explore various establishments
that offer authenticity as well as good old-fashioned fun.
Here are several Insight trips that immerse guests
into the unique aspects of Galway:
Country Roads of Ireland (12
Days):Travelers will get the chance to enjoy
breathtaking views of the Clare Coast before a delightful drive through the
strange, rocky landscape of the Burren to Galway Bay. They will spend a day at
their leisure to relax and enjoy the city– perhaps joining an Optional
Experience to the Aran Islands – a genuine highlight of the Wild Atlantic Way.
With their cliffs and spectacular coastal views, the islands are a true Irish
experience.
Focus on Ireland (7 Days):Lead
by Insights’ dedicated and knowledgeable Travel Director, guests will explore
the infamous Lynch Memorial and the Church of St. Nicholas, where Christopher
Columbus reputedly prayed before his discovery of America. They will also see
the aged Spanish Arch and Eyre Square, dedicated to the late US President, John
F. Kennedy.
Irish Elegance (8 Days):Guests will journey the City of the Tribes and visit
Galway’s stunning cathedral. They can take in the beautiful scenery during
their two-night stay at the Connemara Coast Hotel, which is spectacularly set
on the shores of Galway Bay.
For a limited time on Insight Vacations journeys, guests can
visit Galway with Insight Vacations’ amazing air offer:From
now until Dec. 18, travelers can save up to $300 per couple on economy
air on departures from Oct. 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020, and Sept. 1, 2020 to Nov.
15, 2020.
By choosing flights with American Airlines, British Airways,
Finnair and Iberia, travelers can save $150 off per person on Economy,
$200 off per person on Premium Economy or $300 off per person on Business Class.
In addition to the these air offers, Insight
Vacations is also offering a 10% savings to Europe with their popular Early
Payment Discount for those who book and pay in full by December 18, 2019. This
discount is combinable with Insights’ air offers.
Dunluce Castle, Antrim. Vagabond Adventure Tours creates opportunities for visitors to embrace Ireland by walking, biking, horseback riding and kayaking its lands and waters, imbibing history and culture along the way.
COUNTY WICKLOW, Ireland– With the European Union’s approval, Britain has received an extension to its exit (Brexit) until 31 January 2020. Rob Rankin, founder and owner Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland, is taking a wait-and-see-attitude concerning the UK Parliament’s vote to uphold or not the exit date that could change how the UK does business with Europe — and also on the Emerald Isle.
Maybe Brexit will be washed down the drain over a toast with its trading bloc partners since 1993. Maybe not. In the meantime Rankin’s team offers a list of ideas to visitors to Ireland who may want to know what the fuss is all about. In Dublin, the gateway city for Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland, historic attractions are two-a-penny. Guests are invited to discover for themselves the bullet holes on the General Post Office that betray its role at the heart of the 1916 Easter Rising. The National Museum is housed in a former barracks. Glasnevin Cemetery holds an array of independence heroes and an excellent museum.
Highly recommended in Belfast is an on-own Black Cab tour that offers a unique perspective on the capital of Northern Ireland. Guests listen to expert personal commentary on a guided tour through unionist and nationalist communities, learning about the late 20th century ‘The Troubles’ while viewing political murals and signing names to a peace wall.
Itineraries encompassing Derry include a guided walking tour around the historic walled city of Derry/Londonderry that showcases the Guild Hall and a siege cannon while shedding light on the nationalist neighborhood where the Northern Irish Civil Rights movement was born in the late 1960s, leading to a virtual 30-year war between Catholics and Protestants.
And other itineraries including Cork, also known as the Rebel County, share stories of the action here during the early 1920s War of Independence and ensuing Civil War. Michael Collins was ambushed and assassinated at Béal na Bláth. Picturesque Cobh was a center of resistance in 1916.
“It’s a no-brainer to say that this ours is a complicated history,” adds Rankin. Vagabond Tours of Ireland assists its guests in scratching the surface of the history of why there are two separate Irelands. This history goes back well into the 16th century when the island was like a piece of fabric being stretched between Gaelic-speaking Catholics and the English who spoke English and who were eventually predominantly Protestant.
“Today Brexit has become our own three-legged milking stool,” Rankin explains. The three legs are:
European Union (EU) – since 1993 a commerce-driven alliance of European nations, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom.
United Kingdom (UK) – inclusive of Great Britain (Scotland,
Wales, England) and Northern Ireland (six counties that are culturally British
out of an overall 32 counties on the island). This bloc known as the UK has
voted to disengage from the EU because of a perception that the UK doesn’t
enjoy full sovereignty in the EU.
Republic of Ireland – represents 26 of 32 counties on the
Emerald Isle, is not part of the UK bloc and enjoys 80% to 90% support for
continuing its own EU membership. The Republic of Ireland fought and won
independence from the UK from 1916 to 1921. The six counties in the northern
part of Ireland demanded that their union with the UK and the British crown
remain intact, resulting in Northern Ireland. When the UK voted to remove
itself (Brexit) from the EU, the independent country Republic of Ireland
determined to remain within the EU.
Customs and tariff protocols between the Republic of Ireland
(EU) and Northern Ireland (UK) have been operational and peaceful for nearly
two decades. Residents and visitors to Ireland and the UK enjoy visa-free
travel to each other’s countries. All sides have agreed that this situation
will continue post-Brexit.
What is of concern, adds Rankin, is that without a so-called backstop built
into the negotiations, the now a ‘soft’ border between the Northern Ireland and
the Republic of Ireland could once again become a ‘hard’ border that in turn
could pick at century-old scars. The relationship between the Republic of
Ireland and Northern Ireland has steadily improved since the landmark peace
accord of 1998. What’s known as the Good Friday Agreement ended paramilitary
activity and customs infrastructure at north/south border crossing points. The
British army was removed from Northern Ireland.
No matter Brexit’s outcome – or not – Rankin and his team are high on 2020
bookings, already strong.
“We envisage no major disruption. The bright side is, we hope, more opportunity
to explain Irish history,” he says.
Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland offers two styles of culturally immersive
travel. Vagabond Adventure Tours (the
division hosting the Epic Irish Food Adventure Tour) are for active travelers
who want to mix up hiking, kayaking and biking and other outdoor adventures
with history, culture, dining and shopping. Driftwood Journeys of Discovery follow
similar itineraries but at an intimate and in-depth looking and lingering pace,
sans the physical exertion.
On all of its tours, Vagabond staff curate locally owned accommodations, pubs
and restaurants that help serve their goal of authenticity. In the end the
mission is to have guests “love Ireland as much as we do.” Transport is in a
custom Mercedes ‘Vagatron’ or special mini-buses which allow access beyond
where regular tour buses go.
For details on all of Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland itineraries,
availability and for 2019 reservations, visit https://vagabondtoursofireland.com/. Call toll
free (from the US) 1.833-230-0288; in Ireland 00353 (0) 1 5634358; or
email: [email protected].
Since 2002 Vagabond Adventure Tours has been creating opportunities for
visitors to embrace Ireland by walking, biking, horseback riding and kayaking
its lands and waters, imbibing history and culture along the way. In 2013 the
company was honored by National Geographic Traveler with a Top
50 Tour of a Lifetime distinction. In 2015 and 2017 Vagabond Small Group Tours
of Ireland was named the “Best Adventure Experience” at the Irish Tourism
Awards. In 2017, Vagabond became Ireland’s first tour operator to achieve
Ecotourism Gold Level Certification. In 2018, Vagabond Tours won The Green
Tourism & Entertainment category in Ireland’s most prestigious Green
(business) Awards. And in February 2019, the company won two top Irish Tourism
Industry Awards for the Best Ireland Ancient East Tourism Experience and Best
Environmental Tourism Innovation.
