May 2024 Newsletter - From Prague to NYC with Cicerone

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Hi All, 

It’s been a robust start to Spring, filled with international travel, flashes of sunshine, and flowers in bloom. We’ve also had a full holiday season; with Eid al Fitr (the conclusion of Ramadan) falling right between Easter and Passover, the three major Abrahamic religions have all found reason to celebrate and pray for peace this month. (And my kid’s school has had many reasons to close.)

I just returned to Brooklyn from leading the Hevreh congregation of Great Barrington, MA in a trip to the magical, fairytale city of Prague. Some highlights included:

  • Visiting Prague Castle, the largest castle on earth, as recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records. It functions as the center of the Czech government – like the Czech Republic's version of the White House. It has served as the seat of power for Holy Roman Emperors, Nazi Governors, Communist Presidents, and now, contemporary Czech leaders. The renowned writer Franz Kafka lived in the castle complex for two years in an old alchemist's house while writing his novel, The Castle.

  • Exploring the oldest functioning synagogue in Europe at the Altneuschul, which dates back to the thirteenth-century. The synagogue’s attic is believed to house the long-dormant remains of the Golem, a mythical figure who inspired Frankenstein, the concept of a robot (a word coined by Karel Capek in Prague), and basically every comic book character ever.

  • Paying our respects at Theresienstadt, the concentration camp. Reflecting on these traumatic moments in history inspires us to work for a better tomorrow.

Featured Tour: To celebrate the Spring holidays, I’m excited to highlight my Biblical Israel tour of the Met Museum in NYC. On this tour, we’ll experience art masterpieces and learn about the contributions of the three Abrahamic religions. The Met exhibits provide a fantastic opportunity to appreciate the range of these civilizations' achievements.

Fun Fact: Speaking of Easter, the picture above shows an ossuary, a bone box used in Jewish burials about 2,000 years ago. It can be found in the Greco-Roman collection at the Met. 

This ossuary would have held the remaining bones of a decomposed body after it had lain on a stone slab in a family tomb – sometimes a cave – for about a year. Were Jesus’s fate that of a common Jew of Roman Judea, his bones would have been collected in a vessel like this. 

Thanks for reading, 

Jonathan Goldstein
Tour Guide and Operator, Cicerone Travel

March 2024 Newsletter - Spring into travel with Cicerone

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Hello to my Cicerone community! It’s been a while since I’ve been in touch. Here’s a bit about what’s going on with me.

The past six months have been an absolute whirlwind in the travel world, and my business has been no exception. Demand for tourism has increased significantly in Europe and New York, while our Israel tours are virtually frozen after reaching all-time highs in September. Here's to better times ahead, for everyone.

I recently got home from a Berlin tour with student groups from three New York synagogues: Temple Israel, Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, and Temple Emanu-El. Highlights of the trip included:

  • Visiting with the rising leaders of Europe’s fastest-growing Jewish community. 

  • Discussing German politics and Germany's role in the world with Senator Thomas Heilmann of the Bundestag (German Parliament).

  • Participating in a graffiti workshop to honor an artistic medium that represented freedom during the Cold War. 

This spring, I’ll be leading a wide range of New York City tours and organizing trips throughout Central Europe. 

Featured Tours: 

Fun Fact: This year will mark the 370th anniversary of the arrival of the first permanent Jewish residents of what is now the United States – and it all started right here in old Dutch New Amsterdam. 
 

All the best,
Jonathan
 

Jonathan Goldstein
Tour Guide and Operator, Cicerone Travel