Sephardic Heritage Trip 2019/5779: Day 6: Cordoba

On our last full day in Spain, we headed out after another great breakfast to Córdoba. Our first stop was Medina Azahara, the magnificent palace complex built by Abd al Rahman III in the 12th century whose archaeological remains were discovered not that long ago. We began with an animated video that allowed us to imagine what the beautiful city was like at the height of its splendor. We then proceeded to explore the remains. Not only did we take beautiful pictures, but the breathtaking scenes taught us about the Golden Age of Muslim Spain and the setting in which Sephardic Jews flourished.

We continued on to the beautiful city of Cordoba . We had a quick lunch and enjoyed ice cream while sitting at a café. We then took a walking tour through the charming streets of the city. We learned about some of the famous Jews who lived in the city such as R. Yehuda Halevi and Rambam. We prayed a meaningful mincha in the only synagogue still standing of 17 the city once had.

Finally, one group of students went shopping while another hopped on Segways and e-bikes and explored different parts of the city like the Roman bridge and a gorgeous plaza. 

We then boarded the high speed train to Madrid where we had dinner in a kosher restaurant and wraped up our trip with a discussion and activity around the table. We were joined by three alumni who are studying abroad for the semester in Madrid. We’ll be checking in to a hotel tonight and leaving back home tomorrow morning. We can’t believe how fast the week went! It was a spectacular trip that gave us memories for a lifetime.

~Ezra Faks and Lily Beyda, Class of 2019

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2019/5779: Day 5: Seville

Today we explored the charming city of Seville which had the second largest community of Jews in Andalusia.  

After another delicious and lavish breakfast, we went to the wondrous Al Khazar Palace in Seville, Spain. The amazingly crafted palace compound was built in the 1300s by Christians but was based on Moorish style and was adorned with magnificent art. We walked through the beautiful gardens and went through a maze in the garden.  After a short cafe lunch, we ventured out on a fascinating guided walking tour of the Jewish quarter led by our tour guide Moses, who is actually a native Sevillian. There we learned about how the Jews lived as property of the crown in Seville until the pogroms in 1391 and the Inquisition which began in 1478. We also went to an underground parking lot where we saw the remnants of a Jewish cemetery. 

After this, we ventured to the  breathtakingly beautiful plaza d’espana which was the site of the world fair in the early 1900’s. Here, we took a ride on a horse-led carriage and explored the beautiful architecture. Then we had free time for shopping (highlight was finding a Zara’s outlet) followed by  a hot meal from Seuda served in a local restaurant. Finally, we had a great time at the Casa De Guitare where we had a taste of authentic Andalusian culture and watched a fabulous traditional Flamenco show! Tomorrow Cordoba! 

~Jack H Dweck and Teddy Betesh, Class of 2019

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2019/5779: Day 4: Morocco

On the fourth day of the Sephardic Heritage Trip, we visited three countries and two continents all in one day!

On our second morning in Gibraltar , some students woke up extra early for a 4 mile run with Mrs. Wielgus to watch the sunrise by the beach and take pictures throughout the quaint streets of Gibraltar. After minyan, we had an elaborate breakfast on the stunning rooftop restaurant of the hotel with fresh produce and egg omelets. We discovered that Ezra Faks makes a mean avocado toast with eggs:) 

After leaving Gibraltar, we made it to the ferry going from Tarifa, Spain to Tangier, Morocco by the skin of our teeth! The ferry crossing was fun but rough with very choppy waves. Upon arrival in Morocco we met- and will never forget!-our personable and excitable tour guide, Ahmed. We joked that he sounded exactly like a character from the movie Borat. Our first stops were a tour of the fancy sections of Tangier and a stop for pictures at the gorgeous point where the Mediterranean and Atlantic meet. To fit with the mood of the city, we played lively Arabic music on the bus. We then toured the breathtaking cave and grottoes of Hercules where we learned about the many civilizations that shaped the history of Tangier. After that we had a blast riding camels on the beach! 

Finally, we toured the Medina, the old city of Tangier. We saw two beautiful shuls in the Jewish quarter and prayed mincha in one of them. We also learned about the unique history of the Jews in Morocco and their special relationship with the king of Morocco. 

In the afternoon we ate our packed lunches at a restaurant while listening and dancing to Moroccan music. After touring the city we had some time to shop around the market place/ shuk. Many students practiced their bargaining skills at the market place. Some of the boys bought hats called the tarbuj or the fez, traditional Moroccan hats. Everyone walked out happy with the items that they bought from the market. The students played the oud and the Moroccan drums while waiting by the customs to get onto the ferry back to Spain.

We are now on the bus to Seville looking forward to the sights tomorrow will bring!
~Julie Saadia and Aaron Najar, Class of 2019

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2019/5779: Day 2 and 3: Gibraltar

After a quick breakfast (and early am beach run for Solomon Mandaloui and Mrs. Wielgus) we got on the bus and drove to Gibraltar for our second day on the Sephardic Heritage Trip. While we waited to cross the border we heard about the fascinating history of this British territory and the story of the Jews of Gibraltar. We stopped for a hot lunch at Gibraltar’s kosher restaurant and then had an hour to shop on the quaint Main Street before we checked in at the really nice Eliot hotel. We then boarded a minibus with a tour guide who pointed out all the interesting sites of Gibraltar including the Jewish cemetery, as we climbed up to the Rock.

The highlight of the day was meeting and feeding the famous monkeys of Gibraltar! We then explored the siege tunnels dug in the 18th century to defend Gibraltar. As an added bonus, we got to watch all traffic stop as an airplane took off from Gibraltar’s only runway which doubles as the main highway!

We then went back to town for more shopping and preparation for Shabbat. We ushered in Shabbat and then went to pray in Nefutzot Yisrael- one of the beautiful historic synagogues in Gibraltar. We then had a Friday night seudah where we heard divrei Torah and discussed the highlights of the trip.
In the morning, we went to the oldest synagogue in Gibraltar, Shaar Shamayim, where the traditions and customs of the country provided a learning experience for all of us. There were new tunes to learn, unusual customs (like the president wearing a top hat) and additional prayers. This was a very rare Torah reading, since three sifrei Torah were taken out and read. Following prayers, we ate together, singing zemirot and listening to various divrei Torah. We had a few hours of free time to walk around the neighborhood, to play games, or to just catch up on sleep. We then had seudah shlishit on the top floor of the hotel, with the Mediterranean Sea and the skyline of Gibraltar, Morocco, and Spain in full view. When the boys prayed mincha, the girls headed to the beautiful house of one of the most prominent lawyers and personalities in Gibraltar James Lasry. Mr. Lasry shared his fascinating biography with us and explained what made Gibraltar and the Jewish community so special. When the girls returned, the boys prayed Arvit and we recited Havdalah right after.

After Shabbat ended, we traveled to an Escape the Room and tried to crack the code of murder mysteries and two groups successfully escaped before the hour was over. Following that exciting activity, we went back into town to have some pizza at midnight and a surprise birthday cake for Stanley Cohen to end the night. Tomorrow to Morocco!

~Mazal Zebak, Class of 2019

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2019/5779: Day 1

On Wednesday night, fourteen seniors took off for Spain, Morocco, and Gibraltar for the Yeshivah of Flatbush Sephardic Heritage trip along with Mrs. Wielgus and Rabbi Avi Harari.

Day 1 of the Sephardic Heritage was off to an amazing start! After a great flight with lots of empty seats aboard, we landed in Madrid and met our tour guide Moses. We went straight to the Plaza Major where we learned about the persecution of Jews in the Spanish inquisition and saw the exact spot where they were burned in the Auto-da-fés.

Next we explored the magnificent Royal Palace - the biggest palace in Europe! - and some of its 3,000 plus breathtaking rooms.

We then traveled south to tour the city of Toledo - one of the most important cities for Jews in Spain. We had fun zip lining over the Tagus river and took in the beautiful sights of this medieval city while we ate lunch. After lunch, we learned about the ultimately tragic history of the Jewish community of Toledo from Moses and our own Stanley Cohen. We toured two magnificent synagogues that had been turned into churches but were now museums. We also saw ancient Jewish tombstones that testified to the existence of Jewish communities for hundreds of years in Spain. Another highlight was praying mincha in the El Transito Synagogue of Shmuel HaLevi Abulafia - it reinforced for us that although we had been persecuted and ultimately thrown out of Spain, אנחנו פה! We are still here -while the descendants of Ferdinand and Isabella and the inquisitors vanished from history. We then visited a jewelry and sword making workshop and then took one of the world's longest escalators down to see a panoramic view of the city.

Finally, we traveled back to Madrid and caught a high speed train to Malaga in the South where we will spend the night before traveling to Gibraltar for the weekend. We can’t wait to meet the apes of Gibraltar tomorrow!
~David Tawil, Class of 2019

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2018/5778: Day 7 - A Royal Farewell

We started our final day in Spain with our last lavish breakfast and then headed out to the Royal Palace. Although this is the official residence of King Felipe and his family, they choose not to live in the sprawling palace with 3,162 rooms. Instead it’s used only for official business. We marveled at the opulent decor that spanned a wide variety of styles colors, and influences. But then it was time to load the bus and head to the airport for our way home. It’s hard to believe that a trip that we planned for so long has come to an end, but it was a memorable experience for all of us!

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2018/5778: Day 6 - Seville

Though we lost an hour when they changed the clock last night, we still departed from Gibraltar bright and early. We thought we made great timing when we crossed the border without incident, but then our bus broke down as soon as we got into Spain. We made up for our lost sleep while we waited for a new bus, but then we were off to Seville. 

We started our day at Plaza de Santa Cruz the site of a church that had been a mosque that was given to the Jews to use as a synagogue in 1248. Then we went down into a parking garage which was built on the site of an ancient Jewish cemetery. Though most of the graves were destroyed, one remains there. The bones that were exhumed were never reburied and our guide Moses is fighting the legal battle to have them returned to Kever Yisrael. 

Then we walked through the old city of Seville towards Alcazar - the palace of King Pedro. Along the way we saw evidence of Jewish persecution. The majestic palace was built in the 14th century in an Islamic style called “mudejar.” We were in awe of the incredible architecture and loved hearing that they filmed Game of Thrones here. We planned to go to the incredible Plaza de España but it was closed because of the (non-existent) wind. We’ve been told that we need to do a reunion trip because we missed out on something so amazing. 

Then we headed to the station to take the high speed train back to Madrid. In Madrid we checked back into the Novotel and then gathered in the lobby for an inspiring wrap up session. We reflected on our experiences and discussed how the trip impacted our understanding of our background and heritage. It’s crazy to think that we’re going home tomorrow!!!

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2018/5778: Day 5 - Shabbat in Gibraltar

We had the pleasure of spending Shabbat in the beautiful Jewish community of Gibraltar. After a beautiful picture in our Shabbat finery, we lit candles and went to pray Kabbalat Shabbat and Arbit in the majestic Nefusot Yehuda shul. Then we had a delicious catered meal in a local hall. In addition to divrei Torah from some of the girls and beautiful singing, we got to hear from Moses, our tour guide. He told us about the sacrifices he needs to make to live as a Jew in Seville, Spain - a place where there is almost no Jewish community. He told us how special it is for him and his family to spend a Shabbat like this, and he reminded us to be grateful for the opportunities that we have and often take for granted. This morning we prayed Shaharit at the oldest shul in Gibraltar - Shaarei Shamayim where we got to see the interesting customs of the Western Sephardic Jews. On our way to lunch we got to see the parade of the National Guard - in their kilts and fur hats - marching down Main Street. We also saw lots of proud Jewish families walking home from shul - it was almost like being on Ocean Parkway! Before going back to the hotel for our Shabbat nap, we went around the table and everyone shared their favorite or most meaningful part of the trip. We had free time in the afternoon, and some girls even went to shul to hear a shiur about Pesach with some of the chaperones. The most special part of the day was visiting the Lasry family and praying Mincha and watching sunset from their porch that has views of both the water and the Rock. We ended Shabbat with an inspiring kumzitz and then headed back to the hotel to get ready to go bowling! 

Bowling was lots of fun - especially with good music playing in the background and delicious Gibraltar-style pizza and “chips.” 

The highlight of the night was a surprise birthday party, complete with a piñata and a delicious cake. Tomorrow morning will be a bittersweet goodbye to Gibraltar as we head back into Spain for our last full day on the trip.

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2018/5778: Day 4 - Gibraltar

We arrived in Gibraltar late last night where we were greeted by a delicious light supper in Amar’s - the country’s one and only kosher cafe. We then checked into the newly renovated Elliot Hotel. There were lots of cheers when we announced that wake up wasn’t until 8:45.

This morning we headed out to explore the famous Rock of Gibraltar! We went up to the top on a cable car where we were treated to a breathtaking view of three different countries -Morocco, Spain, and Gibraltar! We got to meet the famous Barbary apes up close and personal - especially when one stole an avocado straight out of someone’s bag! 

We then hiked down to the famous St. Michael’s Caves where we ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the magnificent stalactites and stalagmites. For our final stop, we learned about the history of Gibraltar and climbed through the siege tunnels that the British built in the late 18th century.

For the rest of the afternoon to shop and experience the quaint Main Street in Gibraltar. The highlight was getting greeted almost every block by members of the warm and vibrant religious Jewish community here. Then we went back to the hotel where we got ready for Shabbat. We are so excited to spend Shabbat in this amazing country with this incredible community!!!

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2018/5778: Day 3 - Morocco

On the third day of the Sephardic Heritage trip we woke up before dark in the port city of Algeciras. After another lavish breakfast - this time on the hotel patio, we were off for Tarifa to catch a ferry to Tangiers, Morocco. 

After crossing the border, we met the one-and only Ahmed the tour guide and his colleague Jafar and boarded the bus. We drove up through the French, Spanish, and American sections of Tangiers, passing luxury villas on the way - including the summer palaces of the king of Morocco and the prince of Saudi Arabia. 

Our first stop was a picturesque lookout point with a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. We had the unique opportunity to make a special Bracha upon seeing the meeting point of two major bodies of water. Back on the bus, we drove down to the Caves of Hercules, a natural grotto formed by the crashing waves that is said to look like Hercules’s profile. The caves were used in Roman times to mine limestone to make millstones that would crush olives to make oil. 

One of the highlights of the day was a thrilling camel ride along the beach! Then we drove down to the old city of Tangiers where we got to walk through the colorful Berber market (Thursday is market day!) towards the Medina. We ate our lunch in an authentic Moroccan restaurant on ornate tapestry couches serenaded by local musicians and a belly dancer. 

Then we explored the abandoned Jewish section of the old city by walking down Rue Sinagoga that at one point had 17 shuls! We got to see 2 of the shuls: the majestic Nahon synagogue, built by a wealthy family in the late 19th century, where we prayed Mincha together, and the Rabbi Akiva shul, built In 1902. We also had the opportunity to pray at the grave of Rabbi Habib Toledano in the ancient Beit Hachayim. Then we had some free time to shop and bargain in the souk. Then it was back to the border for our ferry back to Spain. We then boarded the bus for our final destination - Gibraltar - where we will be spending the weekend. One day, two continents, three countries!!! What an awesome day!!

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2018/5778: Day 2 - Córdoba and Medinat al-Zahra

This morning in Spain we woke up to a lavish breakfast and then headed to the station to take the high speed train to Córdoba. In Córdoba we started our walking tour at the Bab al-Yahud (the Jewish Gate). We walked through beautiful narrow alleys until we came to the Rambam’s statue where we talked about his many accomplishments and recited and sang the Ani Maamins. 

Next we went to the plaza of Yehuda Halevi and then had some time to shop and explore the quaint old city. We went back on the bus and rode to the majestic Medinat al-Zahra archeological site. This sprawling ancient city was built by Abd al-Rahman III, Muslim ruler of Córdoba in the 10th century. This city was lost for 900 years until it was rediscovered and excavated in recent years. We saw a fascinating animated recreation of Medinat al-Zahra in its glory.

We then got to explore the surprisingly well-preserved majestic palace and adjacent homes. Next came a long drive south with a stop along the way for an authentic SY mazza buffet. We checked into the Mercure Hotel in the port city of Algeciras from where we’ll catch a ferry to Morocco tomorrow morning!!

Sephardic Heritage Trip 2018/5778: Day 1

On Monday night, twenty six seniors took off for Spain, Morocco, and Gibraltar for the  Sephardic Heritage trip. After getting off the plane from New York to Spain, we went straight into touring.

Our first stop was the beautiful medieval city of Toledo. We took the one of the longest escalators in the world up to the old city where we visited the stunning El Transito Synagogue which was built by Shmuel Halevi in about 1356. Words of Tehillim are engraved all around the magnificent inlaid wood ceiling. We also saw medieval Jewish tombstones. 

Then we got to observe gold thread jewelry making before heading to see the awe-inspiring Santa Maria la Blanca Synagogue. This ancient synagogue was built in 1180 and reflects the local Muslim architecture. Though it’s currently owned by the church, it is considered to be the oldest shul in Europe still standing.

Then we went zip lining over the Tagus River at the entrance to the old city of Toledo.

We then went to Madrid and saw the Plaza Mayor, the site of many auto da fes where victims of the inquisition were burned alive. We said a chapter of Tehillim in the memory of the Jews killed there.

Our last stop was Pinati Madrid - a kosher restaurant where we had a delicious dinner! After such a long day we were very happy to check into the beautiful Novotel Madrid for the night.