Book Description
Journalist, author, and travel expert Ruth Ellen Gruber presents a new edition of her acclaimed 1992 guide to Jewish heritage sites in Eastern Europe. Widely acknowledged as the best and most comprehensive book of its kind, this is the only Jewish travel guidebook that takes visitors to hundreds of fascinating sites in small villages and remote hamlets as well as major cities.
This expanded and updated edition includes new coverage of Austria, Ukraine, and Lithuania in addition to Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and all of the former Yugoslavia, areas that are the ancestral home to the great majority of North American Jews. Gruber provides specific historical and cultural information about these Central and Eastern European nations. Then she journeys across each country, exploring Jewish roots in major cities and small shtetls, describing the vestiges of each Jewish community and offering personal insights and reflections on the various people she meets.
Readers will find a wealth of practical travel information throughout, including a language guide, listings of useful local addresses, and up-to-date details on sites that have only recently become accessible to visitors. From exploring the massive 16th-century synagogue in the historic Polish town of Pincrow to strolling among the 12,000 headstones crowded into the old Jewish cemetery in Prague, to meeting resident Jews proudly embracing their ancient culture in Slovenia, this volume takes you on a very special and memorable tour.
Customer Reviews:
A stunning acheivement !.......2007-06-09
Wow! This book is no mere travel guide! I had intended only to riffle through the pages. Instead, I read the entire book, unable to resist being carried along on a most remarkable tour. Jewish Heritage Travel is rich with information about the geography, culture, religions, architecture, and thousands of years of history in a part of the world that has deep significance for the human story. For, let's face it, shockingly horrible things happened here. While the book is organized like a travel guide, its dramatic impact is unmistakable and resonates with the reader long after the book has been set down.
Ruth Ellen Gruber is a most compelling guide. Her descriptions of specific towns, synagogues, cemeteries, and "evocative remnants of shtetls" are not warmed-over fifth-hand accounts. She is forever scrambling over walls, swimming through weed grown fields, tramping through shin deep snow, knocking on doors, crawling through holes in ruined walls, and striking up conversations with strangers. One trusts her reports utterly. And she knows everything. Why Jews were invited into this area, or driven from that one, and when, and by whom, and who these people were, how they worshiped, how they differed from one another, and what their destiny became. She tells us about their land, their history, their architecture, their persecutors, their champions. She finds their cemeteries, describes their headstones, and reads us the inscriptions. If people were taken by the thousands into the woods outside their towns, shot and dropped into ditches, she tells us that too.
Gruber's narrative style is intriguing. The prose is always crisp and objective with a reportorial attention to detail and an allegiance to fact, but sometimes it rises to pure lyricism. The result is a deeply evocative, richly detailed account and the reader finds himself on a journey that is both informative and poignant. The small black-and-white photos are remarkably clear and helpful, and are placed near to the relevant text. They are of an excellent quality. This is small thing, perhaps, but important in its effect.
There is a good map at the front of the book. Within each chapter, and at each chapter's end, are numerous additional resources - publications, web sites, addresses of note, and more. The index is stellar.
In the final analysis, this book is destined to become a classic of travel literature because it is illuminating in so many ways. Its readership should not be limited to a specific, relatively small group of travelers, and at the small price the book is offered, it needn't be.
National Geographic Jewish Heritage Travel:A Guide to Eastern Europe.......2007-05-29
Not as good as expected. Not as much information as I expected about the areas covered, and some important parts of Eastern Europe are not included.
A wonderful resource for travellers (and armchair travellers).......2007-05-16
Ruth Ellen Gruber's new guide gives readers the best of both worlds--interesting and accurate histories of the places covered and extensive practical information to help both more experienced and new travellers.
Her introductions to each chapter (the book is organized by country) give readable narratives of each country's history, covering both general history and specifically Jewish history. She is great about giving multiple place names, a particularly useful addition in countries formerly part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Unlike general travel guides (and some Jewish ones as well), which often only list official synagogues in main cities, Gruber lists unaffiliated and independant organizations, giving as much contact information as possible. It's obvious that through her experience as a journalist, she made many contacts with people actually working in the communities listed.
She also lists many sites that are no longer functioning in their original capacity--unused synagogues (or those that now serve different functions), out-of-the-way cemetaries, and former houses and businesses of local notables. Gruber seems especially interested in architecture, and points out particularly interesting examples of synagogue design and decoration.
I especially appreciated Gruber's emphasis on visiting communities that are active and vibrant today. While the Holocaust did irreperable damage to once-thriving Jewish life, and while it can seem that Europe is full of remnants of the Jewish past, this book gives due time to the Jewish present.
Average customer rating:
- Awesome guide and resource book
- Delightful
- Absorbing insight into jewish life
- More than a travel guide
- Eye-opening. Don't leave home without it!
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The Great Jewish Cities of Central and Eastern Europe: A Travel Guide and Resource Book to Prague, Warsaw, Cracow, and Budapest
Eli Valley
Manufacturer: Jason Aronson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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National Geographic Jewish Heritage Travel: A Guide to Eastern Europe
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The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million
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Prague (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
ASIN: 0765760002 |
Book Description
The Great Jewish Cities of Central and Eastern Europe: A Travel Guide and Resource Book to Prague, Warsaw, Cracow, and Budapest is the most comprehensive guidebook covering all aspects of Jewish history and contemporary life in Prague, Warsaw, Cracow, and Budapest. This remarkable book includes detailed histories of the Jews in these cities, walking tours of Jewish districts past and present, intensive descriptions of Jewish sites, fascinating accounts of local Jewish legend and lore, and practical information for Jewish travelers to the region.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome guide and resource book.......2000-09-22
I was lucky to find this book in the library and used it extensively while in Warsaw, Cracow and Prauge. The detail is incredible, the writing style excellent with a lilt of humor. This book -made- my trip so I'm buying my own copy. If you take this book to Europe with you don't bother hiring a guide or taking a tour. It has more than any individual could offer.
Delightful.......2000-05-19
This book is a gem! I pick it up and settle down in my chair and am transported in time and place to Eastern Europe. I was in Prague before I read the book (it had not been published yet) and now when I read the Prague sections everything comes to life. Mr. Valley has a way with words. He supples the reader with his dense knowledge of his subject in an easy to read, matter of fact style. I would recommend this book to anyone whether or not they are planning to travel to the cities described. I am eagerly awaiting his next book.
Absorbing insight into jewish life.......2000-03-16
Having known Eli many years ago at University, I couldn't wait to read this book to re-establish spiritual contact. What I wasn't prepared for was the depthand passion that Eli had written on the subject. This is a masterpiece that once you have picked up you will not put down until you have seen the cities and experienced the tours first hand. My only regret is that the vast majority of those reading this book may never actually visit Prague.
More than a travel guide.......1999-12-17
I picked this book up from a friend's bookshelf intending to flip through the pages. I ended up taking it home with me and reading it from cover to cover. It's well written and filled with a great deal of fascinating history. Not having ever been to the cities mentioned in the book, I can't comment on the accuracy of the tourist information. But this book would be of interest to anyone who has a curiosity about the history of Jewish life in eastern Europe. If it's ever reprinted, photographs would make it even better.
Eye-opening. Don't leave home without it!.......1999-10-18
For anyone interested in the Jewish history of Eastern Europe, this book is compulsory. It also presents conceptual and detailed history of over a thousand years and up-to-date descriptions of what the traveller will find now. Don't leave it behind despite its heft.
Book Description
century, Benjamin of Tudela, to create the first all-encompassing guide to Jewish Russia and Ukraine.
Until Communism fell, the Jews of Russia and Ukraine had been suppressed and denied human and religious rights. Today, not only are they reborn, but they are rebuilding a new, vibrant community for the twenty-first century. Frank explores this rebirth and guides both first-time and experienced travelers to Jewish and historical sites. He profiles synagogues, monuments, and schools that can be found in such cities as St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev, Odessa, and even Kishinev in Moldava.
Approximately 120 years ago, the majority of the world's Jews lived in what was called the "Pale of Settlement" in the Russian Empire. Most American Jews today trace their ancestry to Russia and the surrounding territories, especially Ukraine.
A Travel Guide to Jewish Russia & Ukraine will aid those visiting places where relatives once lived, as well as those simply in search of history.
Customer Reviews:
A ***correction*** to misinformation by "daryoush".......2003-12-06
This is a response to an earlier review that contained a major, major Big Lie.
Specifically, "daryoush" from Seattle, in the course of commenting upon this book and expressing interest in a book about "recent Jewish history" in Lebanon, West bank and the Gaza strip, says the following:
"I like to better understand the Israeli massacres in the refugee camps."
He/she also goes on to make several other specious statements including usage of the term "concentration camps."
Daryoush's statement is a Big Lie masquerading as a review. I have serious reservations about his/her agenda, but setting that aside for a second, the deaths in the refugee camps (that I assume he refers to, related to the 1982 war in Lebanon) were not "Israeli massacres." They were carried out, by all credible accounts, by Lebanese militiamen arguably under Israel's influence. This is not to excuse the killings, nor even Sharon's alleged negligence or complicity, but even in the worst case terming them "Israeli massacres" is simply inaccurate.
One has to wonder about the mindset of someone who would use such a term.
The need to respond to such garbage is a sad commentary upon the state of discourse on Israel and our times generally.
- Ezra in Minnesota
Nice, but incomplete series.......2002-09-10
I just got back from Russia and found this book. I wish I had found this earlier. It was hard to find English speaking guides in Russia as most excursions are in Russian. It would have been nice to read about the Jewish influences in the Russian history before the travel.
I also liked the writing style, very clear and captivating.
For completeness sake, I have one request from the authors....I am planning a visit to Lebanon, West bank and Gaza soon. I hope a brave soul would write about recent Jewish history in these areas before I go there. I like to better understand the Israeli massacres in the refugee camps, the villages and cities that they destroyed, the prisons and concentration camps that Israelis operated in southern Lebanon, and the occupied territories, etc. Such a book would be a valuable tool in understanding the current Middle East.
Terrific travel guide to Russian & Ukrainian Jewish history........2000-04-04
Approximately 120 years ago the majority of the world's Jews lived in what was called the "Pale of Settlement" in the Russian Empire of the Czar. Most American Jews today trace their ancestry to Russia, the Ukraine, and the surrounding territories and provinces of the old empire. Until Communism fell, the Jews of Russia and Ukraine had been suppressed and denied human and religious rights. With the collapse of the Communists, Judaism has emerged from centuries old persecution and pogrom and the synagogues, monuments, schools and other Jewish historical sites are available and accessible to the western visitor. Ben Frank's A Travel Guide To Jewish Russia & Ukraine is an invaluable, highly recommended travel guide for planning and implementing a trip in search of their family heritage and religious roots throughout Russian and the Ukraine.
It made me drop my chalupah and turn the page.......1999-10-31
Not only informative but terrific reading. It will keep you on the edge of your seat. A travel log that's enjoyable to read whether you visit the places or not. Put on your seatbelt because this is a journey well worth taking!
Book Description
The Jewish community in Italy has a long and storied history going back more than two millennia to the days of the Roman Empire. This remarkable guidebook-the only one of its kind-is a city by city survey of every location in Italy that contains art, artifacts, or architecture tied to the Jewish heritage of Italy. Included are scores of synagogues as well as scrolls, texts, artifacts, and Jewish cemeteries. Of particular interest are sidebars explaining fascinating peculiarities of various Italian Jewish communities. For instance, Tuscan Jews in the medieval period spoke a distinctive version of Italian dialect peppered with phrases from Hebrew and other languages, a sort of Italian Yiddish. Sure to fascinate devotees of Jewish culture and lovers of Italy, The Guide to Jewish Italy is perfect for armchair travelers and inveterate tourists alike.
Customer Reviews:
beautiful.......2007-01-27
I have the paperback and I flip through it all the time. What beautiful synagogues. They are a remnant of what was once a rich culture.
Customer Reviews:
A Guide to Jewish Poland.......2004-04-20
What can you say about Jewish Poland in 264 pages or less?
This is a subject for volumes, not for a thin paperback.
I suppose that if I had to describe Polish Jewry "on one foot" (as they say) this book would be it. This is the book in your backpack when you travel to Poland. It opens with the Kaddish. You'll need that often, as you travel through the country.
It then goes on to list some of the Jewish landmark events in a "Chronology of Jewish Presence in Poland before and after WWII" which starts at 860 AD. That's just to give you a taste of how rich the Jewish heritage was in Poland.
There are several short chapters on the history of the Jews in Poland, and an introduction to Polish Jewish culture. But the most interesting and useful information in this book is the reference material. The book contains maps of various sorts, showing not just geography but also demographic information. There are lists and photos, diagrams, and names, names and more names.
So many contributed to the rich Jewish life in Poland that they are too great to mention. The section on famous figures and their contributions is simply a list of names
and their contributions. This hardly does justice so giants like Shalom Aleichem and Isaac Bashevis Singer, each one line entries under Yiddish and Hebrew Writers. Imagine that.
Almost a third of this book is a glossary of Polish Jewry. Here you will find an alphabetical listing of some of the most significant locations and a paragraph on each.
Though some of the entries are very thorough, I was disappointed in the number of items missing from this 100-page section, particulary the religious references.
The chapter on major Jewish centers in Poland, focuses on Cracow, Lodz, Lublin, and Warsaw. The book has an interesting chapter on tracing ones roots in Poland. It discusses the types of documents that are helpful for tracing family members and the repositories in Poland where they can be found. There is a list of modern day congregations and synagogues, striking in that it is two sides of a single page. There is another section on current Jewish organizations, recommended reading and an index.
I suppose if such a rich topic as Poland's Jewish Landmarks had to be summed up in a portable paperback, this book does the job. But readers of this book should take the recommended reading section seriously, and use this book as just the start of a fascinating study.
Book Description
World War II left many scars on the face of Europe and left its ugly mark on the Jewish people. More than five decades later, an abundance of Jewish institutions and cultural activities still endure in a world that goes back more than 2,000 years—Jewish Europe.
"A Travel Guide to Jewish Europe" introduces readers to areas that survived the devastating effects of the war, and guides first-time and experienced European travelers to local Jewish neighborhoods and historical sites. Kosher restaurants, historic synagogues, and ancient monuments are detailed. New chapters on the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland allow this updated book to combine practical travel information, intriguing stories, and an enlightening investigation into Jewish contributions to European history. It is a perfect companion for those seeking their roots in Europe or for those searching for places where relatives and friends lived.
Customer Reviews:
Entertaining background, poor resource.......2002-12-16
I have now traveled extensively through Europe and toted Frank's guide with me everywhere. Whenever I reach a new country I enjoy reading his account of the history of Jews there, as well as what he has to say on major Jewish sites, architecture and the other facts he offers. However, as a listing of useful reference information such as telephone numbers, addresses, etc., it is woefully short.
Too many of his facts are simply out of date. He frequently gives the home phone number of rabbis and others connected with various synagogues rather than those of the shuls themselves. This can make it extremely difficult if not impossible to contact anyone on a Friday morning or afternoon before Shabbos. On the other hand, there are no personalized contacts - he never gives the information for a community liason, for instance, or anyone else who could be of assistance. He has no maps or other means of indicating how close or far things are from a central point or each other; just try and make it around Dublin with this guide and you'll find yourself miles out of town with no easy way back.
It frequently becomes clear in his writing that Ben Frank is rather lenient in his halacha. He recommends kosher-style restaurants without valid hashkachah while failing to mention many of those which do. Paris and London are endowed with fabulous Jewish communities and consequently dozens of kosher establishments, but one would never know it from his guide.
Excellent Resource.......2002-06-19
This book is filled with a wealth of information that every Jew traveling to Europe should have. It is an excellent resource guide with addresses, phone numbers and email addresses to help you plan your itinerary and get more information from European sources prior to your trip. I highly recommend this book.
Average customer rating:
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Jewish Heritage Travel: A Guide to Central and Eastern Europe
Ruth Ellen Gruber
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0471546127 |
Book Description
A combination travel guide and history book to Jewish culture in Central and Eastern Europe, it is written in a lively style. The author takes readers into a ghostly, multidimensional shadow land of ``Then, Now and What Might Have Been''. Besides providing invaluable tips on getting around, locating historical sights, what to bring and wear, etc., it also includes numerous references, historical and fictional works that will futher aid readers in preparation for their trip.
Average customer rating:
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Jewish Heritage in England
Sharman Kadish
Manufacturer: English Heritage
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ASIN: 190562428X |
Book Description
The Complete Jewish Guide to Britain Ireland and The Complete Jewish Guide to France are the only resources for everything readers need to know to embark on a trip through Jewish Great Britain or France. Information on hundreds of well-known sights and little known treasures as varied as the beautiful Moorish West London Synagogue, Le Marais, Paris celebrated Jewish neighbourhood, the lost Jewish Cemeteries of Glasgow, Provences ancient ghettos and the Jewish Museum of Dublin, as well as transportation and lodging information and places to buy Kosher food.
Customer Reviews:
Ce n'est pas bon.......2006-09-30
Je suis un ecrivain et je n'aime pas ce livre. J'ai vivé a Paris y le livre
ne m'aide pas trouver les places juifs dans ma belle cité. L'histoire de les
juives francaises es magnifique -- il y'a des autres livres superiors.
Au revoir et mazel tov!
Not so hot.......2006-06-18
I agree with the reviewers who gave this book poor reviews. There are far better sources of this material than this poorly written book. It is not worth the money and I wouldn't bother to get it out of the library either.
Also, who reviews her own book but just uses the space to devalue another reviewer's honest opinion and then gives herself five stars? Weak ego!
Question for Mr. Benoni of Amsterdam from the author.......2005-09-30
Mr. Benoni's charge about the quality of my research is really perplexing. So I invite him to demonstrate what has been left out and show me where on the internet he has found all the interesting stuff he claims I left out that would have been available five years ago when the book was being researched. He can e-mail me directly.
To Be Honest: a Waste of Money !!.......2005-04-15
I sincerely doubt how honest some of the reviews of this book here are! It's simply not a good guide. Not that the author can't write, but the content is very poor. A search on the internet will reveal more information on the places you want to visit than you can find in this book. There are so many terrific places which aren't mentioned: in fact some of the most interesting synagogues France has to offer aren't included. Probably the author doesn't know them, which says a lot about the research she has done. A great subject to write a book about but unfortunately a missed opportunity!
Packed with information!.......2002-01-31
I heartily disagree with the Belgian reviewer who found the book lacking in little-known synagogues and other sites. (Which ones did he or she mean?) I'm an American Jew who lived in France for years and who visits regularly. I have used other supposedly complete Jewish guides and found them lacking because they usually just list kosher restaurants and synagogues currently open for prayer without offering any historical or social context. Miss Kamins's book does offer that context, plus fuller and more up to date listings than the other books have. And, if you want the small gems, you'll find them. She discusses the nooks and corners of Paris, plus she pays more attention to the glories of the Jewish life in the provinces than any of the other guides I've seen. If you want a full and lively guide to the rich history of Jewish places in France, buy this book!
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