Jewish Bucharest Then and Now | Private Tour

The first documents attesting to the presence of Jewish inhabitants in Bucharest go as far as the 16th century. In spite of the "hostile tolerance" it usually received, the Jewish urban community kept on growing so that by 1930 it represented 11% of the total population of Bucharest. One can imagine the huge cultural and economic impact this had on the development of the city. However today Bucharest has a Jewish population of just 2000 souls. The Jewish Bucharest Then and Now tour will try to give you a thorough understanding of what happened in the last century that dispersed this important community. I will take you to its major sights - both religious and secular - and will discuss in detail the nationalistic dictatorships that succeeded before, during, and after World War II. Our slow-paced walk through the most important former Jewish neighborhood will give you insights into Romania's recent history and its approach to delicate subjects such as the Jewish and Romani Holocaust.

The Jewish Bucharest Then & Now tour will take you to all the must-see sights of religious and historical interest, such as: - the Holy Union Temple ("Ahdut Kodesh"), nowadays home to the Museum of the Romanian Jewish Community (closed on Fridays & Saturdays); - the Great Polish Synagogue, which hosts the Museum of Holocaust (closed on Saturdays & Sundays); - the former Barasheum, now Jewish State Theater, still staging plays in Yiddish (exterior visit); - the beautifully restored Choral Temple, Bucharest's most impressive and active synagogue (closed on Saturdays & Sundays). If you still have the energy and will, we can finish our tour by visiting the Jewish and Roma Holocaust Memorial situated in the Old Town. Just keep in mind that, as with all my tours, this itinerary is very much flexible and can be further adapted to your particular interests.