October 14 - 21, 2001

A cemetery dedication ceremony will be held in Ozarow on Mon. Oct. 15, 2001. We expect many Ozarowers as well as interested non-Ozarowers, government dignitaries from Poland and abroad, rabbis, priests, the Polish media, and a filming crew to attend this memorable event. A tour bus and guide have been arranged to take the group from Warsaw to Ozarow, and then continue for a further week of site seeing in various towns of Jewish interest, including Krakow and Sandomierz (this link is in Polish only).

The High Synagogue in Krakow

The old synagogue in Sandomierz - currently the Government Archives

1. Private visit to Jewish Historical Institute/Museum (arranged by Dr. Lena Bergman); visit to the Jewish Community Center and the Warsaw Synagogue , perhaps meeting the Editor-in-Chief of the Jewish monthly, "Midrasz", Mr. Konstanty Gebert, and possibly, the representative of the Jewish Community in Poland, Dr. Stanislaw Krajewski.
2. Visit to the famous Jewish Cemetery on Okopowa Street.
3. Visit to Warsaw Ghetto Memorial.
4. Kosher dinner sponsored by Mark Milgrom.
5. Optional - Attend performance of the famous Jewish Theatre in Warsaw - subject to availability (to be confirmed). The language used during the performance is Yiddish, with the translation into English available via earphones.

1. Dedication ceremony in Ozarow; meet with dignitaries.
2. A drive-through visit to a number of shtetles around Ozarow: Opatow, Cmielow, Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, Polaniec, Kunow, Tarlow (the actual list will be based on the feedback obtained from the tour participants).
3. Check-in at the hotel in Kazimierz around 5 PM; Kazimierz is a very beautiful town located at the banks of the Vistula river - a favorite town of the OCRP's representative in Poland, Mr. Stefan Andrzej Omasta; see a well preserved old synagogue (presently a cinema and a local Hall of Culture); visit Jewish cemetery with a commemorative monument built from the matzevots; the former kosher butcher located in the Little Market area; houses built in the Renaissance style.
4. Banquet in Kazimierz, sponsored by Dr. Norman L. Weinberg.

1. Lublin is one of the favorite towns of Bashevis Singer - remember "The Magician of Lublin"; visiting the Old Town (formerly a Jewish district of the city), the old Town Hall, the Grodzka Gate (known as the Jewish Gate), viewing a commemorative plaque on the walls of the Old Castle, showing the plan of the former Jewish district, the old Jewish cemetery, visiting the buildings of the former yeshiva, Jewish hospital, synagogue and kahal; visit to the Majdanek Concentration Camp - Majdanek is located within the boundaries of the city of Lublin.
2. Return to Kazimierz - continuation of the tour of Kazimierz.

1. Visit to Sandomierz - a walk-through Old Sandomierz: the renovated synagogue, presently the Government Archives (many documents relevant to Ozarow/Ozarowers are stored there). Adjacent to the synagogue is the former kahal; visiting Jewish cemetery (it has a lapidarium built from the broken matzevots); a walk-through includes viewing from outside the Old Town's historical buildings and monuments (the old Town Hall from the Renaissance period, the Old Market, the Cathedral, etc.).
2. Lancut: a location of one of the most important Hasidic centers in Poland; the Jewish community dating back to the 16th century; visit to well-preserved and renovated synagogue (presently a small Jewish museum), originally built with the assistance of the town's owner, Count Lubomirski [Lancut is an example of the former, so called "private town"; Count Lubomirski was known for his friendly relations with the Jewish community, awarding (as a town's owner) a number of privileges to the Jewish inhabitants of Lancut]; there is a possibility of visiting the Lubomirski's Palace, which is one of the most magnificent palaces in Poland.
3. Rzeszow - it has two well-preserved synagogues: the Old Town Synagogue from the 17th century, built in the Renaissance style, renovated, presently hosts the Government Archives and a Jewish Centre of Historical Studies; the New Town Synagogue, also from the 17th century, renovated, presently as an art gallery; viewing the Old Town (the Old Market, the old Town Hall in the Renaissance style, etc);
4. Tarnow - check-in at the hotel in Tarnow.

1. Tarnow - a walk-through the old Jewish district of the town, visiting the location of the old synagogue (only the bimah is preserved), the Jewish cemetery (one of the largest in Poland, containing several thousands of matzevots), the building of the former ritual bath house (schwitz) and the hospital. Also paying tribute at the memorial to the Tarnower Jews murdered during WWII. If possible, visiting the city museum exhibiting the Judaicas; listening to the lecture by Dr. Bartosz on the history of Jews in Poland. The Old Town of Tarnow is known for the Renaissance-style Town Hall and a Gothic-style cathedral;
2. Bobowa - a location of the old Hasidic center founded by Salomon ben Nathan from Bobowa (his Ohel can be seen at the cemetery), the son the famous Rabbi, Chaim Halberstam from Nowy Sacz. The synagogue located at the Old Market dates back to 18th century.
3. Nowy Sacz - check-in at the hotel in Nowy Sacz.

1. Nowy Sacz - a walk-through the Jewish district of the town; visiting: the Old Synagogue, containing an exhibit devoted to the Jews of Nowy Sacz; the building of the former kahal, hospital and the yeshiva; the location of the former house and the synagogue of Chaim Halberstam; the presently open (active) synagogue and the kahal; the Jewish cemetery.
2. We are planning to arrive in Cracow in time for Shabbat and evening prayers at the synagogue.

1. Walking tour. The whole day will be spent within the famous Jewish district of Cracow, known as Kazimierz. For those wishing to continue site-seeing, we will be using a local guide. Cracow, the former capital of Poland has numerous, world-class historical monuments, such as e.g., Wawel castle (the former residence of Polish monarchs), the Jagellonian University (one of the oldest universities in the world, dating back to the 14th century) and many others.

1. Lodz - a walk-through the Jewish part of the Piotrkowska Street (the main street of Lodz); visit to Poznanski's Palace, presently a museum of the City of Lodz, displaying an exhibit devoted to the most famous Polish-Jewish pianist, Arthur Rubinstein; if possible, and time permitting, visiting the Jewish cemetery of Lodz, one of the best-preserved Jewish cemeteries in Poland;
2. Arriving in Warsaw at around 7 PM.

For additional information please contact:
Dr. Norman L. Weinberg,
 tel.: 716-688-5272; fax: 716-636-6093
 e-mail: tourinfo@ozarow.org