ITINERARY

Journey through India’s Jewish past and present on this special tour of her Jewish heritage hubs – Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Cochin. These vibrant cities are home to living synagogues and a handful of Jewish Indian communities who you will meet with. Guided by our top Jewish-expert guides, you’ll see the most fascinating religious and cultural sites at intervals of travel that are in accordance with the Jewish faith.

Start in Mumbai, an exhilarating city with enormous religious diversity. Visit a Jewish synagogue, a beautiful restored Cathedral, and a Muslim mausoleum in which the Koran is written on the walls in gold and gemstones. The Jewish community in Mumbai comprises 4,000 Bene Israel Jews who trace their origins in Mumbai to a shipwreck off the Maharashtra coast in 175 BC and a few hundred Baghdadi Jews from Iraq. A local historian will lead your tour of the Kenesethe Eliyahoo Synagogue, Magen David Synagogue, and the Shaar-ha-Rahamim Synagogue. Next head to Delhi where you will take in the capital’s finest sites – including New Delhi’s colonial-era landmarks and Old Delhi’s hustling and bustling markets – as well as the Judah Hyam Synagogue.

In Calcutta explore a holy trail of religious sites around Brabourne Road – once home to Calcutta’s many immigrants including the Chinese, Armenians, and Jews & Muslims from the Middle East – with a number of different religious structures coexisting in close proximity. Calcutta has an estimated 25 Jews remaining in this city of 14 million people. Highlights here include the Magen David Synagogue and the Belur Math Shrine, which resembles a church, a temple, or a mosque depending on where you are standing.

End in the enchanting and laid-back port city of Cochin. Although there are only about 17 Cochin Jews left, Kerala’s Jewish history goes back to the time of King Solomon in the 10^th Century BC and there are strong remnants in the architecture and atmosphere. Jew Town is a twisting lane heaving with clothes shops and spice stalls; its treasured centerpiece is the little Paradesi Synagogue known for its hand-painted tiles and quaint Belgian glass chandeliers. Around Cochin, we will arrange for you to visit the Murziris Heritage Project’s restoration work on a number of rundown Jewish houses and three of the oldest synagogues in Kerala: the Kadavumbagam synagogue in Mattancherry, the Tekkumbagam synagogue in Ernakulam and the Pattanam synagogue. You can also view their fascinating excavation sites which are unearthing a variety of clothes, coins, and agricultural tools dating back to the time of Roman traders.

 Pre-departure planning is important.

Here are certain things you should watch for and plan for.

Visas

Check with the Indian consulate or embassy in your country to find out if you will need a visa to visit the country of your destination, especially for an extended period of time. Some countries have extremely detailed and complicated entry/departure laws and treat visits of a week or two very differently from longer stays.

Money

If you’re traveling to one area, check the cost of living there. If it’s high you’ll probably want to budget more carefully and save some money before leaving. The lower the cost of living the less you’ll have to save, but be sure to have a backup reserve in emergency cases.

General Tips

Talk to other people who have done a similar trip.

If you don’t know anyone personally, try any of the dozens of online travel websites full of first-person travel stories covering every possible type of trip.

Plan big and loose. Read everything you can about the area.

There may be sights and attractions you didn’t know about. A rough outline of your trip might have three or four target points and a variety of ways to get between them.

You don’t want to find out that the weather isn’t what you thought, or the guidebook was incorrect, after committing to 6 weeks in a specific spot.

Some trips will allow you more leeway than others. Travel plans in Asia can often be made day-by-day while summer travel in Europe should be organized at least a few weeks ahead unless you’re prepared to hunt around for hotel rooms and train seats.

Set up a pre-trip timeline so you don’t end up with a full to-do list during your last week of work or school.

Things to consider are doctor’s visits for a check-up, inoculations, and prescription refills; purchasing plane tickets; renewing passports, and obtaining visas and other documents.

Check your insurance coverage abroad and purchase additional travel insurance if needed. Don’t forget to visit friends and family members!

The longer the trip, the lighter you should pack. This might seem strange, but it’s true you can afford to lug a heavy bag around for a week or two, but do you want to have anything extra for a year?

Stick to the absolute basics and know what you can and cannot buy at your destination(s). There’s no point in bringing 6 months of toothpaste to Europe or buying a sarong at home to take to the tropics. If you are visiting several climates, try to arrange it so you visit the warmer places first and the coldest last. That way you can purchase sweaters and long pants and not have to carry them any more than needed. Alternately, visit cold climates first and then ship unneeded layers home — or sell them off.

A good rule of thumb is to bring one outfit for the hottest day you’re likely to encounter, one for an average day, and one for the coldest.

Make sure everything goes with everything else (if that’s important to you), and remember that layers are always best.

Be prepared for uncomfortable trips. You will often find yourself in a busy, cramped, economy class environment and it could be for many hours – especially long plane trips.

If you want to arrive at your destination refreshed and able to enjoy the sights, then try a good quality travel pillow to support your head, some earplugs to block out the screaming babies, and an eye cover to block out the sun or cabin lights.

Just avoid those cheap U-shaped pillows from airport shops – your head drops forward and you wake up with a stiff neck.

Make contact with the locals before you go.

Maybe you have a friend-of-a-friend or a foreign exchange student from high school you remember, or just found a friend through a travel website; almost everyone is happy to welcome a foreign visitor to their hometown. This might be as elaborate as a homestay for a few weeks, or just coffee in their hometown or dinner at a local restaurant.

Trip Attractions

Mumbai: Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Kenneth Synagogue, Elephanta Caves

Delhi: Old & New Delhi, including Red Fort, Judah Hyam Hall, house of Mr. Baruch B. Benjamin

Agra: Taj Mahal, Red Fort

Kolkata: Beth-El Synagogue, and Magen David Synagogue,  Victoria Memorial and St. Paul’s Cathedral, Beth-El Synagogue, and Magen David Synagogue. After lunch visit Victoria Memorial and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Cochin: North Parur Synagogue,  Chendamangalam Synagogue, Paradeshi Synagogue at the Jew town

Travel Resources

Travel planning is about more than just knowing where you’re going. Prepares to navigate, take control and be ready for anything. This section helps you steer clear of disaster and stay open to enjoy the unexpected.