Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: & -Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

Introduction Jewish life in South America began when Jews were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula. Not a great way to start a new existence! Nevertheless, the Jewish communities of South America forged a vibrant new life – full of style and flair, a combination of Latin flavor and Jewish heritage that has sustained itself for generations. We will explore the Jewish communities of Argentina and Brazil, including the threatened community in Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, home to Brazil’s largest Jewish community, and lively Rio de Janeiro. We will explore the roots of Jewish existence in Brazil and Argentina, and will visit Jewish community centers, welfare societies, and other Latin American Jewish institutions in an attempt to gain an understanding of these communities in the context of Jewish history as well as the context of the and Brazil. We will learn and experience Jewish life as it currently exists in Argentina and Brazil.

The Itinerary Sunday, March 6th – Day 1 – Depart from the United States

Depart on the overnight flight from JFK International Airport. Scheduled departure is 10:05 pm. Transportation from Keneseth Israel to JFK provided.

Monday, March 7th – Day 2 – Buenos Aires

Afternoon: Today we arrive in Argentina, and its capital city of Buenos Aires. The city of Buenos Aires was founded in 1580 on the shores of the River Plata and today not only is it the continent’s largest city; it is also the most sophisticated. Its people are lively and friendly; it has something for every visitor: beautiful parks, football stadiums, restaurants of all kinds, horse racing, riding, rose gardens, golf courses, night clubs, theaters, tango, and opera. Shopping is an exciting experience along , around San Martin Plaza or in San Telmo where antiques are a specialty. The Italian Boca district, Palmero Parks, Recoleta Cemetery, the waterway of the Parana River, are all attractions that give Buenos Aires a character of its own.

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

A city to be enjoyed! We will begin our discovery of Buenos Aires with a panoramic bus tour including Cinco de Mayo Square, the Boca district, the harbors, Ninth of July Avenue, the ‘Casa Rosada’ (government house), Recoleta, and the Colon Theater.

Evening: We will regroup before dinner for our first learning session entitled THINKING IMPERIALLY: FIVE EMPIRES AND JEWISH SETTLEMENT IN THE NEW WORLD, 1492-1776 by Rabbi Lance Sussman, Ph.D., our study tour scholar. Afterwards, we will enjoy a Welcome Dinner at the hotel.

Meals: Dinner

Overnight: The Brick Hotel

Tuesday, March 8th – Day 3 – Buenos Aires

Rich in Jewish heritage, Buenos Aires was home to the largest Jewish Community in South America.

Morning: After breakfast and second learning session led by Rabbi Sussman on THE INQUISITION IN TWO WORLDS, OLD AND NEW, 1391-1815, we will visit the Libertad, Argentina’s oldest synagogue. The Libertad houses a small Jewish museum which boasts an interesting collection of Jewish ritual articles and photographs related to the Jewish community of Buenos Aires and the unique lives of the Jewish Gauchos who populated Moisesville.

Afternoon: After lunch on your own, we will visit Babycare, a very unique day care center operated by JDC and will have a chance to meet with members of Hadassah International to hear how the Jewish community has been coping with the drastic economic changes of recent years.

Evening: Free time for dinner on your own.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: The Brick Hotel

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

Wednesday, March 9th – Day 4 – Buenos Aires

Morning: After breakfast, we will have our third learning session with Rabbi Sussman on ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER OPENS: IMMIGRATION POLICIES IN NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA. The rest of the morning will be devoted to exploring the district of ‘Once,’ the “Lower East Side” of Buenos Aires with its kosher butcher shops, schools and restaurants. We will visit the new AMIA building, with its Agam Memorial dedicated to those who were killed in the terrorist bombing of 1994.

Afternoon: Enjoy the afternoon on your own. Stop for a light lunch at the only kosher McDonald’s outside of Israel and for independent sightseeing and shopping.

Evening: Dinner and a Tango Show.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: The Brick Hotel

Thursday, March 10th – Day 5 – Buenos Aires

Morning: After breakfast, we will visit the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano (Latin American Rabbinical Seminary, also known as the Marshall T. Meyer Latin American Rabbinical Seminary), a Jewish religious, cultural, and academic center whose primary purpose is to educate and ordain rabbis from Latin America who will help to strengthen and sustain Jewish communities throughout the region.

Afternoon: We suggest you devote this free afternoon to museum-hopping. There is certainly a wide variety to choose from: Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (Latin American Art Museum) to Museo Evita to learn about the life of Argentina’s most-famous First Lady, Eva “Evita” Perón.

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

Three others to consider are: Museo del Bicentenario to discover antique artifacts from 1810 to 2010 while exploring the archaeological remains of Buenos Aires; Colección de Arte Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat with its focus on 20th century Argentine art; and the excellent MAMBA, aka the Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires Modern Art Museum). Your Gil Travel tour escort will assist you in planning your afternoon.

Evening: At leisure to enjoy the city’s culinary delights and pack for the next day’s flight to Sao Paulo.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: The Brick Hotel

Friday, March 11th – Day 6 – Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo

Morning: After breakfast and the fourth learning session with Rabbi Sussman on FARMERS, COWBOYS AND COLONISTS: JEWISH AGRICULTURE IN AN AGE OF INDUSTRY, 1876-1940, we will depart for Sao Paulo, Brazil. Sao It is the third largest city in the world and the Brazilian city with the largest Jewish community.

Afternoon: Our visit begins at the Club Hebraica, the largest and most important Jewish Community Country Club and Center in Sao Paolo. It boasts an amazing array of facilities including swimming pools, gymnasiums, tennis courts, basketball courts, bowling alleys, banquet halls, theaters, restaurants and an art gallery. No wonder that on any given day thousands of Jewish Paulistas enjoy this magnificent complex.

Lunch at the Club Hebraica gives us an opportunity to meet members of the local Jewish community. We will then check-in to our hotel.

Evening: Shabbat Dinner together at the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Renaissance Hotel

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

Saturday, March 12th – Day 7 – Shabbat in Sao Paulo

After breakfast at the hotel, the day is at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Renaissance Hotel

Sunday, March 13th – Day 8 – Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro

Rio is the cultural capital of Brazil. It is a city of breathtaking beauty and is one of the most attractive destinations in the world. It has a small, yet vibrant, Jewish community with strong ties to Israel.

Morning: After our fifth learning session JEWISH LIFE IN ARGENTINA AND BRAZIL AFTER WWII, head to the airport for our flight to Rio de Janeiro.

Afternoon: We begin our day of sightseeing with the famed beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon. One of today’s highlights will be a cable car ride to the crest of Sugarloaf Mountain, 1200 feet high, with its breathtaking view of the Guanabara Bay and the landscape of Rio.

Evening: Evening at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Windsor Atlantica Hotel

Monday, March 14th – Day 9 – Rio de Janeiro

Morning: After breakfast and our sixth learning session on THE ODESSA FILE: HIDDEN NAZIS IN SOUTH AMERICA, we explore Jewish Rio de Janeiro. It does not take long to find the Jewish presence in Rio – a public school named after Anne Frank, a square named after Ben-Gurion, a street named Theodore Herzl. We will visit the Grand Synagogue restored by famed publisher Adolpho Bloch.

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

Afternoon: We continue to the hub of the Jewish Community, the Jewish Federation, which coordinates all aspects of Jewish life, including synagogues, schools, and clubs. There are 73 Jewish institutions catering to the needs of the community. Our tour concludes at the headquarters of H. Stern for an informative visual explanation of how gemstones are discovered, mined, and made into beautiful jewelry.

If possible, we will meet with a member of the Stern Family. Owners of H. Stern Jewelers, all have strong ties to Israel.

Evening: Dinner at the hotel followed by a visit to a Samba show.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Windsor Atlantica Hotel

Tuesday, March 15th – Day 10 – Rio de Janeiro

Morning: After breakfast, we continue our Jewish heritage exploration with a visit to the Colegio A. Liessen, the largest Jewish Day School in Rio de Janeiro (there are four others), which caters to the needs of 1500 students from nursery through high school.

Afternoon: Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure for additional sightseeing, shopping, or a walk along the beach.

Evening: Evening at leisure and for packing for the early morning departure to Recife.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Windsor Atlantica Hotel

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

Wednesday, March 16th – Day 11 – Rio de Janeiro and Recife

Morning: After an early breakfast and our seventh learning session with Rabbi Sussman on THE JEWISH FUTURE: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE we will head to Recife, the gateway to the Americas for post-Expulsion Jews.

Afternoon: After the 3-hour flight, we will arrive in the late morning and take a tour of the city. Flanked by bustling cafes in downtown Recife on Brazil's northeastern coast is a little-known treasure of Jewish history in the New World - the oldest synagogue in the Americas. Our tour includes a visit to the two-story Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue built by Sephardic Jews, most likely in 1636 - when they enjoyed religious freedom under the Dutch, who ruled part of the northeast region from 1630 to 1654 to control sugar production.

In the late afternoon we will have time to relax before the eighth learning session with Rabbi Sussman on RECIFE: CRADLE OF NORTH AMERICAN JUDAISM, 1630-1654.

Evening: We enjoy our festive Farewell Dinner.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Grand Mercure Atlantic Plaza

Thursday, March 17th – Day 12 – Recife and Departure

Morning: After breakfast and informal closing remarks by Rabbi Sussman and feedback from the group, the rest of the day is free in Recife to relax (or do some last-minute shopping) before we head to the airport.

Evening: Departure for overnight flight to Miami, scheduled at 9:50 pm.

Meals: Breakfast

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

Friday, March 18th – Day 13 – Arrive in the United States

Morning: Arrive to JFK International Airport. Transportation provided from JFK to Keneseth Israel.

A pre-study tour excursion to Iguazu Falls is available upon request.

Itinerary Subject to Change.

Our Scholar

Rabbi Lance Sussman, Ph.D., is Senior Rabbi of Keneseth Israel Synagogue in Elkins Park, PA. He recently taught Jewish History at Princeton University, Temple University and the National Museum of American Jewish History. He holds degrees from Franklin and Marshall College and Hebrew Union College -Jewish Institute of Religion. He was ordained by HUC-JIR. Lance served as Chair of Jewish Studies Department at Binghamton University, and taught at Hebrew Union College and Rutgers University. He has written several books in the field of American Jewish history, is published in major publications and is featured in several PBS television documentaries on Jewish life in America. See the entry on Rabbi Sussman in Wikipedia.

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

For Questions and to Register

For Travel Questions and Registration: For Other Questions: Fallon Robinson, Travel Consultant Moshe Margolin, Director Gil Travel Group Jewish Explorations 800-223-3855 x 373 866-898-0037 [email protected] [email protected] The Registration Deadline is December 7, 2015

Special Features

 Scholar, Rabbi Lance Sussman, Ph.D., accompanying group from departure to return.  Gil Travel escort accompanying the study tour.

Educational Materials

 Complete Pre-Departure Bibliography prepared by Rabbi Sussman.  Day-By-Day Resource Book prepared by Rabbi Sussman.

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

Prices

$1500 deposit required upon registration.

Based on a minimum of 20 participants.

The Above Prices Include:

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS (Complete Package Only)

DEPARTURE DATE FROM/TO ARRIVAL TIME TIME JFK/ 10:45 AM MARCH 6, 2016 10:05 PM BUENOS AIRES (MARCH 7) 5:15 AM MARCH 17, 2016 RECIFE / MIAMI 9:50 PM (MARCH 18)

MARCH 18, 2016 MIAMI / JFK 7:00 AM 10:03 AM

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

INTERNAL FLIGHTS (All Participants)

DATE FROM/TO

MARCH 11, 2016 BUENOS AIRES/SAO PAULO

SAO PAULO/ MARCH 13, 2016 RIO DE JANEIRO

MARCH 16, 2016 RIO DE JANEIRO/RECIFE

The experts at the Gil Travel Group stand ready to help with your flights from departure locations other than JFK.

HOTELS

DATE NIGHTS HOTEL CITY

MARCH 7-11 4 BRICK HOTEL BUENOS AIRES

MARCH 11-13 2 RENAISSANCE SAO PAULO

MARCH 13-16 3 WINDSOR ATLANTICA RIO DE JANEIRO

MARCH 16-17 1 GRAND MERCURE ATLANTE PLAZA RECIFE

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

MEALS DATE MEAL MARCH 7 WELCOME DINNER MARCH 8 DINNER MARCH 9 DINNER MARCH 11 SHABBAT DINNER AT THE HOTEL MARCH 14 DINNER MARCH 16 FAREWELL DINNER BREAKFAST DAILY AT THE HOTEL

CULTURAL EXTRAS

DATE EVENT

MARCH 9 TANGO SHOW MARCH 14 SAMBA SHOW

Also Includes: SIGHTSEEING AND TRANSPORTATION – GUIDE TBC

3 full days and 6 half days of sightseeing including entrance fees to all sights on itinerary, via a deluxe air conditioned motor coach with English speaking guide. Group arrival and departure transfers are included. PORTERAGE

1 piece of luggage per person at each hotel and airport

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

 Gil Travel document kit  Special Gil Travel gift bag for each family

The Above Prices DO NOT Include: TRAVEL INSURANCE

Provided exclusively by Travelex, purchased through Gil Travel.

Insurance can be purchased at:

http://www.giltravel.com/israel-travel-resources/israel-travel-insurance.html TIPS

Tips to the guide and driver are not included. Tip suggestions to be advised.

CELL PHONE RENTAL

For group cell phone rental, please visit our website at http://info.giltravel.com/cellsabroad MEALS

Meals not included in itinerary as well as beverages and items not listed on group menus.

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

PERSONAL EXPENSES

All those expenses individual to each passenger including souvenirs, laundry services, valet service, phone calls. AIRPORT TAXES IN BRAZIL

Airport taxes in Brazil are presently: $12.60 per person for domestic flights and $40.50 per person for international flights. These rates are subject to change without previous notice due to government decision and also because they are based on local currency which changes often vs the dollar. VISA FEES

The National Immigration Agency of Argentina has added a new form of payment of the Reciprocity Rates through the Provincia Pago payment system. Before entering Argentina, citizens of USA, Canada & Australia, visiting the country as tourists, must pay the Reciprocity Rates with their credit card. Please check http://cnyor.mrecic.gov.ar/en/content/reciprocity-fee-us-canadian-and-australian- citizens-online-payment.

We suggest you apply for a visa as soon as you register for the study tour. ROOM AND DEPARTURE TAXES

Several cities in Brazil have a special room tax to fund their local Convention & Visitors Bureau and each has its own policy. This tax will be charged directly to the guests at the hotels upon check out. To give you an idea the present tax for is Sao Paulo is $4 per room per night and Rio de Janeiro is $6 per room per night.

There is currently an international departure tax from Brazil.

You will be updated information as part of your pre-departure materials.

Discover Jewish Civilization Around the Globe South America and Its Jews: Argentina & Brazil Buenos Aires-Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro-Recife March 6 to 18, 2016

Schedule of Payments

$1500 deposit per person due with application. Balance due Tuesday, December 22, 2015. Deviations

Any passenger deviating from the group flights will not be entitled to the group airport transfers. We will be glad to reserve a private car transfer for him/her from/to airport. Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be received in writing.

Cancellation received up to November 20, 2015 – Forfeit $50.00 per person

November 21-December 7, 2015 – Forfeit $500.00 per person

December 8-22, 2015 – Forfeit $1,500.00 per person

December 23, 2015-January 22, 2016 – Forfeit $3,000.00 per person

January 23, 2016 to departure – No refund

© 2015 Gil Travel Group and Adult Jewish Learning Programs | All Rights Reserved Reproduction without permission is prohibited by law.