I am pleased to invite you to join me on the next Temple Judea Trip: Roots & Rebirth: Germany and the Czech Republic from April 26 to May 4, 2026, featuring an ‘off-the-beaten-track’ itinerary that includes visits to some of the most important Jewish Ashkenazic communities of the past 1000 years: Frankfurt, Mainz, Speyer, Worms and Prague. This trip is special because unlike many trips to Europe and Eastern Europe, we will be focusing on life in Europe during the 1000 years before the Holocaust. Ashkenazic Judaism, as we now live and practice it, is in many respects, a product of Judaism forged in this part of the world. 

While anyone could visit these locations, a Temple Judea trip is unique. To begin, this trip is only open to Temple Judea members and their family and friends. We do not accept travelers without a connection to a TJ member who is going on the trip. Secondly, when you travel with Temple Judea, we combine meaningful Jewish learning with unmatched travel experiences, and are always escorted by highly trained educators and guides. Also, just like all of our other trips, this one will be filled with learning, creative experiences, and lots of fun. Plus, as always, we will host educational programs before we leave as well as a festive bon voyage dinner, so there will be plenty of opportunities to get to know each before we leave Los Angeles. Most importantly, you will experience the wonderful bonding experiences that always happen on our trips. Past travelers have created life-long friendships, and continue to travel together on their own, even after the final leg of the TJTour has come to an end. This trip will be no different.

Some highlights of our trip will include:

• A visit to the Rhine cities of Mainz, Speyer & Worms, among the most important centers of Ashkenazic Jewry in the last 1000+ years, such as: the Rashi Synagogue which dates back to 1175; the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe with more than 2000 graves that date back to 1076; and one of the oldest mikvahs in Europe, dating back to 1120
• A visit with the re-energized modern Jewish community of Frankfurt
• A visit to discover Pilsen—home of the world-famous Pilsner beer
• A powerful stop in Terezin, the infamous ghetto/concentration camp designed to be a propaganda site for the Nazis 
• A few days in Prague, a city largely spared from the destruction of WWII, where we’ll find some of Europe’s oldest and most important pre-War Jewish sites
• Plus, much more!

The cost of this trip is $5,999/person based on double occupancy. Included in the trip are 8 nights lodging; all breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners, private tour guides; a J2 educator; all entrance fees, etc. Airfare to Frankfurt and from Prague is not included. There are other exclusions, and I strongly recommend trip insurance. All of the fine print, including important dates and pricing, can be accessed following the link Roots & Rebirth: Germany and the Czech Republic. 

While we need a minimum of 20 people to book this trip; ideally we will ultimately travel with 24-30 people. I find this the perfect size group to create the kind of intimate experience that makes the trip unique, while still being able to avail ourselves of group rates and opportunities. Once we reach a satisfactory number of people, the trip will be closed and we will start a wait list—so if you’re planning to go, please sign-up! Roots & Rebirth: Germany and the Czech Republic has a tab on the bottom right that says ‘Registration Open’. Click on that and fill out your name to begin the registration process. There is a $1000/person non-refundable deposit required.

Finally, I’m pleased to announce I’ve already planned our next trip: Jewish Spain: A Journey through Heritage and Culture. This trip will take place in May 2027. The exact dates will be determined in the Spring of 2026 but we do now know it will be in May 2027. This is a great time of the year to visit Spain! As you know, Spain has a rich, albeit difficult history with Jews. We will visit Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba and much more! We are hoping to price this trip at a very similar price point.

You can get on a waiting list for the trip to Spain by contacting my assistant, Tammy Lerman, at  Whether you're coming to Germany & the Czech Republic or planning to join me in Spain -- I'm looking forward to traveling with you!