Reply To: Trip to Europe, Summer 2014

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#988200
zahavasdad
Participant

You have to decide what countries you want to go to.

There are only 3 countries with sizeable jewish populations able to host tourists. England France and Belgium. However in England a percentage lives in Manchester and Gateshead (which is about 200 miles from London). The jews of Belgium are mostly chassidic and they live in Antwerp. Antwerp is not really a tourist destination.

So you are basically Stuck with London and Paris if you want to stay with people. You can certainly forget about Italy which IMO is the nicest country in the world. The jewish population there cannot support hosting. They can basially support restaurants and shuls. even in Rome and Venice. Venice usually has more tourists than local jews. They ask the tourists to help contribute to the shul.

Ive love to visit Europe and enjoy visiting there, I love the midevil streets and seeing old places. However I dont know your backround, If you live in a frum neighborhood you might have grown up sheltered and not have street smarts. There are alot of pick-pockets, scammers and other people more than willing to take your money as a tourist you are easy pickens. Unless you have the street smarts Im not sure Id attempt it. Trust me I learned the hard way, luckily they only took a small amount and Ive learned to be alot more careful (maybe too careful)

Be aware that many things taken for granted in Brooklyn are harder to find like Kosher food, of course they arent too hard in London or Paris but elsewhere it is.

Also some countries are cheaper than others, England is really expensive and so is Italy (not as bad as england) I spent $13 on a Hamburger PATTY in London.

ive gone there without a tour and have no problem riding the subways and reading maps, but I will hide my identity as much as possible. I know an uncle who had a rock thrown at him in Amsterdam (Probably not the best city for a frum girl to go to) Its known for debutchery.

Now if you want to go, Here are the cities Id recommend visitng

London, Paris, Barcelona, madrid , Toledo (Near Madrid oldest Synagoguge in europe from 1100’s) Rome, Florence, Venice, Prague (Lots of jewish sites in Prague) , Budapest and Vienna