Odessa's Jewish Tours

Jews were in the Odessa area long before Russia built the city. Odessa sits in a region once held by the Khazars, whose elite converted to Judaism in the 8th century. The Jewish influence is strong and pervades this cosmopolitan city, uniquely described in the dark tales of Isaac Babel.

Until World War II, Jews played a dominant role in the city's development. Indeed, in 1939 they constituted over 30 % of the city's population. Today Odessa is home to a large Jewish community. We'll begin our tour by visiting the majestic, tree-shaded New Synagogue and the tall, grey gothic Brodsky Synagogue, where such composers as Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov came to draw inspiration.
  After that you will go to the Odessa sights that have particular meaning to Jewish history. Our tour visits the Holocaust Monument in the city park and the city's Jewish cemetery. At the cemetery, we'll see the memorial plaque to one of the city's famous Yiddish writers: Shalom Aleyhem, who created Tevye, of Fiddler on the Roof fame. After stops at the music school and conservatory, we'll visit memorial places of Jewish poets and writers who enriched Odessa's cultural life.