Uncover the Extraordinary Hidden Treasures of Venice and Northern Italy

A Tour Experience Like No Other as We Explore Northern Italy & Its Jewish Heritage Off-The-Beaten Path with Exclusive Access to Sites & People of Italy & Jewish Italy 

Only We Can Bring you! All in Luxurious Comfort & Ease!

Special – Italian Culinary Event with Master Kosher Chef Malcolm Green

Featuring Special Guest Lecturers:

Dr. Henry M. Abramson, Dean, Touro College

Culinary Events with Naomi Nachman

Encounter unforgettable sights on this odyssey through Northern Italy that begins and ends in legendary Venice, the “Queen of the Adriatic.” Our exploration of Northern Italy rewards the curious traveler with amazing experiences rich in Jewish history & heritage in Ferrara, Padua, Lido, and Venice. Unlike any other tour vacation, you will be treated to exclusive tours and in-depth interaction with local Jewish communities. Discover the charm of seaside Chioggia loved by fishermen and artists alike. Explore medieval Padua, once home to Galileo and Copernicus; Verona, the famed city of Romeo and Juliet and magical Venice. Each of these enchanting locales is yours to uncover filled with over 2000 years of Jewish history and heritage brought to life on the Kosher River Cruises the “Gems of Northern Italy.” 

 

THE JOURNEY

Soak up the enchantment of “The City of Water” and three outer-lying Venetian islands, Burano, Murano and Lido.

A Floating Boutique Hotel Experience:

You won’t cruise down a river, but that’s what makes this itinerary extraordinary. Immerse yourself in la dolce vita with seven days sailing up and down the scenic Venice Lagoon, docking in different areas of the islands and experiencing Venetian magic up close each day.

Who will enjoy this cruise/tour?

Romantics, connoisseurs of food and wine and lovers of art and architecture. Experienced travelers looking to explore 2000 years of Jewish history & heritage as we bring to life the hidden gems of Northern Italy.

Culinary Event with Master Kosher Chef Malcolm Green

Chef Malcolm and team has created a very special daily menu for this cruise event exploring the culinary wonders of Italian cuisine.  From pasta workshops, wine pairings to each evening’s masterfully developed menus & dishes, completes your tour emersion into the sights, sounds and tastes of all that is Italy!

Jewish Italy

The presence of Jews on the Italian peninsula can be traced back as far as 200 BCE during the late Roman Republican period. Italian Jewry is especially diverse, comprising a mix of Italian, Sephardic, Ashkenazic, Persian and Libyan Jews.

 Ashkenazi Jews have lived in northern Italy since at least the late Middle Ages. In Venice, they formed the oldest Jewish community, predating both the Sephardic and the Italian congregations. Following the invention of printing, Venice became a major publishing center for Hebrew and Yiddish books for Jews across Europe.

 The Spanish Synagogue of Venice was originally regarded as the “mother synagogue” of the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community world-wide. It was among the earliest to be built, and the first prayer book was published there. Later communities, such as Amsterdam, followed its lead on questions of ritual. With the decline in the importance of Venice in the 18th century, the leading role passed to the Jewish community of Leghorn (Livorno), which acted as a link between the Spanish and the Portuguese.

 Italian Jews began to be discriminated against in the 16th century. In 1516, the Jews of Venice were forced to live in an enclosed area known as the “ghetto” which was locked at night. In 1555, Pope Paul IV, who had overseen the burning of the Talmud two years before, issued a decree similarly requiring the Jews of the Papal States, including Rome, to live in isolation from their Christian neighbors in ghettos. Pope Paul IV also decreed that Jews had to wear signs to distinguish them, which meant yellow hats for men and veils or shawls for women. Such Jewish ghettos existed for over three centuries thereafter until Pope Pius IV decided to ban Jews from all his dominions and expel them from all the Papal states except Rome and the port city of Ancona.

 In the 18th and 19th centuries, many Italian Jews maintained a trading and residential presence in both Italy and the territories of the Ottoman Empire, and even those Italian Jews who settled permanently in the Ottoman Empire kept their Tuscan or Italian nationality. In the late 19th century, with the establishment of the new unified Italian state, Italy’s Jews obtained full equality.  Today over 30,000 Jews live in Italy forming thriving community, which are concentrated in the major cities.

 Join Kosher River Cruises as we explore over 2000 years of Northern Italy’s rich Jewish history and heritage aboard our floating all-kosher, all-inclusive floating luxury boutique hotel!

 

THE SHIP

The 130-passenger SS La Venezia is filled with light and color and like all Kosher River Cruise expeditions is chartered just for our group! Muted shades of turquoise complemented by soothing cream, taupe, and white accents create a luxurious and sophisticated environment for your up-close, unsurpassed and unforgettable Italian adventure.

 This meticulously designed ships feature lavishly appointed river view staterooms and suites, enticing public areas and luxurious amenities, including a lounge with full-service bar, well-equipped fitness center, restaurant, Serenity River Spa, and a Sun Deck where you can relax and take in the ever-changing views.

 All-Inclusive Luxury – Kosher River Cruises includes it all:  Unlike many large cruise programs with numerous add-on costs for excursions, amenities, activities, drinks and Internet, we include everything on a Kosher River Cruise. From the minute you arrive to the minute you depart the ship, we will take care of you. All of our cruises include our own specially developed shore excursions, exploring both Jewish and secular sites, open bar and mini bar, Internet, educational programming and lectures, special guests and entertainment.  Every all-kosher ship is a luxury 5-star vessel complete with high-end amenities and accommodations, as well as exceptional service from your Kosher River Cruise management team.

Ciao, bella!