China Jewish Heritage Travel

The Jewish people are known for their ingenuity, enterprise and fortitude the world over. Their influence across the continents has created wealth while contributing to learning and the arts. Inevitably, they also left their footprints in China as well as a number of well preserved heritage sites for visitors to discover. Today, you will take a flight to Harbin, which is the capital of China's northernmost province, Heilongjiang and your private Jewish heritage tour starts here. For people planning this China tour from Israel, the most recommended way is to go to Ben Gurion International Airport at Tel Aviv for flight to Beijing and then connect a flight to Harbin. People live in Jerusalem or Haifa can go to Tel Aviv by train or bus.

There are two airlines operating the direct flights from Tel Aviv to Beijing, one is El Al Israel Airlines and the other is Hainan Airlines. El Al Israel Airlines flies on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday while Hainan Airlines flies on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. If you take El Al Israel Airlines flight LY095 2255/1330+1, you can wait at Beijing Airport for 3 hours & 25 minutes and then connect to China Southern Airlines flight CA1611 1655/1905 or wait for 4 hours & 20 minutes and board flight CZ6218 1750/2000 to Harbin. The entire journey takes from 15 hours & 10 minutes to 16 hours. For travelers who depart with Hainan Airlines flight HU7958 1535/0550+1, you can transfer to flight MU2467 0815/1015 of China Eastern Airlines after having a stopover of around 2.5 hours at Beijing. The flying time for the whole trip is 13 hours & 40 minutes. Since the non-stop flight of Tel Aviv to Beijing is not available on Friday, people travel on this date need to fly from Tel Aviv to Beijing via Moscow, Prague, Amsterdam or Zurich and then head to Harbin.

Upon your arrival, our local guide will pick you up outside the arrival hall of the airport and escort you to the hotel in the city center for a two-night stay. In the late 19th century and the early 20th century, Harbin was once the biggest habitat in the Far East for Jews. In the following two days, Harbin Jewish heritage will be gradually unfolded before you.

Meals: No meals, advice freely available
Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel

After a rich breakfast at the hotel, you will visit the Jewish Community to discover the unique culture and atmosphere of their lives about one hundred years ago. In the 1920s, some 20,000 Jews lived in Harbin and formed a complete Jewish community. You will see the appearance of the Main Synagogue, the sites of Jewish High School and Jewish Bank. Then pay a visit to Harbin Huangshan Jewish Cemetery. Located in the suburb of Harbin City, the cemetery is the largest and best-preserved one in East Asia, which witnessed the special friendship between Chinese people and Jewish people. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel

Today you will continue to follow the Jewish tracks in Harbin to the New Synagogue, which is the largest Jewish synagogue in East Asia. Constructed in 1921, the New Synagogue was the important venue for the nearby Jewish people to hold religious and educational activities. Now the Museum of Jewish Culture and History is built based on it and exhibit the items about the unique culture and history of this ancient nation. Then you will take a flight for about 2.5 hours to Zhengzhou where your local guide will pick you up at the airport and escort you to the hotel for a one-night stay.   

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Zhengzhou

In the early morning, a 2.5 hours' drive will take you to Kaifeng City, where holds many Jewish heritage. For the rest time of the morning, you will visit Nan Jiaojing Hutong which was the ghetto of the Jews. It was said that since the Song Dynasty (about 1,000 years ago), the Jews from the Mesopotamia area immigrated to Kaifeng and settled down here. You will drop by a local family to learn more about the native people's life. It is advisable to tip for CNY50 as an expression of your gratitude and respect to the host for the family visit. Afterwards, proceed to Kaifeng Museum. As one of the famous ancient cities, Kaifeng is home to large amount of precious historic items, many of which you will see in the museum. There is an exhibition room especially for the Jews in Kaifeng in ancient times for you to learn more about the Jews in Kaifeng. Then further your visit to Kaifeng Judaic Exhibition and the Jewish Cemetery. Tonight, you will check in the hotel in Kaifeng for a one-night stay.  

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Zhongzhou International Hotel

Today we will transfer you to Luoyang by car. On the way, you will visit the world famous Shaolin Temple including the Pagoda Forest, where you can also enjoy a marvelous Kung Fu performance. Initially built in 495 during the Northern Wei Dynasty, Shaolin Temple is the cradle of Chinese Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Martial Arts. The Temple embraces many exciting attractions, such as the Hall of Heavenly Kings (Tianwangdian), the Mahavira Hall (Daxiongbaodian), the Dharma Cave and Shaolin Temple Martial Art Training Center, among which the Pagoda Forest is one of the most notable one. Covering an area of 21,000 square meters (5.2 acres), it is the existing largest pagoda forest in China, housing over 230 dagobas built in different dynasties. Then head to Luoyang and check in the hotel for a one-night stay. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Lee Royal Hotel Mudu

A morning excursion will take you to the world's treasure, Longmen Grottoes, which is one of the four largest grottoes in our nation. During the 400 years from Northern Wei Dynasty to Northern Song Dynasty (late 5th to 10th century), the grottoes were continuously carved. Now there are over 100,000 statues, 2,680 tablets, 70 dagobas and 2,345 niches, all of which showing the splendid Buddhist culture and the wisdom of the ancient Chinese people. In the afternoon, you will travel to Shanghai by air. Our local guide will pick you up at the airport and help you check in the hotel for a two-night stay. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel

Shanghai is rich in Jewish heritage after long years' baptism in the past. Your private Shanghai Jewish tour from Israel will start from Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum (former Ohel Moshe Synagogue). Located at Hongkou District, the museum houses many historical items, photos and records about the Jews' lives in Shanghai during the Second World War. Then visit Huoshan Park where stands a monument which is also in memorial of the Jewish Refugees. Around noon, a palatable a la carte lunch (valued at CNY150.00 per person and included in our price) will be specially served for you at a famous local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will first stroll along the No. 818 lane on Tangshan Road for a visit to the largest Jewish Community in Shanghai. Then head for Zhoushan Road where you will see many Jewish style buildings. The last stop of the day is Tilanqiao Jewish Isolation Region, which was the settlement of the Jews during the World War Ⅱ. 

Meals: Western buffet breakfast, A la carte lunch
Accommodation: Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel

Today we will see you off at the airport for your onward flight. If you return back to Israel from Shanghai, you are suggested to take high-speed train or flight to Beijing and then connect to flight HU7957 0155/0810 or LY096 2200/0400+1 to Tel Aviv, or you may also choose to fly to Hong Kong first and take LY076 1630/2320 or LY078 2100/0355+1 to Tel Aviv. Upon arrival, please find your own way back to Jerusalem or Haifa. We hope our service gives you a pleasant Jewish tour and wish you a nice trip home!

Meals: Western buffet breakfast