The Great Jewish Cities of Central and Eastern Europe: A Travel Guide and Resource Book to Prague, Warsaw, Cracow, and Budapest is the most comprehensive guidebook covering all aspects of Jewish history and contemporary life in Prague, Warsaw, Cracow, and Budapest. This remarkable book includes detailed histories of the Jews in these cities, walking tours of Jewish districts past and present, intensive descriptions of Jewish sites, fascinating accounts of local Jewish legend and lore, and practical information for Jewish travelers to the region. The Great Jewish Cities of Central and Eastern Europe is much more than a tour guide. It is a rich storybook filled with illuminating gleanings from all aspects of Jewish culture in the region: inspiring legends from the streets of Jewish Cracow; a secret glimpse at the former facade of a Prague synagogue; strolls atop a buried Medieval synagogue in Budapest; a virtual reality tour of Warsaw's former Jewish quarter. The author combines experience in several disciplines to elucidate all aspects of Jewish history in these cities, from architectural history to religious symbolism. The entire history of Jewish life, including local traditions and contemporary anecdotes is covered. In addition, The Great Jewish Cities of Central and Eastern Europe is also a practical sourcebook essential for the Jewish traveler, containing information ranging from kosher restaurants to the prayer times and service descriptions of active synagogues in the region. Whether it's an ancient legend or a description of a kosher restaurant, Eli Valley describes the topic in a style that is both enthusiastic and easy to read. The author's years of experience in the region give him an insight into the local Jewish communities rarely seen by the outside world. In spite of the renewed accessibility of Jewish sites, local tour guides are not well-versed in the history of Jewish compatriots, and guide books include only sparse, misleading information about the Jewish sites. The unfortu

About the Author
Eli Valley, the son of a New York City rabbi, moved to Prague after graduating from Cornell University in 1992. There he became the first American Jew to be fully integrated into the local Jewish community since the fall of communism. Over the course of the next five years, Eli Valley worked in sundry capacities for the Prague Jewish Community and served as the first program director of Bejt Praha, the nascent Jewish cultural and religious organization in Prague. His activities included organizing Jewish cultural events, planning religious services, lecturing on Jewish history, preparing children's carnivals, and participating in productions of the Jewish Community Theater. Mr. Valley worked with the younger generation of Czech Jews in events ranging from Passover seders to youth seminars in eastern Slovakia. He has written extensively on these experiences and has been published in newspapers and magazines in Central Europe and the United States. Throughout his years in Prague, Mr. Valley also worked as a guide and lecturer in the former Jewish Town for thousands of visitors from Europe, North America, and Israel. It was this experience that inspired Mr. Valley to write a comprehensive visitor's guide to the Jewish communities in the region.


Book Information
ISBN 9780765760005
Author Eli Valley
Format Hardback
Page Count 538
Imprint Jason Aronson Inc. Publishers
Publisher Jason Aronson Inc. Publishers
Weight(grams) 955g
Dimensions(mm) 244mm * 167mm * 35mm