Shalom China

Shalom China 2010

REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR FALL 2010

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL only $ 2099 (till Sep. 1, 2009)

after Sep 1, 2009 - $ 2299

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International Journeys with your friends at Ezra USA is always an exciting & relaxing way to see the world & spend the time with your fellow young Russian Jews from North America. Ezra trips itineraries always include most important landmarks, tourist attractions and sites that have a Jewish history. There are no others trips that are exclusively for young Russian Jewish students and professionals like you, and we are happy to present our new project – Shalom China, a 9 day trip to an exotic China done Ezra style.

China – one of the world's oldest and continuous civilizations, consisting of states and cultures dating back more than six millennia. It has the world's longest continuously used written language system and is viewed as the source of many major interventions.


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With eyes open wide in awe, you will experience the five thousand year old history of this land and its many nationalities. You will look into the millennium of history of Jews, who are known to have lived in China since at least the 7th century (and continuing today) and may have existed there as early as several centuries before the Common Era. Jewish refugees from Europe during the Holocaust were welcomed within China, which today remains one of the only nations in the world that has never persecuted Jews for their faith. On Shalom China you will experience a unique Shabbat with the Jewish Community in Shanghai together with local Jews, Jewish tourists & businessmen from around the world.

On Shalom China you will also visit non-Jewish sites and experience a vast world of traditional Chinese beauty and history, such as Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Sacred Path of Ming Tombs, The Great Wall, Olympic Sites, The Bund etc in Beijing & Shanghai. For thousands of years, traders, adventurers, and refugees traveled thousands of miles of the Silk Road between the Mediterranean and China or rode ships into Chinese ports. You will be visiting a Silk factory in town of Suzhoe as well as taking a boat tour in famous Grand Canal of China, plus much more.

This trip will become one of the highlights of your traveling experience, so register today!

Please be aware that this trip is on a first come first serve basis. To secure a place for yourself, send your deposit in the amount of $999 (has to be either a check or cash, no paypal or credit cards payments) before September 1, 2009 in order to get an early bird price of $ 2099) to our Brooklyn Office: Ezra USA 311 Sea Breeze Ave. Brooklyn NY 11224.

Please write China in memo section of the check. This deposit, less $99 p.p. handling charge, is refundable until Sep 1, 2009 (thereafter, the deposits are not refundable but will be applied to the final payment for the trip when you pay the remaining $1100).

Please hurry up, spaces are extremely limited.

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Itinerary of the trip

DAY 1 (Flight New York – Beijing)

Starting your tour by taking international flight to Beijing on Air China Airlines from JFK (Terminal 1) approx. 4.30 PM, cross the International Date Line.

DAY 2 (Arrival in Beijing)

Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China also known as Peking at approx. 6 PM. Upon arrival, you will clear customs and immigration before being transferred by private vehicle to hotel. Beijing served as the capital of 5 dynasties over a period of 800 years with each emperor identified as a dragon sent from the heaven. Free time rest of the day exploring the nearby streets, or resting and catching up on your jetlag. Overnight at _____ Hotel, which is close to Tiananmen Square.

DAY 3 (Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, the Imperial Palace, Temple of Heaven Summer Palace etc)

This morning depart your hotel for magnificent Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world, where Mao's picture hangs over the rostrum at the entrance of the Imperial Forbidden City. Walk in the steps of ancient emperors as you tour the powerful Forbidden City, hidden from public view for over 500 years. This is where Chinese emperors resided and ruled the country for 700 years until the year of 1911. This complex, the largest and most intact conglomeration of ancient structures of the imperial palace ever built in the world, features more than 800 buildings with 9999 rooms, resplendent golden-glazed roofs, red lacquered pillars and vermilion walls. The Imperial Palace provides outstanding examples of the greatest palatial architectural ensembles in China. They illustrate the grandeur of the imperial institution from the Qing Dynasty to the earlier Ming and Yuan dynasties, as well as Manchu traditions, and present evidence on the evolution of this architecture in the 17th and 18th centuries. Continue to the masterpiece Temple of Heaven (known as Altar of Heaven) an embodiment of grace and harmony. This is a complex of Taoist buildings that was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest it is the largest temple complex remaining in China today. This stunning architecture realizes the great Chinese desire to incarnate heaven in material form, and represents the most advanced principles of mechanics and geometry of the time. Continue to Summer Palace, where you will have a short boat ride. The Summer Palace, formerly known as an imperial garden and palace for the Qing emperors. Overnight at _____ Hotel

DAY 4 (Great Wall, Sacred Path of Ming Tombs, Olympic Village etc)

The highlight of today is a trip to the astonishing Great Wall at Juyongguan Path. The Great Wall is the most famous image of China throughout the world. It is the only man made object visible from the moon, and as one of the Eight Wonders of the world. It is a symbol of Chinese traditional culture and the pride of the Chinese nation. Later visit the Sacred Path of Ming Tombs, 13 of the 16 Ming emperors has their tombs here. This is an attractive destination as much for the natural scenery of the area as for the tombs themselves. Visit Hua Du Area, where besides shopping you can see various Russian shops & cafes, and meet Russian speaking people. The we visit the Olympic Village to marvel at the new stadiums made famous by the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Herzog & de Meuron designed the National Stadium–the “Bird’s Nest;” and the firm PTW designed the National Swimming Center–the “Water Cube.” In the evening departure to Zuzhou by night train.

DAY 5 (Lingering Garden & the Grand Canal of China in Suzhou)

Early arrival to the city of Suzhou, which is often referred to as the “Venice of the East” for its myriad canals and delightful ambience. It is also the heart of south China’s traditional garden culture. The elegance and sophistication associated with Chinese design finds its realization in the many gardens here. Upon arrival, visit the Lingering Garden, Suzhou’s most famous garden, with its eccentric architecture and winding paths leading to unexpected views. Then we make our way the silk embroidery factory , where we'll view the silk production process: from the silkworm to a fashion show. Then we’ll be amazed by the view of The Grand Canal of China, the longest ancient canal or artificial river in the world where you will have a short boat ride. Stay overnight in Suzhou at the _____ Hotel.

DAY 6 (Suzhou-Zhouzhuang- Shanghai)

On your way to Shanghai, you will take a tour of Zhouzhuang, a village of more than one thousand years history near Suzhou, where you will experience the serene country lifestyle of the local residents, and enjoy the “old world” architecture and the local customs that have been so well. Then we arrive to Shanghai, an architect’s playground. Colonial and Art-Deco architecture grace one side of the Huangpu River – Shanghai’s very own Mississippi – while the world’s tallest hotel, the Grand Hyatt, casts a late afternoon shadow over the opposite bank in Pudong. Pudong, nicknamed “East Shanghai,” is a steel city of monuments to materialism, and is home to China’s largest financial district and would-be Wall Street. Traditional services (optional) and Shabbat evening at Chabad Center (which is short walk from hotel) run by Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries Rabbi Shalom and Dina Greenberg. Evening at your leisure.

DAY 7 (Shabbat, free day and tour of Night Shanghai in the evening, Xintiendi, The Bund etc)

Today will be your own free activity. Enjoy the rest at the hotel, or explore Shanghai on your own. After Shabbat get ready for a tour of Night Shanghai, including Xintiendi, the car-free shopping, eating and entertainment district of Shanghai and it is composed of an area of restored traditional shikumen ("stone gate") houses on narrow alleys, some adjoining houses which now serve as book stores, cafes and restaurants, and shopping malls. Then you will be taken for night views of Nanjing Road and Shanghai lovers’ lane colonial Bund (Wai Tan), the waterfront area, a sweeping area along the Huangpu River, where used to be foreign concessions and now is the symbol of modern Shanghai. It is a tree-lined promenade along the Huangpu River. The major firms of the Far East had their headquarters in the buildings facing the river. Here is the best place to capture the western influence of the old days.

DAY 8 (Shanghai ghetto & other Jewish Cites, The Bund, Huangpu River, Childrens Palace etc )

After breakfast, again stroll the Nanjing Road and The Bund and then continue to the Jewish Cites, that dates back to the beginning of the century, but virtually disappeared following World War II. Today, believe or not, there is an active Jewish community in Shanghai, China. We will visit the Shanghai ghetto in Hongkew District, which sheltered 30,000 Jews during the Holocaust and the newly-restored Ohel Rachel Synagogue and the Ohel Moishe Synagogue which is the memorial hall for the Jewish refugees in Shanghai. Also visit Huoshan Park where stands a Monument which is also for the memory of the Jewish Refugees. Stroll along the # 818 lane on Tangshan Road for a visit to the largest Jewish Community in Shanghai, and Zhoushan Road where you can see Jewish-style buildings. Then we visit Childrens Palace (the Kadoorie Mansion) , as well known as Marble Hall. It was the home to one of Shanghai's wealthiest families, the Kadoories, Sephardie Jews, originally from Baghdad. There will be an hour free time with an optional visit to Oriental Pearl TV tower, the tallest completed tower in Asia and the third tallest tower in the world after the CN Tower in Toronto and the Ostankono in Moscow. You will get a chance to see beautiful Yuyuan Garden, located in the center of the Old City, and is considered one of the most lavish and finest Chinese Gardens in the region. Enjoy a famous Chinese acrobatic circus show in the evening. Overnight at the _____ Hotel.

DAY 9 (Flight Home to New York)

Tour guide will transfer you to the airport in the morning for an early flight (approx 9 AM) to New York, with stopover in Beijing. The plane will arrive in New York approx. 2.30 PM.

Price includes:

• Round-trip economy class group fare from New York incl. taxes and fuel charges*
• 4 star hotels, double occupancy. (single occupancy add $ 299)
• Buffet breakfast daily at hotel (breakfasts are not kosher, but vegeterain. If you want to order only kosher breakfasts add $ 150)
• Kosher Lunches & Dinners (couple dinners are at Buddhist Vegetarian restaurants)
• Transfers and sightseeing with English speaking guide.
• Entrance fees scheduled attractions, boat rides & to an Acrobatic circus show.
• Excursion to Suzhou and Zhongzhuan (by bus).
• Local overnight train ride from Beijing to Suzhou.
• Hotel taxes and service charges.

• * Subject to change until ticket issued

Price does not include:

Chinese visa, travel & medical insurance, cell phone plan, tips, occasional taxi rides, non scheduled attractions, changes in air fares due to increases in fuel; airport tax and security tax surcharges, purchases from in room minibars at hotel; items of a personal nature, phone/fax/internet charges; laundry and dry cleaning etc.

For more information please contact Shulamit at

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

or at (718) 701-1527

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