Travel Blog

Though the Jewish Heritage Trip was originally set to include Bulgaria and Israel, unforeseen travel challenges took the group in a different direction. As they did in Prague, our faculty reimagined the final leg of the journey in Spain with care and intention. What unfolded was not a substitute, but a continuation — another chapter in the students’ journey of learning, discovery, and connection to Jewish history.
 

The group arrived in Madrid early in the morning and headed from the airport to a park built on the grounds of a former royal palace.

After lunch, they spent time walking through the park and its gardens, where many of the trees were beginning to bloom. They concluded the day with a brief bus tour, some free time, and dinner at a kosher steakhouse.
 

The next day brought them into the center of Madrid, where they walked for miles through the city’s streets, encountering both Spanish culture and Jewish history along the way. They learned about Ángel Sanz Briz, who saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust, and stood before memorials honoring those who were lost.
 

They also experienced the rhythm of the city itself, stopping in gardens near a castle for lunch, taking in sweeping views near the ancient Templo de Debod, and even stepping into the world of soccer with a visit to Real Madrid’s Stadium.
 

That evening included dinner of kosher pizza and risotto, followed by a visit to the Comunidad Judía de Madrid. There, students saw a 19th-century Sephardic Torah scroll and learned about the growth of the Jewish community in Madrid after Francisco Franco's rule.
 

While in Madrid, twins and alumni Avi & Illy ‘23 Hammer connected with current students Gabby S. and Naftali T. for a little HBHA reunion!  Avi is spending a semester abroad, and Illy was visiting him over spring break, making for an unexpected opportunity to see their fellow Rams in Spain.
 

From Madrid, the group traveled by train to Barcelona, beginning their time with a bus tour that ended at a panoramic lookout point, where they stopped for lunch.
 

After taking in sweeping views of the city and the Mediterranean coastline, the group walked onto the beach and dipped their feet into the cold water. 
 

That evening, the group headed to Chabad Barcelona for Shabbat. There, they experienced a Sephardic-style service that was unfamiliar to many, yet deeply meaningful.

Junior Shai F. shared:

“It was a different experience because I have never been to a Sephardi shul… I wasn’t familiar with a lot of things they were doing, but it was a good experience. We were really experiencing Jewish culture.” 
 

Saturday morning’s Shabbat at Chabad Barcelona was filled with singing, reflection, and connection. Students led, participated, and brought their own energy into the space — so much so that other visitors commented on the visible sense of ruach the group carried with them.

After lunch, the students spent time outside before returning to Chabad for Havdalah.
 

The next day, the group visited Casa Batlló, where they explored the work of Antoni Gaudí. His architecture, filled with symbolism, storytelling, and intricate design, offered a different kind of lens on how culture and narrative are preserved and communicated across generations.
 

During their time in Barcelona, the group walked through the Gothic Quarter and into the historic Jewish Quarter, where they learned about the Jewish community that once lived there.
 

Walking through the narrow streets of the old Jewish quarter, they learned about Nachmanides and the famous Disputation of Barcelona, where he defended Jewish belief in a high-stakes theological debate at the Catalan castle (pictured below). They also confronted the devastating reality of the 1391 massacres, which led to widespread destruction, forced conversions, and the eventual disappearance of Jewish life from the region.
 

They then visited an 800-year-old, five-story house that had once belonged to a Jewish family and now serves as a cultural center. Once a month, the center hosts a Jewish music concert, and the group had the chance to listen and sing along to Sephardic music. 
 

They later traveled to Girona, often called the “mother city” of Jewish scholarship, where students visited the Museum of Jewish History, located on the site of a former synagogue and mikveh. The group learned about ongoing efforts to uncover and preserve Jewish history in the area. Artifacts discovered include a ketubah fragment, a seder plate, a haggadah, and a megillah.
 

Six hundred years of history remain missing. And yet, the work of rediscovery continues.
 

In Toledo, students explored a city that was once home to a large and thriving Jewish population, with multiple yeshivot and synagogues. Today, only two synagogues remain, preserved as museums, offering a glimpse into what Jewish life there once looked like.
 

The group concluded their visit to Toledo with a zip line over the Tagus River, a thrilling highlight and a memorable way to end their time in the city.
 

Back in Madrid for their final night, students shared a kosher vegan dinner and spent time with representatives from the local Olami community.
 

Over the course of the trip, students moved through multiple cities and centuries of Jewish history. Learning on-site, experiencing different traditions, and seeing firsthand how Jewish life has evolved and endured reinforced all they had studied in Jewish Studies classes at HBHA. Beyond the immersive education, students gained perspective, met people from different cultures, and explored Europe with confidence, empowering them to take future learning and travel opportunities into their own hands.

“As a senior, this trip has been an amazing experience involving all my Jewish learning. I feel grateful and proud of learning about the history of the Jewish people,” reflected Teddy Z.