Come discover Jewish Romania with certified
tour guides in English, Hebrew and Romanian
Jewish Roots Journeys
Tarbut Foundation is offering genealogical services followed by visits to the former hometowns and villages of family members. Walking in the footsteps of our ancestors is a closing cycle in the search of who we are.
MARAMURES
Maramures in northwestern Romania is a mostly rural, mountainous region where old traditions are still part of everyday life. Maramures is arguably one of the most beautiful, picturesque and authentic regions in Romania. Up until 1944, Maramures had 160 Jewish communities and was one of the largest and most flourishing Jewish regions in Eastern Europe.
In May 1944, the 38,000 Jews of the Maramures region were deported to the Auschwitz and Birkenau death camps. Of the survivors, only about 2,300 returned and resettled in Sighet, Baia Mare and Satu Mare. In the 60’s and 70’s many of them found new homes in Israel, the USA or other European countries.
Today, the rural Maramures Jewish communities can be considered extinct, while small communities still exist in some of the larger towns. Within the next 10 years though, it is likely that these remaining Jews of Maramures will have all moved away to Israel.
Jewish Roots Journeys
Our Jewish Roots Journeys, are very special family trips, exploring our forefather’s hometowns across Maramures and sometimes elsewhere in Romania. We think of these trips as expeditions into an unknown past, always discovering great surprises.
The tours are bringing families closer, by sharing old stories they heard from parents, grandparents or other relatives. There is a point where all family members come together and start reminiscing about their childhood growing up with survivoring parents, relatives, or neighbours and realising many aspects of their upbringing. Questions arise: why? how was it possible? We share and reflect upon personal experiences and collective memories. Sometimes we even have the honour to have a direct holocaust survivor accompanying the journey, thus bringing three or sometimes four generations together. These are amazing experiences for everyone.
For me, as the guide of these trips, seeing the sparks in the eyes of the participant, or sometimes a tear coming down, is a highly emotional experience - one which I am always grateful and honoured to be able to share.
Guide
Peninah Zilberman has been leading eastern European journeys since the early 1990’s when the communist regime came down, starting in Poland, followed by Vienna, Budapest and Prague (also known as the Imperial triangle). Since the establishment her foundation Tarbut in Sigeht in 2014, she specialises in journeys across Northern Transylvania, Bucovina and Iasi, and sometimes also other areas in Romania. Tarbut Jewish Roots Journeys is part of the European Routes of Jewish Heritage. Our tour highlights include insights into the historical and present local Jewish life in the Marmaures region and Bukovina.
TOUR information
We take care of transportation, accommodation and guiding, visiting families need only purchase their airfare ticket. The service starts at arrival time at the airport and ends at the airport upon departure. Group size can be 1-30 in large families.
We cater to the observant and Chassidic Jewish community, providing Kosher meals wherever needed.
We look forward to welcoming you in Romania. For more information and for bookings, simply get in touch.
We are proud to be part of the European Routes of Jewish Heritage.
