The capital of Bosnia-Herzogovina, with its mix of Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Catholics and Jews, feels comfortable to the Jewish traveler. The narrow flagstone streets and the old bazaar give parts of the city a distinctly Eastern look from the time of Ottoman rule. Other ornate Baroque buildings recall the years under the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. The cycle of war seems broken at last and, set in a narrow river valley surrounded by hills, Sarajevo today presents a serene face.

Jews came to this city, formerly known as ’Little Jerusalem,’ as early as 1541 as Spanish refugees, mostly artisans, merchants, pharmacists and doctors. They developed good relations with local Muslims and built their own quarter. The oldest and largest synagogue with its curved apse and unadorned stone interior was built in 1581 and houses today’s Jewish Museum. Separate Sephardic and Ashkenazic institutions founded a Ladino choir and newspaper, active Zionist and women’s organizations and a theological seminary.

Of the few thousand people who survived the Holocaust, many made aliyah. The small community remaining runs social programs such as Perspektiva for job-training, Bohoreta which organizes the celebration of festivals and a youth club. Sarajevo as a whole is a place where members of all faiths intermingle and intermarry, reflecting the city itself where the Jewish Museum is sandwiched between a mosque and a Catholic cathedral! The New Synagogue houses an art gallery owned by the Jewish community. The Sephardic synagogue is a testament to the arrival of this community more than 400 years ago. The Ashkenazi synagogue (1902), with its four onion-domed towers, is the focus of Jewish life in Sarajevo today and the Jewish Community Center has a constant flow of both seniors and young people.

With advance notice one can view the famous Jewish treasure – the 14th century Sarajevo Haggadah, a valuable illuminated Jewish manuscript created in Spain. Along the way, one can also see the bridge where the heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, sparking WWI. It is time to rediscover Sarajevo and Jewish Sarajevo. Come and be part of this rediscovery!

Tour Options
- Full-day tour with cab transfers of Jewish and general sites