JEWISH GALICJA

Galicia, a large area in Central Europe, was once inhabited by various minorities including Poles, Jews, the Ukrainians, Lemkos, the Boykos and Hutsuls. The region is currently divided between Poland and Ukraine. Several coexisting minorities gave this agricultural area its unique atmosphere. However, the turmoils of history have changed it completely. Jewish inhabitants were exterminated during the WWII, and the Ukrainian minority as well as the Boykos and Lemko people experienced mass displacement due to their Orthodox faith. What you can visit in West Galicia – within Polish border today – are little towns where a synagogue used to stand near a small orthodox church (cerkiew).

The tour includes several pre-war settlements. One of them is Bobov, formerly a thriving centre of Chassidic movement. The descendants of Halberstam family originating from Bobov today live in New York and London.