Sharon Rockman
Sababa Travel
England as the Custodian of the Jewish Past
Jul 31, 2023 to Aug 9, 2023
England
Join Scholar-in-Residence, Professor Gary A. Rendsburg
England as the Custodian of the Jewish Past
July 31, 2023-August 9, 2023
Blanche and Irving Laurie Chair in Jewish History Distinguished Professor, Rutgers University
Gary A. Rendsburg is one of the world’s leading experts in the Bible, Jewish history, and Hebrew manuscripts. He has lived in both Oxford and Cambridge and has conducted extensive research both at the Bodleian Library (Oxford) and at the Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit of the Cambridge University Library.
In addition, he knows the collections at the British Library and the British Museum well, plus he has visited all the other sites on our itinerary, from Stonehenge to Blenheim Palace and beyond.
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
9 breakfasts, 1-afternoon tea, 2 dinners
Audio Headsets for flexible sightseeing
Luxury air-conditioned coach with WiFi
Select hotels all tried and trusted
All hotel porterage(1 bag per person)
Restaurant gratuities for included meals and local taxes
Expert Travel Director and a professional driver
All hotel tips, charges, and local taxes
Gratuities to Travel Director, Coach Drivers, and Local Experts
Touring with world-renowned scholar Professor Gary Rendsburg(Rutgers University)
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:
Early check-in or late check-out
All airfares
Travel insurance, passport fees, visa fees, etc.
Laundry, phone calls, etc.
Items of a personal nature
Beverages, meals, and sightseeing not detailed in the itinerary. Excess baggage (beyond the 1 bag per person)
Optional Experiences
Shabbat Dinner and Lunch(pre-register)
Welcome to England!
Monday, July 31, 2023
Upon arrival at London Heathrow Airport (LHR), you are transferred as a group to the city of Oxford. From lush green rolling hills to this medieval town, this pretty country surprises and delights at every corner.
Get to know your fellow travelers, Travel Director, and Scholar-in-Residence tonight over a Welcome Dinner at your hotel.
Bus will depart from Heathrow Airport at 10:00 AM.
https://www.graduatehotels.com/oxford-uk/
Overnight: Randolph Hotel, Oxford
Meals Included: Welcome Dinner with wine at the hotel.
Walking Tour of Oxford
Tuesday, August 1, 2023
Breakfast at the hotel
Join Gary Rendsburg later this morning for a walking tour to discover Oxford. See New College and visit Christ Church College (subject to availability).
Tread along the Dead Man's Walk, where the medieval Jewish community would convey its dead.
Our last stop is the Oxford Botanic Garden, the site of the medieval Jewish cemetery. Enjoy dinner tonight at the Gardener's Arms vegetarian pub, availability permitting.
Overnight: Randolph Hotel, Oxford
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner with beer.
Libraries of Oxford
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Breakfast at the hotel
Today is dedicated to visiting two of Oxford’s libraries, starting with a visit to the Bodleian Library. Guided by César Merchán-Hamann, Hebraica curator,
we will see its unsurpassed collection of Hebrew manuscripts, including Maimonides’s Mishneh Torah bearing the author’s signature, Maimonides’s
handwritten copy of his Commentary on the Mishna, and the exquisite Kennicott Bible, the crown jewel of all medieval manuscripts.
Continue to Merton College Library for some time to explore the oldest, continuously operating library in the world.
Overnight: Randolph Hotel, Oxford
Meals Included: Breakfast
London Excursion
Thursday, August 3, 2023
Breakfast at the hotel
After breakfast, journey to London for a visit to the world-famous British Museum, the greatest institution in the world for the study of the ancient past.
Marvel at the Rosetta Stone, the Gilgamesh Epic, and numerous other artifacts which inform our knowledge of the ancient Near East.
We then will explore the Treasures of the British Library, one of the world’s great cultural and educational institutions, home to the Magna Carta, Codex Sinaiticus, and the Golden Haggadah.
Overnight: Randolph Hotel, Oxford
Meals Included: Breakfast
Exquisite Blenheim Palace
Friday, August 4, 2023
Breakfast at the hotel
Travel to one of the largest private homes in all of Britain and see its exquisite gardens. Blenheim Palace is home to the present 12th Duke of Marlborough, a scion of the extensive Spencer-Churchill family.
Notable members of the family include Sir Winston Churchill (who, in fact, was born at Blenheim Palace), Consuelo Vanderbilt (who married the 9th Duke of Marlborough), and Lady Diana Spencer (later Princess Diana).
The next stop will be a visit to St Martin's Parish Church in Bladon, the burial spot of Winston Churchill.
Upon return to Oxford, the rest of the day is free for Shabbat services and Shabbat dinner (arranged independently).
Overnight: Randolph Hotel, Oxford
Meals Included: Breakfast (Dinner by special request)
Free Day in Oxford
Saturday, August 5, 2023
Breakfast at the hotel
For those who wish to attend Shabbat services, the O.J.C. is 0.4 miles from our hotel, a short 10-minute walk. Services will be followed by a catered
Shabbat lunch (for those pre-registered) in the synagogue.
Overnight: Randolph Hotel, Oxford
Meals Included: Breakfast (Lunch by special request)
Bletchley Park and Cambridge
Sunday, August 6, 2023
Breakfast at the hotel
Check-Out: Randolph Hotel, Oxford
Today we head to Bletchley Park Museum and heritage attraction, where we will discover firsthand the incredible achievements of Britain's World War II codebreakers, led by Alan Turing (portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Imitation Game” [2014], which you may wish to watch in advance).
Next, grab lunch al fresco at Bletchley Park before we travel to Cambridge, our home for the next 3 nights.
https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/stnhchi-hilton-cambridge-city-centre/
Overnight: Hilton Cambridge City Centre, Cambridge
Meals Included: Breakfast
Cambridge Sightseeing
Monday, August 7, 2023
Breakfast at the hotel
Discover Cambridge this morning on a walking tour with Gary Rendsburg (set up independently by the group). Unlike many other towns in England, this one escaped the destruction of the second world war.
Today we will walk down narrow medieval streets, admire old buildings, and enrich our knowledge with two visits.
The first visit will be to King's College Chapel, followed by a visit to the Trinity College Gardens ("The Backs") and Chapel (subject to availability).
Use the afternoon to explore Cambridge on your own or relax at the hotel.
Overnight: Hilton Cambridge City Centre, Cambridge
Meals Included: Breakfast
Discover Cambridge University Library
(including the Cairo Genizah Collection)
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Breakfast at the hotel
Join us today as we discover further the history of Cambridge. First on the agenda: our visit to the Cambridge University Library, home to the most
extensive collection of Cairo Genizah documents in the world (c. 200,000, about two-thirds of the total). Your group will be privy to an exclusive guided
tour led by Ben Outhwaite, director of the Genizah Research Unit. Later, enjoy afternoon tea and scones at The Orchard in Grantchester(pending availability), where
Virginia Woolf, E. M. Forster, Bertrand Russell, John Maynard Keynes, and Ludwig Wittgenstein would gather during the summers of the early decades of the 20th century.
Overnight: Hilton Cambridge City Centre, Cambridge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Afternoon Tea
Cheerio London
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Breakfast at the hotel
Check-Out: Hilton Cambridge City Centre, Cambridge
After breakfast, say a fond farewell to Cambridge and to your newfound friends as you prepare to return home after a memorable holiday.
Guests departing London today will be dropped off at London Heathrow Airport (please do not schedule flights departing before 1:00 PM).
The coach will then continue to central London, where guests will be dropped off at one specified location.
TERMS OF PAYMENT:
1. A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 per person is required to assure reservations.
2. Final, non-refundable payment is due no later than May 24, 2023
3. Payment may be made via check, Zelle(no convenience fee), or credit card
(a convenience fee applies for all credit card and bank transfer transactions).
4. Mail check to Sababa Travel, PO BOX 445, Fanwood, NJ, 07023
5. Zelle payment: Sharon Rockman/908.347.7785
6. If paying by check or Zelle, deduct the convenience fee found on your invoice.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
1. All cancellations are non-refundable.
2. Trip insurance is mandatory. Contact Karen Ehrenberg at karen@sababatravel.com for a price quote.
ADD ON's:
1. Room upgrades are available on request.
2. Shabbat Dinner and Shabbat Lunch
3. Sababa Travel will be happy to help with your flight bookings.
4. Contact Sababa Travel for all your pre and post-trip travel arrangements.
Available Packages
Double Occupancy
Unavailable as of
June 5, 2023
$6,499.00
Deposit: $1,000.00 per person
There is a credit card fee if paying by credit card. If you prefer to pay via check or Zelle, please contact Sharon Rockman to make arrangements.
Single Occupancy
Unavailable as of
June 5, 2023
$8,483.00
Deposit: $1,000.00 per person
Extra Options
Optional Shabbat Dinner
Unavailable as of
June 5, 2023
$40.00
Deposit: $40.00
Optional Shabbat Lunch
Unavailable as of
June 5, 2023
$40.00
Deposit: $40.00