Welcome to Sarajevo

Well, three flights, 15 hours, and lots of airports later, I’ve arrived in Sarajevo. Was met at the airport for a driver from the hotel — I have to admit that when you’re in a country and don’t understand the language nor have any idea where you are, it’s nice to just look for your name and hop in a cab.

The drive into town was a really interesting mix of Ottoman, Soviet Block, and post-war architecture. Checked into the hotel and thinking about exploring a bit. Think I’m in a smoking room — may need to do something about that, but not sure there are any non-smoking rooms in the country– we’ll see.

What is JUF? What is Cabinet? What is a mission?

Me and Some of My Chevre at My First Retreat

So, some of you are old pros at this Federation thing and don’t need an explanation, but I know some of you have only heard me talk about it in passing, or haven’t heard me mention it at all, so I’ve been getting questions about this “study mission” to Sarajevo and Budapest.

Since moving back to Chicago, I have been very active in the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.   JUF is “the largest not-for-profit social welfare institution in Illinois and the central address of Chicago’s Jewish community. JUF provides critical resources that bring food, refuge, health care, education and emergency assistance to 300,000 Chicagoans of all faiths and two million Jews around the world.”

JUF is one of more than 150 local Jewish Federations, which provide similar services in communities across the United States.  United Jewish Communities is the national organization that links these independent Federations.  UJC provides a lot of services to the local Federations, one of which is its National Young Leadership Cabinet, which is a group of young(ish) adults in North America who are selected by their communities as leaders. 

Cabinet has a retreat every year (my Arizona trip last August) and ton of other amazing opportunities.  Every year, Cabinet has a study mission (read– trip) to learn about Jewish communities around the world.  In the past, Cabinet missions have gone to Ethiopia, Moscow, Argentina, and all over the world.  This year, I will be joining the Cabinet Mission to Sarajevo and Budapest.

One other note, Cabinet members also refer to each other as chevre.  No, we’re not calling each other goat cheese — in Hebrew chevre means “group of friends.” 

Hopefully that provides a little context for this trip, which is not my normal adventure travel . . . though it is an adventure in an entirely different way.

Sarajevo and Budapest Itinerary

nyl_cabinet_study_mission_itinerary

 

So, here’s a quick summary of my planned itinerary:

 

MONDAY APRIL 27 SARAJEVO

• City overview, ending with the Jewish cemetery
• Welcome dinner in the Jewish Community Center 

TUESDAY, APRIL 28    

• Walking tour of the Old Town including: Old Town Hall, Old Synagogue, The Latin Bridge, Gazi Husref-bey’s Covered Market Building.
• Lunch with Valentin Inszko, UN and European Union High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina
• National Museum – private viewing of the original Sarajevo Haggadah,
• Wreath Laying at the Eternal Flame
• Private reception at the residence of U.S. Ambassador Charles English.
• Night out in Sarajevo.  

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 SARAJEVO TO BUDAPEST

• Meet with Bosnian President Haris Silajdzic
• Sarajevo’s Tunnel of Hope

THURSDAY, APRIL 30 BUDAPEST

• Tour of the Hungarian Parliament; Visit Scheiber Jewish Day School; Heroes Square; Balint House

FRIDAY, MAY 1 

• Jewish cemetery; Dohany Synagogue; Heroes Temple 
• Lunch at Baraka Restaurant with journalists  
• Shoes on the Danube Promenade; New Holocaust Museum
• Shabbat services at Frankel Leo Utca Synagogue

 SATURDAY, MAY 2 

• Walking Tour of Buda and the Castle District: Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, Medieval Synagogue.
• Boat ride to Szentendre, a small, well-reserved baroque town at the gate of the Danube Bend.