Journey through history: Sydney Jewish Museum announces Berlin and Poland tour
The Sydney Jewish Museum is offering Australians a rare opportunity to walk in the footsteps of history with its 2026 Berlin and Poland tour.
It is a carefully curated journey through some of the most significant sites of Jewish heritage and Holocaust remembrance. Running from 14 to 27 June 2026, the tour represents more than a typical European excursion. Under the expert guidance of Sandy Hollis, the museum’s head of education, participants will traverse 14 days and 13 nights through Berlin, Warsaw, Lublin, Lodz and Krakow.
Sydney Jewish Museum tour group at the Jewish Cemetery in Kazimierz Dolny (supplied)
The group will explore sites that tell the story of both vibrant pre-war Jewish life and the devastating impact of the Holocaust.
“This tour is more important than ever,” Hollis emphasised. She noted the concerning rise in hateful rhetoric, specifically mentioning the recent neo-Nazi rally outside Parliament House in Sydney. “It serves as a timely reminder of the importance of learning from history.”
The itinerary includes visits to the Wannsee Villa, where the Final Solution was planned, as well as the Sachsenhausen and Treblinka concentration camps. Participants will also tour Majdanek and the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau complex, along with the historic town of Lodz and other significant memorial sites.
What sets this tour apart is its intimate scale and comprehensive approach. Travelling in modern air-conditioned coaches, participants will benefit from VIP speakers and professional English-speaking local guides for all excursions. The tour also includes Jewish museums and a wide range of memorial sites along the route.
The package also includes whisper-amplified headphones for clear audio at every site, alongside all venue entries, gratuities and most meals.
“Each of the 13 previous tours I’ve led has been remarkable in its own way,” Hollis said. “It’s a chance for participants to grow individually, to share unbelievable experiences with a group and to learn from each other.”
She added that participants also encounter inspiring and joyful elements when tracing the richness and depth of pre-Holocaust European Jewish life .
Previous participant Alicia Kawalsky, who took the tour in 2017, described it as “transformative.” She praised the opportunity to convert historical knowledge into lived experience.
“When one bears witness at the sites of these atrocities, one cannot remain unchanged,” Kawalsky noted. “The tour was well organised, the guides were extremely knowledgeable, and the intensity of this experience created deep, enduring friendships.”
Past groups have included Australians and international participants from all life stages, including students, adults, politicians and public figures .
The museum emphasises that the tour offers both sombre reflection and moments of inspiration and joy. This is particularly evident when tracing the richness of pre-Holocaust European Jewish life and the depth of the Polish-Jewish community’s contributions.
The tour accommodates participants of all ages and life stages, from Australia and internationally. It welcomes both practising and secular Jews, as well as those from other faiths seeking to deepen their understanding of this pivotal period in human history.
For those interested in this immersive educational experience, the Sydney Jewish Museum recommends contacting them promptly to express interest and find out more.
Contact the Sydney Jewish Museum on 02 9360 7999 or email [email protected].
