Day 1, Monday: We depart New York on our flight to New Delhi.

Day 2, Tuesday: Transfer to our hotel. Following a buffet breakfast at the hotel, the remainder of the morning will be at leisure to rest and relax. Delhi is India's capital and a bustling metropolis combining the ancient and modern. This afternoon you will visit Judah Hyam Hall established in 1956. The hall serves as a center for Jewish studies. Dinner and overnight in Delhi.

Day 3, Wednesday: After breakfast, we transfer to the railway station for the train to Agra. Upon arrival we proceed for a sightseeing tour of Agra City. Our tour commences with a tour to the Taj Mahal. Taking 22 years and 20,000 men to build, the white marble was quarried 200 miles away and was transported to the site by a fleet of 1,000 elephants.
Following lunch, we proceed to Itimad-ud-Daulah, the beautiful tomb of Mirza Ghiyath Begam. We visit the impressive Agra Fort - the seat and stronghold of the Mughal Empire under successive generations. Visit the Hall of Public Audience and Royal Pavilions. We then transfer to the railway station for our train back to Delhi. Dinner will be served on the train. Arrive in Delhi and transfer to hotel. Overnight in Delhi.

Day 4, Thursday: Following breakfast, we begin our day with a combined sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi. Visit to Raj Ghat, a simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi; drive past the Red Fort. We continue to the Jama Masjid by bicycle rickshaws. Our tour takes us to New Delhi, built by the British in the 1920s and characterized by Sir Edwin Lutyens' architecture. You will visit two of the most important monuments of Delhi's past - Humayun's Tomb and the Qutab Minar. The tour also includes a drive along Rajpath past the imposing India Gate, the Parliament building and Rastrapathi Bhawan, the President's residence. Return to the hotel for buffet lunch. Dinner and overnight in Delhi.

Day 4, Friday: This morning we depart for Mumbai/Bombay. We enjoy a sightseeing tour of Bombay, a vibrant and bustling city with Colonial architecture, towering buildings, shopping centers and palatial hotels. Visit the Gateway of India, Nehru Park and the "Hanging Gardens" on Malabar Hill. In the evening visit the "Gate of Mercy Synagogue" or "Juni Masjid" established 1796. Shabbat dinner this evening is at an eminent Jewish family's residence. Here you will have the opportunity to interact with members of the Jewish community in India. Overnight in Mumbai.

Day 5, Saturday: Following buffet breakfast, the entire day will be at leisure for Shabbat. Dinner and overnight in Mumbai.

Day 6, Sunday: After breakfast we depart to the Gateway of India to meet your motor launch that will take you to Elephanta Island, a peaceful, forested island of Elephanta. The island is now a World Heritage site, famous for its 7th century cave temple. Following a buffet lunch at the hotel, we transfer to the airport for our flight to Pune. Dinner and overnight in Pune.

Day 7, Monday: Following breakfast we visit Ohel David Synagogue, established in 1867 and popularly known as LAL DEWAL. We then visit Succath Shelmo Synagogue established in 1921. After buffet lunch, we transfer to the airport for our flight to Chennai. Dinner and overnight in Chennai.

Day 8, Tuesday: Breakfast at our hotel. We then visit Mahabalipuram, a small seaside village featuring exquisite rock-cut temples or rathas that are some of the finest in India and have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Afterwards, we stop at Dakshina Chitra for lunch and a short sightseeing tour of the museum, which is set out on a ten-acre site overlooking the Bay of Bengal between Chennai and Mahabalipuram. The center comprises sections which represent the distinct cultures of the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Lunch will be organized on the veranda of the restaurant, which is located in a 19th century traditional South Indian house. The buffet lunch will be accompanied by traditional folk dances from Tamil Nadu. Dinner and overnight in Chennai.

Day 9, Wednesday: After breakfast, we proceed on a sightseeing tour of Chennai. We first visit Fort St. George and Marina Beach. Fort St. George looks more like a collection of well-kept colonial mansions than a traditional fort, and it is still used today for State government offices. From Marina Beach one can watch the fishermen riding the waves on their catamarans and local people walking the esplanade. We then transfer to the airport for flight for Cochin, and transfer to our hotel. After a buffet lunch at the hotel we will visit the "Pardesi Synagogue," founded and built in 1568 and later enlarged in 1761. Samuel Castiel, David Belila, Ephrahim Sala and Joseph Levi built this synagogue. It stands on the grounds of the Maharaja's residence overlooking the Hindu Shrine, demonstrating the cordial relations of the Jews with the people of Kerala. This is the first synagogue which came into existence in the commonwealth and is one of the oldest in the world. Dinner and overnight in Cochin.

Day 10, Thursday: Following breakfast, we visit the Matancherry Jewish Town and the Jewish Synagogue, Fort Cochin and the Dutch Palace by private boat which will take us along the waterfront. We pass the old trading houses that line the waterfront before docking at Matancherry Jetty. The synagogue was built in 1569 and reconstructed after the Portuguese burned it down. This is one of the oldest synagogues in the world. Our guide will be joined by one of only fourteen Jews left in Cochin to explain the history of this building and its famous floor, consisting of hand-painted Chinese tiling. If possible, we will request that the curator show us the Holy Torah Scrolls bedecked with golden crowns, presented to the community by the Rajah of Cochin. The Jewish cemetery is nearby. Surrounding the synagogue is the Jewish town, the historical center of the spice trade and now a mixture of handicraft shops, antique warehouses and spice dealers. Our next stop is the Dutch Palace which was built as a present for the Rajah (King) of Cochin after the Dutch had destroyed the temple. After the Dutch Palace, we will be transferred by Tuk Tuks to "Paduah House" for a special lunch. Set on ten acres of land against a backdrop of coconut trees, the 150-year-old mansion is built in traditional Keralan style. Here we enjoy typical Keralan cuisine with one of the eminent families of Cochin. Dinner and overnight Cochin.

Day 11, Friday: Breakfast at our hotel. The morning will be spent at leisure. After a buffet brunch, we transfer to the airport for our flight departing for Mumbai and then transfer to our hotel. The remainder of the day will be at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Mumbai.

Day 12, Saturday: Following buffet breakfast, the entire day will be at leisure for "Shabbat". In the evening, after a farewell buffet dinner, we will transfer to the airport for our flight back to New York.

Day 13, Sunday: Arrival to New York.

The Memories Last Forever!
Itinerary subject to change