The JPost Podcast - Travel Edition

This episode continues our journey through Jewish China alongside the descendants of Jews who found a home here nearly a century ago. Shanghai was not just a stop on the map; it was a lifeline. As we explore the city’s cultural highlights, our focus remains firmly on the human story that still echoes through its streets. From refuge to renewal, memory to modern community, this Shanghai chapter reminds us that Jewish history here is not only something to be remembered, but something still being lived.

In this episode, Mark and David explore the beauty and grandeur of Budapest, where the Danube divides the historic hills of Buda and the lively boulevards of Pest. From castle views to riverside promenades, the Hungarian capital blends elegance, history, and culture at every turn. The journey also takes them to leafy Margaret Island, home to the famous Ensana spa hotels, where Budapest’s legendary thermal waters promise deep relaxation in the heart of the city. Along the way they explore Jewish heritage, taste Hungarian flavors, and uncover some unexpected surprises.

If Beijing was the beginning of the journey, Harbin is where memory takes hold.In the third episode of our China series, we arrive in Harbin—the unlikely northern city that became home to one of the most vibrant Jewish communities of the 20th Century. In the 1920s and 1930s, more than 30,000 Jews lived here, creating a full and flourishing Jewish world far from Europe: synagogues and bakeries, hospitals and soup kitchens, schools, businesses, and cultural life.But the story of Harbin’s Jews is not only about survival or community—it is also about transformation. These Russian- and Eastern European-born Jews were among the driving forces that helped turn Harbin from a remote outpost into an industrial and commercial powerhouse, shaping the city’s modern identity.In this episode, we walk in their footsteps. We visit the physical remnants of Jewish Harbin: a former synagogue, the old commercial center, a historic hotel, and the Jewish cemetery. Each site is layered with absence and presence, silence and echoes.The journey becomes deeply personal as seven Israelis—children of Harbin Jews—return to the city their parents once called home. For some, it is a first visit. For all, it is an emotional reckoning. There are tears. There is laughter. And there is the powerful realization that Harbin is not just a chapter in Jewish history—it is a hometown.This is a story of belonging in unexpected places.Of loss, legacy, and return.Of where our parents walked—and where their footsteps still linger.David was the guest of the the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and the Chinese Enterprises Association in Israel.Our podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

In this episode we head to Tianjin in search of the traces left behind by the city’s once-thriving Jewish community in the first half of the 20th Century. From forgotten addresses to unexpected discoveries, we explore what remains—and what has vanished—of a remarkable chapter of Jewish life in eastern China. We visit the former synagogue, taking in its blend of traditional and non-traditional Jewish architectural elements, and reflect on what the building reveals about a community shaped by both heritage and place. Along the way, we speak with Israel’s cultural attaché in China, go mezuzah hunting in a quiet residential neighborhood, and hop on the high-speed train from Beijing to Tianjin. As always, we bring you practical travel insights, including transport tips, climate, accommodation options, and local food to look out for—plus much more from a city that continues to surprise. David was the guest of the the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and the Chinese Enterprises Association in Israel.

Every great journey needs a starting point. For The Jerusalem Post Podcast – Travel Edition’s new three-part special from China, that is Beijing—not as a chapter in Jewish history, but as the place where the story begins to unfold.In the first episode of the series, we land in China’s vast and dynamic capital, taking in the city’s scale, symbolism, and spectacle. This opening chapter is about orientation: to the country, to the journey ahead, and to the people who will help guide it.At the heart of the episode is the group’s host and sponsor, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). We hear from Guan "Jorge" Jiaxin, a warm and committed bridge-builder—someone with a deep affection for Israel and a genuine belief in people-to-people connections. His presence sets the tone for what follows: travel rooted in relationships, curiosity, and mutual respect.From there, the episode unfolds as a first encounter with Beijing itself: Tiananmen Square, Jingshan Park, the Olympic Park and the Great Wall, of course.This installment is about arrival. About seeing. About standing at the threshold of a much larger narrative.David was the guest of the the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and the Chinese Enterprises Association in Israel.Our podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Step into Nuremberg, a city where sweetly-spiced lebkuchen and sizzling sausages share the stage with medieval alleys, centuries of Jewish life, and the heavy weight of modern history. Wander through the reconstructed old town and its bridges, fountains, and castle, pause at sites that recall Jewish heritage, and confront the haunting legacy of the Nazi rally grounds and the war-crimes trials in Courtroom 600. In this episode, we explore Nuremberg’s flavors, stories, and scars—discovering how a city shaped by both joy and tragedy continues to speak to visitors today. This time: Traditional vegan??? Sausages in the city gateOld Town, new stones Tasty toppings on monks' wafersThe silence of Nuremberg’s Medieval Jews Dürer’s brush with NurembergHow to get there, climate and other FAQsInside Courtroom 600 Of Albert SpeerReconciling historyJustice Across Time Hitler's colosseumKristallnacht and the Nuremberg vaseFarewell to bittersweet Nuremberg but we hope to be back soon

Join Mark and David as they wander through Munich’s surprising mix of culture, history, and flavor. From the city’s buzzing contemporary arts scene to the quiet street where Albert Einstein once lived, they uncover stories that bring Munich alive in unexpected ways.Along the way, they step inside the Jewish Museum to explore the city’s layered Jewish heritage, and, of course, dive into the tales of Munich’s world-famous sausages.With their trademark warmth, curiosity, and humor, Mark and David connect the dots between past and present, giving listeners a Munich experience that’s equal parts inspiring, delicious, and unforgettable.

When most travelers think of Czechia (or the Czech Republic), Prague steals the spotlight. But venture a little further east and you’ll find Moravia—a land of vineyards, hidden caves, elegant mansions, and stories that blend history with legend.In this episode, we head to Brno, explore a centuries-old synagogue, sip local wines, wander through mysterious underground caverns, meet Romeo and Juliet in an unexpected setting, and step inside a stately Moravian mansion. Join us as we uncover the side of Czechia that goes far beyond Prague. This time: Double the name, double the fun: Czechia or Czech Republic?Mark & David let Karen off the leashUncovering Jewish CzechiaBrno—where the missing vowels went on holidayKarst and found: adventures undergroundMeet rock legends Romeo and JulietFAQs at your fingertipsCzech Into the fairytale: Lednice ChateauVine and dandy: tasting Czechia’s whitesKaren 2 - the movie. She seems to think so

🎙️ Beyond Iconic: Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas! Join The Jerusalem Post Podcast – Travel Edition, Episode 113, as we set sail on one of the world’s largest cruise ships. From unforgettable family adventures to dazzling shows, cocktails, and cuisine, discover how this Icon Class marvel is redefining travel at sea!

Montenegro is a jewel on the Adriatic Coast. This Balkan gem offers sun, sea, skiing, history, great food and wine, and a whole bunch of surprises. Mark and David used the Dukley Hotels and Resort as their base, as they discovered Budva, Cetinje and much more besides. This time: They do sound hungoverBreakfast with a viewGolf carting in historic CetinjeWhat's the Montenegro story?Wine? Thank you very much, sirA chat with Montenegro Tourism Minister Simonida KordićHow to get there, the weather and more FAQsYugoslava is not a spelling mistakeNarrow alleys and great views from Budva old townBuoyancy with Bojan at Sea

On the shores of the Bay of Budva, on Montenegro's Adriatic Coast, sits the wonderful Dukley Hotels & Resort. Mark and David sample the delights of this vacation paradise, with its private beaches, tip-top amenities, and yes, a year-round kosher restaurant and synagogue. This time: It's an early start for the boysGreat kosher breakfast. Phenomenal cheeses.Meet the chef with a story to tellIt has to be Chabad: Inside the Budva Jewish Community CenterWhat does Dukley have to offer?Learning the laws of Shabbat and kashrutHow to get there? What's the weather like? And more useful tipsThe jacuzzi and the sea view suiteA restaurant on the beachReflections on a great Dukley Shabbat

Beyond its canal, jungle and rainforests, Panama is manna from heaven for travelers who keep kosher. There are some 50 top-notch kosher eateries to try, the vast majority of them in the capital, Panama City. There's Japanese, steakhouses, fancy bakeries plus one of the largest kosher supermarkets outside of Israel. Mark and David also take you on an unforgettable journey beyond the fine dining and into the 15,000-strong Jewish community to meet its leaders and members. This time: Dutch robots versus humansSoft landing into the Adama (earth)Now that's a pleasant Aroma (not what you are thinking!)Audio perfection in the synagogueOne impressive study hallWhy Panama? Why Jewish?How to get there? Where to stay? And all the other FAQsOur man in PanamaAll about the rabbiA different kind of AriaThe wonderful CeciSpice up your life - Japanese style