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.

Bavaria is more than just Oktoberfest. In this episode, we leave the big cities behind and head deep into rural Bavaria, where alpine beer huts perch on mountain slopes and medieval towns hide centuries of stories behind their cobblestone streets. It’s a land where tradition meets hospitality, and every corner seems to hold a surprise.Along the way, we roll up our sleeves on an organic farm, meeting the pigs, sheep, and chickens that call it home. We learn the old-fashioned art of making butter, twist our own brezels, and, of course, sample Bavaria’s world-famous brews. Join us for a journey that blends history, flavor, and a touch of Alpine magic.

This time: 
* From breakdown to breathtaking: hiking the Alps
* Tongue-twisters and tasty wheels
* The beer capital you’ve never heard of
* Landsberg am Lech: where history hugs the river
* Behind bars, Hitler picked up his pen
* How to get there, what's kosher and FAQs galore
* Meet the pigs living the good life
* Baaad move: the great sheep escape
* From cream to gold: churning our own butter
* Learning the twisty art of brezels (and maybe a challah)

Mark and David were guests of the German National Tourist Board.

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.

Welcome to our latest episode, where we’re taking you straight to Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay — the private island escape that’s all about thrills and chills. From heart-pumping adventures like North America’s tallest waterslide and a helium balloon ride soaring 450 feet above the ocean, to the laid-back luxury of overwater cabanas and the crystal-clear lagoon, CocoCay has something for every kind of traveler. Whether you’re here for the adrenaline rush or the perfect beachside unwind, this island truly lives up to its name — a perfect day.

And we hear from the Israeli exec who makes it all happen!

Mark and David were guests of Royal Caribbean.

Our podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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.

Join Mark Gordon and David Harris in conversation with Hassan Madah, the international marketing director of The Israeli Ministry of Tourism.

Edited by Shifra Jacobs.

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 gate
• Old Town, new stones 
• Tasty toppings on monks' wafers
• The silence of Nuremberg’s Medieval Jews 
• Dürer’s brush with Nuremberg
• How to get there, climate and other FAQs
• Inside Courtroom 600 
• Of Albert Speer
• Reconciling history
• Justice Across Time 
• Hitler's colosseum
• Kristallnacht and the Nuremberg vase
• Farewell to bittersweet Nuremberg but we hope to be back soon

In the lush, misty highlands of Boquete, Panama, Rabbi Yakov and Hana Poliwoda have created something extraordinary. Perched in the remote cloud forest, they’ve built a vibrant Chabad center that warmly welcomes both locals and Jewish travelers exploring the region’s breathtaking hiking trails, world-renowned coffee plantations, and its iconic volcano.

From a beautifully-appointed dairy kosher restaurant and meaty meal deliveries straight to hotel rooms, to a picturesque synagogue, lively community events, cozy guest rooms at the Chabad House, and even a pristine mikvah - Boquete’s Jewish oasis offers everything a visitor could need, all in one of the world’s most scenic settings. 

Join Mark and David for an in-depth, heartwarming chat with the remarkable Poliwodas.

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.

Think Orlando is all mouse ears and rollercoasters? Think again. In this episode, we flip the script—literally—inside WonderWorks’ upside-down building, soak in the charm of Lake Buena Vista, and raise a glass (or three) at City Works Eatery and Pour House, home to a jaw-dropping 100 beers on tap. It’s Orlando like you’ve never tasted, toasted, or tumbled through before.  

This time: 

*Room service, reinvented
*When your first stop is an upside-down house, you know it’s gonna be a fun trip
*Shaken, stirred, and storm-chased at the hurricane shack
*Burn calories, not your enthusiasm
*Want to visit Orlando - hear the travel tips
*All the Disney vibes, none of the queue lines
* When your pint tastes like a peanut butter latte
*Orlando on tap—Literally