In Their Footsteps
Vienna & North Macedonia Summer 2026
Join The Art of Humanity this summer for In Their Footsteps, an unforgettable 10-day professional learning journey through North Macedonia and Vienna.
Travel to Skopje, Bitola, Ohrid, and Vienna, where you will explore the rich Jewish history and vibrant culture of these regions while engaging directly with local educators, policymakers, and scholars. Visit historic sites of profound Holocaust significance, learning from experts who bring the past to life and illuminate its urgent lessons for today.
This unique program offers educators and civic leaders the opportunity to deepen their understanding, build global connections, and bring powerful new insights back to their classrooms and communities—all while experiencing the beauty, resilience, and living traditions of Jewish communities in Europe.
Where are we going?
The Jewish Story of North Macedonia: A Legacy of Resilience:
For centuries, North Macedonia was home to a thriving Sephardic Jewish community, shaped by the rich traditions of those who settled there after the 1492 expulsion from Spain. In Skopje, vibrant synagogues, bustling marketplaces, and a dynamic cultural life once defined a flourishing Jewish presence. Bitola (Monastir) was a renowned center of Jewish scholarship and commerce, where Ladino songs filled the streets and Jewish merchants helped connect the Balkans to the wider world. Along the shores of Ohrid, a smaller but enduring Jewish community contributed to the city’s spiritual and cultural mosaic.
This tapestry of life was tragically torn during the Holocaust, when nearly the entire Macedonian Jewish population was deported to Treblinka in 1943. Yet memory endures—in preserved cemeteries, poignant monuments, and living descendants—bearing witness to a culture that shaped the Balkans for generations and continues to inspire remembrance and renewal today.
Vienna & the Wachau Valley: Echoes of Jewish Brilliance and Survival:
For centuries, Vienna stood as a beacon of Jewish intellectual, artistic, and spiritual life. From the Middle Ages to the golden age of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Jewish thinkers, writers, and musicians helped shape the city’s identity as a center of European culture. Figures such as Sigmund Freud, Gustav Mahler, Gustav Klimt, and countless others contributed to Vienna’s reputation as a hub of modern thought and creativity. Jewish neighborhoods bustled with synagogues, cafés, and salons where new ideas flourished.
The Wachau Valley, a serene stretch along the Danube, carries quieter but equally poignant traces of Jewish history. Once dotted with small communities and trading posts, the region witnessed centuries of Jewish settlement and, later, the upheavals of persecution and deportation during the Nazi era. Today, remnants of synagogues, memorials, and restored cemeteries stand as powerful reminders of both a rich heritage and the devastating impact of the Holocaust.
Exploring Vienna and the Wachau reveals a story of extraordinary creativity, resilience, and loss—and a call to honor a legacy that continues to influence art, music, and human rights across the world.
Meet your Scholars in Residence
Dr. Rachel Shelly Levy-Drummer PhD:
Dr. Levy-Drummer is a lecturer with a Ph.D. in Life Sciences and expertise in biostatistics and was the secretary of academic affairs of Bar-Ilan University in Israel. Rachel-Shelly was born in N. Macedonia to a Sephardic family of Holocaust survivors. In the last decade she leads initiatives to preserve the heritage of Macedonian Jewry and the Ladino language culture and tradition, including the March of the Living in Bitola, educational programs, and cultural projects. Combining academic excellence with cultural commitment, she connects past and present to inspire future generations.
Dr. Rivka Rosenberg PhD:
Dr. Rivka Rosenberg is a distinguished global advocate and educator at the forefront of Holocaust Education, Jewish Heritage, and the fight against contemporary antisemitism, with a special focus on Macedonia and Austria. She holds a Ph.D. in Education from Laval University (Quebec City), alongside degrees from Washington University in St. Louis, Middlebury College in Vermont, and Talpiot College of Education in Tel Aviv. Currently, Dr. Rosenberg serves as Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Education at Sheba Hospital in Israel, where she leads the integration of cutting-edge technology in healthcare. She also lectures and develops curricula at Bar-Ilan University and the Israeli Ministry of Education, building on her previous role training educators at Levinsky-Wingate College in Tel Aviv. A pioneer in pedagogical innovation, she designs and facilitates international workshops for educators and students, using AI, Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR) to create immersive lessons in Holocaust awareness and Jewish Heritage. Complementing these technological methods, she also employs the performing arts to foster empathy and deeper understanding. Through her global lectures, Dr. Rosenberg empowers students, educators, and policymakers to deconstruct modern hatred and connect historical lessons to present-day challenges. A polyglot and thought leader, she bridges deep historical scholarship with advanced pedagogy and global advocacy, dedicated to forging a more informed, compassionate, and responsible world.
What to expect
Spend 10 days developing deeper understanding of Sephardic and Ashkenazic history and culture, grow your educator network, and more. Enjoy 9 Breakfasts, 9 light lunches, and 9 dinners with one free evening, and numerous opportunities to explore on your own. Stay at 4-star hotels in all destinations. Flight from Skopje to Vienna is included in the price. This is NOT a Kosher trip. All attempts to assist with dietary restrictions due to religious or medical reasons will be made by our team. Vegetarian options are available throughout the trip.
Day 1 - 5
Day 1: Skopje
Everyone arrives in Skopje Macedonia BEFORE 12 noon.
Welcome Lunch with our Macedonia scholar in residence Dr. Rachel Levy-Drummer followed by a guided city tour.
Time to rest followed by Dinner with local Macedonian educators
Day 2: Skopje
Breakfast at the hotel followed by a day of exploring the city, its history and the markets. Meet with Macedonian educators again and parliamentarians. In the afternoon we will drive to Matka ,a national park, and enjoy Macedonian nature before heading to Ohrid. Check into our hotel in Ohrid.
Day 3: Ohrid
Breakfast at our hotel followed by a city tour walking historic neighborhoods. At lunchtime we will enjoy a pedagogical workshop with Dr. Levy-Drummer and Dr. Rivka Rosenberg. Following the workshop we will have free time to explore the city on our own. The evening will have a Cultural Music show and dinner
Day 4: Ohrid
Dating back to the Roman empire, Ohrid has had a strong Jewish presence until the Holocaust. Despite the diminished community, the legacy of Jewish life in Ohrid is still visible in the city's historic architecture and landmarks, and the term "Jerusalem of the Balkans" has been used to describe the city's past richness, including its Jewish heritage.
Breakfast at the hotel followed by a visit to Saint Nahum where we will have lunch and a boat ride in the area.
In the afternoon we will drive to Bitola where Dr. Levy-Drummer will conduct a Sephardic cooking class and lecture.
Day 5: Bitola
From the 16th century until World War II, the city was a vibrant hub of Sephardic culture, with numerous synagogues, schools, and a prominent spiritual leadership. This prosperous community, which numbered over 3,000 people on the eve of the war, was systematically deported to the Treblinka extermination camp by the Bulgarian occupation authorities in March 1943, wiping out the community with only a handful of survivors.
Breakfast in the hotel followed by exploration of Macedonia's oldest Jewish cemetery dating back to 1497, a walking tour of the Old Jewish quarters and the city promenade.
Farewell to Macedonia with a festive Macedonian Folk Dance Show and dinner.
Day 6-10: Vienna & Wachau Valley
Day 6: leave Skopje and arrive in Vienna
Very early departure for Vienna
Upon arrival in Vienna we will enjoy free time as we settle into the hotel and prepare for our Kabbalat Shabbat services and festive dinner with welcoming words from our scholar in residence Dr. Rivka Rosenberg.
Day 7: Vienna
For those that wish to join us, we will attend Shabbat morning service at the only synagogue to survive Kristallnacht! Later we will visit the Albertina Museum, taste local pastries around town, and have an afternoon walk along the Danube.
In the evening, we have a pedagogical workshop with Dr. Rivka Rosenberg and Dr. Rachel Freyer
Day 8: Vienna
After breakfast in the hotel, we will have a guided tour of Jewish Vienna, The historic Jewish cemetery and the Holocaust memorials, followed by a guided tour of parliament and a tour of the Wall of Names by its founder. We will also meet with local educators.
Day 9: Wachau Valley
trip to the Wachau Valley
Evening on your own
Day10: Mauthausen Concentration Camp
Today we visit Mauthausen Concentration Camp for a guided tour by the director of the camp and the director of education.
Farewell dinner
Day 11 - return home
*some events are subject to slight change in date, time, or delivery method.