Curaçao Announces Jewish Heritage Tours To Celebrate Congregation’s 350th Anniversary

The ‘Mother Congregation of the Americas’, United Congregation Mikvé Israel-Emanuel in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, is the oldest active Jewish congregation in the Americas. To celebrate the 350th anniversary of Congregation Mikvé Israel-Emanuel and this Dutch Caribbean island’s rich Jewish heritage, the Curaçao Tourist Board and the Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Association have announced Jewish Heritage Tour Packages.

Willemstad, Curaçao -- In a city teeming with carefully preserved 18th Century buildings (it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site) visitors can explore forts and town mansions transformed into boutiques, restaurants, museums and galleries. But no building is more intriguing than Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue – a genuine architectural treasure right in midtown, the oldest continually worshipped-in Jewish temple in the New World and home to ‘Mother Congregation of the Americas’, United Congregation Mikvé Israel-Emanuel the oldest active Jewish congregation in the Americas.

To celebrate the Congregation’s 350th anniversary and this Dutch Caribbean island’s rich Jewish heritage, the Curaçao Tourist Board and the Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Association have announced Jewish Heritage Tour Packages now through September 15, 2001. Rates start at $295 per room, per night and include accommodations, a special Jewish Heritage Tour, daily American breakfast, round-trip on-island airport transfers, service charge and government tax.

The Curaçao Jewish Heritage Tour includes stops at some of the most important sites in this unique Congregation’s history: historic Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, with its elegant Georgian architecture, polished mahogany, brass and a sandy floor; the Jewish Cultural Historical Museum, home to a permanent collection of art and artifacts including an original Torah scroll brought to Curaçao in 1659; the Scharloo neighborhood of Willemstad whose mansions were once home to Jewish settlers; Landhuis Rooi Catootje with its Mongui Maduro Library which houses a remarkable collection of works on the history of the Jewish community in Curacao, and Beth Chaim Cemetery, consecrated in 1659, now a national historic site and information center.

Participating hotels also offer their own special features as part of the package. The Avila Beach Hotel includes free tennis day and night, and chaise lounges and towels at the pool and beach. The Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort includes free day and night court tennis, admission to their fitness center, the Manager’s Wednesday evening cocktail party, chaise lounges and towels at the pool and beach, and invites up to two children to stay free per room with parents. There is a breakfast charge $17.50 per child including service charge and tax, and a minimum 3 night stay is required. The Sheraton Curaçao Resort includes free tennis, admission to their fitness center, the Manager’s Tuesday evening cocktail party, chaise lounges and towels at pool and beach, and allows up to two children under twelve years old to stay free when sharing room with parents. A breakfast charge applies. The Trupial Inn offers free transfers to and from historic Willemstad twice daily, and a child can share a room with parents for $7.00 per day plus taxes.

Rates are based on two people per room per night, air fares are not included. Round-trip air transportation to Curaçao is available from all major U.S. gateways. Fares are based on dates of departure and can be requested when booking. A Curaçao departure tax of $20 per person is not included.

Located outside of the hurricane belt, Curaçao’s dry climate makes it a perfect Caribbean vacation spot. Visitors enjoy beautiful beaches, world-class dive sites, unique family attractions, historic monuments, museums, golf and more. Blue Bay Golf Resort, the island’s new 18-hole golf course uses the scenic Caribbean coastline to create a challenging game. Pristine reefs teeming with underwater life offer some of the best diving and snorkeling in the Caribbean. Above the water, explorers discover an abundance of unique plant and animal life on canoe, jeep and horseback riding tours. Ecotourists will enjoy turtle-monitoring, deer-spotting and bird-watching in Curaçao’s national parks. Kids of all ages will be amazed by the inhabitants of the Ostrich & Game Farm, and the experience of being face-to-face with sharks and other underwater denizens at the Sea Aquarium.

For reservations contact Arza World Travel at 1-800-223-7406 or 212-683-6311. For more information visit, www.curacao-tourism.com or call the Curaçao Tourist Board at 1-800-3CURACAO.
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