9 Days F.O.I Encounter Poland - July 2026

Day 1 - Tuesday, July 21

Departure - JFK

Flight Information

  • Team arrives at JFK throughout the day

  • Passengers must be at the airport 3 hours prior to departure

  • Meals are on your own

  • Departure: LOT Polish Airlines Flight LO7

    • Departs JFK at 5:45 PM

Day 2 - Wednesday, July 22

Arrival - Warsaw

  • 8:15 AM – Arrival in Warsaw

  • Meet and greet with the Polish team upon landing

  • Transfer to hotel to unpack or leave luggage at the FOI office (TBD)

  • Lunch on your own

  • Time to purchase snacks and water

  • Drive into the city center for a brief walking tour, including:

    • Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Monument

    • Former Warsaw Ghetto area

    • Overview of Jewish life in Warsaw before the Holocaust

    • Warsaw Uprising Monument (1944)

  • Dinner and overnight in Warsaw

    • Hotel: ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum

    • Address: Ul. Zagórna 1, 00-441 Warsaw, Poland

Day 3 - Thursday, July 23

Warsaw - Bialystok

  • Breakfast at the hotel

  • Morning devotions

  • Visit to the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews

    • Guided tour (approx. 2.5–3 hours)

    • Cost includes guide or audio guide

  • Lunch on your own (museum cafeteria optional)

  • Depart for Bialystok (approx. 2 hours)

    • En route discussion on Treblinka

  • Dinner and overnight in Bialystok

    • Hotel: ibis Styles Bialystok

    • Address: Aleja Piłsudskiego 25, 15-444 Bialystok, Poland

Day 4 - Friday, July 24

Bialystok

  • Breakfast at the hotel

  • Morning devotions

  • Touring in Bialystok, including:

    • Visit to a local Shtetl site

    • Citron Synagogue (with Derek)

  • Lunch on your own

  • Afternoon visit to Tykocin, including:

    • Historical Tykocin Synagogue

    • Nearby mass grave sites

  • Dinner and overnight in Bialystok

    • Hotel: ibis Styles Bialystok

    • Address: Aleja Piłsudskiego 25, 15-444 Bialystok, Poland

Day 5 - Saturday

Bialystok - Krakow

  • Breakfast at the hotel

  • Morning devotions

  • Drive to Kielce (approx. 4 hours)

    • Meet with Pastor Edward Cwierz

  • Lunch on your own

  • Dinner: TBD in Kielce

  • Overnight in Krakow

    • Hotel: Hotel ROK

    • Address: Nowohucka 33, Podgórze, 30-717 Krakow, Poland

Day 6 - Sunday, July 26

Krakow

  • Breakfast at the hotel

  • Morning devotions

  • Drive to Auschwitz (approx. 1 hour)

    • Guided tour of Auschwitz

  • Drive back to Krakow (approx. 1.5 hours)

  • Lunch on your own

  • Krakow walking tour, including:

    • Jewish Krakow (with guide Viola, TBD)

    • Visit Wawel Castle (Polish history)

  • Free time in the Old City

  • Dinner on your own

  • Overnight in Krakow

    • Hotel: Hotel ROK

    • Address: Nowohucka 33, Podgórze, 30-717 Krakow, Poland

Day 7 - Monday, July 27

Krakow - Wroclaw

  • Breakfast at the hotel

  • Morning devotions

  • Visit Jewish Community Center (Rabbi TBD)

  • Drive to Pszczyna (approx. 1 hour)

    • Volunteer at Jewish Cemetery of Pszczyna with Slawek Pastuszka (approx. 2 hours)

    • Present grant money

  • Lunch on your own

  • Tour of Pszczyna

  • Drive to Wroclaw (approx. 2 hours)

  • Wroclaw city tour, including:

    • Guided tour with Emanuel

    • Meeting with Mira

  • Dinner and overnight in Wroclaw

    • Hotel: Novotel Wroclaw Centrum

    • Address: ul. Wyscigowa 35, 53-011 Wroclaw, Poland

Day 8 - Tuesday, July 28

Wroclaw - Warsaw

  • Breakfast at the hotel

  • Morning devotions

  • Wroclaw visit: Uranium mines / former work camp

  • Drive to Warsaw (approx. 4 hours)

  • Lunch on your own

  • Spotlight visit: FOI Poland – Jewish ministry in the shadow of the Holocaust (The Farm or FOI office)

  • Dinner and overnight in Warsaw

    • Hotel: ibis Budget Warszawa Centrum

    • Address: Ul. Zagórna 1, 00-441 Warsaw, Poland

Day 9 - Wednesday, July 29

Warsaw - Departure

  • Breakfast at the hotel

  • Morning devotions

  • Packing and farewells

  • Depart hotel at 9:10 AM for Warsaw airport

  • Arrive at airport at 9:45 AM

  • Departure: LOT Polish Airlines Flight LO6 at 12:45 PM

    Arrive USA at around  3:45pm

    Once we arrive in the U.S., we will have to go through passport control and connect to your next flight if you have one. If you are booking your domestic flight please allow coneection time of 3-4 hours to your next flight.

 

Services Included

  • Two complimentary passengers (air & land) based on double occupancy

  • Three complimentary passengers (land only) based on double occupancy

  • Round-trip airfare with LOT Polish Airlines from JFK (New York)

  • Departure taxes and fuel surcharges

  • 7 nights hotel accommodation:

    • 1 night in Warsaw (arrival)

    • 2 nights in Bialystok

    • 2 nights in Krakow

    • 1 night in Wroclaw

    • 1 night in Warsaw (final night)

  • Daily buffet breakfast

Services Not Included

  • Tips to hotel staff

  • Travel insurance

  • Personal expenses and any meals not mentioned above