Virtual
Continued from Page 7
Tour guide Yocheved Kolchin shows the ancient city of Tzipori in Israel.

Courtesy of Jewish National Fund-USA
Yocheved Kolchin takes her audience on a virtual
cable car ride in Rosh HaNikra, Israel.

Republic and other countries.

In addition to cemeteries and art exhibitions, site visitors can
explore “Atlas of Memory Maps.” Mounted by Grodzka Gate –
NN Theatre in Lublin, Poland, the online exhibit features maps
of pre-war cities, towns and shtetls drawn from former inhabi-
tants’ memories after World War II.

The JHE website also hosts an exhibit of papercut art by the
Polish artist Monika Krajewska commemorating Jewish sites
that were destroyed during the Holocaust.

“They’re really fabulous, we got a good response,” Gruber said
of the artwork.

She said the challenge for tour guides and organizations is
monetizing those experiences to help sustain workers in the
tourism industry during coronavirus shutdowns.

Micaela Pavoncello, a tour guide based in Rome, used her
network of contacts from in-person tours to adapt.

“I have a lot of fans, and I knew something like this can
work. When the pandemic started, I started contacting my good
contacts at AIPAC, JCCs, synagogues, people who could help me
(by) spreading the voice. I started giving these lectures on Zoom
and people love it. I did it for a couple of synagogues, they started
booking me for Mother’s Day. It’s such a connection for me, and
I like it,” she said.

Her in-person tours focused on forming personal connections
with her clients and capturing their attention with storytelling.

This has helped in making the transition to virtual experiences.

“It’s not just a question of carbonara and fettuccine. People
want to learn and put their feet in our shoes and that’s what I
provide,” she said.

Many tours of European Jewish heritage sites focus on the
tragedy of the Holocaust, but Pavoncello’s tours span the 2,000-
year history of Jews in Rome.

“Our history is very different from those who immigrated
from Eastern Europe 200 years ago. The Shoah is a horrible part
of our history, but it’s not the only part,” she said.

Pavoncello plans to offer a live tour inside the Jewish Museum
of Rome once it reopens to the public. She is also offering online
kosher cooking classes with chefs from local restaurants.

These classes focus on simpler foods than the classes she is
used to hosting. Attempting to fry artichokes in the Roman
Jewish style at home without an expert’s in-person help could be
a recipe for disaster.

8 JUNE 25, 2020
“We are going to make gnocchi, easy things anybody can
do — bruschetta, orange and fennel salad, all very easy things,”
she said.

The virtual tours have allowed her to continue to do a job she
loves during Italy’s coronavirus lockdown. She didn’t realize how
much she would miss it until she was stuck at home.

“I really believe in my job almost as a mission. I’m not even
such an observant Jew, but the pride, the sense of the belonging,
the sense of traditions, they are fundamental,” she said.

Virtual tourism may continue in some form even when people
feel safe traveling again.

Raab said the response to The Tour Guy’s programs has been
positive, with demand surging during Mother’s Day as family
members who couldn’t be together in person sought to share new
memories and experiences. The company will likely continue to
offer them even if travel can begin again in late 2020 or early 2021.

“We’re getting nothing but great feedback,” he said. “We can
turn this into an educational tool. If physical touring kicks back
off, virtual touring will be here to stay as a product we’re offering.”
Van Adelsberg sees virtual missions to Israel as another way
to keep people connected to the country, particularly those who
are older and unable to weather long flights.

“The response that we’ve gotten has been so fantastic, we’re
probably going to continue doing these tours. It’s a really unique
opportunity to get to experience the country without the jet lag,”
she said.

Pavoncello wants to continue her virtual tours to connect
with people are unable to travel due to physical or financial
limitations, including students and the elderly.

“This is what excites me the most: Every time I meet somebody
I get to learn a lot. It’s an exchange, and it’s good for everybody.

It’s a new era, an era where we’re far but we’ve got to get closer,”
she said. l
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