On our last full day in Spain, we headed out after another great breakfast to Córdoba. Our first stop was Medina Azahara, the magnificent palace complex built by Abd al Rahman III in the 12th century whose archaeological remains were discovered not that long ago. We began with an animated video that allowed us to imagine what the beautiful city was like at the height of its splendor. We then proceeded to explore the remains. Not only did we take beautiful pictures, but the breathtaking scenes taught us about the Golden Age of Muslim Spain and the setting in which Sephardic Jews flourished.
We continued on to the beautiful city of Cordoba . We had a quick lunch and enjoyed ice cream while sitting at a café. We then took a walking tour through the charming streets of the city. We learned about some of the famous Jews who lived in the city such as R. Yehuda Halevi and Rambam. We prayed a meaningful mincha in the only synagogue still standing of 17 the city once had.
Finally, one group of students went shopping while another hopped on Segways and e-bikes and explored different parts of the city like the Roman bridge and a gorgeous plaza.
We then boarded the high speed train to Madrid where we had dinner in a kosher restaurant and wraped up our trip with a discussion and activity around the table. We were joined by three alumni who are studying abroad for the semester in Madrid. We’ll be checking in to a hotel tonight and leaving back home tomorrow morning. We can’t believe how fast the week went! It was a spectacular trip that gave us memories for a lifetime.
~Ezra Faks and Lily Beyda, Class of 2019
