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Company Story

Beyond sightseeing. Into story, culture, and connection. Founded in 2022, Your Jewish Heritage Guide specialises in private Jewish heritage tours, genealogy-inspired travel, and cultural experiences across Poland, Germany, and Ukraine. Our local guides help travelers explore Jewish history, family roots, former Jewish quarters and shtetls, and hidden heritage beyond the traditional tourist routes.

Your Jewish Heritage Guide grew out of our passion for history, storytelling, and guiding, building on more than a decade of experience since the founding of our first tour company, Odessa Walks, in 2011. While we specialise in Jewish history tours across Poland, Germany and Ukraine, we also design general sightseeing and cultural experiences that bring each destination to life.

Hey world travelers! I am Olga and I am the founder of Your Jewish Heritage Guide. I’d like to share with you our company story and introduce our team.

My Journey to Building Your Jewish Heritage Guide

My journey began in 1998, when I left my home country to attend business school in California. What inspired me to cross the ocean? A deep curiosity to see the world and a desire to explore new professional paths. While my studies were important, travel was — and remains — my true passion.

After earning my MBA, I lived and worked in California, London, and Moscow. Yet in 2011, I decided to return to my anchor town Odessa. I wanted to build something of my own, grounded in what I love most: connecting with people, sharing the heritage of this extraordinary city, and using technology to bring stories to life.

That vision fully came to life during the pandemic, when we launched our virtual Odessa tours. By combining innovative digital platforms with the city’s rich history and the authenticity of in-person guiding, we created immersive experiences for people around the world — especially those who might never have had the opportunity to visit.

 

Since 2020, we have offered both in-person and live virtual tours, making history accessible, personal, and engaging across borders.

When the war in Ukraine forced us to pause our Odessa tours, we adapted — and new anchor cities emerged: Krakow, Berlin, and Regensburg. We are deeply passionate about each of them. In every place, we go beyond the well-known landmarks, connect with local voices, uncover hidden layers, and put people’s stories behind historic sites.

Today, Your Jewish Heritage Guide is built on curiosity, connection, passion for guiding and deep knowledge of our destinations.

We would be honored to share our passion and knowledge with you — whether on a private in-person tour in Germany or Poland, or through our live virtual journeys from wherever you are in the world.

See you soon — and meanwhile, meet the team.

Olga Bokhonovskaia

Alexandra
Born and raised in a southern town of the Odessa region, I moved to Odessa to study at the university and joined Odessa Walks in 2015. Because of the war I moved to Regensburg, Germany. When Olga decided to launch Your Jewish Heritage Guide I wholeheartedly supported her and joined the team. Why? Regensburg has become my new anchor town and I love it here. I miss guiding and meeting new people. I’m completing my training as a professional tour guide and would love sharing with you Regensburg’s rich heritage. Let’s explore this amazing town together! Aah, and I guide both in English and German.
Nastya
An Odessa local, I joined Odessa Walks in 2013 to guide Jewish heritage and general history tours. With the start of the war I moved to Poland. Why did I choose to settle there? Because of the family roots, I spent a lot of time in Poland prior to the war. I fell in love with Krakow. It reminded me of my hometown Odessa. I was completing professional training as a tour guide in Poland and thinking of how to apply my Odessa experience and knowledge of Polish and Krakow history when Olga offered me to join Your Jewish Heritage Guide. I agreed right away and am now very excited to share Krakow’s rich heritage with you. 
Olga
For quite some time now, I’ve been wearing two hats:  launching and managing the  Odessa Walks tour agency and Your Jewish Heritage Guide, as well as working as a guide. The reason I continue combining these two roles is that, on the one hand, I’ve always wanted to build a business based on my passion, and on the other hand, I genuinely love guiding. I personally conduct all virtual and live-stream tours, as well as in-person multi-destination tour programs across Poland and Germany.