In a small park are two dark-gray marble stones, one engraved in lighter shades with a menora and the other with a Magen David. A bit northwest of Moldavanka, across Balkovskaya Street and the railroad tracks, is the dilapidated warren of streets that formed the larger of Odessa's two ghettos, the Slobodka. Valentin Katayev's A White Sail Gleams deals with the 1905 revolution from the view of an Odessa schoolchild. Artist Yefim Ladyzhensky painted themes from the stories of Babel. While Odessa is not as scary as scuttlebutt has it, tourists should be careful of personal belongings, particularly after dark.
Public transportation is sporadic, taxis overly expensive.
But except for its rutted sidewalks and irregular power failures, central Odessa is easy to walk around. Among the better European carriers is Swissair to Kiev, with a change there for local transport. But proof of accommodations is necessary for Ukrainian visas and it is difficult to obtain this directly. A specialized travel agent facilitates matters. Despite the bureaucratic hassles, though, and its still transitional situation, Odessa, once considered a way station for wandering Jews, now is a pleasant surprise for Jewish wanderers.