Yallah! Israel is offering two experiences: our traditional Israel immersive experience and an alternate trip option, which will take place in the Pacific Northwest and include components of Israel education, in partnership with BBYO.

Yes! Families are able to transfer their $500 administrative fee (deposit) to either program option up to February 27. Please note, you will be required to submit a registration for the program you are switching to at that time (for example, if you originally register for Yallah! Israel but wish to switch to the alternate program with BBYO, the deposit will transfer but you will need to fill out BBYO’s separate registration form, and vice versa).

Please reach out to yallahisrael@urj.org for any questions, concerns, and guidance.

Registration for Yallah! Israel Summer 2024 is officially open. Register here.

Changes to program selection or cancellations are allowed up until February 27, 2024, with the $500 administrative fee being transferable or fully refundable, respectively, until that date. In the event the URJ decides we cannot safely run trips to Israel this summer, families will receive a full refund for any monies collected. For all policies around payment, refunds, and cancellations, please visit the Fees & Conditions page.

As of today, insurance companies have placed a hold on issuing any new policies for travel to Israel. It is our sincerest hope that before the final payment deadline on May 1 (the last date to opt-into an insurance policy), this hold will be lifted, and our families will be able to purchase a General Protection policy to protect any nonrefundable costs per our current refund and cancellation policy. No Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) policies will be available for purchase for Summer 2024.

Yes! RootOne’s mission to ease the financial barrier of teen travel to Israel remains stronger than ever. All families are still eligible to receive a $3,000 Voucher for Summer 2024. As soon as the Summer 2024 RootOne Voucher application opens, registered families will receive instructions on how to apply for this financial opportunity. Learn more about the $3,000 RootOne Voucher here.

• No group will stay near borders or areas deemed unsafe by Israel’s Moked Teva (Situation Room), a special unit administered by the Ministry of Education and coordinated with Israel’s security services that oversees all tourists’ groups in Israel.
• All itineraries are approved by the Moked Teva before the summer and we reconfirm the schedule for the day every morning of the summer.
• We will only stay at accommodations that have a Safe Room.
• Every group will be accompanied at all times by an Israeli Security Guard issued by Israel’s “Situation Room”.
• Our itinerary will have backup programs in place to ensure a secure and enjoyable experience for all participants. 
• Understanding the impact of the ongoing situation, our Israel education curriculum will encompass a comprehensive understanding of the current events, shedding light on their effects on Israel, Palestinians, and the global Jewish community.

This summer you have a chance to be a part of something greater and leave your mark on the history of a nation. New programs we are exploring spending time with kibbutz evacuees, hearing their stories, and offering support, as well as volunteering on a farm and in a food pantry, directly impacting everyday life in Israel.

Our number one goal is to provide a safe, fun and meaningful program for families who choose not to send their teen to Israel this summer. The hope is that this will be a one-time alternative summer option and therefore, we are partnering with an established, experienced tour operator to offer an alternative. BBYO Passport has a long-standing reputation as a provider of Jewish teen travel programs and has a wide array of non-Israel programs that they have years of experience running. We are looking forward to this partnership and are sure your family will be pleased with the experience, as well.

We remain committed to the Reform Jewish Youth Movement, NFTY, for year-round programming for teens. You can explore NFTY’s website for information on how to get involved locally and register for upcoming events at our camps this winter and spring.

Twenty-one summers ago, the URJ sent busloads of teens on an adventure up the Oregon Trail and throughout the Pacific Northwest. Exploring the magnificent landscape, learning about the rich indigenous history, celebrating with Jewish communities, and engaging in hands on social justice work were hallmarks of that experience. The Reform Jewish community of the Pacific Northwest has a long history of immersive Jewish summer programs, including Mitzvah Corps of the Pacific Northwest and the Atid Program, which was the prelude to URJ Camp Kalsman, which opened in 2007. We are delighted to bring URJ’s Pacific Northwest Adventure to life this summer, affording a new opportunity for teens to engage in programming rooted in similar experiences – exciting travel, hands on social justice, engaging learning, a love of Judaism, authentic joy, and a lot of fun with their friends.

This super-sized adventure offers an epic look at the melting pot of cultures that make up the Pacific Coast. Additionally, our Israel Education team is working in close partnership with BBYO to ensure themes and topics regarding Israel will be seamlessly integrated into the program. This includes but not limited to values, culture, history and nature.

BBYO trips approach all of their trips with a pluralistic Jewish lens, helping teens to create their own Jewish experiences outside of a camp or home environment. Trips also include exposure to people who practice Judaism differently than them, and our staff receive training to facilitate those conversations in thoughtful ways. Some special itinerary highlights specifically for our URJ Pacific Northwest Adventure include:

• Community service project in Seattle with Jewish Family Service
• Holocaust Center for Humanities in Seattle
• Rest, relaxation, and community engagement with focus on Sephardic culture.
• Shabbat/ Havdalah experience led by staff

Each group is accompanied by a team of Madrichim (counselors) and a local guide. Senior field staff also circulate between our groups for extra support. Staff names are sent out approximately 2–3 weeks prior to your departure as part of the pre-trip preparation emails. Madrichim will make welcome calls to teens before departure. The Madrichim will also go through URJ camp training.

Parents should include any/all teen allergies, medications, dietary restrictions, and any relevant information regarding their mental, emotional, and social health on the health forms in the registration process. This information will be flagged for the program staff prior to departure, and you may review the details together with your teen’s Field Director prior to departure. Important note: Throughout travel, teens are responsible for handling and administering their own medications. All medications must be in their original containers and prescriptions must include the teen’s name on the label. Some trips will also have a designated wellness specialist that travels with the group.

Families are responsible for making their own flight arrangements to our arrival city, and from our departure city, based on guidance that we provide in the spring. Flight costs are not included in the program’s land cost. Learn more about flying to the program.

Changes to program selection or cancellations are allowed up until February 27, 2024, with the $500 administrative fee being transferable or fully refundable, respectively, until that date.

BBYO has partnered with a licensed travel insurance agent to offer travel insurance through Travel Insured International. They provide a cost-effective solution for student groups with important benefits like trip cancellation, trip interruption, missed connection, trip delay and baggage delay. Families are encouraged to purchase travel insurance to protect their investment and plan for the unexpected. More information on specific insurance plans, costs, and purchasing can be found here. If you are a resident of Canada, you will need to purchase an individual plan at Teen Travel Insurance. Residents of the Province of Quebec are not eligible for this insurance plan. NOTE: Benefits such as “Cancel for Any Reason” and the pre-existing conditions waiver are ONLY available within 14 days of your first trip payment/deposit. “If you live in New York State and want to obtain “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage, you will need to purchase an individual travel insurance policy within 21 days of your initial trip payment.”

The $3,000 RootOne Vouchers are only available to families registered for an Israel program this summer. Therefore, we are actively in conversation with some major Jewish organizations and donors to see if funding opportunities can be provided for families participating in this alternate program. In the meantime, we strongly recommend you reach out to our synagogue, if applicable, about scholarship opportunities for this program. 

It is our sincerest hope that if your teen does not go to Israel this summer, they will be able to experience Yallah! Israel at a later time. We are working with the URJ and Camp Leadership to determine when these options will be. Some options we are exploring include a potential Winter 2024 trip or a dual Camp/Israel option in Summer 2025.