BBYO’S APPROACH TO SAFETY FOR SUMMER 2024
Updated October 12, 2023
In our 100 years, BBYO has had to navigate continuing our mission—bringing meaningful experiences to Jewish teens—through some difficult times. The recent horrific attacks in Israel are among the most heartbreaking of these times, but it is by clinging to our values that we help ourselves and each other through this tragedy.
We have not canceled any of our BBYO Summer 2024 Israel or travel experiences, nor any other camp or leadership program. We are mindful of the difficulties at hand, and as the situation continues to unfold, we will keep a careful watch on the conditions. With safety as our paramount concern, we have never and will never send our teens into an unsecure situation. That said, we remain hopeful that by the summer, the Jewish homeland will once again be a place where Jewish teens can safely explore, connect, and have fun together. Teens need community and connection now more than ever before.
We will continue to monitor the situation and update this space and our summer community in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, BBYO Summer 2024 registration opens on November 2. We’ll be here for your teens, ready to give them the incredible experiences families have come to rely on. Don’t forget that all experiences are fully refundable through February 27, 2024, so there is no reason not to move forward, cautiously hopeful, with planning a beautiful and meaningful summer for your teens.
Questions? Our team is here for you. Contact us at [email protected] or 202.537.8091.
The safety and well-being of our participants on travel programs will always be our guiding consideration. For the last 100 years, BBYO has strived to earn the trust of teens and parents on programs close to home and far away. Behind this history is a systematic approach to providing a responsible environment backed up by a team of caring professionals with decades of experience. With safety as our first priority, we are equally committed to providing you with a meaningful and fun experience.
WORLDWIDE APPROACH
In destinations across the globe, we provide proactive risk management and well-informed precautionary measures to ensure the safety and security of all our participants. Our procedures vary to match the specific situation in each country in which we travel, while our core approach remains the same.
LOCAL EXPERTISE
Our program directors are skilled professionals—many of whom are also licensed guides—who bring years of local knowledge and cultural expertise to our trips.
SECURITY ESCORTS
In certain areas of Israel where we assess it to be prudent, groups will be escorted by a licensed security professional.
SUPERVISION
While we make every effort to give participants space and time to explore on their own, there is no leaving the group without approved supervision.
WELL-TRAINED STAFF
Our staff are carefully selected, must pass a background screening, and attend an in-person training with a strong emphasis on participant well-being.
ISRAEL APPROACH
Since 1956, BBYO has organized teen programs in Israel that have resulted in a strengthened sense of Jewish identity, a lasting connection to the State of Israel, and lives transformed. Behind our track record is a layered approach to providing a safe and meaningful experience:
SECURITY ESCORTS
Each group is accompanied at all times by a licensed security escort with first aid response training—most of whom have recently completed their military service.
24/7 MONITORING
Our itineraries are approved in advance and re-approved daily by the "Situation Room," a special unit administered by the Ministry of Education and coordinated with Israel's security services.
CAREFUL PLANNING
We plan our itineraries with caution in mind—being careful to avoid areas of potentially heightened concern and always traveling with discretion. If necessary, we modify itineraries and/or policies in the interest of safety.
SECURE LOGISTICS
Our main mode of travel is on a private coach bus with experienced drivers trained to keep the bus secured. We only stay at overnight accommodations with security personnel on site and which are equipped with secure rooms in accordance with Israel's high standards.
