FAQs

Yuval Yisrael: July 1–24, Poland Extension: June 24–30

Frequently Asked Questions

Yuval Yisrael provides full room and board throughout the trip and three kosher meals a day. Participants will stay in either quad or double rooms. Throughout the program, participants will stay in a variety of accommodations including hotels, kibbutzim, host homes, and the Goldstein Youth Village.

Laundry services will be available once in the middle of the program. Participants should pack clothes for 10-11 days.

We cannot guarantee that there will always be Wifi available throughout the program. If you plan to bring a smart device, we recommend that you either purchase a cell phone plan or SIM card. If you do not intend to purchase a local plan, please review procedures to prevent data roaming in Israel as it can lead to very high costs.

Yuval Yisrael will make every effort to provide options to those who require special diets. Vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free options are provided at every meal for participants who sign up for them. Please provide this information in your medical forms.

Yuval Yisrael is not a nut-free environment, however, we request that participants refrain from eating any food with nuts in closed areas including on the buses, in the dormitories, and in the moadonim (common rooms).

The Ramah Poland Journey is an optional, seven-day masa (journey) to Poland, which takes place a week prior to the Israel portion of the Yuval Yisrael experience. Throughout their masa, participants will explore and engage with centuries of rich Jewish communal life in Poland, learn about the atrocities of the Holocaust, and be encouraged to ask challenging, critical questions to help guide them on their personal, Jewish journeys moving forward. On the program, participants will trace the history of some of the most outstanding and historically relevant Jewish communities. This is an opportunity to learn about the European Jewish communities prior to and during the Holocaust. The seven-day program includes an exploration of the remnants — and, in some cases, the revival — of the Jewish communities in Warsaw, Krakow, and Lublin. The Ramah Poland Journey offers this meaningful and inspiring program within the educational framework of Ramah.

  • Complete eight-day program, including travel days and sessions for Poland participants in Israel
  • Room and board, with kashrut observed according to Ramah’s standards
  • All airfares and taxes, with departures from the New York area to Warsaw
  • Security guard throughout the duration of the trip
  • All entrance fees
  • Medical insurance
  • Tour guides and counselor staff

The staff for the Poland extension includes experienced and knowledgeable mechanchim (tour educators) as well as madrichim (counselors) who are trained for the physical and emotional aspects of this trip. These trained professionals are with the group from their arrival in Poland through their arrival in Israel.

Ramah Israel is strongly committed to making Yuval Yisrael accessible to all participants no matter the financial barrier. Below are some options to help navigate the cost of the program. If you would like further assistance to manage the cost, please contact hadassah@campramah.org

All participants residing in North America will be eligible for a RootOne* Voucher (R1V) subsidy in the amount of $3,000 this coming summer! This significant reduction to our price allows Yuval Yisrael to be more financially accessible enabling us to connect, explore and grow all together in Israel. More information regarding this subsidy to follow. By opting into this voucher, participants will be expected to participate in online Yuval Yisrael-related assignments prior to the summer.
*RootOne is seeded through the generosity of The Marcus Foundation and is powered by The Jewish Education Project. Please visit RootOne.org for more information.

Check out Plant Your Way – an innovative program that will help you save money for a trip to Israel and, at the same time, raise money for the greening of Israel.

Past TRY students will receive a $500 discount on Yuval Yisrael tuition. 

All passports must be valid for six months following your return flight. Obtaining a new passport can take weeks, or sometimes months. Please check your passports now and apply for a new one if necessary to ensure your ability to participate in Yuval Yisrael.

  • Click here for our full Yuval Yisrael packing list 
  • Click here for our full Poland experience packing list 
  • Yuval Yisrael highly recommends that each chanich/a either 
    • a) have a cell phone plan that provides data and/or cell service in Israel 
    • b) purchase a SIM card from Talk n’Save. Should you purchase a SIM card, you will need to ensure that your phone is unlocked by your cell provider. 

Yuval Yisrael is a Ramah program. The Ramah Camping Movement is the camping arm of the Conservative movement. We offer an egalitarian, Shabbat observant, joyful and spirited Jewish community. This program is for Jewish teens looking for a program with an egalitarian Jewish framework that is Shabbat observant. For more information about our religious framework, please reach out to hadassah@campramah.org. 

  • Ramah Israel has earned the reputation of maintaining the highest level of safety and security. 
  • Ramah strictly adheres to the security policies established by Israel’s Ministry of Education governing all field trips and activities.
    • All field trips are cleared prior to each day’s program, with the appropriate authorities (including full coordination with the Safety and Security Situation Room, Chadar Matzav, of the SPNI and Israeli police).  
    • Transportation to all programmed activities is handled by chartered buses
    • All Yuval Yisrael participants are given complete security/safety procedures and protocols.

All participants are fully covered for medical care, including doctors’ visits, medications, x-rays, and hospitalization. This coverage extends from the time of arrival in Israel until the end of the program, but does not cover diseases, illnesses, or medical problems resulting from pre-existing conditions, pregnancy, or self-inflicted injuries. In addition, we will be purchasing a Coronavirus add-on that covers COVID-19 testing (provided pending approval of the Ministry of Health) and all medical treatments, doctors’ visits, medications and hospitalizations as a result of COVID-19 infection. Yuval Yisrael staff will ensure that all students receive the medical treatment recommended or prescribed by our health care professionals. Our Mirpa’ah (infirmary) is open 24/7 and is staffed by a paramedic and support staff. A doctor comes to our base for visits, as needed. Counselors accompany students to all medical appointments or tests.

The medical coverage does not include dental, orthodontic, optical, or psychological care. However, Ramah staff will facilitate such appointments, if needed, at the participant’s expense. We recommend a complete dental check-up before departure for Israel.

Families are highly encouraged, but not required, to sign up for travel insurance to plan for the unexpected. More information on this option can be available here.

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