Questions? Contact the BBYO office: [email protected]

WHAT IS RUACH CONVENTION?
Welcome to The Universe of Ruach! This term's Spring Convention will be called Ruach, meaning spirit, and we will dive into how we can go above and beyond as Jewish teens to change our world and change our universe! Welcome to an unforgettable weekend where NTO shows off why we truly have the most Ruach in the universe! Come join us for a fun-filled weekend full of singing and dancing, color wars, sports, summer camp activities, and more meaningful experiences to connect with the region and for 8th graders to experience their first-ever overnight experiences as AITs and MITS.

WHAT WILL WE DO AT RUACH CONVENTION?
At Ruach Convention, we will begin by welcoming Shabbat with meaningful Kabbalat Shabbat services and a nice Friday night dinner to welcome the Shabbas queen! Shortly after, we will begin our Maccabiah games festivities where we will divide into teams and go crazy with Ruach! After nightly ones, teens will sleep and wake up Saturday morning for an action-packed day with Saturday morning services, sports, trivia competitions, The Amazing Race, Chofesh, and so much more! We’ll wrap up the Saturday with Havdallah led by our 39th Regional Shlichim followed by a dance to end the weekend. On Sunday, we’ll finish Maccabiah, take an NTO picture, and head back home!

WHO IS INVITED?
Open to BBYO members in 8th-12th grade 

WHAT DOES IT COST?
Registration opens Thursday, March 9th at 6:30 AM and closes on Friday, 31st at 11:59 PM. 

• Flash Sale:  $299 from March 9th at 6:30 AM – until 11:59 PM
• Early Bird: $325 from March 10th – March 19th at 11:59 PM
• Regular Price: $375 March 20th - March 31st at 11:59 PM 

The price includes lodging, all meals, all programs, transportation for all teens, and the convention giveaway.

DO YOU OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS?
Yes, scholarships are available and are always granted. We never want the cost of a BBYO experience to impact a teen from participating in our events. We assure you, there is scholarship for all teens that apply.

We are going to implement a new system for scholarships for this convention. Teens will not need to put down a deposit in order to apply for convention. The deadline to submit scholarship applications is Sunday, March 19th. Scholarship forms must be completed online: Regional Scholarship Online Form. 

The NTO Scholarship committee will meet on Monday, March 20th to determine scholarship for participants. Teens and Parents will then be contacted via email on Tuesday, March 21st, and must claim their scholarship no later than Friday, March 24th at noon. Once your scholarship is claimed, Courtney will then go into the teen's account and reflect the scholarship. Should you no longer be interested in attending the convention after finding out your scholarship allocation, please let Courtney know so she can cancel your registration. 

HOW DO I REGISTER FOR RUACH CONVENTION?
Register for Ruach Convention –  fill out our secure registration form below

• Make sure you are answering all questions – specifically those about food allergies
• Complete the Camp Fire El Tesoro Waiver – CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD WAIVERS
  • The waiver must be printed and completed by an adult/guardian then scanned and sent back to [email protected] no later than Sunday, April 2nd
  • The subject link must include your teen's name
• If you are having a problem registering, please call Courtney, Senior Regional Director, at 504.432.0007 or email [email protected]
• Refunds will not be given if you cancel on/after Monday, April 3rd
• Payment is due in full on Sunday, April 2nd
• Should you have any issues with registration or putting down the deposit amount please contact Courtney, Senior Regional Director, at 504.432.0007 or email [email protected]

REQUIRED FORMS: 
BBYO uses CampDoc, the leading electronic health record system.  All participants and parents are required to complete a health file before attending a BBYO convention. Once you have registered for the convention, you will receive an email inviting you to join CampDoc. Accept the invitation and complete all the forms. These forms provide dietary, medical, and other important information. Teens will not be allowed to attend conventions without completed forms. 

*These forms need to be completed once annually. Many of you likely need to log on to your accounts and update your CampDoc profiles. Should you need any assistance, please contact Courtney at [email protected].

TRANSPORTATION:
Round-trip transportation will be arranged for all teens. Teens cannot drive themselves to the convention. We will have two drop off/ pick up locations for teens in the Dallas area that you will select upon registration – Anshai Torah or the JCC. Parents will be responsible for dropping off teens and picking up teens at one of these locations. You will choose your location when you register. On Friday, teens will need to arrive by 4:30 PM to depart to camp at 5:00 PM. On Sunday, teens will be departing from camp at 1:00 PM with an expected arrival back to the Dallas area at 3:00 PM. 

Tulsa Community – Courtney, Lydia, and David will work on the exact transportation and timing for the weekend.

Should you need special travel accommodations for the convention, acknowledge that on the registration so NTO Staff can send you the special travel accommodations form. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

WHAT ARE THE MEALS LIKE? WHAT IF I HAVE A DIETARY RESTRICTION?
All BBYO meals are Kosher Style and mostly vegetarian and vegan. The NTO team is still finalizing the menu, but we are working on incorporating kosher meat meals throughout the convention. We ask for allergy information and food needs on the online medical form, and we appreciate you sharing information as soon as possible so that we can accommodate specific food needs and limitations. All BBYO conventions are peanut and tree-nut-free. A menu will be shared with those registered for the convention via email prior to the convention. Should you have any questions regarding meals, please contact us at [email protected].  

SUPERVISION: 
The convention will be staffed by BBYO professionals and our Adult Volunteer Chapter Advisors. We will also have a nurse and wellness specialist onsite throughout the weekend. 

ACCOMMODATIONS AND WHAT TO BRING: 
Teens will be staying in cabins of 12 for this convention. All cabins include two bathrooms, three showers, a microwave, a refrigerator, and space for luggage and each teen will have their own twin bed. We are not accepting roommate requests for this convention as teens will be rooming with teens from their chapter. Staff and Regional Board will be assisting with making cabin assignments. If you have any concerns, please write those on the convention registration question regarding "anything else you want us to know". 

Please bring enough clothes for 3 days and 2 nights, athletic clothes for the sports tournament, toiletries, NTO/Chapter Spiritwear, and AZA/BBG pins. Teens will also need to provide bedding, pillows, towels, and toiletries for the weekend. Teens who are registered plus their parents will receive a packing list prior to the convention.

WHAT IS THE CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY?
The deadline to cancel with a full program refund is the final registration deadline for this program (Sunday, April 2nd). Until that date, full refunds will be granted for cancellations in writing (e-mail is acceptable), for any reason. Any cancellations received on/after Monday, April 3rd will not be able to receive a refund. The reason for this hard deadline is needing to provide final counts to our vendors. “No shows” will not receive a refund. There are no exceptions to this policy.

WHAT IS BBYO'S DISCIPLINE POLICY?
As a reminder, when you registered for membership you signed BBYO’s Code of Conduct, which outlines our policies for substance abuse, property damage, and behavior guidelines with the full understanding of our behavioral expectations as a member of BBYO. Rules and guidelines will be made clear to all participants upon their arrival at the convention opening. Should one of our teens choose to act outside of our Code of Conduct, the incident will be addressed by the appropriate staff members. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any violation of the Code of Conduct and any disciplinary matter that comes to the attention of staff. If you are (or your teen is) dismissed from BOTC for disciplinary reasons or Code of Conduct violations, BBYO staff will arrange for travel home immediately, at your family’s expense and without a refund.

WHAT IS BBYO'S COVID-19 POLICY?
BBYO follows the CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 vaccination and as a result, highly recommends each participant be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 including the most recent booster available. Boosters are an important part of protecting yourself or those around you from getting seriously ill or dying from COVID-19. BBYO is following the guidance of many public health institutions, scientists, and medical professionals who have led the battle against the coronavirus and are recommending that people be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. For additional information, please review our official COVID-19 Policy document.

For overnight events of 50 participants or larger, as well as ALL overnight summer program experiences (regardless of group size), participants must arrive with a photo of a negative COVID-19 test taken the day of travel of their event with their name and the date written next to their test. At-home tests are acceptable.

Should a teen test positive, they will not be permitted to attend. As part of our commitment to one another in creating a safe and respectful community, we expect families to honor these requirements. Teens exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms at any immersive activity may be tested at any point. This policy is subject to change based on CDC guidelines and/or guidance from BBYO’s Medical Advisory Committee.

While BBYO does not require masking at events, we invite participants to wear masks should they wish to do so. We encourage everyone to respect the individual choices made by others as it relates to masking.