BBYO Passport is a facet of BBYO focused on Jewish travel and service-learning experiences. As a leading educational travel provider, BBYO Passport combines the best of informal education and travel expertise for today’s teens. Check out the destination guide to learn more about BBYO Passport’s travel programs in Israel, Europe, and the Americas.

Passionate and caring staff are at the heart of all BBYO Passport experiences. Our programs are staffed by a highly selective group of educators, community professionals, logistical managers, and madrichim (counselors)—all of whom are backed up by our year-round leadership team. Many members of our staff works with teens year-round and most return year after year. Learn more about our staff.

“My madrich was hands-on the entire trip! When we needed someone to be a little more strict, he never strayed, and when we needed someone to lighten the mood, he always jumped in to make us laugh! He was such an important part of my whole experience!” – Joel B., Past Summer Participant

The exact number of staff on an individual program differs according to the size of the group, the age of the participants, and the type of experience. The staff to teen ratio is 1:9.

Our programs are staffed by a team of professional staff and madrichim (counselors). Once selected through a multi-tiered application process, BBYO staff members attend a multi-day staff training program. During this in-person training, our staff receives comprehensive training resources and have the opportunity to learn from returning staff who typically comprise over half our team in any given summer season.

As an organization that has been serving teens for more than 100 years, and teen travel programs to Israel since 1956, our philosophy is to treat each and every BBYO summer participant as a member of our own family. As such, the safety and well-being of our groups will always be our guiding consideration. For BBYO Passport, this means that we plan our itineraries to avoid areas of concern, limit opportunities for free time, generally use accommodations outside of city centers, and in certain countries, we travel with a security/medical escort. While safety is our guiding priority, we are equally committed to providing you with a meaningful and entirely fun experience. Learn more about our approach to safety.

You can find additional information about enrollment and registration for BBYO Summer programs here.

Exploring new destinations is inherently enriching, and traveling with a group of Jewish peers can be uniquely powerful. No matter your background, we strive to create a sense of community on the road where everyone feels welcome and part of something bigger. Connecting through our shared identity and learning about our rich history will ensure that you not only have a great experience but a meaningful one, too.

BBYO organizes summer experiences for Jewish teens of all backgrounds. Our programs are infused with the Jewish values of tikkun olam (service), kehillah (community), and derech eretz (ethical living).

No matter which program your family chooses, we incorporate Shabbat experiences that bring teens together regardless of their Jewish identity or upbringing.

Find additional information regarding program meals and special dietary accommodations here.

Shabbat is a special time, and it can be an amazing opportunity for rest and reflection. Friday nights and Saturdays will include prayer, informal discussions, and various Shabbat programming. Where possible, we try to include visits to local synagogues on travel programs to give participants a glimpse of how Judaism is observed locally. Often, our best or only option is a traditional Orthodox service. Even if this is not part of your tradition, it is an opportunity for a meaningful cultural experience.

Some Shabbats will be spent at a more remote hotel or location where teens may be have access to a pool, and grounds, for recreation. Shabbat prayer and programming at these locations will be teen and staff led.

We strive to provide a number of alternative options for celebrating Shabbat, and participants are encouraged to take a leadership role in how the experience is shared with the group. Travel programs do not drive on Shabbat and we allow participants to follow their personal Shabbat practices. We only ask that everyone be mindful and considerate of each other’s practices.

Our approach is best described as "pluralistic," meaning we plan our programs in a way that teens from diverse Jewish backgrounds feel comfortable traveling with us. Experience has taught us that forming a community on the road comprised of many different kinds of Jewish teens is especially rewarding and powerful.

BBYO strives to welcome all Jewish teens, regardless of background, denominational affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status; including those with a range of intellectual, emotional, and physical abilities. BBYO reserves the right to deny or revoke acceptance, in its sole discretion, at any point. Reasonable accommodations are not always possible in all experiences, environments, and circumstances. Click here for more information.

BBYO Passport experiences are open to BBYO members and non-members alike, and no prior involvement with BBYO is necessary*. On travel programs with BBYO Passport, the ratio of members to non-members tends to be about 50/50 and our staff makes great efforts to create a welcoming community for all teens.

*Camp & Leadership programs (CLTC, ILTC, and Kallah) require membership in BBYO.

Group size varies depending on the nature of the experience and the dates of the program. See the program-specific FAQ for the individual program sizes.

BBYO Passport experiences attract Jewish teens from all over North America and around the world. On any given year, we host Jewish teens from a wide spectrum of the world—representing communities in North America and around the globe.

During the registration process, you will have an opportunity to let us know with whom you'd like to travel. While we try to honor these requests for bus assignments, please note that we cannot guarantee friend requests for rooming, see above. BBYO cannot guarantee friend requests for teens registered for different trips. For example, if your teen is registered for Western Europe Discovery, we will not take friend requests to put them on the same bus as a teen traveling on Ultimate Western Europe Israel.

Some teens choose to sign up together with a friend or two, while most teens choose to come on their own. Either way, our participants will have the opportunity to meet a diverse group of peers from many different locations, which makes exploring a new place together even more exciting.

Families can read our teen rooming policies and procedures for BBYO programs here. When booking our accommodations, we request for each teen to have their own sleeping accommodations in a shared living space. On a rare occasion, your teen may share a large bed with another teen of the same gender. We try to avoid this as best as possible but sometimes have limitations due to hotel space.

Bathrooms are, in most cases, private to the shared living space. We try to rotate rooming assignments each time we move to new accommodations in order to give all participants the chance to get to know different members of the group.

Please understand that, while some teens come with friends, others come alone; this plan ensures an inclusive and comfortable experience. Travel companions listed within your application are not guaranteed to room with one another. Each year, many parents make requests to keep friends together in the same room. As wonderful as it may sound, keeping friends together is not always beneficial. We believe that teens need to learn to branch out and make new friends, and this skill is hindered when there are groups of friends in the same room. This also leads to the development of social cliques which causes exclusion and can potentially lead to negative behavior. In addition, we have found that teens become more distracted when close friends are placed together. They have plenty of time to socialize outside of their rooms.

When assigning buses, many factors are taken into consideration. These factors include, but are not limited to, friend requests, gender ratio, grade, camp and/or partner affiliation, and the specific trip your teen is registered for. BBYO reserves the right to change bus assignments and group dynamics throughout the program to best accommodate each teen.

If a teen's bus assignment changes after assignments have been shared with families, the family will be informed accordingly. If your teen is traveling on an Israel Journey trip with multiple buses, they will register for a specific bus upon registration. Teens should register for the same bus as their friends to ensure they are together for the trip.

Friend requests cannot be guaranteed after January 22, 2027.

Our all-inclusive approach provides the comfort of knowing your full costs upfront. The land cost for each program covers accommodations, meals, programming, local transportation, and any staff gratuities. All programs outside of the United States also cover basic medical insurance (excluding pre-existing conditions). Laundry is included for programs exceeding two weeks in length.

Flight costs are not factored into the land cost listed. Learn more about how we organize travel to and from the program by clicking clicking here.

There are so many ways to extend a summer of learning, exploration, and fun this summer by combining two BBYO Summer experiences! The type of connection varies by program. Learn more about connected programs.

BBYO requires all North American participants to fly on the group supervised flight, if your teen’s trip offers a group flight. Flight costs are not included in the program’s land cost. Flights are booked through our travel agent, Traveland. The flight cost for programs with supervised flight options will be announced, along with the flight details for all programs, in the spring. Families are responsible for purchasing and arranging the domestic transportation for their teen to meet the group at their departure airport. Most supervised flights will depart from the New York City area, typically Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) or John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Learn more about flying to the program.

Participants cannot leave the group under any circumstances (details are available in each pre-trip guide.) The best time to meet friends and family on the trip is usually during pizur or free time, and should be coordinated with staff once the trip has begun. Some trips may have designated visiting days or hours.

Each year, we create a detailed pre-trip guides for each experience, including a packing list, money tips, and other important trip information. We highly recommend you read through this entire manual. If you still have any questions that you would like us to answer, please contact us.

Here are some steps to take to set your teen up for success prior to departure:

• Review the Code of Conduct and Pre-Trip Guides.
• Review the itinerary and flag any moments that may challenge your teen.
• Develop a self-care plan.
• Prepare your teen for:
  • Sharing space and time with others
  • Being exposed to different opinions and lifestyles
  • Culture shock
  • Flexibility of changes in the program
  • Fast-paced nature of travel
  • Changes in routine (e.g., sleep, diet, etc.)
  • Practicing their self-advocacy

The health and wellbeing of every participant is extremely important to us. Information about medical forms, medications, dietary needs, vaccinations, and other health-related policies can be found on our Health and Wellness page.

Visit the page here to learn more about how we support teens’ health before and during the summer.

If either of your parents is an Israeli citizen, or if you have ever lived in Israel, it is your responsibility to make sure your status with the Israeli Defense Forces is worked out and clear. Moreover, you may still have obligations to the State of Israel that must be resolved prior to your trip, even if you do not have an Israeli passport. These matters must be taken care of before you arrive in Israel.

Note: If you hold an Israeli passport, you must enter Israel with your Israeli passport.

If you do not take care of these matters prior to your trip, you may be obligated to stay in Israel by the State of Israel until resolution. If this applies to you, you will be solely responsible for your own situation and any costs involved. Again, we highly recommend you be extremely cautious about these matters and contact one of the regional Israeli consulate offices if you have any questions.

BBYO is a teen leadership organization and, as such, we place great trust and responsibility in our participants. The basic program rules include treating fellow teens and staff with respect and decency, and staying with the group at all times. Weapons, as well as possession, purchase, or consumption of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and new tattoos or piercings during the program are prohibited. By agreeing to participate in the program, you are agreeing to abide by the terms of our Release Form and the BBYO Code of Conduct.

While the itineraries are quite intensive, we do set aside time for relaxation, shopping, and personal exploration. Because we take your safety and security so seriously, there will understandably be some limits on personal exploration time, especially when we are traveling in major cities. Teens are not allowed to leave the group.

Cell phone use is permitted outside of the trip programming time. Teens will be busy learning with the group, so evenings and mealtimes of the program are generally a good time to call. Prior to departure, families will also be provided with essential contact information in the event of a family emergency.

We encourage you to call the BBYO Passport office or email us at [email protected] with any questions you may have prior to program departure. To ensure that our program staff can best utilize their time with the group, we do not share contact information of our staff on the ground with families.

Prior to departure, families will be provided with essential contact information for our 24-hour emergency line that is to be used in the case of a family emergency at home, or if a teen is in physical distress and contacts a parent before contacting their staff member.

You will also be given contact information for the Field Director responsible for your teen’s trip. This contact is to be used for most situations and questions that arise in the summer.