Join thousands of Jewish teens worldwide this April 16 - April 30, 2012. The March of the Living is a two-week, life-altering journey where teens bear witness to the destruction of the Holocaust in Poland followed by a celebration of the State of Israel in the Jewish Homeland.

2012 Registration Now OPEN!

Teens wishing to join the 2012 BBYO Delegation to the March of the Living can register now on a space-available basis through the end of December 2011. 

BBYO's national teen delegation to the March of the Living is open to members and non-members alike. Like all BBYO Passport programs, this experience is designed for Jewish teens of all backgrounds.

Itinerary Overview

The March of the Living encompasses two weeks of travel in Poland and Israel with fellow Jewish teens from across North America and around the world. Learn More: Program Itinerary

Week #1: Poland
Travel to Poland to honor the Jewish community of the past and connect with Poland's Jewish community of today. To mark Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), teens from over 60 countries take part in an emotional two-mile march between the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau.

Week #2: Israel
Fly from Poland to Israel to join millions of Israelis in celebrating Yom Ha'Atzmaut - Israel's 64th Independence Day festivities. Travel to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and the Dead Sea. Walk in the footsteps of 3000 years of Jewish history and experience the modern day miracle of Israel's creation with all your senses.

Confronting The Destruction in Poland

We begin our journey in Poland learning about the rich history of the Jewish People in Europe prior to the Holocaust. Explore the old Jewish Quarter of Krakow, the restored Nozyck Synagogue in Warsaw, and the famous Yeshiva of Lublin where Jewish life in Galicia thrived dating back to medieval times.

With this deeper appreciation of our proud past, we confront the destruction of the Holocaust bearing witness at the concentration camps and the death camps of Treblinka, Majdanek, and ultimately, Auschwitz-Birkenau. Along the way, we will stop at the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising memorial, Mila 18, and Oscar Schindler's factory. The BBYO delegation is accompanied by a survivor in Poland, which creates a link between generations and fosters a personal connection to our history.

The March of the Living experience in Poland culminates with Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Rememberance Day), with a three kilometer march from Auschwitz to Birkenau, the largest extermination camp complex built by the Nazis during World War II. Retrace the steps of the “March of Death,” the actual route which countless numbers of our People walked on their way to the gas chambers at Birkenau. However, our march will be a “March of the Living” concluding with the singing of Hatikvah which reaffirms “Am Yisrael Chai – The Jewish People Live.”

Our emotional journey in Poland concludes in Warsaw where our focus shifts to the resurgence of Jewish life in Warsaw today -- with newly re-dedicated synagogues, schools, organizations and youth groups. Stand hand-in-hand with the modern day Jewish community which continues to keep the flame of our People alive in Poland.

Celebrating Renewal in Israel

Departing Poland, we fly overnight to Israel where we land in the vibrant, sun-soaked Jewish State. Our travels in Israel begin in Tel Aviv where we will eat a celebratory welcome breakfast on the beach, retrace the founding of modern Israel in 1948 and experience the contemporary heart of Israeli culture.

From Tel Aviv, we travel to Jerusalem. Here, we experience the ancient and the modern together. Our Jerusalem journey starts in the Jewish Quarter at the Western Wall – our most cherished link to the past. Relive the glory of ancient Jerusalem history; recount its 2000 year-old destruction; celebrate the reunification in 1967; and imagine a Jerusalem of the future.

On Yom Hazikaron (Israel's Memorial Day), we join together with all of Israel to mourn fallen soldiers and victims of terror. The following day is Yom Ha'Atzmaut (Israel's Independence Day), and all of the March of the Living delegations from around the world reunite in Jerusalem for a second march followed by an international celebration event that evening. Having witnessed the darkness of the Holocaust firsthand, these life-affirming experiences in Israel are especially moving and meaningful.

Our journeying in Israel concludes with the unforgettable experience of hiking up to Masada at sunrise followed by floating on the waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.

Although our time in Israel is short, it will certainly lay a significant foundation that will encourage you to seek further Jewish experiences for the rest of your life.

The goal of the "March of the Living" is to educate Jewish teens about the richness of our past, to keep that past alive and to perpetuate our Jewish future. Past participants have maintained their level of Jewish commitment by returning to Israel, seeking a Jewish lifestyle in college, acting to protect human rights, and developing a sense of leadership and responsibility for the Jewish World around us.

Program Package

• Round-trip flights from NYC
• Accommodations (hotels and guest houses)
• All meals (kosher)
• Activities & entrance fees
• Deluxe motorcoach
• Dynamic staff team
• Security escort & monitoring (Israel)
• Medical insurance (excludes pre-existing conditions)

Trip Links

• Program Itinerary
• Pre-Trip Prep 2011
• AP Test Deferral Letter
• Registration Instructions
• Why Israel, Why Now?
• Safety & Security
• Register Now for March of the Living

Program Cost: $4,850

Tuition includes round trip flights from New York City, accommodations, all meals and programming. Participants are responsible for their own travel to JFK Airport and suggested gratuities of $100.

NOTE: The $125 "Early Bird Discount" and $50 "Member Discount" do not apply for March of the Living. However, alumni of any prior BBYO Passport summer program are entitled to a $250 credit.

How to Register

High school-age teens wishing to join the National Teen Delegation are encouraged to register online or via a paper application form. Registration for the March of the Living is slightly different than other BBYO Passport summer experiences in terms of process and deadlines. Please take a moment and review the full March of the Living registration instructions for additional terms and details. There are also only a limited number of spaces available for the 2012 March of the Living program, so we encourage you to register early.

Eligibility & Preparation

This program is appropriate for Jewish high school students from North America who exhibit maturity, leadership potential, and the ability to communicate their experiences with others. Each participant must obtain permission to miss two weeks of school. BBYO will provide assistance and documentation as needed (see below).

Not Able to Travel During the School Year?

BBYO Passport is offering a similar four-week experience in Poland and Israel this coming summer from June 26 - July 26, 2012. The program is based on ten days of travel in Poland, Prague & Budapest followed by a three week journey in Israel. Complete details are available at Euro-Israel Journey Central.

National Scholarships

In keeping with BBYO Passport's mission to share the experience of Israel with as many Jewish teens as possible, the March of the Living - National Teen Delegation Scholarship is available for participation in MOTL 2012. Funds are available according to need in the amount of $1,000-$2,000.
Deadline to apply: December 12, 2011

Questions about the March of the Living?

• Program-related questions:
  Sherrie Stalarow (Program Director)
  
• Registration-related questions:
  Aaron Robbin (Program Manager)
  

Obtaining Permission to Miss School

Worried about getting time off from school to attend the March? We will help! Please consider submitting this letter of explanation and program overview document. Need additional assistance? Contact Sherrie Stalarow, the Program Director.

Discount for Summer Travel Programs

Did you know that March of the Living alumni automatically qualify for a $250 registration discount towards a summer program with BBYO Passport? A world of travel opportunities await you in Europe, South Africa, Costa Rica, the Western USA, and Israel.

BBYO's national teen delegation is open to Jewish teens from across North America. In addition to our national delegation, BBYO Passport partners with local organizations to sponsor regional delegations from the following communities:

• Arizona Delegation
  Take part in the first ever Arizona Delegation to the March of the Living! This is a communal experience open to all high school teens. Adults are also welcomed to participate alongside the teens. Learn More: Arizona Delegation
  
• Frankel Jewish Academy (Detroit)
  Travel with fellow graduating seniors from the Frankel Jewish Academy as part of a special group departing from Chicago (bus transportation from the FJA campus is included). Learn More: Frankel Jewish Academy Delegation
  
• Chicagoland & Midwest Delegation
  Join fellow teens from Chicagoland and other Midwest cities on a communal March of the Living experience with flights out of Chicago. The program is open to Jewish high school-age teens of all backgrounds. The Chicagoland Delegation is sponsored by BBYO, JSU, NCSY and other Jewish communal organizations. Learn More: Chicagoland Delegation
  
  
  

BBYO Passport provides two different opportunities for adults and families to take part in the experience of the March of the Living.

Adult & Family Delegation / April 16-27, 2012

BBYO’s National Adult & Family Delegation to the March of the Living is open to Jewish adults and families of all backgrounds. The Adult & Family Delegation follows the same general path of our Teen Delegation, however, the exact itinerary will vary and the staffing and coach bus transportation is separate. The Adult & Family Delegation stays at 4-star hotels and includes higher quality meals in Poland and in Israel – all kosher. Participating in BBYO’s National Adult & Family Delegation presents a unique opportunity to take part in the March of the Living while being connected to the larger cross-generational nature of the MOTL experience. Learn More: Adult & Family Delegation

Accompanying the Teen Delegation / April 16-30, 2012

Parents and other adults (age 21 and over) can take part in the March of the Living alongside our National Teen Delegation. The cost of the program is $5,350/person based on double room hotel occupancy ($6,150 based on single room hotel occupancy) and includes round trip flights from New York City. To sign-up, download and complete the Adult Accompaniment - Registration Form.

In either scenario, participants need not be the parent of a teen participant or have any prior connection with BBYO.