Join fellow Jewish teens from Ohio and from around the world this April 3-17, 2013 on the March of the Living – an emotional journey that will change your sense of perspective and identity in profound ways.

The Ohio Delegation

The Ohio Delegation is open to Jewish teens of all backgrounds from across Ohio – current 9th grade through current 12th grade. Members of the Ohio Delegation travel together throughout the experience in Poland and Israel.

This community experience is sponsored in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Columbus, the Jewish Federation of Toledo, the Jewish Federation of Youngstown, and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland along with the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland. Additional sponsors include BBYO, NCSY of Cleveland, the Israel Culture Club, Temple Emanu El of Solon, and The Temple - Tiffereth Israel of Cleveland. Pre-trip preparation and education for the Ohio Delegation takes place on the community level. 

The Ohio Delegation is a unique opportunity to learn and be moved by the March of the Living exprience – side-by-side wiith current and future friends from across Ohio.

NOTE: Non-Ohio teens may participate in the March of the Living as part of BBYO's National Teen Delegation and will have the chance to interact with Ohio teens at many of our accommodations and at special events.

Itinerary Overview

The March of the Living encompasses travel to Poland and Israel. Learn More: Program Itinerary (coming soon)

• 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 65th Independence Day festivities. Travel to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and the Dead Sea. Walk in the footsteps of 3,000 years of Jewish history and experience the modern day miracle of Israel's creation with all your senses.

The March of the Living encompasses travel to Poland and Israel.

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 Chicago
  Optional bus transportation available from Cleveland and Toledo
• 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

• Pre-Trip Prep 2013
• Program Itinerary
• AP Test Deferral Letter
• Registration Instructions
• Why Israel, Why Now?
• Safety & Security
• REGISTER NOW

Teens wishing to join the Ohio Delegation can register now. We encourage you to take a moment and review the complete registration details in advance. There are only a limited number of spaces available for the 2013 March of the Living, and we recommend signing up early.

Program Cost: $5,050

Tuition covers round trip flights from Chicago, accommodations, all meals, and programming in Poland and Israel. Participants are responsible for getting to/from Chicago (or can use an optional bus service from Cleveland or Toledo), suggested gratuities of $100 for our guide and driver, as well as any personal spending money.

Eligibility & Preparation

This program is appropriate for current Jewish high school teens who exhibit maturity, leadership potential, and the ability to share their experiences with others.

Scholarship Opportunities

• COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS
  Each of the communities that form the the Ohio Delegation – Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, and Youngstown – provide generous scholarship funds as follows:
  
        Cleveland Community
        $2,000/Teen + Need-Based Funding
        Contact: Helen Wolf / 216-371-0446
  
        Columbus Community
        $1,000/Teen + Need-Based Funding
        Contact: Alyssa Russell / 614-559-3234
  
        Toledo Community
        Need-Based Funding
        Contact: Rene Rusgo / 419-724-0365
  
        Youngstown Community
        Up to $4,500
        Contact: Sarah Wilchek / 330-746-3251 X 152
  
  
• NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS
  In keeping with BBYO Passport's mission to share the experience of Israel with as many Jewish teens as possible, BBYO has established a need-based, national scholarship fund for March of the Living 2013. Participants in the FJA Senior Class Delegation are also eligible for these funds. After registering risk-free, you will find a link to apply for a scholarship in your registration account. Funds are available up to $2,000/teen and according to need. Deadline to apply: December 17, 2012
  
  

Questions about the March?

BBYO Passport is the organizing partner of the Ohio Delegation to the March of the Living. Contact us about any registration, payment, travel or programming questions at 1-800-698-1002 or at info@bbyopassport.org.

Obtaining School Permission

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 us directly.