Length: 29 Days
2009-2010 Grades: 9,10,11,12
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**AVAILABILITY UPDATE**

We are delighted to report that registration for ILSI Summer 2010 has exceeded all expectations and set a new record! We are currently accepting new registrations on a waitlist only basis. It is possible that we will add an additional ILSI bus group based on interest. Therefore, if you wish to take part in Ambassador to Bulgaria + ILSI, we encourage you to either (1) register on a waitlist basis or (2) fully register for an available program and notify us that you wish to be on the Ambassador to Bulgaria + ILSI waiting list.

About the Experience

Meet Bulgarian Jewish teens and help serve their community as an Ambassador to Bulgaria, and then continue on to Israel for a special three weeks of touring and learning on ILSI. Spend four weeks this summer traveling with BBYO Passport.

PART 1 / Ambassador to Bulgaria

Be a part of a close-knit group of teens instilling hope in a Jewish community with a remarkable past. Join the 10-day Ambassador to Bulgaria experience, and take part in community service projects, build lasting friendships with local Jewish teens from Eastern Europe, and tour a beautiful land that is one of Europe's best kept secrets.

Why Bulgaria?

For over a decade, BBYO has a tradition of organizing groups of North American teens on missions to Bulgaria. BBYO is proud to have a thriving local chapter in Bulgaria and regularly invites Jewish teens from Bulgaria to international events in North American and Israel. The Ambassador to Bulgaria experience is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of this tradition, view what it means to be Jewish from a different perspective, and form lasting friendships with Jewish teens abroad.

• A Mission of Service. The Ambassador to Bulgaria is primarily a service experience in a community in need of our support. Travel from city to city and village to village and leave your mark through projects such as restoring local synagogues, cheering up orphans, volunteering at a Jewish seniors home, and helping to feed the hungry.
  

• Building Bridges with Local Jewish Teens. What sets the Ambassador to Bulgaria experience apart from all other BBYO Passport programs is that our teens from North America are paired up for the entire ten day program with local Jewish teens from Bulgaria and Serbia. Experience Bulgaria through their eyes and learn what it means to be a Jewish teen today in a very different culture. Ambassador to Bulgaria is a cross-cultural experience with opportunities for real bonding and lasting friendships abroad.
  
  
• A Unique Teen Travel Experience. Ambassador to Bulgaria is also an opportunity to learn about a country with a remarkable past and to tour its beautiful countryside. Go hiking in the Balkan Mountains, relax on the shores of the Black Sea, and explore ancient monasteries and ornate synagogues.

PART 2 / ILSI

Fly from Sofia to Tel Aviv for a once-in-a-lifetime summer in Israel. International Leadership Seminar Israel (ILSI) is BBYO Passport's leadership and enrichment program in Israel designed for BBYO members.

Based on an academic campus outside of Tel Aviv, the ILSI experience challenges participants with the big questions. What is the contemporary meaning of Jewish tradition? How is the Zionist movement relevant in the 21st century? What is the future of the Jewish State, and how can we play a part in shaping it?

Unlike traditional Israel tours, ILSI is about connecting to Israel on a deeper level. Participants interact with a variety of different speakers, artists, religious figures, and people who have shaped – and continue to shape – Israel’s future. Along the way, we build on the curriculum through a series of day trips, long weekend excursions, and the everyday experiences of living in Israel.

Building Cross-Cultural Bridges

One of the most special aspects of the ILSI experience, and an element that makes it a perfect match with Ambassador to Bulgaria, is that teens from North America on ILSI are paired up with Jewish teens from Bulgaria as well as from Israel. All together we form a single community, learning, traveling, and bonding together in Israel. Each teen brings their own perspective, their own unique background, and their own way of relating to Israel. Together this diversity contributes to a truly enriching dynamic and an opportunity to live the Jewish value that we are all responsible for one another.

Is ILSI Right For Me?

ILSI was designed with BBYO members in mind as a unique enrichment, touring, and leadership experience. Although most ILSI participants are BBYO members, ILSI is open to non-members who are seeking this type of experience. ILSI is appropriate for teens who have never been to Israel as well as for those who are returning for a different perspective.

“ILSI was the perfect culmination of my past BBYO experiences. Never have I learned so much while having the time of my life. I would not have chosen to experience Israel in any other way.” - Marci Engel / Birmingham, AL

Itinerary Snapshot

• WEEK #1 / Ambassador to Bulgaria
  Land in Sofia and begin a 9-day program of service, cross-cultural bridge-building, and touring in Bulgaria. Travel from cities, to villages, to mountains, and to the resort coast of the Black Sea. We will also spend a special Shabbat in Sofia hand-in-hand with the Jewish community of Bulgaria before lifting off for Israel the following Tuesday morning.
  
  
• WEEK #2 / Ancient Beginnings & Founding Jerusalem
  Land at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel and step back in time to the world of Abraham as we retrace Jewish history in the Land of Israel through to the founding of Jerusalem by King David 3000 years ago and the building of the First and Second Temples in the Old City.
  
  

• WEEK #3 / The Exile and the Talmudic Era
  Follow the course of the Roman Exile and the subsequent development of Jewish thought in the Galilee as the Jewish People charted a new identity without a sovereign homeland. Our second week on ILSI concluding with a uniqueShabbat in the mystical city of Safed (Tsfat).
  
  
• WEEK #4 / The Zionist Idea and Contemporary Israel
  Explore the foundations of Zionist thought and the emergence of a Jewish nationalist movement culminating with the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. The program concludes by returning to where we started in Jerusalem with a moving Shabbat experience at the Western Wall.

Learn More

• Sample Itinerary
• Trip FAQs
• Program-Wide FAQs
• Why Israel
• Why Now
• Safety & Security
• Scholarship Info
• Register Now

How the Connection Works

As a connected experience, participating in this program actually means combining two separate experiences. At the end of the first program, we will fly together to Israel with plenty of time for rest and relaxation before starting afresh with a new group. Trip connections are always supervised, and they are planned to give teens a break between experiences.

Keep the Memories Going / Israel Extensions

Ambassador to Bulgaria + ILSI can be combined with a 7-day extension program after the core trips. Choose between a meaningful community service project or the Gadna experience -- the IDF's basic training-style program for high school teens from abroad, followed by a kibbutz experience where you will be paired with Israeli teens. Israel Extension programs are all campus-based and provide a wonderful alternative to the traditional touring experience. Each extension option is designed to open a window on a unique aspect of Israeli society. Make the most of your time in Israel. Learn more...

• Extension Track #1 (Post-Trip): Kibbutz Mifgash & Gadna Basic Training
  
• Extension Track #2 (Post-Trip): Kibbutz Mifgash & Community Service

Sample Itinerary

We have provided the following sample itinerary to give you an idea of what this travel experience is all about. Keep in mind that the actual itinerary may vary from the schedule below. That said, this sample itinerary is meant to give you a taste of the overall program. A formal itinerary, including a list of accommodations and phone numbers, will be sent to you 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the program.

DAY #1 / Sunday / Departure!
• Arrive to JFK Airport’s at 5:00pm EST for ice-breakers & orientation
• Depart for Bulgaria on Alitalia Flight 611 at 9:55pm (change of planes in Rome)
• Spend the night in the sky en route to Europe

DAY #2 / Monday, June 29 / Arrival to Sofia
• Arrive to Sofia at 5:30pm
• Meet Bulgarian staff and travel to Sofia
• Introductory tour of Sofia and tour of the Rila Monestary
• Welcome dinner with Bulgarian & Serbian teens at the JCC
• Orientation program & icebreakers with local teens
• Overnight: Club Vladaya – Sofia, Bulgaria

DAY #3 / Tuesday / Plovdiv
• Travel to Plovdiv
• Walking tour in the old city of Plovdiv
• Service program at seniors home
• Travel to Bojenci
• Overnight: Hotel St Kirik – Bojenci, Bulgaria

DAY #4 / Wednesday / Veliko Turnovo
• Travel to Etura • Program with local craftsmen
• Sightseeing tour of the old city of Veliko Turnovo
• Light show in Veliko Turnovo • Returnto Bojenci
• Overnight: Hotel St Kirik – Bojenci, Bulgaria

DAY #5 / Thursday / Black Sea
• Travel eastwards to the Black Sea
• Relaxed afternoon of swimming & water sports in the Black Sea
• Overnight: Varna Hotel – Varna, Bulgaria

DAY #6 / Friday / Return to Sofia
• Travel back to Sofia
• Visit to the Sofia Synagogue
• Service project in the synagogue
• Return to hotel to prepare for Shabbat
• Kabbalat Shabbat service in the synagogue
• Home hospitality Shabbat
• Overnight: Hotel Dolni Lozen, Sofia – Sofia, Bulgaria

DAY #7 / Saturday / Shabbat in Sofia
• Shabbat program in Sofia • Havdalah ceremony – end of Shabbat
• Closing dinner at local Bulgarian restaurant
• Overnight: Hotel Dolni Lozen – Sofia, Bulgaria

DAY #8 / Sunday / Bulgaria Outdoors
• Travel northwards to the Balkan Mountains
• Explore the Lukovit Caves
• Nature walk into the Balkan Mountains
• Closing dinner with Sofia Community
• Overnight: Hotel Dolni Lozen – Sofia, Bulgaria

DAY #9 / Monday / Blagoevgrat
• Travel to Blagoevgrad
• Service program at local orphanage
• Overnight: Hotel Maliovica – Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

DAY #10 / Tuesday / Welcome to Israel!
• Return to airport for early morning flight to Tel Aviv
• Arrive to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport
• Meet Israeli educator and begin travel to AMHSI Campus
• Check-in & formal program introductions
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #11 / Wednesday / Jewish Beginnings
• Seminar: Beginnings – Abraham to Moses and monotheism vs. the paganism around them
• Service project / Harvest crops for the needy with the Table-to-Table program
• Evening: Group night out in the town of Hod HaSharon
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #12 / Thursday / Ancient Jerusalem
• Ascend to Jerusalem
• Jerusalem shecheyanu welcome ceremony from the Haas Promenade
• Tour the of the City of David complex & Hezekiah’s Tunnel
• Explore the alleys, rooftops and tunnels of the Old City’s Jewish Quarter
• Take time for personal reflections at the Kotel – The Western Wall
• Davidson Center & Southern Wall excavation
• Time for shopping in the Cardo area of the Old City
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #13 / Friday / Exile & Return
• Seminar – From the Babylonian Exile to Roman Rule
• Relaxed afternoon on the beach
• Return to AMHSI to prepare for mifgash Shabbat with Israeli peers from Tzamerret
• Enjoy Kabbalat Shabbat and a festive Shabbat dinner at AMHSI
• Oneg Shabbat party & and review of first week
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #14 / Saturday / Shabbat on Campus
• Shabbat text study at AMHSI
• Shabbat lunch & relaxed afternoon with Tzamerret peers
• Mark the end of Shabbat with a Havdalah ceremony
• Group night out in Hod HaSharon
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #15 / Sunday / The Judean Desert
• Begin travel into the Negev Desert
• Hike to the desert waterfalls at Ein Gedi – Take a dip under the waterfalls
• Float on the “unsinkable” waters of the Dead Sea
• Travel the desert in style by camel
• Experience traditional Bedouin hospitality & a hafla dinner feast
• Relax around a massive bonfire in the desert
• Overnight under the stars at Kfar HaNokdim Bedouin Tent, Negev Desert

DAY #16 / Monday / Masada and its Aftermath
• Pre-sunrise climb up Masada via the “Roman Ramp”
• View a spectacular sunrise from the top of Masada
• Walking tour of Masada – Herod’s ancient desert fortress
• Return to the AMHSI campus in the early afternoon
• Seminar – Middle Ages to Emancipation

DAY #17 / Tuesday / Talmudic-Era Settlement in the Galilee
• Tour the catacombs of the great Talmudic rabbis at Beit Shearim
• Continue northwards the Galilee
• Welcome ceremony overlooking the Kinneret – Sea of Galilee
• Swim in the Kinneret at Ginnosar Beach
• Walking tour of the mystical city of Tzfat – birthplace of the Kabbalah
• Meet with Avraham Lowenthal, Tzfat’s famed Kabbalistic artist
• Falafel dinner in Afula!
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #18 / Wednesday / Zionist Thought
• Seminar – Zionist Thought – historical & contemporary
• Service project with the Joint Distribution Committee
• Orientation program on an Israeli kibbutz
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #19 / Thursday / Early Pioneers of the Galilee
• Learn about the poets & pioneers that came to Israel and built the Galilee
• Water hike to Maayan Baruch springs – a source of the Jordan River
• Kayaking down the Upper Jordan River
• Overnight: ANA Tel Hai Guest House, Upper Galilee

DAY #20 / Friday / Mount Meiron
• Hike the Pisga Trail on Mount Meiron to the Rashbi’s grave
• Prepare for Shabbat in Tzfat
• Kabalat Shabbat at local synagogues in Tzfat
• Overnight: Merkazi Hotel, Tzfat

DAY #21 / Saturday / Shabbat in Tzfat
• Attend Shabbat services at local synagogues
• Shabbat lunch at hotel
• Evening activity in Tzfat
• Overnight: Merkazi Hotel, Tzfat

DAY #22 / Sunday / Golan Heights
• Ascend the Golan Heights
• Understand the precariousness of the Galilee from Gadot lookout point on the Golan
• View Oz’77 film about the struggle to retain the Golan during the Yom Kippur War
• Hike down the Jilaboun canyon on the Golan Heights
• Return to campus
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #23 / Monday / Yad VaShem
• Return to Jerusalem
• Visit to Yad VaShem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem
• Seminar – The Modern Jewish State
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #24 / Tuesday / Tel Aviv
• Travel to Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial & cultural capital
• Walking tour of Tel Aviv’s oldest neighborhood, Neve Tzedek
• Stroll through Nahalat Binyamin street festival & market
• Visit the interactive Palmach Museum – Relive the struggle for independence
• Hebrew Urban Cultural Center
• Rabin Square – Memorial to the slain Prime Minister of Israel
• Walking tour of the ancient Jaffa seaport
• Classic Middle Eastern-style dinner at Dr. Shakshouka
• Evening – Na LaGaat theater production
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #25 / Wednesday / Struggle for Independence & Peace
• Kastel battleground – War for Independence and the refugee consequences
• Ammunition Hill – Reunification of Jerusalem during the 6-Day War
• Look out onto the West Bank from Ramat Rachel hilltop
• Discussion – Issues of Peace, Security & Co-existence
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #26 / Thursday / The David Project
• Seminar – The David Project
• Final dinner on campus
• Overnight: AMHSI Campus, Hod HaSharon

DAY #27 / Friday / Modern Jerusalem
• Recount the legends of Israel’s founding leaders & soldiers at Mt. Herzl
• Feel the energy of Mahane Yehuda marketplace as Jerusalem prepares for Shabbat
• Check-in to Jerusalem hotel to prepare for Shabbat
• Return to the Old City to experience Kabbalat Shabbat services at the Kotel
• Walk back from the Old City to the hotel for a final Shabbat dinner as a group
• Overnight: Agron Guest House, Jerusalem

DAY #28 / Saturday / Shabbat in Jerusalem
• Shabbat program – Visit to local Jerusalem synagogues
• Shabbat lunch at hotel
• Relaxed afternoon at Jerusalem’s Independence Park
• Program wrap-up and final dinner party
• Return to airport for late night flight to New York

DAY #29 / Sunday / Shalom!
• Arrive back to New York in the early morning

Who's Coming?