Safety & Security
The following section focuses on trips traveling to Israel. If you have specific safety & security questions related to non-Israel trips, please contact us directly.
BBYO Passport is committed to providing a safe & secure travel experience in Israel. Authentic Israel, BBYO Passport’s Israeli tour operator partner, has a well-deserved reputation for providing the highest level of safety and security to program participants for over three decades. Passport has developed safety protocols that place the welfare of our participants above all other considerations. Parents will be able to contact Passport staff on a 24x7 basis; and the Passport website will regularly be updated with news and information about the program in Israel.
The following are the basic components of our approach to safety & security:
- Passport programs strictly adhere to Israel’s Ministry of Education security policies regarding youth and student travel. Each group's itinerary is approved two weeks before the trip and re-approved each morning of the trip by a special "Situation Room" that is coordinated through the Israeli Defense Forces in partnership with Israel's Ministry of Education.
- Participants are given a comprehensive security and safety orientation immediately upon arrival in Israel. During this session, participants are taught all rules and regulations that govern their safety. Each participant is given an orientation booklet that contains an emergency contact card with phone numbers of all Passport staff and personnel who are available to the participants on a 24x7 basis.
- Each group is accompanied in Israel at all times by a licensed medic/guard as well as a professional guide who is licensed according to the highest logistical, security, and safety standards. Each group is also accompanied by two North American staff who are responsible for the health and well-being of each participant in their group. The busses each have emergency cell phones which enable contact with the groups on a 24x7 basis.
- Overnights are always spent in hotels and guest houses in the safest and most secure locations within the country. With the exception of the final Shabbat which typically takes place in walking distance to the Kotel, almost all accommodations are located in the Israeli countryside on kibbutz campuses and other beautiful locations that provide plenty of space for exploration.
- The program itineraries do NOT include travel to or through any Palestinian-controlled areas of the West Bank, Gaza, or East Jerusalem.
- While the program does make visits to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, our travel within the major cities is generally confined to closed areas with special protection (e.g. the Western Wall, Yad VaShem, etc.). We never travel in unsecured crowded public areas, and we always travel on our own private buses.
- While we make every effort to give participants space and time to explore on their own, there is no leaving the group without approved supervision.
The bottom line is that we maintain an iron-clad commitment to all matters of security. In fact, for better or worse, we find that most of our participants complete their experience in Israel without even being able to detect evidence of tension in the region. On that note, we would be happy to put you in touch directly with one of our Passport alumni if you are interested in getting a first-hand perspective.
Finally, if you, your family, or a friend would like to discuss our security approach in greater detail, we encourage you to contact us directly at 1-800-698-1002.
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Safety & Security