Biluim Israel Summer 2021 Handbook Dear Israel Participant and Parents, Welcome on board for Biluim Israel 2021. This handbook is meant to serve as a guide in preparation for the upcoming summer. While this is a strange time to be planning a trip for Summer 2021, please know that your participants' health and safety is our top priority. As we plan to move forward with our trip this summer. If you have questions or concerns please contact Agnes Epstein at 416 781-5156 x 222. Yours Sincerely, Risa Epstein Agnes Epstein Biluim Israel Director Administrator, Biluim Israel Canadian Young Judaea Canadian Young Judaea STEP ONE - PASSPORTS To participate in this trip you must have a valid passport. The passport must be valid until at least January 8th, 2022. If you are an Israeli citizen or if one of your parents is an Israeli citizen you must contact the Israeli consulate immediately to arrange for the necessary military exemption. In many cases, if one parent has Israeli citizenship then so does his/her children. The law is complicated and only the consulate can give you accurate advice. If you are classified as an Israeli citizen, please arrange for a valid Israeli passport. It is illegal for an Israeli citizen to enter the country as a tourist using a foreign passport. STEP TWO - THE FORMS The Supplementary Forms can be found on the Biluim Israel website. It is imperative in the interest of your camper’s health, welfare and logistical planning of the program that they are accurately completed and submitted online by April 1st, 2021. In order to successfully fill out the online forms please have the following information accessible: ● Uploaded photo of Israeli passport ● Exemption from army service if your child is an Israeli Citizen ● Medical information including medications, allergies, date of last tetanus shot ● Bus requests ● Medical Insurance Information Page 2 of 11 ● Uploaded copy of camper’s eyewear prescription (if applicable). Travel Information: Participants flying into Toronto to join the Biluim Israel trip must arrive at least FOUR (4) hours ​ prior to our departure. In order for staff to meet your child at the airport, please ensure that you indicate all accurate flight information no later than June 15th, 2021. Flight Extensions: Requests for extensions of the trip are subject to flight availability. Please note: If you are on the Poland trip, you must return from your extension via Poland. To avoid disappointment it is in your best interest to make these arrangements with us no later than April 15th, 2021. ​ There is an additional charge of $200.00 CAD for the flight change. Family Weekend Information All information regarding family weekend is to be determined. Family weekend will be confirmed only if COVID-19 protocols permit. The Statement of Responsibility and Waiver Form Please read and sign the Waiver Form and submit it online by April 1st 2021. Retain a copy of this document at the end of the handbook. The Code of Conduct and Behavior Contract Due to the unique nature of our program, participants will at all times adhere to these rules and behave in a mature fashion. Please read over the list of rules carefully and discuss them at home. We will go over them again upon arrival in Europe/Israel, but it will be assumed that participants and parents are already familiar with them. After you have read the rules and regulations, sign the Code of Conduct and Behavior Contract and submit it online by April 1st 2021. Retain a copy for your records. The Medical Form Canadian Young Judaea and the Biluim Israel staff intend to rely on the completed medical form and any supplementary letters. Omissions and/or misrepresentations are at the risk of the participant, parents, and physician. Non-disclosure, or outdated information may lead to dismissal from the program at your own expense. Page 3 of 11 The information on the medical form, supplementary letters, and reports concerning the physical, mental, and/or psychological condition of the participant shall be held by Canadian Young Judaea and the Biluim Israel staff as strictly confidential. STEP FOUR - PREPARING FOR THE TRIP I Spending Money: We suggest $750.00 CDN as a reasonable amount of spending money. **Bank Cards from major Canadian and American banks work in Israeli bank machines. There is a $5-$10 service charge for each transaction. Due to the time involved in locating a bank ​ machine, especially in remote locations, we recommend that bank/credit cards be used only for extra money** Most participants bring cash (approximately $300 to exchange upon arrival) and ​ a debit/credit card. STEP FIVE - PREPARING FOR THE TRIP II – PACKING A packing list is available on our website But here are a few important notes: ● It is recommended to bring a sleeping bag liner for our camping trip. ● You must have one (or two) reusable water bottles that total two-to-three litres. Although this sounds like a lot of water, there will be certain hikes where participants will be required to have this much (and perhaps even more) at once, because of the inability to refill for a certain amount of time. Large water bottles or camel backs are both okay. If campers don’t have 3 litres worth of water, they will have to buy a water bottle for that particular day/hike. Personal Medication: It is advised that you bring any items that you regularly use, including Tylenol and Advil. Any prescription medications should be clearly labeled with your name and you should bring enough to last you for the entire trip. STEP SIX - PREPARING FOR THE TRIP III – DEPARTURE YOU WILL NEED YOUR PASSPORT AT THE AIRPORT. On the day of departure, it is very important that you arrive at the airport on time and ready to go. You will be notified of the confirmed time a few weeks before the trip. You should have your duffle/suitcase and carry-on with you for departure. When you arrive at the airport check-in with your Biluim Israel staff member, or CYJ representative, follow their instructions. At this time you will be given your ticket, and a Biluim Israel t-shirt. Page 4 of 11 STEP SEVEN - ARRIVAL IN POLAND and/or ISRAEL: Cell Phones Cell phone use is permitted on the program. They are strictly forbidden during programs and/or guided tours. If you wish to purchase a SIM card for Israel and/or Poland through our a link will be provided closer to the departure date. Security The Biluim Israel staff takes the issue of security very seriously. Our itineraries are approved and ​ ​ monitored by the police, military, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Education and Society for the Protection of Nature. Our programs are under the full supervision of the security department of the Jewish Agency. All participants will receive a detailed security briefing upon arrival in Israel. Emergency Contact Prior to the program’s departure, you will receive all the Emergency Contact information. Accommodations While on the trip, we will be staying in various modern youth hostels and hotels. You will each be sleeping in private rooms with two-to-six other people from our trip. In most cases each room has its own bathroom and shower. Fresh sheets, pillows, and blankets are supplied at each base. Food All meals provided by Biluim Israel are Kosher. Laundry We will arrange to have laundry sent out every 8-10 days. Laundry is paid for separately by ​ each participant and is priced by the bag. Please label all of your clothing. In addition we ​ recommend that you bring a small bottle of liquid detergent for hand washing of delicate or valuable items. Canadian Young Judaea cannot assume responsibility for lost or damaged items of clothing. Medical Treatment and Coverage Participants do not have medical insurance in Poland. Participants must obtain travel medical insurance for the duration of the trip in Poland. Page 5 of 11 Participants have basic first aid coverage in Israel, and any medical issue that arises will always ​ ​ be handled right away. However, families must also purchase more extensive medical insurance, simply to cover the cost of any unforeseen medical issues that might arise. Please make sure that you provide us your medical insurance information. If you already hold overseas medical insurance, please ensure that your participant will be covered for COVID-19 while in Israel and Poland. If you are interested in purchasing medical insurance, please note that we are working with an insurance broker to provide COVID-19 health insurance. Please contact [email protected] to arrange. Proof of Insurance must be submitted to the office prior to departure. Theft Earlier in this manual we advised you to leave valuable items at home. Here are some tips to protect your property. ● Never leave ANY item unattended, even for a moment. ● Keep your room locked at all times. ● Do not leave valuable items out in the open or unattended. ● Always carry your wallet with you in your front pocket or in a sturdy pouch. ● Count your change after purchases. ● Never show-off large amounts of money on the street. ● Report any theft to a staff member immediately. Canadian Young Judaea is not responsible for any stolen, damaged, or lost items while on the trip. Page 6 of 11 Biluim Israel Release Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk, and Indemnity Agreement Please read through this document carefully prior to signing. I, , , [Print Name] [Apt. and Street] , , , [City] [Province/State [Postal/Zip Code] [Birth Date: dd/mm/yy] ] acknowledge and agree that in consideration of being permitted to participate in any Israel Programs or ​ Activities arranged, organized, sponsored, conducted, authorized, staged and/or operated by Canadian ​ ​ Young Judaea: ​ 1.