Click here to download the Participant Application Form
Click here to download the Program Details
Click here to download the Program Flier ^[1]

PROGRAM DATES: JULY 1-8, 2013

 TRIP OPTIONS and FEES
As of December 17, 2012

IMPORTANT: Following are the available travel options with their corresponding prices. Please read this entire document carefully. Refer to the Tentative Trip Itinerary for flight and program details.  Prices assume a minimum of 20 participants.  Prices will increase if there are fewer participants.

OPTION 1:  Poland Package with Round Trip Flights (from JFK):   $3,495

Price is per person based on double occupancy (for single-room add $295). Includes complete land package in Poland (see below), as well as all flights on LOT Polish Airlines, departing from and returning to JFK Airport in New York City (see itinerary for details). Kosher food will automatically be requested on flights where food service is available. Ground transportation provided from Warsaw airport at the beginning of the trip, and to Warsaw airport at the end.

OPTION 2:  Poland Land Package without Flights:            $2,245

Price is per person based on double occupancy (for single room add $295).  Includes complete land package (see below).  If arriving into or departing Poland at times other than those listed on the itinerary for the group flights you will be responsible for your own ground transfer from/to the airports.  USY will not be responsible for sites or programming missed due to individual flight schedules.

LAND PACKAGE in POLAND includes:  accommodations for 6 nights at comfortable (3-4 star) hotels: 2 nights in Warsaw, 1 night in Lublin, 3 nights in Krakow;  full board kosher-catered meals; mineral water on the bus at all times;  entrance fees to museums and sites;  local Polish guide;  tips for services by Polish staff: Experienced USY Tour Educator (guide): administrator from travel agency to arrange kosher food; deluxe tour-bus; and more.

EXCLUSIONS: Not included in either of the options above:  ground transportation in North America;  increase in airfare, fuel or airport taxes imposed by the airlines; trip insurance (to cover baggage loss or trip cancellation); donations to synagogues visited; spending money; meals or snacks when waiting for flights in the airports. We also note that our costs in Poland are quoted in Euros.  Should there be significant drop in the value of the dollar versus the Euro, USY reserves the right to increase the prices accordingly. Regarding medical insurance: Medical Insurance is NOT included; please consult with your insurance company to see what coverage they provide for overseas travel. In some cases they might provide coverage for an extra fee. You can also check various types of coverage on www.insuremytrip.com ^[2] and other similar websites. Please note: those over the age of 70 may be asked to submit forms signed by their physicians.

ELIGIBILITY:   The trip is open to adults 24 years and over who wish to participate in a program reflecting USY’s approach to religious practice and education. Participants must declare that they are in good physical and mental health, and able to walk unassisted for considerable distances in weather that can be very hot or rainy. The minimum number of participants for running the trip is 20. USY reserves the right to limit the number of participants, and will accept people who send in deposits (see Payment Schedule below) on a first-come, first served basis.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE: To secure your reservation, please submit your Application Form – one form per applicant – and a check for $300 (USD) per person (you can send one check to cover all forms being submitted at the same time), payable to “USY”. The deposit should be submitted by March 1, 2013. A bill for the remainder of your fees, based on the information on the registration form, will be sent to you.  The balance of payment will be due by April 18, 2013.

CANCELLATION:  Until March 1, all fees, including the deposit, will be refunded. From March until April all fees but $100 per person administrative charge will be refunded.  April 1-18 – 75% refund.  April 19 – May 14 – 50% refund, from May 15, no refund.  We encourage participants to purchase travel insurance through local insurance agents that would adequately cover these cancellation penalties.  This insurance can be purchased via the Internet; see for example www.insuremytrip.com ^[2].

LIABILITY:  The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, their agents and/or their representatives in the USA or abroad (hereinafter, collectively, “Tour Providers”), act only as agents for those passengers traveling on the tour described herein (hereinafter, collectively, “Tour Members”) in making arrangements for hotels, transportation, touring, restaurants, and/or any other services in connection with the itinerary stated herein.  Tour Providers will exercise reasonable care in making such arrangements. However, Tour Providers do not assume any liability whatsoever for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity to any person (including, but not limited to,  Tour Members) or property because of any act of failure to act or default of any hotel, carrier, restaurant, company, entity or person rendering any services.  Tour Providers do not assume any liability whatsoever for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity sustained by a Tour Member due to the actions or inaction of any person or entity who is not the Tour Provider whether during  tour activities or not.  Tour Providers reserve the right to reasonably vary itineraries and substitute components of tour programs at any time between the Tour Member’s signing of the contract for tour services and the actual operation of the tour program without any liability of Tour Providers for any such variations and/or substitutions. Tour Providers reserve the right to accept or deny acceptance of any person as a member of any tour.

 TENTATIVE ITINERARY

Monday, July 1

Depart on LOT Polish Airlines flight #007 at 6:15 p.m. from JFK International in New York.

Tuesday, July 2

Arrival at 9 a.m.. For those not on the group flight meet in the arrivals area of Chopin Airport, Warsaw.

Our week in Poland begins with a tour of Warsaw’s Jewish Cemetery. One of the largest in Europe, A perfect introduction to the rich and varied history of Polish Jewry.

After lunch we will continue our tour of Warsaw with a visit to the Jewish Historical Institute, and various sites connected to the Warsaw ghetto, including a remnant of the ghetto wall, the site of the ghetto fighter’s’ headquarters, the Ghetto fighters Monument, and the Umshlagplatz where the Jews of the ghetto were deported to Treblinka.

After checking in to our hotel we will have dinner and time at leisure.

(overnight Warsaw)

Wednesday, July 3

Today we will head to Lublin which was once a major center of Jewish life.  On the way we will stop in Wlodowa to see its magnificent synagogue.  Our first stop in Lublin will be the site of the Maidanek Concentration camp. We will visit what remains of the camp, and hold a memorial service. If time permits we will tour some other sites in Lublin.

We will check in to our hotel, and have time after dinner to discuss the day’s experiences,

Thursday, July 4

After breakfast we will stop at Yeshivat Hochmei Lublin for Shaharit.  This was an important center of Jewish learning prior to World War II.  After that we head to Cracow.  We will tour major Jewish sites in Cracow in the afternoon, including several synagogues, some of which were built in the 15^th and 16^th centuries.

After checking in to our hotel we will have dinner, and leisure time.

Friday, July 5

After breakfast we will depart for Auschwitz/Birkenau. We will stop at the Chevra Lomdei Mishnayot synagogue in the town of Oswiecim for Shaharit. After spending most of the day in Auschwitz/Birkenau we will return to Cracow to prepare for Shabbat.  We will join with USY’s Eastern Europe/Israel Pilgrimage group for Shabbat evening services, followed by a festive Shabbat dinner.

Shabbat, July 6

We will join the Cracow Jewish community and USYers and other guests for Shabbat morning services.  After services we will visit the Museum at the Alte Shul, the oldest synagogue in Poland. After lunch we will have some leisure time followed by a discussion session.  After dinner we will conclude Shabbat together, and join in the festivities of the Crakow Jewish Culture Festival in Szeroka Square.

Sunday, July 7

We head back to Warsaw, stopping in Lodz which was the second largest city in Poland before World War II and a major center of Jewish life.  We will tour the cemetery and other Jewish sites, arriving in Warsaw in time for dinner, and time at leisure.

Monday, July 8

On our last day in Poland, we head North to Treblinka to visit the memorial at the site of the death camp where over 800,000 Jews were killed by the Nazis. This will be followed by a summary discussion.

Departure on LOT flight #26 to JFK at 5:50 p.m., arriving in New York at 9 p.m.