How does a trip sound where you get to daven mincha at sunset overlooking the Grand Canyon, learn to surf on a San Diego beach or experience the magical fireworks show at Disneyland?
Pretty amazing, right?
Well, if you’ve got a teenager who will be completing her or his freshman year of high school, then you are in luck. Actually, it’s your teenager who’s in luck.
Yoram Roschwalb, former head counselor on Achva West, is excited to announce YTT West, the premier Modern Orthodox summer tour for your high school teen. On YTT West, participants will get the opportunity to visit some of the most popular sites in the Western U.S., while enjoying three strictly kosher meals a day in a Modern Orthodox environment catering to both their sense of adventure and spiritual growth.
YTT West promises something for everyone, from amusement parks to national parks, and everything in between.
Roger Braverman, former longtime director of Achva, will be joining the YTT team to bring his many years of experience working on teen tours. As he noted, “YTT is an incredible opportunity to rethink and reimagine what a great summer tour for teens could be.”
As the former director of student activities at SAR High School, Roschwalb is no stranger to working with teens. Because he was the head counselor at Achva for many years, he knows the West itinerary inside and out and will lead the trip with the unmatched spirit and passion for yiddishkeit that kids and parents have come to expect from him.
For five weeks, beginning July 12, 2022, teens will meander through many must-see locales around the beautiful Western United States. Beginning their adventure in Denver, the tour will take them to places including (but not limited to) Bryce National Canyon, the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas and Phoenix. The trip culminates in Los Angeles on August 17, where participants will fly home reflecting on the once-in-a-lifetime experience they just enjoyed and looking forward to continuing the life-long friendships built on the tour.
Even sports figures prominently on the trip as the tour stops at several sports facilities. The tour also features lots of swimming at pools, beaches, waterparks and waterfalls at the end of hikes.
But to Roschwalb, the most gratifying aspect of the tour is seeing the teens’ newly formed friendships. Especially during the first week, the program includes games and icebreakers that are geared towards helping the kids get to know each other and form those bonds. “Kids grow on this trip in ways that they don’t grow anywhere else,” he explained.
Roschwalb shared that he recently received an email from a young woman who was a participant on a tour that he led a few years ago. She wrote to thank him for placing her in a room with another young woman with whom she clicked immediately. She said they will now be college roommates after forging a friendship during her teen tour experience.
Some of the other highlights include a visit to the Denver Broncos locker room during a tour of Empower Field at Mile High, snapping a photo on the Central Perk couch from “Friends” during the Warner Bros. Studios tour, and a breathtaking view of Yosemite National Park’s El-Capitan.
“There are so many moments on this trip that are filled with spirituality, when everyone just soaks in the view and walks aways saying, ‘Whoa!’”
The trip is sure to fill up fast. Early birds can sign up by November 1 and save $600 off the price. To reserve your spot, place a deposit of $750, which is fully refundable until January 15, 2022.
To get more information, including pricing and more itinerary details, visit www.yttsummer.com. or call (917) 423-6629.
