L'Taken Canada Information for Congregations and Groups

Transportation

All delegations are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from the Ottawa area. Groups are also responsible for arriving at the program hotel on their own, and returning to their departure location. The costs associated with this travel are not included in the published program fees.

​Arrival Information

• L'Taken weekends begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.
• Please schedule your group’s travel in accordance with the guidelines listed in the table below. 
• You should plan to arrive in Ottawa with plenty of time to check in to your hotel rooms and prepare for Kabbalat Shabbat.
• Please note that hotels rooms are generally not available for check-in until 4:30 p.m. at the earliest
   

Transportation During L'Taken 

• Throughout L'Taken, we will travel to various sites around Ottawa. Most places are within walking distance or easily accessible by public transit.

Departure Information

• Please schedule your group’s travel in accordance with the guidelines listed in the table below. 
• If you schedule your return train or flight earlier than the suggested times, you will have to schedule transportation on your own at additional cost and may forfeit lobbying visits on Parliament Hill. 
• All delegations are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from the Ottawa area. Groups are also responsible for returning to their departure location.
   

If you have any questions about transportation during L'Taken, email LTaken@rac.org.

All groups are required to bring at least one chaperone for every 9 students attending. Chaperones are included in your initial group registration numbers.

The cost of the program is based on room occupancy for both students and chaperones. Participant cost (students and chaperones) is reflected in the per person rooming costs below.

2025 Program costs are listed below. For our inaugural year, we are excited to offer these reduced rates:

• 1 to a room - $1,275/person
• 2 to a room - $925/person
• 3 to a room - $795/person
• 4 to a room - $730/person

ALL PAYMENT WILL BE MANAGED THROUGH YOUR DELEGATION'S TRIP ORGANIZER. WE WILL NOT BE COLLECTING ANY PAYMENT FROM FAMILIES DIRECTLY.

These are the estimated fees based on the information we have at this time.

No guest room may house more than 4 participants. Students and chaperones must room separately.

If you are chartering your own bus for the program, lodging for your driver will costs $750. 

Cots may be placed in rooms with a king bed for a one-time charge of $25. Due to changes in fire code, we are no longer able to place cots in rooms with two double beds.

Program fees include a three night stay in the hotel, all program materials, three breakfasts, two lunches and one dinner.

Not included in program fees

Saturday and Sunday night dinner (cost can range from $30 per person and up) and Monday lunch around Parliament Hill (cost can range from $25 per person and up). We suggest participants bring around $75-90 in spending money.

Non-URJ Surcharge

There is an additional fee for congregations and groups not affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. The fee is $36 per person for the first 10 people in your group.

Cancellation Policy

Visit our Group Deposits & Cancellation page for detailed information regarding our cancellation policy.

Cost Estimation Calculator

You can use our Cost Estimate Calculator to determine many of the anticipated costs for your time at L'Taken. Please keep in mind that this is a cost estimator and includes the main charges incurred for your stay in Ottawa, and does not include things like travel to and from Ottawa, extra meals, spending money, etc.

Packing

Download a suggested packing list. 

Weather in Ottawa in the later winter is cold. Please pack weather appropriate clothing, including a warm jacket, hats and gloves.

Friday Night
Dress on Friday night varies. Some participants chose to dress up for Kabbalat Shabbat and services, but it is not required.

Saturday and Sunday
On Saturday and Sunday, participants wear casual clothes. Large parts of the days are spent outside, so be sure to pack winter jackets and be prepared to wear layers!

Monday
For the Monday lobby appointments, everyone must wear professional business attire. Again, significant portions of the day are spent walking around Parliament Hill outside, and we encourage everyone to dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes.

Optional
Students are strongly encouraged to bring laptop computers or other devices that they can use during the writing and editing process. The RAC will provide printers for final versions of the speeches. We cannot be responsible for damage to, or loss of, any electronic equipment participants bring to the L'Taken Seminar.

Meals included in the price of a L'Taken weekend:

• Friday Dinner
• Saturday Breakfast and Lunch
• Sunday Breakfast and Lunch
• Monday Breakfast

Additional Meals
Saturday and Sunday dinners take place in downtown Ottawa. The area includes a variety of restaurant choices from fast food to upscale sit-down. We suggest your students bring at least $30 for each of these meals.

Monday lunch takes place around Parliament Hill in in the area around the office buildings. Participants should budget about $25 for this meal.

Dietary Restrictions
In accordance with URJ policy, dairy and meat products will not be served together at meals throughout the L'Taken weekend. The hotel facilities and meat products served at the hotel are not kosher. We offer accommodations for various dietary restrictions including but not limited to: vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. If you have questions about dietary needs, please reach out to the L'Taken team: LTaken@rac.org or (202) 387-2800.

We are happy to accommodate participants with a variety of dietary needs and the hotel staff are great partners in customizing the menu to fit nearly an restrictions. Please contact us with this information at least a month before the seminar.

The Religious Action Center seeks to accommodate participants and chaperones with a variety of physical, emotional, learning, cognitive, or other needs throughout our program.

As your delegation begins its planning process for L'Taken, please reach out to the L'Taken team. Together with your delegation, we will develop a plan for individual participants that will allow them to have a successful, meaningful L'Taken experience.

Please reach out to the L'Taken team: LTaken@rac.org or (202) 387-2800 to discuss accessibility at L’Taken.  

Deposits & Cancellation Policy →

We encourage congregations to work directly with a trip insurance broker to offer their families the opportunity to purchase insurance to protect their investment, should the family need to cancel their child's participation in the program. In the event that L'Taken is running but a family chooses to cancel, our normal cancellation policies will apply.