L’Taken is a delegation based program. Please be in touch with your delegation organizer to find out your L’Taken Seminar date and due date to complete the registration.
L'Taken 2024-2025 Dates
- December 13, 2024 – December 16, 2024
- January 10, 2025 – January 13, 2025
- January 31, 2025 – February 3, 2025* Waitlist Only
- February 21, 2025 – February 24, 2025*
- February 28, 2025 – March 3, 2025
All weekends include special programming for students returning a second time. Learn more!
*Special Programming for our Adults @ L’Taken program! Have you always wished you bring a group of adults to L’Taken? The L’Taken Team is very excited to launch our Adults Groups @ L’Taken Program! We are very excited to pilot this program and provide the magic of L’Taken to adults. More information coming soon!
Consider expanding your delegation!
We encourage congregations to reach out to unaffiliated or formerly affiliated students and families. L’Taken has been a meaningful re-entry point for students who were involved through b’nei mitzvah age. We know that those who recruit for the L’Taken seminars within this wider audience have been effective at engaging teens and their families in Jewish life.
"Watching our students through the programming at L'Taken is always inspiring. Over the course of the 4 days, you can see students learn, grow, and develop their passion and find their voices. Watching and listening to students dialoguing with government officials on issues that are personal and meaningful to them is such a moment of pride! Students leave L'Taken empowered with the tools to engage in meaningful action, and feel like their voice matters."
-Lisa Isen Baumal, Holy Blossom Temple, Toronto, ON
Logistics
Families and chaperones will now submit their registration information directly through our registration system. This information includes a health and safety form. We have sample emails available to use with all families and chaperones who will register.
The Room Assignment Form and Travel Forms will be submitted through each delegation's account.
View the cost and transportation info below to help you plan your L'Taken Seminar and prepare to fill out the Travel and Room Assignment Forms.
To help keep track of important deadlines and be on top of your trip planning, please use our registration checklist.
Email LTaken@rac.org with any questions.
*Below are the deadlines for the 2024-2025 L’Taken season:
L'Taken Date | Full Refund Deadline (after which 50% of the deposit is withheld) | 10 Week Forms Deadline (after which 100% of the deposit is withheld) | Cancellation Deadline (after which no refunds available) |
December 13-16, 2024 | Thursday, August 15, 2024 | Wednesday, October 2, 2024 | Wednesday, November 27, 2024 |
January 10-13, 2025 | Thursday, August 15, 2024 | Friday, November 1, 2024 | Thursday, December 26, 2024 |
January 31 - February 3, 2025 | Thursday, August 15, 2024 | Friday, November 22, 2024 | Thursday, January 16, 2025 |
February 21-24, 2025 | Thursday, August 15, 2024 | Friday, December 13, 2024 | Thursday, February 6, 2025 |
February 28 - March 3, 2025 | Thursday, August 15, 2024 | Friday, December 20, 2024 | Thursday, February 13, 2025 |
Transportation
All delegations are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from the Washington, D.C., area. Groups are also responsible for arriving at the program hotel on their own. 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 DC 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
Arrival Times by Location | |
Arrival Location | Flight/Train Arrival Time |
Reagan National (DCA) | No later than 4:30 p.m. |
Dulles International (IAD) | No later than 3:00 p.m. |
Baltimore Washington International (BWI) | No later than 3:00 p.m. |
Union Station | No later than 4:30 p.m. |
Coach Bus/Car | Around 5:00 p.m. |
- For groups arriving into BWI or IAD- we recommend reserving a shuttle service. Here are some options:
- For groups arriving into Union Station, there are two shuttle services with different sized vehicles which we recommend:
- ING Transportation 703-522-5500
- Chariots For Hire 202-722-4661
- Small groups may want to consider a taxi or service like Uber (Uber XL provides vehicles for 6 people)
- For those staying at the Hilton:
- The Hilton does not offer a shuttle from National Airport (DCA). The RAC will be running a shuttle between the Hilton and DCA beginning at 11am on the Friday of a L'Taken seminar. The last bus will depart DCA at 4pm sharp. Please note that we may adjust these times slightly to accommodate the largest number of groups.
- For more information about this shuttle, please email LTaken@rac.org. Seating is on first come first served availability basis.
- For those staying at the Hyatt:
- The hotel has a complimentary shuttle service from the hotel to Reagan National Airport (DCA).
- It leaves the hotel starting at 4:20 AM and the last departure date from the hotel at 12:40 AM.
- The shuttle runs roughly every 20 minutes.
- They pick up from door 4 and 7.
- The van has a capacity of 22 people. If your group is larger than 22 people, you may have to come in multiple rounds or you may want to consider alternative modes of transportation to get to the hotel, as listed above. There will also be other hotel guests using the shuttle.
Transportation During L'Taken
- Throughout L'Taken, we will travel to various sites around D.C.
- If you are not traveling with your own bus to L'Taken, your congregation will travel on buses provided by the RAC for an additional charge of $94/person. This fee includes transportation on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and transportation from Capitol Hill back to your departing location.
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 Capitol Hill.
Departure Times by Location | |
Departure Location | Flight/Train Departure Time |
Reagan National (DCA) | No earlier than 5:00 PM |
Dulles International (IAD) | No earlier than 6:00 PM |
Baltimore Washington International (BWI) | No earlier than 6:00 PM |
Union Station | No earlier than 4:00 PM |
Coach Bus/Car | Around 2:45 PM |
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, chaperones, and adult participants) is reflected in the per person rooming costs below.
2024-2025 Program costs are listed below.
- 1 to a room - $799/person
- 2 to a room - $639/person
- 3 to a room - $584/person
- 4 to a room - $554/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 $400. Bus drivers are invited to join the group for all meals provided at the hotel.
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 $20 per person and up) and Monday lunch at the Capitol (cost can range from $15 per person and up). We suggest participants bring around $75-90 in spending money.
If you are not travelling with your own bus to L’Taken, the RAC provides ground transportation throughout the weekend for an additional charge of $94/person. This fee includes transportation around the DC area on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, and transportation from Capitol Hill to your departing location (e.g. airport or train station). Groups are responsible for their own transportation from their arrival location to the start of the program.
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.
First-Time Groups
We offer a $200/person discount for delegations attending L'Taken for the first time, 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 DC, and does not include things like travel to and from DC, extra meals, spending money, etc.
Packing
Download a suggested packing list.
Weather in Washington, DC in the 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 congressional appointments, everyone must wear professional business attire. Again, significant portions of the day are spent walking around Capitol 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 Georgetown and Pentagon Row, outdoor shopping areas near the hotel. Both locations include a variety of restaurant choices from fast food to upscale sit-down. We suggest your students bring at least $20 for each of these meals.
Monday lunch takes place on Capitol Hill in one of the several cafeterias in the House and Senate office buildings. Participants should budget about $15 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.
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. The URJ's preferred vendor is TravMark (learn more). In the event that L'Taken is running but a family chooses to cancel, our normal cancellation policies will apply.
Please reach out to Travmark with any questions about their insurance policy.
Information for Delegations | Insurance for individual travelers/participants
Mark Ceslowitz
TravmarkTel: 917 842 2292
Email: mark@travmark.com
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please note that coverage needs to be purchased within 14 days of the time the family makes the initial trip deposit, should they want to obtain broadest coverages, including Cancel For Any Reason (when conditions are met). This is not available to NY residents. In addition, only travel expenses paid by the individual travel can be covered (if the congregation subsidizes the trip, it is not insurable). Questions about TravMark's policies? Contact Mark Ceslowitz
The Religious Action Center's L'Taken Social Justice Seminars have been made possible through the generosity of:
- Bernard and Audre Rapoport
- The Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation
- The Gus and Barbara Kuhn Fund
- The Robert Sillins Family Foundation
- Richard and Lois England
- The Nathan Cummings Foundation
- The Righteous Persons Foundation