Dates, Deadlines, Costs & Flight Info May 2023

UPDATED September 14, 2022

RELI 3850: Religion & Culture in Place: Jerusalem Connections

RELI 5850: Religion and Public Life in Place: Jerusalem Connections

Proof of Health insurance deadline: You must provide proof of health insurance on January 11, 2023 with your #3 payment.

Passport deadline:  You must provide a printed copy or digital copy of your passport (front pages with photo and your info) by January 11, 2023 with your #3 payment.

Payment deadlines: See below for details about costs and what is and isn’t included.

Refunds:  Full refunds for land will be issued (even if at the last minute) if we cancel because Canada or Israel says it is not safe to cancel.  The refund terms below are if you personally choose to not participate.

Payment Details:  You will receive an emailed receipt for tax purposes and educational accounts from the Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies from Financial Coordinator Mirka Snopkowska (email:  ZCFinancialCoordinator@cunet.carleton.ca)

All Canadian funds payments (air, tips, first deposit) can be made by cash, etransfer, cheque, or money order to Dr. Deidre Butler, deidre.butler@carleton.ca.

All US funds (land portion) can be made by US cheque, US money order or US cash. If you must send by etransfer (which are always Canadian funds) Professor Butler will email you back after having purchased US funds with your Canadian funds.  There is almost always a balance owed because purchasing USD is never as good a rate as the posted rate for exchange.  This balance must be paid in the next payment. Because Dr Butler immediately purchases US dollars for all deposits, E-transfered US funds are refunded on the basis of currency rates at the time of the refund. This may be more or less than you originally paid.

US funds may also be transferred by a bank to bank wire transfer to Dr. Butler but is very expensive to do in Canada.  It involves a 17$ USD fee for Dr. Butler to receive each payment and you would also be paying a fee at your end for the wire transfer. Not recommended.

Cheques (and cash) may be hand delivered to Dr. Butler’s office or mailed to the mailing address below.  If she is not there, Karina Auclair, the Religion Administrator, can receive things safely for Professor Butler. Karina’s office is closed during her lunch hour.

Note that most banks have a e-transfer limit per day. Plan accordingly!

Mailing Address for Professor Butler

Professor Deidre Butler
Paterson Hall 2A49
1125 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1S 5B6

Costs:

Air Travel costs 2023:  We have arranged a block of tickets with Air Canada. You may make alternate flight arrangements but must be present for dinner and orientation at hotel in Tel Aviv on May 5. The cost for return flight Ottawa – Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv-Ottawa is $1700 CAD.

Land travel costs 2023: the land cost is $2800 USD for Carleton students for May 2023 travel. The student price is subsidized by the Zelikovitz Centre. Actual value of land travel is $3900 USD. Cost for auditors $3100.00 USD.

*Some travel scholarships are available for Carleton students. Speak to Professor Butler for details.

INCLUDED IN LAND COSTS:

Hotels:  All hotels from May 3 – May 18, 2023 are included. Accommodations during your free time (after May 19) are the responsibility of the student and may be booked through our travel agent or on your own. Many students meet at pre-travel meetings and often decide to share accommodations during this period to save on costs.
Meals:  Breakfasts are included at hotels.  Many group lunches and dinners are also included (and more will be added as we fundraise). Most hotels have small fridges and you will have time to shop for groceries to reduce meal costs. Gratuities for all course meals are included.
Programming & entrance fees:  All course programming including entrance fees, guest lectures, etc. in Israel and before departure at Carleton University.
Travel in country:  All travel in Israel for the course is included by air conditioned coach bus (usually with wi-fi). Group transfer from airport to hotels and return included for all traveling by air with the group.  If you are making your own flight arrangements, you must make your own transfers to the airport. Speak to Professor Butler if you need help.
Gratuities: Gratuities for all course meals, bus driver, and guide are included.

NOT INCLUDED IN LAND COSTS

Insurance:
Your own insurance for Covid & other medical, trip interruption insurance, trip cancelation insurance. We will update you with information about what your student policy covers closer to the date. You may also have insurance through your parents or work.

Cell phone:
Required group cell phone/sim card. For safety reasons, we require that all participants have a cell phone with the group plan that allows free texting and phone calls in country (i.e. not only data). You can order a sim card to use your own compatible phone or order a full handset. We are investigating if we can do better, but past cost was approximately 80$ USD depending on plan chosen. Details will be provided at a later date. You will order this phone / sim card yourself and pay by credit card.

Personal incidentals:
Extra snacks, shopping, public transit etc. during your own free time.

Water:
Water from the faucet is safe. You will still want to buy water at times for convenience (suggested buy several litres at a grocery store, keep it on the bus). The bus driver will sell cold water in small bottles as well.

Some meals:
As mentioned above, all breakfasts and many lunches and most dinners are included. There will also be some meals that you will pay for on your own. Although you can certainly do things more cheaply by shopping for groceries, plan for 10-20$ USD for lunches / dinners at inexpensive restaurants. Most hotels do have fridges if you plan to buy your own groceries.

Below is a list of the meals that are not included:

Meals and accommodations May 19 – May 23 are not included:
We include this free time as an opportunity for you to travel independently for research and pleasure and allow us the lowest price for a group flight. You may depart as soon as the course is over on May 19 (earliest flight is likely Saturday) by making your own arrangements. Airbnb and hostels are good affordable choices in Israel for this period. The travel agent can also book additional nights at our Tel Aviv hotel. Professor Butler will be in Tel Aviv during that period and available if you need assistance.

HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE COURSE:  Instructions by Student Type (Carleton, uOttawa, non-Ottawa, or Auditor)
Carleton Students:

After paying $150 deposit, register as usual when Summer 2023 registration opens. Pay standard registration fees. You can only register once we open a spot for you. If you have any problems with Carleton registration for this course contact Karina Auclair at KarinaAuclair@Cunet.Carleton.Ca

uOttawa Students:
After paying $150 deposit, register under the exchange agreement with University of Ottawa.

Students not from Carleton University or the University of Ottawa:
 In order to receive credit for taking the Israel travel course:

1. Apply to the course with refundable 150$ deposit by Nov 1, 2022. (apply here) (deposit will be refunded if you cannot participate)
2. Speak to your home institution about taking the course and transferring credit back for your degree. Generally they will want a copy of the syllabus and an idea of the course requirements.  The syllabus is posted.
3. Apply to be a special student at Carleton (52$ fee to get Carleton ID set up).
   Please see the link below to find out how to apply as a special student.
   https://carleton.ca/registrar/special-students-information/
4. Register for Israel Travel course (RELI 3850, RELI 5850).  Pay fee (in 2018 this was $701.12 CAD (tax included)).
5. After course, receive grade, apply to home institution to transfer the credit.

Auditors (not for credit participants)
Speak to Professor Butler deidre.butler@carleton.ca in advance of applying/sending in fee

Refund Policy

Course cancelation: If the course is canceled by Carleton before March 15, 2023 you will be refunded all payments in full. Cancelation after March 15 would only be because of a no-fly warning from the government of Canada or closing of the Israeli border. If in the unlikely event of a no-fly warning from the government of Canada (which has never been issued for Israel except for Covid), after March 15, 2023 please refer to your trip cancellation / interruption travel insurance policy (or our travel agent if you have purchased it from our travel agent).

In the case of a student withdrawing from the course (i.e. and not covered by trip interruption insurance for cause):

The following policy applies to refunds for land payments:
November 1 – February 1: The $500 USD deposits for land will be refunded less a $100 USD administrative fee.
After February 1: Should you decide to withdraw after the land costs have been paid, every effort will be made to refund whatever is possible. However pricing for the entire group will have been set at that point based on our final numbers. We cannot ask for other students to pay more because you’ve withdrawn late from the group. The only way to get a maximum refund at that point would be to find another student to take your place and assume your financial responsibility for the trip. There will also be a 200$ USD administration fee for late withdrawal. We will work with you to help as much as possible.
As of March 15: No longer refundable unless you find another student to take your place minus $300 USD admin fee.

The following policy applies to group air fare:
Air fare is not refundable or transferable once we have purchased your ticket date TBD

Trip cancellation / interruption insurance should be purchased with your payment for airfare.  You may purchase this privately or travel agent Eva by email at info@eviactive.com for a quote.  She has very good rates for persons under the age of 30.  Trip cancellation / interruption insurance protects your investment in the course costs in the case of serious illness that prevents you from flying or traveling (you or immediate family member or spouse).

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