Who leads the trips and what is their background? Rabbi Howard Cohen is the the lead guide on all of our trips. He started Burning Bush Adventures when he was a student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Before that he was an instructor and program director with Outward Bound at several different schools in the United States and Great Britain. He is a Wilderness First Responder and interior firefighter. For the dog sled trips Howard teams up with his old friends from Mahoosuc Guide Service.
Do I need to purchase special stuff? No, BBA or its partners provide all the equipment you'll need. All you need to bring is your personal items. A clothing list is provided when you register for a course.
Do I need to have prior outdoor experience? No experience is necessary. Every trip includes instruction in the appropriate basic back-country skills required.
If I am not an athlete or in particularly good shape can I still come? You do not need to an athlete. We ask you complete a medical form to make sure there aren't serious health reasons that might prevent your participation.
Are there age limits to come on a trip? Not necessarily though some trips are geared toward specific populations. In general young children, ten and under, tend to not enjoy long trips. As long as a person is physically capable of handling the rigors of the course there is no upper limit either.
I'm not Jewish but your trips sound appealing. Do I have to be Jewish to come on a BBA trip? No, absolutely not. These trips are for anyone. The magic of a spiritual quest in the wilderness is that we are encouraged by the natural beauty around us to move beyond particularistic religious symbolism and language.
Do you offer financial aid? Sorry, at the present we're not able to offer scholarships. We've done our best to price our trips so they are affordable and allow us to cover our expenses.
