JuLeiCa Surf Week 2020

It was new territory for both our organization team and the participants, but it was still a complete success: the first MAKKABI youth leader training (JuleiCa) in connection with a surf week.

In the East Frisian town of Neuharlingersiel, 35 participants between the ages of 18 and 35 had the opportunity to train as youth leaders and get a surfing license at the same time. The workload was ambitious: "In the beginning, a few of the older participants were a bit surprised by the amount of content and expected a free week," says Alex Bondarenko, youth officer at MAKKABI Germany and organizer of the JuLeiCa Surfweek. Because in order to be able to apply for a JuLeiCa, the candidates must have completed 40 hours of training. This meant a daily workload of eight hours for the participants. But it's worth it: JuLeiCa supporters qualify for the organization of concerts and festivals, as team leaders for seminars and supervisors for holiday camps. You can also look forward to many discounts.

After an intensive start to the content, the participants were there with great enthusiasm. "Already after the second day we saw the high level of motivation and participation in the JuLeiCa workshops, which lasted until the last day and the departure," Alex Bondarenko continues. There was a lot to cover in terms of content. The candidates received further training in workshops on the topics of association structures, the promotion of voluntary work, the prevention of sexualized violence and finances.

They also got carried away by each other. Due to the large age range, the group was very heterogeneous, which turned out to be an advantage. The older participants acted as role models for the younger ones and they motivated the older ones. “Both groups pushed and motivated each other. It was really great to see!” says Alex Bondarenko happily.

But despite the high workload, sport and fun were not neglected. In addition to the regular windsurfing courses, there was archery and a canoe trip co-organized by the participants themselves. The participants themselves also organized their own projects: they took over small exercises, sports games such as volleyball and basketball and the evening program - if there was no evening JuLeiCa unit.

It was the first MAKKABI event in Ostfriesland, a region where there are few traces of Jewish life. Nevertheless, the organizers and participants felt at home on the North Sea coast. The Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony, the Shabbat walk on Saturday and the debating workshop, which dealt with the topic "Sport and Shabbat", were very well received.

The participants were enthusiastic and have decided to stay in touch or are even planning further meetings. They are proud to have been the first JuLeiCa cohort and look forward to working together.

Alex Bondarenko's summary of the week is also consistently positive: "Many of the participants are now passionate about youth work and sport and would like to get actively involved in their community, their student association or at MAKKABI. We really have a strong group of young, motivated people there.”