Eli was in the board of Habonim when Rebecca was.

Chaverim.

It is the summer of 2016, and a new Mazkirut must be formed: the leadership of 5777.

I am in Israel, conducting all conversations remotely. Numerous talks are being scheduled. I speak to a lot of people. And during one of these conversations, I hear that a JK6 member has applied for being on the Board. And a JK6 member is somebody who’s in the last year of a Chanich, somebody who’s 16 or 17 years old. A JK6 member?

Taking on the role of leadership in the Board  is a challenging task in itself, especially when you are a first-year counselor, a JK7 member.

It’s not easy, for instance, to address counselors who are older than you. As a member of the leadership team, you are the point of contact for parents, for counselors. And they don’t always agree with you.

You carry the name, the history, and the movement on your shoulders; an enormous responsibility. All of this must be combined with your school, work, friends.

But everyone I spoke to was convinced from the very beginning: this person — this JK6 member — this one… This one is different.

This was not just a JK6 member who wanted to join the Board and screw around.

No.

This was Rebecca Baruch. And we have known that.

And it was for real. As a brand-new Madrich, as one of the youngest Mazkirut members ever, Rebecca joined the Mazkirut. Completely meshuggah. But, you shouldn’t be afraid to be the first. You shouldn’t be afraid to be the ‘crazy idealist’.

Rebecca always seemed to know what she wanted. Even when she didn’t know what she wanted, she knew very well that she didn’t know. Entering the Mazkirut was something she was very sure about.

Only the truly great can enter leadership as a JK7 member. She was indeed one of those.

We were, if I can be honest, a stubborn board. We were a team with many different personalities, with our own perspectives.

We talked a lot about various topics, but we all agreed on one thing: Rebecca should never cook dinner again.

Dry wraps.

Marshmallows with chocolate from the oven is not a meal.

Out of desperation, we tried to order McDonald’s. But it was Passover, and McDonald’s doesn’t have kosher for Passover food.

We know this because we called. They really don’t have it.

And, even though Rebecca ate like a child, munching on candies and cookies all day long and then wondering why she felt sick at the end of the day. Her ideas and actions were very mature.

Rebecca was a great idealist, a great Madricha, with a great sense of responsibility.

She always put the Chanichim at the center; the Chanichim always came first. Always looking at the potential of her Chanichim and sensing their current needs. So that there would be a safe environment for them too, so that Habonim could be a second home for them too.

In the Mazkirut, she took on the role of Rosh Chinuch. The Rosh Chinuch is responsible for the education provided by Madrichim at weekends and Machanot. The Rosh Chinuch safeguards the Habonim ideology. And there you stand as a JK7 member.

Rebecca’s goal was to find out who Habonim was and why it does what it does. Why does Habonim do what Habonim does? Why do we do what we do?

Throughout my entire Habonim career, I have never let go of this question.

During her year as Rosh Chinuch she wanted to go back to the basics, to tell who Habonim is.

As topic for the two Machanot she decided to choose two things she learned from Habonim: the Winter Machane was about critical thinking, and the Summer Machane focused on inspiring.

And for the Madrichim a paper bundle is usually made. That’s a bundle with different information for the Madrichim. But Rebecca was never afraid to be the first to do something, so she made a website. And in the foreword of the bundle — what was in reality a website — she wrote:

In this bundle, we talk about the people who are changing the world.

This doesn’t necessarily have to be in tights with a cape or in an iron bikini. This time, we would like to talk about the people who inspire us.

The people who make a world of difference through a small action.

But above all, about how sometimes we are these kinds of heroes for other people and how we need to be aware of that.

This is not just a topic for JK6.

Even JK1 can learn about how they can be a good example for their JK peers and siblings.

And in the annual report about this Machane she wrote:

During the Summer Machane, the topic was inspiration, how others inspire you, but also how you can inspire others.

We did this within the context of superheroes. We showed that not only Batman or Superman can be a superhero, but that could also be Rabin, your mother, or you.

Everyone can inspire, everyone can be a superhero. That’s what Rebecca wanted to let us know.

After her year of being on the Mazkirut it was time for Rebecca to do something else. Something big. She went back to basics, back to the army base.

And at the end of the summer of 2018, at the end of movement year 5778, more then a year after her Mazkirut, I asked Rebecca to write a piece for the Madrichim’s magazine.

She sends back a beautiful glimpse of her thoughts. A very open piece about weighing the decision to go to Israel and join the army.

She writes:

Over the past year, I’ve wondered more than once what the fuck I’m doing here. I’m alone in a place I technically have no connection to. I’m not Israeli, I don’t have Israeli parents or grandparents, I didn’t have any friends here yet, or a job or anything that tied me to the place.

According to Israeli law, I’m not Jewish, and everything that makes me me will make it harder for me to live here than in the Netherlands.

I didn’t even speak the language. Plus, I don’t agree with most of the things the current government here is doing, and I definitely don’t want to be a figurehead for that or advocate for it.

Yet, I’ve never felt at home anywhere else as much as I do now, and I don’t think I ever want to live my whole life in any other place than here.

(…)

Since the second week of mechina, I knew for sure that I had to stay here. And now, a month ago, I officially committed three years of my life to an army where I logically have no obligation. Why?

I guess I’ll try to dissect it rationally anyway.

Because that’s also Rebecca.

One: My biggest wish in life is to be important, to make a difference somewhere, or in other words, to leave the world a tad — preferably a bit more than that — better than how I was born into it. I honestly can’ t think of anything else that could make me happier.

Two: I want to make this contribution according to my values and ideals.

Three: I obtained these values and ideals in various ways.

How my parents raised me. Celebrating Shabbat together every Friday night; that your clothes aren’t that important; but your grades are very important; living based on facts, etc.

The environments they placed me in. A public elementary school with some mixed people but not too many; a categorical gymnasium; guitar lessons and a soccer club;

But most importantly: Habonim.

I know hardly anyone who is more Jewish, whose Dugma Ishit is greater, and who takes Tikkun Olam seriously than Rebecca! An Israeli at heart, a Mensch of flesh and blood.

There are no words to describe the current sorrow. The loss is great, but her impact on Habonim is even greater.

And every year there will be a Israel Tour that goes to Har Herzl  to visit the greats.

And there they will learn about a real superhero. About a woman who wasn’t afraid to be the first.

And every year there will be an Israel trip to Har Herzl to visit the greats. And there, they will learn about a real superhero. About a woman who was never afraid to be the first.

And her name is Rebecca Barcuh!

May her memories be a blessing to all, and may her actions serve as an example for all current and future Madrichim.

Aleh veHagshem,