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Sports Program "Kicks Off" at YESOD Jewish Community Home
"When I think of my most enjoyable Jewish experiences, I immediately think of playing sports at summer camp as a kid and with Hillel on campus," says Matthew Fieldman, a 2007 Roslyn Z. Wolf Cleveland – JDC International Fellow and JDC Jewish Service Corps volunteer in St. Petersburg, Russia, "Those experiences made me realize it’s cool to be Jewish."
Now the 27-year-old is intent on creating those same associations for young Jews in St. Petersburg during his year-long field placement with his wife, Alyson. In coordination with the local JDC representative, the YESOD staff, and Hillel of St. Petersburg, Matt launched the YESOD Sports Program (YSP), aimed at engaging unaffiliated Jewish young people, from their late teens to mid-20s, in community activities. "You don’t need a strong Jewish education or any level of observance to play sports," says Matthew. "Once you walk in the door of the gym, everyone is on the same level and everyone can feel comfortable." Now in its second month, with over 15 paid participants for football, the Sports Program will soon be offering pick-up volleyball and basketball leagues as well—offering players not only opportunities for recreation and socializing, but also a gateway into organized Jewish life. Inherently, the program has a Jewish twist: it utilizes the spacious gym at YESOD, the St. Petersburg Jewish community’s cutting-edge, 75,000-square-foot center, inaugurated by JDC in 2006 in partnership with the local community. The hope is to appeal to younger audiences not currently being reached, including the emerging middle class. "We plan to connect this group to lots of other activities within YESOD," offers Matthew, who ensures that new participants are contacted afterwards by both Hillel and the YESOD program director. "Perhaps these players would be interested in mentoring a younger Jewish student, attending a Hillel event, or even taking an adult-education class from EITAN," he suggests, referring to a brand-new, JDC-sponsored education initiative promoting lifelong Jewish learning. "By coming to the YSP, we hope these students are taking the first step towards leading meaningful Jewish lives." In a city as magnificent and culturally rich as St. Petersburg, competing for the attention of today’s young adults can be challenging. Add to that over 70 years of Soviet rule that all but eradicated Jewish life for 2 million Jews throughout the former Soviet Union, and the task becomes more complex—and more urgent. "We know that there are thousands of Jewish university-age students just waiting to be engaged by the Jewish community, and we need to offer innovative, high-quality programs to attract this new generation," states Matthew. Ivan, a 21-year-old university student, had been to YESOD many times for holiday and Hillel programs but had never fully explored the building. "I was surprised to find out that we have a big, beautiful gymnasium!" he said. "What other rooms do you have in this place?" he asked, only partially joking. But two-thirds of the participants are not active in the city’s Jewish community life or had not stepped foot into YESOD before the YSP started. Evgeny, 20, learned about the sports leagues through the Hillel weekly e-newsletter, though he had never attended a Hillel event before. "Previously, Hillel events never interested me. But now, I am super excited because [European] football (American ‘soccer’) is my favorite sport!" An important benchmark in the development of this program is that participants pay a small fee, on a per-week or monthly basis, to participate in the league. The aim is to make the leagues attractive and feasible for the players as well as financially self-sustainable for the community. Further, by requiring a small payment, the YSP ensures that the players are serious, committed, and value their participation in the program. Because of this fee, initial player recruitment was slow. But as participants enjoyed the weekly soccer game and realized the value of having such a first-class playing field, the program found traction. Now, word-of-mouth is spreading and more new people attend every week, filling the gymnasium to capacity. When asked whether he too would recommend this program to others, Igor, age 18, responded, "Yes, definitely…but not to everyone. I don't want all my friends to come, because they'll have a great time, and then there will be too many people and I'll never get to play!" The program’s initial success is fueling plans for its expansion, including a foray into more co-ed sports, such as yoga, aerobics, and Israeli dance. The program is also attracting people older and younger than the target demographic, meaning that the YSP will need to offer each sport multiple times per week for different age groups. As the YSP grows, there is no shortage of ideas for the future. "If the students are interested, we can find professional coaches to teach and train the players. We can even develop a YESOD team for each sport, and our team could play other university and local teams," Matt adds, with a "sky’s the limit" optimism in his voice. The group played in its first competitive soccer tournament between YSP participants and local university teams in mid-May. Despite ambitious plans for expansion, Matthew insists that the YSP remains focused. "The goal since the initial planning stages of this program has continued to be the same: inspiring a love of Jewish sports in the Russian Jewish community. Which sports we offer, and how serious the players want to get, is for the local community to decide." While the YSP model will continue to evolve, one thing is for certain: the local community is being empowered to take ownership of this budding program and shape its development. "We know that the most important piece at this point is to look to the locals to guide the program," offers the dynamic volunteer. "For that reason, we plan to hire local young people as madrichim (counselors) to manage and coordinate each sport." So the potential is as great as the task is challenging. And Matthew is determined to leave matters in capable hands for the community’s posterity. "Everyone, regardless of their background, should be welcome to explore and enjoy Jewish life," reflects the JSC volunteer. "Once they come in the doors of YESOD, the possibilities for their continued involvement in the Jewish community are endless." May 2007 |
