EDUCATION is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and values through formal, non-formal, or informal learning experiences. When the Éclaireuses et Éclaireurs Israélites de France (EEIF) came to the Beit Bnei Yeshurun Jewish Community of Cameroon to provide value-based Scouting education, the community members came out joyously and in large numbers to participate in the training with their Jewish brothers who had traveled from France.
The Cameroonian Jewish community was filled with excitement and unity as they welcomed a large delegation of young people from the EEIF. Their visit marked a wonderful moment of friendship, education, and shared Jewish heritage between the communities of Africa and Europe. Clearly, it was a time to experience firsthand the mission and spirit of the Éclaireuses et Éclaireurs Israélites de France (EEIF), a Jewish Scouting and Guiding organization founded in 1923. It is a proud member of the Fédération du Scoutisme Français and the International Forum of Jewish Scouts, making it an integral part of both the French and global Scouting movements. The EEIF provides an enriching educational experience to young people aged 7 to 25, combining Jewish values with the Scouting method— a system that fosters personal growth, teamwork, and leadership.
Its activities are meant to assist young Jews learn how to serve others and care for the world around them while also building a strong sense of identity, citizenship, and responsibility. The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s words resonate here: “When two Jews meet, their focus should be on helping a third Jew.” These words ring true here. The movement is based on the idea of peer-led education, where older members teach and guide younger ones by becoming role models, leaders, and active participants.
Throughout the year, the EEIF organizes a variety of programs that encourage awareness, discovery, and service. Some of these are leadership training, humanitarian work, camping trips, and cultural exchanges, like the one that just happened in Cameroon. The values of Scouting and the Jewish principle of tikkun olam, which means “repairing and improving the world through acts of kindness and responsibility,” govern each activity.
Three Weeks of Learning, Service, and Discovery
The EEIF delegation spent three weeks in Cameroon, engaging in a variety of activities that reflected the movement’s mission of education, service, and cultural exchange. They traveled to the western and coastal parts of the country, where they learned about the rich traditions, customs, and friendliness of the Cameroonian people.
One of the highlights of their stay was the humanitarian outreach program, where the young scouts and their hosts worked hand-in-hand on community development initiatives. They took part in educational programs and local charity projects, showing the spirit of caring and working together that is at the heart of both Scouting and Judaism.
During the three weeks, the EEIF delegation shared spiritually uplifting moments with the Beit Bnei Yeshurun community. One of the best times they had was when they celebrated Shabbat together with the host Jewish community. It was a time of prayer, pleasure, and being together. In Yaounde, the capital city of the country, it was a whole different Shabbat.
The delegation was graciously welcomed and hosted by Rabbi Betsalel, the spiritual leader of Beit Bnei Yeshurun, which is supposedly the biggest Jewish congregation in the country. Also the Cameroonian representative to the Sub-Saharan African Jewish Alliance (SAJA), his leadership and guidance ensured that the visit was well-coordinated, meaningful, and spiritually uplifting. Rabbi Betsalel expressed deep appreciation for the EEIF’s commitment to youth education and international Jewish collaboration.
“Though this is your first visit, we believe, with God’s help, that more of these visits will occur,” he said. “Already, our community has embraced the spirit of EEIF. We are grateful for this encounter, which has reminded us of our shared destiny as one people.”
A Lasting Impact
Occasions like this are rare, and they often create a lasting impression by planting the vision of the lean path to the top. As the program concluded, both the visitors and their hosts reflected on the significance of the past three weeks. Another perspective is that most of the visitors were young Jewish athletes, which increases the recent sporting spirited-motivation and serves as a rallying call for aspiring African Jewish athletes seeking inclusion in the Maccabiah, the largest Jewish tournament in the world, while also wishing for the establishment of a Maccabi African Confederation.
Without doubt, the EEIF journey to Cameroon in Central Africa has brought about friendship, mutual respect, a possible athletic global pathway, and a renewed sense of Jewish identity. The Beit Bnei Yeshurun, with the other Jewish communities in Cameroon, and the EEIF have demonstrated to the world that Jewish education, whether formal or informal, is a collective responsibility for all Jews.