Maayan Seminar 2026

Maayan* Seminar 2026 - Refresh. Connect. Grow.

*Maayan (Hebrew: מַעְיָן) is a unisex Hebrew name meaning "spring of water," "fountain," or "brook".

23rd* - 26th of April, 2026

Szarvas Camp, Hungary

*The seminar has two entry dates. The second one is on the 24th, Friday afternoon.

Join us in this unique learning opportunity and get inspired for the summer! Customize your experience for your needs, choose your own path, and make new friends on the way. Maayan is your dedicated space to grow, connect, and step into your role before summer begins. Here, you can dive into meaningful Jewish learning, explore leadership skills, and gain hands-on experience in a supportive, creative community.


REGISTRATION 

This seminar is primarily for the madrichimot, specialists, and unit heads who will come and work with us in the summer. Other participants may join as well, but please reach out to us before registering. Before registering, please let your Szarvas supervisor know about your plans to join. We will close registration on the 29th of March, 23:59 CET. Please note that if you are under 18, we will need your legal guardian’s written, signed permission for you to participate.

Maayan button


Do you work in a Jewish community in a similar role? Are you interested? Let’s get in touch and discuss the opportunities for you to join.

JOIN AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER


COSTS & EXPECTATIONS

The event is free for all participants, including room and board. 

Additionally, we will cover the travel expenses for unit heads working with us this summer. Communities (or participants) are expected to cover the costs of getting to/from Budapest. The rest is covered by JDC, including transportation to/from Budapest and Szarvas Camp.

In exchange for this investment, we expect all participants to attend sessions, be open to learning and meeting new people, and understand different cultures. English fluency is also important, as all the activities will be held in English. We expect all of our participants to act according to the code of conduct.


PROGRAM & EXPERIENCE

Create your own journey! During the Maayan Seminar, your schedule will be based on your choices. Design your own learning path and make the most out of it for your growth. Do you have a topic you would like to share with others? You can also do that!

This year, the Maayan Seminar has four main tracks, in addition to diverse learning opportunities. Each track is designed and led by professionals in their field. A little more about them:



The theme of the summer of 2026!

Most of the sessions you will be able to choose from are in true Szarvas spirit, hands-on, interactive, and experiential. You will also enjoy a variety of leadership styles and formats. All will be helping you in one of the following areas:


LOGISTICS

Travel 

If you would like to be on the organized transportation from Budapest to the camp, please arrive in the capital by 15:00 (the same applies to arrivals on the 23rd and 24th).

From Camp back to Budapest, we organize transportations starting from 13:00 on the 26th. 

Food

The kitchen and the dining hall at the camp are glatt kosher and can accommodate most of the special diets. Please make sure to mark your needs and allergies accurately on the registration form so we can prepare with the right information. 

Check-in & Rooms

Please make sure to have your ID with you and show it at the reception upon arrival. You’ll receive your room assignment at check-in. Rooms are allocated according to gender and internationality. 

The facility has accessible rooms. If you require one, please let us know on your registration form.

What to bring

CONTACT

If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch with Niki Novák, the camp’s Education Program Manager at nikolettno@jdc.org.