Madrich;
not pronounced
mad rich! Rather mud-
rich, as in
Bach. A
Hebrew word for which there is no
literal translation. For this reason, the
Jewish community tends to use the Hebrew word exclusively. Derived as the
causative of
Derech,
way or
road. So perhaps path-setter, or
guide.
A madrich is a leader, often of youth. The term generally refers to someone with an accepted rather than enforced responsibility. A madrich is often an educator, but an informal educator; his tools are discussion and games, not formal book-learning.
The term could be reasonably applied to scout and guide leaders and USA summer camp councillors and it tends to refer more to young people and less to professionals.
- Masculine singular: Madrich
- Feminine singular: Madricha
- Masculine plural: Madrichim
- Feminine plural: Madrichot
- The skill a madrich employs is “Hadracha”, literally way-setting