Puterflam’s rise provides a example for all Maccabi youth

 Email this story

Print

1 Comment

At age 23, Michael Puterflam has become Maccabi NSW’s youngest ever board member. His swift ascension through the organisation’s ranks is a tale which heeds a number of important lessons for the next generation of Maccabi youngsters.

Michael Puterflam

Puterflam began playing Maccabi soccer at the age of five and has since been involved in Australia’s premier Jewish sporting network in a multitude of ways. Achievements aplenty have lit his unique ascension up the hierarchy of the traditionally senior-dominated upper echelons of Maccabi.

Beginning with basic participation in a number of sports, natural leadership has led to involvement in a number of big Maccabi-based projects. Junior Carnival played a big role as a young Puterflam carved his own path through the organisation, in which both of his parents have also been heavily involved over the years.

Puterflam has attended carnivals all over the nation as a participant, youth leader and more recently committee member as he looked to change the face of Maccabi to the ever-changing youth population.

More recently, his major achievement has been the fairly recent inception of the Maccabi social mixed netball competition. The competition, which will return in 2017 with a participation of roughly 200 young people, has been a crowning jewel in his Maccabi crown, which continues to shine brighter as the years pass by.

Puterflam’s portfolio on the board for 2017 is leadership. And it’s tough to think of a more experienced and equipped person to be in charge of such a responsibility. Having seen every facet of Maccabi from both sides of the ledge, Puterflam is now seeking to reform the organisation which has given him so much.

His upcoming projects include the hugely exciting and newly conceived Maccabi Mentorship program, which he will be working tirelessly on with other familiar Maccabi names such as Lauren Ehrlich and David Cohen.

Puterflam continues to organise the mixed netball competition, however, hopes to build on its success with the addition of further social competitions which encourage 18-30 year olds to get involved with Maccabi whether or not they do so in a competitive fashion.

Maccabi NSW’s youngest board member’s journey to the table hasn’t been a straightforward one, but rather one boasting twists and turns which provide a lesson to all who tread a similar path. Help out where you can and the organisation will do so in return.

2017 is a big year for the 23-year-old, who continues to defy expectation and show leadership and expertise beyond his years. Keep an ear out for his big projects as the year progresses.