News & Events

"I Don't Have a Job, I have a Mission."

Ardent Zionist and grandson of a found of Tel Aviv, Eyal Tiberger is a global activist for what he calls "The Jewish Future". As Director-General of Maccabi World Union (MWU), he speaks with tangible passion about the tasks at hand. Even more impressive than is signature chein is his absolute humility and relentless dedication to the Jewish people and Israel.

In a world plagued by a rise in anti-Semitism, amid a growing apathy among young Jews towards their Judaism and Jewish identity, Tiberger's mission is to kindle the flame of Jewish 'peoplehood', a buzzword he uses interchangeably with 'nationhood'. He is a formidable Sabra force at the heart of the world’s only international Jewish sports organization, operating in more than 400 cities in the 60 countries on six continents "to secure the future of our people.

Maccabi World Union uses organized sports, Israel-oriented cultural activity and informal educational to promote a very necessary 'national' agenda: uniting Jews and the land of Israel in a partnership that has kept the Jewish people alive through the generations of its tumultuous history. Organized sport under the Maccabi banner has "proven to be a highly effective means to create, maintain and strengthen global Jewish unity and solidarity". Tiberger believes spending "quality time in Israel" is a primary building-block of "personal Jewish identity, whether you are eight or 80, observant or secular, even totally assimilated. It is of great concern to me that only 15% of Diaspora Jews have visited Israel." Through MWU, he offers programs that give Diaspora Jews opportunities to experience the dynamic pulse of modern Israeli society.

A fitness fanatic with a degree from Israel’s Wingate Institute for Sports, his face lights up when he talks about the power of Maccabi to attract Jews of all ages into involvement with their communities, and he glows when he reminisces about thousands of Maccabiah athletes singing the moving melodies of Kabbalat Shabbat together. “For most, the first Maccabiah Friday night is their first-ever experience of a Jewish Sabbath, not only for teenagers from places like Lithuania and other ex-Communist countries, but also from the West. At our 18th Games in 2009, nearly half the adult Great Britain rugby team – all Jewish according to Israel’s Law of Return, many of them already fathers of Jewish families – had their bar mitzvah at the Kotel in Jerusalem.

“Maccabi is not just about the exciting world of Sports,” Tiberger continues, “but about a holistic experience of being Jewish, of belonging to the Jewish world.” OF the 7500 athletes and officials at Maccabiah 2009, 68% had never been to Israel. While MWU’s flagship 14-day Maccabiah Games, held in Israel every four years, is the world’s largest sports event, it is also the planet’s biggest international Jewish event. Besides the 5250 athletes from Diaspora countries in 2009, they attracted 10,000 international visitors. About 350,000 spectators attended sports tournaments and millions more saw Maccabiah cultural events and opening and closing ceremonies broadcast live to TV and Webcast audiences in Israel and Diaspora countries.

“It’s a highly significant personal Jewish experience for each athlete and a shared experience of ‘national’ pride and unity for the whole Jewish world. On July 16, 2013, we are going to open the 19th Maccabiah at the Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem. Mark the date; believe me, you want to be there!”

He is full of praise for the social enterprise of the South African Jewish Community. “In good times and bad, the South African Jewish community has never failed to share its blessings with the less fortunate I the wider community.” He lauds the commitment of Maccabi South Africa leaders like Cliff Garrun, and swells with pride recounting his visit to Cape Town, where former MWU president Jeanne Futeran took him to a Maccabi Junior Boys Soccer Tournament, which was re-instituted after 20 years. “At Maccabi SA’s annual dinner at Sandton Shul, there were 350 guests, who were so warm and supportive, such a reflection of your vibrant community!”

Maccabi is in full swing, with summer 2011 as its next goal in sight, and Eyal Tiberger is making waves worldwide, endeavoring to secure the future of the Jewish people!

Article by Shira Druion, Jewish Life, Our Community, Our World, ISSUE 39