News & Events

Article By Tali Dubrovsky

“From the Opening Ceremonies, to watching other Canadian athletes perform, to meeting so many athletes from other countries, being a part of the Maccabi experience is one I will never forget“ says ESPN’s Dan Shulman, for whom the Pan American Games in Sao Paulo was a first Maccabi event.It really was at the Opening Ceremonies where we all came to understand the magnitude and magic of being a part of this global affair. As we were lining up in an alphabetical order, getting ready to enter the stadium standing between the Brazilians and the Chileans, we watched as delegations from 18 other countries were cheering, waving their flags, taking pictures and exchanging souvenirs, but most of all, they were uplifted by the powerful display of worldwide Jewish solidarity. The excitement reached its highest point when lead by our flag bearer Mark Bendahan, we walked into the stadium to the sound of our name being announced and thousands of enthusiastic spectators cheering for us.

For Maccabi Canada this journey started back in 2010 when Headed by Alex Brainis, Chair of our National Athletic Committee and head of the Canadian delegation to Brazil, a selected group of coaches went out into the community, held tryouts and selected teams consisting of qualified Jewish athletes to represent Canada in this Olympic style event. Our delegation of 142 included four basketball teams (men’s masters (over 35), men’s open, under-19 and under-17), two softball teams (master’s and open), one open soccer team, one table tennis player, staff and supporters. On December 24th athletes from Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Manitoba gathered at Pearson International in Toronto and together we flew to Brazil.

From the check-in at the magnificent Hilton to the daily scheduling at the Canada Desk, our delegation was well organized and informed which made for a smooth experience. We shared our hotel with the Australians and South Africans and watched old friendships renewed and new ones created.

After our first night in Sao Paulo, the competitions began. First to hit the court was our U17 basketball team against Venezuela. We came away with a victory and a great start to the games. Our Open and Master teams played excellent games against the Red White and Blues and our soccer team faced the Argentineans. Our two softball teams faced each other in a game that was rained out after the third inning. The teams continued to play well for the rest of the week and came home with two silver medals in basketball for our Open and Master teams, and another silver for our Open Softball team. Mitch Billinkoff of Winnipeg, our Table Tennis player had an excellent tournament and single handedly doubled our medal count. Mitch teamed with Sam Parasol from the Australian delegation and together they won a bronze medal at the team event. Mitch went on to earn a Silver in his age category and another bronze in the Open Age category. For his achievements Mitch was chosen to be the Canadian athlete honored by Maccabi World Union with a $100 Israel Bond certificate. But it’s not the medals that made these games so unique and memorable for the Canadians. What stood out and made the difference was the support and camaraderie of the delegation throughout our ten days in Sao Paulo. “As awesome as the overall Maccabi experience was – that wasn’t what will last for me.” says Adam Epstein from the Open basketball team in his blog “huddlers”. “It was being part of this team” he continues. “We didn’t bond at a club or bar (to an extent) we bonded on the hardwood of the Sao Paulo Hebraica.”

The connection was felt when Mitch made the finals and a large group of Canadians went to watch and cheer, it was also felt when a big group of us got on a bus and made the trip to the diamond field to support our Softball team in their Gold medal game against the United States, and mostly it was felt when over 100 Canadian athletes and supporters filled the basketball stadium at the Hebreica, when our Master team took to the semi finals against Brazil. The crowd cheered and went wild despite the fact (or thanks to it) that our team had very little hope of winning and was down by 10 going into the fourth quarter.

“Our team, to put it in terms we can all understand, entered the tournament as David, with the USA and Brazil being considered the Goliaths (In Brazil’s case, Goliath applies in a literal sense, given their 7 foot centre)” says Shulman, “I played a very small role in our team’s success. But the feeling I had during the win over Brazil is one I will never forget. The gym was full of Canadians. We were playing Brazil, in Brazil, but it felt like a game on Canadian soil. It seemed as if every member of our delegation was in the gym, and the noise they made as our team made its comeback was incredible. Their support leading up to, and during our Gold medal game with the US was amazing as well, and really spoke to the strength of the relationships that had formed throughout the entire Canadian delegation”.

The special feeling continued with a Shabbat ceremony which again highlighted how unique it is to be in a room full of people from all over the world, most of whom we never met before, all united by the magic of candle lighting and Shabbat songs. Looking around us we knew this is one special event we will not soon forget, and we are already looking forward to seeing everyone again in Chile, in 2015.
But first, Israel!

On January 27, 2012, International Holocaust Day, Kfar Maccabiah held a
Basketball Masters match between Maccabi St. Petersburg and Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
Doron Jamchi, Director of Maccabi Tel-Aviv Basketball-Masters and Josef Roytman, Representative Maccabi St. Petersburg in Israel led a Ceremony with ONE minute of silence to
remember the Holocaust, 40th Israeli Olympics and Victims of Blockade Leningrad in 1941.

The final score of the game was 74:71 with Maccabi Tel Aviv taking the win.
On January 26, Maccabi St. Petersburg played against Beit Halochem Haifa. The final score of this game was 70:51 with St. Petersburg taking the win.

The following article was taken from HaAretz, January 31, 2012 and is regarding Jillian Schwartz

"My Goal: Is to reach the Olympic FInals and to prove that I am one of the best in the world"

www.haaretz.co.il/sport/other/1.1629884

The Maccabiah Organizing Committee congratulate Jillian Schwartz for achieving her dream of participating in the London Olympics with the Israeli delegation on the Track and Field team after winning the U.S open with a 4.52 m'.

After winning a gold medal at the 18th Maccabiah Games and her decision to make Aliyah, we are honored to know Jillian and are very excited to follow her journey through her participation at the London Olympics.

We wish Jillian great success and look forward to seeing her in Israel during the 19th Maccabiah in 2013

 It rained successes for Maccabi this November weekend. The only Jewish professional boxer from the Netherlands, Barry Groenteman, booked a new victory in a row by a TKO in the second round.

Barry, who each week gives free boxing training with Maccabi will now prepare for another strong opponent while on the hunt for a Dutch and European title. This time Barry was welcomed by many proud fans.

It was the turn of Jewish Maccabi fighters debuting on a boxing and kick boxing gala in a city near Amsterdam. Eyal van der Hart (Vice Chairman Maccabi Netherlands) was fighting his first game against an opponent who looked like a "Schwarzenegger look alike".  It was a tough battle that Eyal fought with beautiful technique and much heart. Then it was the turn of Benjamin Kool only a few years active as a kickboxer. His opponent could not withstand the onslaught of sharp punches and kicks and the referee stopped the contest in the first round, therefore the winner by TKO was Benjamin!

Finally came Danny Pinto (Maccabi Combat chairman) in the ring and he showed himself to be a very fast and skilled fighter.  The trainer of his opponent had no choice but to throw the towel in the first round in the ring protecting his pupil against a highly probable KO by Danny. As Benjamin Kool properly afterwards put it, "we were very strong prepared by our kickboxing coach Mitchell and therefore the results were so good"

It was for the many Jewish fans - a big party to see their Maccabi fighters, with the proud Magen David Maccabi Logo sportswear, perform so overpowering in the ring. A new generation has risen from Jewish Maccabim, all in the footsteps of old Jewish boxing heroes like Ben Bril. Do you have aspirations to fight in the ring as well or want to work out as a beginner and do some recreational training? If the answer is yes...then check out www.maccabi.nl for more information!

There was excitement in the air. The energy level continued to rise. One could sense the positive feeling in the room as talk of Maccabi Canada and preparations for the 19th Maccabiah Israel Games were foremost in everyone’s mind. It was as if those gathered to keep the momentum going were ready to don the red maple leaf and head for the various venues halfway across the world.
The catalyst for this expression of emotion was a special visitor from The Promised Land. It’s been a week since the executive director of Israel-based Maccabi World Union landed in Montreal prior to his three-day stop in Toronto. In addition to having fruitful meetings with the Maccabi Canada executive, Eyal Tiberger’s visit left an indelible mark on the community.
Toronto was just one of the many stops Tiberger will make as the Games get closer and organizers firm up plans for everything, from the opening and closing ceremonies, to the introduction of new sports and the establishment of para-olympic competitions.
For Tiberger it has also been a chance to become more acquainted with the new Maccabi Canada executive and get an update from the second largest contingent, behind the United States, that attends the quadrennial games. “Canada is one of the leading delegations,” he said about their tireless commitment and dedication to previous games. “It’s one of the leading organizations in education and performance. It’s important for us to keep up the momentum.
“We talked about mutual plans, especially with fundraising. We want to help them fulfill their goals.”
And while Maccabi Canada’s goals are to equal or exceed the 500-plus strong delegation that attended in 2009, there is also a need to keep the bigger picture in mind.
“The idea is to develop Jewish life through Maccabi activities,” said Tiberger as he spoke to his attentive audience. “Under the current leadership there are ongoing activities throughout the year. It’s part of the long-term program. We are pleased to hear about regional activities in culture, sports and tournaments.”
Tiberger said the aims are the same for all 400,000 members of the 60-country union, “to attract youngsters to the Maccabi movement. The structure (of Maccabi) is different in each country. They have their own ways of developing programs”
With a $50 million budget for the Games, 70 per cent funded by the athletes and the balance from the Israeli government and fundraising, the aim is to make these Games the biggest yet. Tiberger said the objective is to attract 8,500 representatives from 70 countries, up from the 7,500 from 55 countries at the 18thMaccabiah. The numbers are very impressive considering there were only 380 athletes from 10 countries in 1932.
To achieve this goal Maccabi World Union has a three-fold plan; to introduce new sports including ice hockey (with Canada, Russia, France, Israel and the United States) and equestrian events; to host para-olympic athletes in wheelchair basketball, swimming and tennis; and to continue talks with delegations from around the world who, prior to 2013, stayed under the radar when it came to participating in international sporting events.
Tiberger said the delegations may be small, and may require some financial support from Maccabi World Union and its member countries, but they will try to make it happen. He said countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Kenya and Nicaragua may be seen walking in during the opening ceremonies in the summer of 2013. They will contribute to the list of 28 different languages that are already spoken at the games.
A new venue also awaits athletes, representatives and supporters when they land in Israel. The opening ceremonies will be moved from the Tel Aviv area to Jerusalem in a refurbished stadium reconfigured to hold 32,000 people. The closing ceremonies will be in Haifa.
“We will provide them (the participants) with a Maccabiah experience which will fill them with self-esteem,” said Tiberger. “They will become ambassadors for the State of Israel.”
He added that in 2009 approximately 100 athletes decided to call Israel their home once the games concluded and that 68 per cent of the athletes that attended the games had never been to Israel before.
“The Maccabiah helps form the fabric of Jewish life around the world,” said Maccabi Canada President Tommy Bacher. “You make friends for life.”
He said the visit from Tiberger, who promised he would return to visit the Maccabi Canada executive again prior to the games, was “energizing for the volunteer base. It made them feel like they were part of something big.”
And if hard work from thousands of volunteers worldwide pays off, they will be a part of the biggest Maccabiah ever.
 

Article by Lester Glantz