Maccabiah 2025 launched at MWU Congress
A significant number of Maccabi Australia's people were elected into key leadership roles for Maccabi World Union at its 2023 Congress in Israel.
Maccabi World Union (MWU) held its 2023 Congress in Israel, which concluded with the official launch of the 2025 Maccabiah Games.
Maccabi Australia took centre stage in terms of its programming and leadership potential with a proposal to expand its reach into the Asia-Pacific region being adopted.
Maccabi Australia will now directly assist with the development and expansion of Maccabi communities in New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and India.
The Maccabi Life program and online platform – which promotes health and wellbeing and connection through unstructured social sport and recreation activities – was adopted as an important basis for strategic growth, especially in countries where there is little or no opportunity for Maccabi to enter teams into local sporting competitions.
A significant number of Maccabi Australia’s people were elected into key leadership roles for MWU at the congress.
Maccabi Australia president Jeff Sher was appointed to one of five MWU vice-chair roles, representing the Australasian Confederation.
After serving as vice-president of the movement for nine years, Tom Goldman’s term concluded, and Lisa Borowick was appointed as one of four MWU vice-presidents for the next three years.
Goldman will remain involved as chair of the MWU Council, while Harry Procel was elected chair of the Yakir Committee.
Elected onto MWU committees were Susannah Swiatlo (Leadership/Education); Sam Gamsu and Lauren Ehrlich (Maccabiah Sport); Sam Strunin (Marketing/Digital Communication); Jason Rhine (chair of Maccabiah IT/Innovation); and David Michelson (Maccabiah Security and Safety).
Sher said, “These appointments are recognition for the role that our volunteers play, locally and abroad.
“We are lucky to have such dedicated and committed people, willing to contribute in such a meaningful way, and we congratulate them all.”
The next Maccabiah Games will be held in Israel in 2025, from July 8-22.
The new Maccabiah Games logo was revealed at the congress, and seven new sports added to the program were announced, including beach tennis, breakdancing, and mountain biking.
Maccabi Australia sends a team of junior, open, masters and para athletes to each Maccabiah Games to represent Australia, make lifelong friends, and be part of a unique experience enjoyed by 10,000 athletes from around the world.
At the last Maccabiah Games in 2022, Australia performed exceptionally well, winning 104 medals.
While athlete nominations for Team Australia do not open until February 2024, Maccabi Australia will open nominations for volunteer management positions on August 1, for one month.
Available voluntary positions range from senior roles like head of delegation, head of finance, and head of medical, to doctors and physiotherapists, team coaches and managers, and content creators.
So far, Giselle Berlinski has been appointed general manager of teams, and Sam Gamsu the general manager of operations.
Information sessions for those interested in applying for management roles in the Australian Team for the 2025 Maccabiah Games will be held in Sydney on Sunday, July 23 from 10.30am at JewishCare NSW, and in Melbourne on Tuesday, July 25 from 7.30pm at Maccabi Australia’s office at Hawthorn Road, Caulfield.
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