By Maccabi GB,Nathan Servi
Copyright thejc
When we look back at the history of the Maccabi movement in Britain in the 1920s and even before that, to the early days of the movement in Europe, one theme keeps repeating itself. Sport has always been more than just a game. It has been a way of showing strength, of building resilience, of giving young Jews the tools to stand tall in the face of hostility and antisemitism, and of creating a sense of community and pride in our Jewish identity. The roots of the Maccabi name go all the way back to Judah – the “hammer” – Maccabee who stood up against the Greek empire and defended Jewish life in the second century BCE. The very word “Maccabi” carries within it the cry from the Torah, Mi chamocha ba’elim HaShem – “Who is like You among the mighty, O Lord?” It is no accident that Jewish youth across Europe in the late 19th century reached back to that name when they founded sports clubs in Constantinople, Berlin, Vienna, Budapest and beyond. They were creating something new – a Jewish identity expressed through physical strength, courage and community. By the 1920s and 30s, as antisemitism tightened its grip across Europe, Maccabi clubs were founded all across Europe and in Britain, first in Brighton, and soon thereafter in the East End of London. Jewish men and women trained not only in gymnastics, boxing and football but also to defend themselves and their neighbours from fascist gangs; it was known as “Judaism with fists”[1], and for decades, Maccabi members fought against antisemitism and discrimination across Great Britain. Later, in 1938, at the onset of WWII, the ‘Maccabi Association London’ was founded, bringing together many existing clubs under one umbrella. It was only after the war that the MAL chairman, Pierre Guildersgame shared with the other trustees that their names had been found on a Nazi list of prominent British Jews, together with those of the Board of Deputies, and others. Throughout its history, Maccabi was never just sport – it was self-respect, resilience, a statement that Jews would not be passive victims but active participants in British society. That same vision – using sport to build Jewish pride, identity and wellbeing – has guided us ever since. More than 100 years later, Maccabi GB is still here and still doing exactly that. The challenges we face today are not too different; antisemitism is once again a cancer in our modern society, and additionally there is a considerable health and wellbeing crisis facing British society, and our Jewish community within it. [Missing Credit] According to the Active Lives survey from Sport England, more than a quarter of British Jews do less than half an hour of physical activity a week. That is actually higher than the national average. Put simply, too many in our community are inactive, and the consequences are serious: higher risks of obesity, heart disease, and poor mental health. Independent Jewish Day School, Year 3 and 4 mixed Summer term football tournament Winners.[Missing Credit] At the same time, we know how transformative sport can be. Sport builds friendships. It creates safe spaces. It teaches teamwork, discipline, responsibility and leadership. It strengthens Jewish identity, by bringing people together around common values and shared experiences. And, very practically, it makes people healthier, happier and more resilient. That is why our strategy for the coming years is focused on making sport accessible to every single Jewish person in Britain – whatever their age, ability, or where they live. Our programmes now span the full lifecycle. For young children, we are in Jewish primary and secondary schools, delivering PE lessons and running over 30 inter-school tournaments in a range of sports, giving pupils the chance to represent their school and compete proudly under the Maccabi GB banner. During the last academic year, our tournaments engaged over 5,300 young Jewish people; this year, we aim to bring together more, through more sports, and across the country. Liberal Reformers – winners of the Maccabi GB Community Walking Football Tournament[Missing Credit] For university students, in partnership with UJS, we create opportunities for Jewish students to play and compete together, strengthening Jewish life on campus at a time when many young people most need community. The Student Sport project is a true success-story in communal partnership, with UJS leading on the engagement, and Maccabi GB supporting with the aim to involve those Jewish students who might otherwise not take part in Jewish activities and ensure continued engagement between school years and adult life. Our grassroots clubs now include basketball, table tennis, bowls, netball and walking football – with plans for pickleball, swimming, tennis and even bouldering. These clubs are hubs of connection – places where people can come together, whether they are teenagers, parents, or retirees. One walking football participant told us that the weekly game and cup of tea afterwards had kept him going through bereavement and ill health. Another spoke about overcoming anxiety and loneliness. The power of sport to heal and sustain is real. European Maccabi Youth Games Access Games participants train with the Israeli Basketball squad (Photo: Jamie Gordon)[Missing Credit] We also host community events that bring together thousands. Our annual Maccabi GB Community Fun Run is the biggest Jewish community event in the country, with whole families taking part – from toddlers in buggies to grandparents. These are not just races, they are celebrations of Jewish life, and of what it means to be active together. Our smaller community events, such as padel, table tennis or pickleball, are organised and delivered by our incredible volunteers, and provide a social, competitive space for the community to practise their sport of choice, perhaps aiming to compete at an international Maccabi Games. Crucially, our vision is not only about those already able to take part, but about creating access for those with disabilities and additional needs. Our SEND provision aims to give young people with disabilities the chance to take part in a safe, inclusive environment. We work with schools like Gesher and Gateways, and in partnership with charities such as Kisharon-Langdon and Norwood, to make sure that nobody is left out. [Missing Credit] In the summer of 2026, alongside our Team Maccabi GB delegation to the 22nd Maccabiah Games, we aim to bring a small team of young people with SEND to the Access games. Following an exceptional programme delivered in London during the European Maccabi Youth Games in 2024, this will be an integrated programme of sport and social activities in Israel, inclusive of educational and cultural experiential learning, delivered in tandem with the main Junior camp of Team Maccabi GB. Inclusion starts from our primary school tournaments, where in most occasions schools can bring up to three teams, two in the main competition and one to give everyone a chance to experience the event. Our grassroots clubs and community events are open to anyone, and our Community Fun Run has for years included a quiet zone for self-regulation, as well as a fully accessible space within the event. Even on the international stage there are varying levels of competition; from the JCC Maccabi Games in the USA to the climax of Jewish sport at the Maccabiah Games in Israel. In all events, even when participation is the culmination of years of training at professional level and athletes have the opportunity to represent their country, Maccabi GB ensures there is a component of Jewish learning and living, all within a cross-denominational Jewish environment. Sport is also about the next generation of leaders. Our brand-new Sports Development Programme is a pioneering way of training young people in sports leadership. With our decade-long experience in training our adult volunteers in leading International Games, the SDP brings together adult volunteers and teenagers who are passionate about sport, giving them the skills to run clubs, manage teams and coach others. This is how we build sustainability – by creating pathways where young people don’t just play sport, but also take responsibility for shaping the future of Jewish sport in Britain and on the international stage. We are proud to be a national organisation. Our affiliates in London, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, and elsewhere around the country, are central to their local Jewish communities with regular activities for young people and adults, and community-hubs that provide excellent facilities to practise sport in a safe environment. At Maccabi GB we aim to collaborate with our affiliates, and develop community events across Britain. This is not just a London story, from Scotland to the South Coast, we want to bring Jewish people together through football, netball, fun runs and school tournaments. Every Jewish community deserves the chance to be healthy, active and proud, and be part of our International events. One of our most important new areas of work has been our Tackling Antisemitism in Sport project. In partnership with Lord Mann, the Government’s Independent Adviser on Antisemitism, we launched this initiative in September 2023. In less than two years, we have already run more than 120 workshops, reaching over 3,000 participants across the British sporting world – from Premier League clubs to grassroots associations. The workshops are interactive, challenging and practical. They use real-life case studies, statistics and scenarios to equip players, coaches, stewards and officials to recognise antisemitism, to call it out, and to support Jewish participants and fans. The feedback has been extraordinary: over 90 per cent of participants said they now feel confident identifying and challenging antisemitism when they see it. This is not only about protecting Jews in sport. It is about ensuring that British sport – one of the most important arenas of culture and society – is truly inclusive, and that our community is represented and respected. At Rosh Hashanah, we look both backwards and forwards. We remember the strength of our ancestors, like Judah Maccabee, who fought to defend Jewish life in the story of Chanukah. We recognise the resilience of those who built Jewish clubs in Eastern Europe and in the East End of London. And we look ahead, asking what kind of community we want to be in the year to come. The answer is clear. We want to be a community that is healthy, active and proud. A community where children are running, teenagers are leading, adults are connecting, and those with disabilities are included fully. A community that is strong enough, and confident enough, to tackle antisemitism not only when it affects us, but also as a way of improving British society as a whole. For more than a century, Maccabi GB has been here for British Jewry. From the East End boxing clubs of the 1920s to the international delegations of today, the purpose has always been the same: to tackle antisemitism, to build Jewish identity, and to engage the community through sport. Our vision remains simple: a healthy, active and proud Jewish community, integrated within British society. This Rosh Hashanah, that is not only our resolution, but our promise.
