MAKKABI Germany heads to the 2025 Maccabiah.
Alon Meyer
President of MAKKABI Germany
The Maccabiah is not just a sporting event, it’s a symbol. A celebration. A declaration. This summer, MAKKABI Germany will proudly take part in the 22nd Maccabiah, held from July 8 to 22, with one of its largest delegations ever: more than 200 Jewish athletes from across the country.
This summer, our presence is not only athletic, it is historical, political, emotional, and deeply personal. Our journey begins in Berlin, at the historic Olympic Park, where Nazi Germany hosted its 1936 Olympics as a grotesque display of exclusion and antisemitic propaganda. Nearly 90 years later, we return to that same site as proud Jewish athletes for our pre-camp from July 4 to 8, where we will not only train, prepare, and unite, but also remember.
One of the most solemn moments will be a memorial ceremony held at the very grounds of the Olympic Stadium to honour the eleven Israeli athletes murdered at the 1972 Munich Olympics. #TheMemoryOfMunich72 is more than a hashtag, it’s our responsibility. We will remember them, out loud, in public, and in motion.
Then, just as in 1972, we will board an aircraft. But not into silence or horror, we will fly aboard an EL AL plane into light, into life, into a proud and united Israel.
MAKKABI Germany athletes at the 2022 Maccabiah in Israel pose for a group photo.
This Maccabiah takes place at a time when joy and grief coexist. Our hearts are with the Israeli hostages still held by Hamas. We train and prepare, but we do so with a constant awareness of this pain. In Judaism, it is common to hold both: the mourning and the dance. And so, we do. We remember Munich. We remember October 7. But we also move forward, with strength, with pride, with life.
This year marks 60 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Germany and Israel. Our delegation’s journey is also a contribution to those evolving partnerships showing how sport, like no other medium, builds bridges, opens dialogue, and carries meaning across generations. German-Jewish and German-Israeli sport relations are a cornerstone of reconciliation and hope.
MAKKABI is a movement of life. Founded in 1903, MAKKABI Germany today is stronger than ever. Across more than 40 local clubs and with 8000 active members, we promote not only sport, but identity, education, and empowerment. We partner with Jewish and non-Jewish organizations to foster respect, tolerance, and intercultural understanding.
This work has gained national visibility: MAKKABI Germany was named in Germany’s most recent federal coalition agreement, a powerful recognition of our role in civil society, remembrance, culture, and youth development.
The opening ceremony in Jerusalem will be epic! Just as unforgettable as the ceremony was in 2022. On the world stage, thousands of Jewish athletes will march united.
For many of us, this will be the most historically significant Maccabiah of the 21st century. Because it’s not just about medals, it’s about memory, and meaning, and our unbreakable commitment to Jewish life.
And despite everything, despite fear, despite grief, we are proud that so many young people have registered to go. That alone sends a powerful message: we will not be broken.
We choose life. We choose each other. We choose sport.
MAKKABI stands for life. For light. For freedom. For unity. Then, now, and always-more than ever.
Brazil at the Maccabiah Like Never Before
David Bobrow
President, Confederação Brasileira Macabi
The Maccabi Games are essential to strengthening Jewish identity, not only in Brazil, but around the world. Locally, they demonstrate how sport can unite all members of our Jewish community. Globally, they stand as a powerful display of how the Jewish diaspora rallies together to support the people of Israel, especially through difficult times like these.
What really stands out about our 2025 delegation is its size. Even though we are going through very challenging times, the Brazilian Jewish community clearly understands the importance of showing up and standing with Israel. That’s why we’re sending a record-breaking delegation of 700 to 750 participants, our largest ever!
Preparing for the 2025 Games has come with some extra challenges. We’ve had to navigate understandable fears about the ongoing war, a limited number of flights, and high prices due to the devaluation of our currency. Yet, despite these obstacles, the motivation to take part in the games and the deep understanding of why it matters are what make this a unique Maccabiah.
For me personally, it is an honor to participate in the largest global Jewish sporting event, especially at this point in history, and especially in Israel. Our entire delegation is filled with anticipation. We can already foresee the emotion we will feel and share as we march alongside our Jewish brothers and sisters from different countries around the world at the opening ceremony.
The Maccabiah Means More than Ever
La versión en español está disponible a continuación del texto en inglés.
Daniel Wulfovich, Chartered Accountant
President of the Maccabiah Committee
Member of the CDI Board of Directors
The 2025 Maccabiah, under the theme More Than Ever, will be far more than a sports celebration. It will stand as a powerful symbol of unity, strength, and Jewish pride at a critical moment for both Israel and the diaspora.
The event will take place in the summer. More Than Ever is the theme, and the Maccabiah will be held in Israel amid a challenging context unlike any in recent memory. Amid an ongoing and devastating war, with a high toll of innocent lives taken and the loss of too many young soldiers, Israeli society bears deep wounds in need of healing from this war, but the wounds cannot heal until every hostage is safely returned. At the same time, the Jewish diaspora is facing an unprecedented surge in antisemitism at levels our generation has not seen before.
That is why More Than Ever means so much.
For generations, Mexico has proudly played a leading role in the Maccabi movement, building a legacy of excellence, passion, and community. Through sports, we’ve inspired Jewish youth to embrace their identity, forge lifelong friendships, and represent their heritage with pride.
Mexico’s Maccabi tennis team carries the torch through our CDI community center, as it makes its way through each delegation attending the Maccabi Games.
The 2025 Maccabiah is not just about a sports competition. It’s a valuable opportunity to strengthen our Jewish identity on a global scale, as an act of solidarity and shared commitment.
The Maccabiah is a living expression of global Jewish belonging. The athletes who participate will not only compete for medals, but they will also celebrate their cultural heritage and reinforce the connection between their own communities and the State of Israel.
Beyond the medals and matches, the event will bring tangible benefits to the host country, Israel, including tourism and generating jobs. However, its true value lies in something greater, something intangible; its capacity to strengthen Jewish pride and solidarity among the People of Israel.
Now more than ever, we will be there, proudly representing Mexico and standing with our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. We will walk proudly toward a promising future together, with heads held high and shouting together: Am Israel Chai.
Hoy más que nunca: fortalecer la identidad judía
C.P. Daniel Wulfovich
Presidente del Comité Macabiada
y Miembro del Consejo Directivo del CDI
La Macabiada 2025, bajo el lema More Than Ever, no sólo será una celebración deportiva, sino un símbolo de unidad, fortaleza y orgullo judío en un momento crucial para Israel y la diáspora.
Daniel Wulfovich, President of Mexico’s Maccabiah Committee, holds the ceremonial torch at the Kadima School. Bringing the torch to Jewish schools and institutions across the community is a meaningful tradition ahead of the Maccabi Games.
La cita es en verano. More Than Ever es el lema, y la Macabiada se celebrará en Israel en un contexto desafiante. Por un lado, el fin de una guerra devastadora, con un alto costo en vidas inocentes y la pérdida de jóvenes soldados; una sociedad que deberá sanar, esperando el regreso de todos los secuestrados a casa. Por otro, una diáspora judía enfrentando un auge de antisemitismo sin precedentes en nuestra generación.
Por varias generaciones, México ha jugado un papel estelar en los Juegos Macabeos, construyendo un legado de excelencia, pasión y comunidad a lo largo de los años. A través del deporte, hemos inspirado a la juventud de la comunidad judía a sentirse orgullosa de su identidad, forjar amistades duraderas y representar su herencia con orgullo.
Es en este escenario donde el lema More Than Ever cobra sentido. La próxima edición de estos juegos no será sólo una competencia deportiva, sino una oportunidad invaluable para fortalecer la identidad judía a nivel global, en un acto de solidaridad y compromiso compartido.
La Macabiada representa la construcción de un sentido de pertenencia entre los judíos del mundo. Los atletas que participarán no solo competirán por medallas, sino que celebrarán su herencia cultural y reforzarán la conexión entre las comunidades y el Estado de Israel.
Además, el evento tendrá un impacto económico en el país anfitrión, promoviendo el turismo y generando empleo. Sin embargo, su verdadero valor radica en su capacidad para fortalecer el orgullo judío y la solidaridad entre el
Pueblo de Israel.
Hoy más que nunca estaremos ahí, representando a México y acompañando a nuestros hermanos de Israel y del mundo, caminando con orgullo hacia un futuro prometedor, con la mirada en alto y gritando juntos: Am Israel Jai.
We Are One People and Sport is Our Language.
Ashley Lerner
CEO, Maccabi GB
The Maccabiah Games have always been a profound celebration of Jewish pride, identity, and resilience. Here at home, taking part in the Games provides Jewish athletes with a platform to embrace their heritage openly and proudly, often engaging members of the community whose sole Jewish connection is through sport. Athletes forge friendships that transcend schools, synagogues, and communities, creating a united Jewish fabric that is vibrant, inclusive, and future-focused.
Globally, the Games bring together Jewish athletes from every corner of the world, reminding us that while our Team Maccabi GB delegations may differ in language, culture, and custom, we are bound by a shared history and destiny. Standing side by side under our national flags but all with the Magen David emblazoned on our chest, reinforces a deep collective identity and solidarity. The Maccabiah Games are not just a sporting event; they are a living demonstration that Jewish unity thrives across generations, borders, and challenges, instilling pride, purpose, and a strengthened commitment to Jewish life around the world.
Preparing for the 2025 Maccabiah Games in Israel has felt profoundly different from past years. Recent events have imbued these Games with a renewed sense of purpose and emotional significance. As the first Maccabiah in Israel since October 7th, these Games symbolise resilience and unity in the face of adversity and horror.
Organisers and athletes alike view the 2025 Maccabiah not merely as a sports competition but as a powerful statement that the Jewish people endure and thrive. Preparations have included expanded cultural and educational experiences, such as the Maccabi GB "Jewish Identity Programme”, where the GB delegation will meet heroes from October 7th, will volunteer to support the country and will try and be part of the healing process that the country is undertaking.
To compete in Israel, in this historic moment, is to say without hesitation: we are proud, we are strong, and we stand together.
The theme of this year’s educational programme is ‘Our connection to Israel’ – our GB delegation will explore our ancestral connection to the land of Israel, as well as the meaning of present-day Zionism, and the struggles of the State, in its 77-years’ history. Our connection to the people of Israel will be explored through ‘mifgashim’ – meetings, with Israeli teenagers, volunteers, heroes as well as athletes. This Maccabiah aims to strengthen our British participants’ connection to Israel, in all its facets.
Heightened safety measures, logistical adaptations, and widespread community involvement underscore the determination to ensure that the Games honour the past while celebrating the hope and strength that define the Jewish spirit today.
For our 350+ GB delegation, taking part in the Maccabiah 2025 is deeply meaningful. In a time when Jewish communities across the world have faced unprecedented challenges and antisemitism, we will be standing
proudly in Israel.
The Games are more than a competition; they are a statement. They affirm our unbreakable connection to Israel, our pride in our Jewish identity, and our commitment to building a stronger, more united future. Every step we run, every goal we score, and every friendship we forge will symbolise a living tribute to those who have lost their lives or their freedom, and a celebration of the vibrant, enduring spirit of the Jewish people.
To compete in Israel, in this historic moment, is to say without hesitation: we are proud, we are strong, and we stand together. We are one people and sport is our language.
Photo credit: Jamie Gordon Photography
Maccabi France: Our Roots, Our Role!
La version française suit le texte en anglais.
Pierre Haddad
President Maccabi France
The name Maccabi was adopted to commemorate the warriors from the tribe of Judah, led by the victorious Judas Maccabeus of the Hasmonean dynasty.
The first Maccabi club was founded in 1892 in Istanbul (then Constantinople), followed by the founding of Maccabi Tel Aviv-Yaffo (Israel) in 1902.
In France, the Maccabi movement was launched in 1945 by Holocaust survivors. Until 1977, Maccabi existed in France only as independent sports clubs and associations, with no formal ties between them. In the Paris region, clubs were active in Paris, La Varenne-St-Maur Varenne-St-Maur, Villiers-le-Bel, Epinay and Versailles. Across the country, clubs were in the provinces of Lille, Nice, Nancy, Toulouse, Reims, Metz, Rouen, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Cannes and Marseille.
In 1977, these clubs united and were officially recognized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports under the name Fédération Française Maccabi.
Today, Maccabi France federates several clubs throughout the country. By affiliating with the national federation, local clubs step out of anonymity and join the broader Maccabi family. Maccabi France itself is affiliated with the Maccabi World Union, the international umbrella organization headquartered in Ramat Gan, Israel. This partnership ensures greater cohesion within the movement which is active in 67 countries.
On a regional level, Maccabi France is also a member of the European Maccabi Confederation, which manages and drives the movement throughout Europe.
Whether they are athletes, supporters, or simply friends of the cause, supporting Maccabi France means raising the voice of France’s community and declaring together: we are here. Strong. United. Standing tall.
This summer, the Maccabi games will be held in Israel. In a difficult context, the presence of the French delegation takes on powerful meaning. Israel needs us, needs you, to make this more than just a sporting event. It is a bold statement of solidarity, unity and support.
Our French athletes, who will proudly wear our colours, need your encouragement and your support. Taking part is about more than winning, it’s about showing that even in times of war, Jewish fraternity knows no borders. Over 10,000 athletes from all over the world are expected. The French delegation represents our voice. Whether they are athletes, supporters, or simply friends of the cause, supporting Maccabi France means raising the voice of France’s community and declaring together: we are here. Strong. United. Standing tall.
October 7 is a wound felt across our entire people. In 2025, the Maccabi games will be our response.
We’ve launched a sponsorship campaign for our athletes — a way of saying together: let’s rekindle the flame… the Olympic flame! Learn more at https://maccabifrance.fr
Maccabi France : Notre Histoire, notre rôle!
Pierre Haddad
President Maccabi France
L’appellation Maccabi a été adoptée en souvenir des combattants de la tribu de Judas Maccabée vainqueur
des Asmonéens.
Le 1er club Maccabi a vu le jour en 1892 à Istanbul (ex Constantinople), suivi par le Maccabi de Tel Aviv Yaffo (Israël) en 1902.
En France, le mouvement Maccabi a débuté en 1945, à l’initiative de rescapés de la Shoah. Jusqu’en 1977 n’existaient en France que des clubs ou associations sportives Maccabi, sans liens ni relations entre les uns et les autres. En région parisienne il existait des clubs à Paris, la Varenne-St-Maur, Villiers-le-Bel, Epinay et Versailles. En province, on pouvait trouver des clubs à Lille, Nice, Nancy, Toulouse, Reims, Metz, Rouen, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Cannes,
et Marseille.
En 1977 tous ces clubs se regroupent et obtiennent l’agrément du Ministère de la Jeunesse et des Sports à la Fédération Française Maccabi.
Le Maccabi France fédère aujourd’hui plusieurs clubs à travers tout le pays. En s’affiliant à la Fédération Française Maccabi, les clubs sportifs sortent de l’anonymat et viennent rejoindre la grande famille du Maccabi. En effet, le Maccabi France est lui-même affilié au Maccabi World Union, l’organe centralisateur du mouvement à l’échelle internationale implanté à Ramat Gan en Israël. Ce partenariat permet une meilleure cohésion au sein du mouvement présent dans 67 pays.
Au niveau européen, le Maccabi France est aussi membre de l’European Maccabi Confédération qui elle, gère et dynamise le mouvement au niveau européen.
Israël a besoin de nous, de vous, pour faire de cet événement bien plus qu’un évènement sportif : un message fort de solidarité, d’unité et de soutien.
Cet été, les Maccabiades auront lieu en Israël. Dans un contexte difficile, la présence de la délégation française prend tout son sens. Israël a besoin de nous, de vous, pour faire de cet événement bien plus qu’un évènement sportif : un message fort de solidarité, d’unité et de soutien.
Dans ce cadre, les athlètes français, qui porteront haut nos couleurs ont besoin de soutiens. Participer, c’est montrer que même en temps de guerre, la fratercadre, lesne connaît pas de frontières. 10 000 athlètes du monde entier sont attendus. Une délégation française qui porte votre voix. Que vous soyez joueurs, supporters, ou simplement amis de la cause, soutenir le Maccabi c’est porter haut la voix de la France et dire ensemble : nous sommes là, forts,
unis, debout.
Le 7 octobre a touché tout notre peuple. En 2025, les Maccabiades seront notre réponse.
Nous avons lancer une campagne de sponsoring de nos athlètes, une façon de dire ensemble ravivons la flamme…. Olympique !!! Plus de renseignement sur https://maccabifrance.fr
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