MACCABI GB REPORT 2015-2016

INTRODUCTION June 2015 - February 2016

There are many amazing memories which sum up 2015 for Maccabi GB. In total, we hosted over 250 events which engaged over 40,000 Jewish people across the UK. Each one was varied in its method and outcome, but each had the same purpose – to bring together our Community using sport as a delivery system. As the clock struck midnight on 1st January and moved into a New Year, our dedication to the Jewish sport, health and wellbeing did not falter and we continued to offer a range of projects, programmes and events to keep Anglo-Jewry active. Our biggest project of 2015, and our furthest-reaching, was the European Maccabi Games 2015 (EMG2015) in Berlin back in July. In what was the first international Jewish sports tournament to be held in Germany in over 70 years, ‘Team GB’ sent our largest ever Delegation at a European Maccabi Games of 255 participants to compete alongside 3,000 Jewish athletes from around the world in an historic celebration of sport, friendship, unity and Judaism. Great Britain returned with a record-breaking 91 medals. However, more importantly was the renewed (or newly-discovered) sense of Jewish identity thanks to our first ever Team GB European Maccabi Games Pre-Camp – a three-day programme where participants visited poignant and relevant sites including the Brandenburg Gate, Grunewald Station and Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Maccabi GB brought over 460 supporters with us and the meaning of the EMG2015 was personified at the Opening Ceremony by the 10,000 athletes, managers, coaches and fans singing the Hatikva in the Olympic Park, once designed to be the centrepiece of Hitler’s ‘Nazi Olympics’ in 1936. The backdrop of an International Jewish Games was seemingly more relevant than the sport itself. In America Team GB’s young Delegation of athletes aged 13-16-years-old competed in the JCC Maccabi Games 2015. They brought home an incredible 79 medals whilst taking part in local charitable projects and making plenty of Jewish friends from around the world in the process. To round the year off Great Britain joined 19 other countries to compete in the Pan-American Maccabi Games in Santiago, Chile. Our Delegation consisted of a Masters Futsal team and two Open athletes and, as well as win a Bronze Medal, Anglo-Jewry left a lasting impression on thousands of Maccabi TO’s athletes, coaches and supporters. In October a group of 66 people – both players and spectators – travelled to Israel for the annual Maccabi GB Lawn Bowls Tour of Israel. Whilst there the group, organised and led by Maccabi GB Vice President Stuart Lustigman, played a number of matches around the country at 6 Lawn Bowls Clubs whilst also visiting the IDF, a number of attractions and charitable projects. We ended 2015 by welcoming a group of Israeli teens from Maccabi Tzair to the UK for the 71st Maccabi GB Chanukah Torch Relay. Over ten days the Israeli representatives toured the UK visiting Schools, Nurseries, Clubs and Care Homes teaching about the meaning of Chanukah engaging over 3,000 people nationwide. On the domestic scene, our Community Sports Programme provides regular outlets for Jewish people of all ages and abilities to take part in sporting activities all year round. Notable highlights include the Community Netball Day which saw a record number of participants (110) sell-out the event and enjoy playing the sport alongside their peers whilst also experiences a new Women’s Health & Wellbeing Hub which was established just for the event; The Maccabi GB Table Tennis Fun Zone which, alongside the National Shul Table Tennis League (NSTTL) Championships; and the brand new MGB 3-v-3

Streetball Tournament was held for 30 keen Basketball players to compete in the small-sided element of the game. The Maccabi GB Sport, Health & Wellbeing (SHW) initiative addresses aspects of exercise which do not necessarily involve competition and extensive physical exertion. The Maccabi GB Jewish Walking Tours of London are some of the most popular aspects of the programme. We hosted five in total throughout 2015, with the latter two coming in September and November 2015 which both explored different elements of the history of Jewish London allowing participants to get active at their own pace. Our largest event within the SHW remit is, without question, The Maccabi GB Community Fun Run (MGB CFR). Last year’s MGB CFR, at Allianz Park Stadium in June, broke all records that stood before it, welcoming a record number of people (3,500), runners (2,000) and charities (48). The brand new 5km Walk and Tri-Run joined the already-popular 1km, 5km, and 10km distances. This allowed for a wider variety of attendees than ever. Each person who crossed the finish line was the true embodiment of what the day is about and, thanks to them, a record number of £210,000 was raised for Jewish charitable causes. Away from the track, the Charity Fair and Kids’ Zone underlined the occasion as a cornerstone of communal events and the brand new Sport, Health & Wellbeing Hub highlighted Maccabi GB’s commitment to providing a healthier Jewish Community all year round. In October, we hosted a Fundraising Breakfast with Sir Martin Sorrell and Sky News Presenter, Samantha Simmonds which welcomed 80 people and raised over £50,000 for the Maccabi GB Challenge Israel Tour. In April we hosted another unique event with our partners UJIA – Behind the Scenes with Ben Winston. A sold-out crowd of 75 young professionals listened to the former Team GB Open Men’s Football Manager, now multi-award-winning Director and Producer, talk about his incredible career which includes working with One Direction and producing The Late, Late Show with James Corden in America. We continue to engage 1,300 young people each week across the whole School Sports Programme. Since June we have delivered 1,320 separate PE Curriculum lessons & sports clubs and held 22 School Sports Tournaments which engaged 3,000 young athletes in total. During this time we hosted some of the largest Jewish School Sports Tournaments in our history with multiple Primary School Girls Football events welcoming over 250 young athletes each time, Netball competitions so large we now have to split the teams into two separate events and Primary School Boys Football Tournaments which feature more teams than the FIFA World Cup. These were just some of the highlights. We also held annual events such as the Simchat Hamayim Swimming Gala and Secondary Schools Track & Field Day, both of which catered for over 500 athletes. Maccabi GB’s Weekly Sports Clubs are the perfect example of Jewish participants utilising Sport, Health & Wellbeing to stay active. Maccabi GB Table Tennis is incredibly popular and their ‘conveyor-belt’ of talent has seen junior members go on to represent the Senior Team in the local league – where they won the title in 2015 for the second consecutive season - as well as Team GB at international, Jewish Sports Tournaments. Maccabi GB Badminton Club also welcomes a number of passionate players every week and our partnership with Hendon Joggers allows us to host a Weekly Running Club with Hendon Joggers for keen runners of all fitness levels. Streetwise and Leadership by Streetwise are two other key areas of our work and help us reach more than 22,000 young members of the Community each year. In addition to the thousands of pupils that Streetwise engaged between June 2015 and February 2016 – via campaigns including Healthy Living, Anti-Bullying and Safer Internet Day – there was cause for celebration at the end of last year as the organisation marked a decade of inspiring confidence in our Community’s young people. The event was marked by an exhibition and talks by key speakers. Leadership by Streetwise were also celebrating in June as another generation of communal sports leaders graduated, before the Programme’s new intake of participants started their course in November. Maccabi GB is proud of its Jewish Charity Partnerships. Our partnership with Jewish Care saw us host the second ‘Bowls on the Lawn’ day. The taster event, at Woodcock Park Lawn Bowls Club in July, was for any age and any ability and saw 20 participants learn the sport in a social setting. Our close ties with Chai Cancer Care have evolved by MGB running a weekly Walking Group for their clients. Another

partnership event over the summer was Footgolf with Boys Town Jerusalem. 50 players enjoyed an afternoon of leisurely sport which mirrors golf, but replacing golf balls with footballs and golf clubs with a player’s foot! Other examples of partnerships we have developed in 2015 include running a ‘mini-Maccabiah’ for Redbridge JCC Summer Camp in August, holding a Beach Sports Day at JW3 for Camp Simcha participants and hosting monthly sports clubs for Langdon clients. We were proud to join a number of partners as part of Mitzvah Day 2015 last October. For the ‘communal day of social action’ MGB and KitAid led a second-hand kit drive around the UK for unwanted sports kit to be donated to impoverished families around the world. We also delivered an integrated football session for Kisharon and Langdon clients with learning difficulties. A unique partnership project began in January 2016 with Step by Step to create the Maccabi GB Cycle Club for 16 young, Jewish people with physical and learning disabilities. The partnership saw MGB support a Government grant which provided Step by Step clients facilities to hold regular cycling sessions at the Lee Valley Velodrome at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The Maccabi GB Affiliates continue to make significant impact on the lives of the Jewish Community nationwide. Via the affiliated Leagues, Regional Centres and Clubs, they collectively engage thousands of people in a wide variety of Jewish Sport, Health and Wellbeing activities, ensuring there is Maccabi activity across the country. Maccabi GB @ Kulanu – the communal centre which we have overseen the day-to-day management of since 2015 - enables us to host more varied events than ever before. The last nine months has seen multiple Sports Clinics, for young people to remain active over the School holidays, to Shabbatons for other Jewish charities and youth movements. We even brought communal organisations together at the end of 2015 for the Maccabi GB Inter-Charity Quiz Night as a ‘thank you’ to all the great work they do throughout the year. Maccabi GB @ Kulanu is a useful tool in our partnership work which has become a key feature of our activity in recent years. We still maintain strong links with the likes of Jewish Care, Chai Cancer Care and Langdon, amongst others, and you will read all about our projects with them – and all our other work – in the below Report.

TEAM GB

Representing our country and Community abroad

June 2015 – February 2016 Even before 2015 had begun there was one event which dominated the thoughts of the world’s Jewish, sporting community - The European Maccabi Games 2015 (EMG2015) in Berlin. In July and August of last summer Team GB joined 3,000 Jewish athletes from 38 countries for what was the first Jewish international sporting event to be held in Germany since the Shoah. The first ever Great Britain EMG Pre-Camp preceded the competition and saw our Delegation visit many of Berlin’s significant landmarks. These included the Bell Tower overlooking the Olympic Park, the Grunewald Station (where 60,000 Jews were sent to concentration camps) and a number of memorials to those affected by the Holocaust and persecution. Our Juniors visited the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp and met with a Holocaust Survivor and our entire Delegation cheered with pride underneath the Brandenburg Gate, the whole time displaying the Union Jack Star of David. One hundred of Team GB’s travelling supporters attended a ‘Supporters’ Friday Night Dinner, whilst every single EMG2015 participant helped break the Guinness World Record for Largest Shabbat, with all 3,000 in attendance in the Games’ sole Shabbat. The sport was just as memorable with an EMG-high of 91 medals returned home to Great Britain. Our U16’s, U18’s and Open Futsal Teams all won Gold; 38 medals where won across Juniors and Masters in the Swimming events; our Ten Pin Bowlers dominated in the Team Event; and there were memorable Golds for U16 Football, Open Women’s Badminton, Masters Golf, Table Tennis and Tennis athletes and the entire Squash squad. To add to our collection of 27 Golds, 34 Silvers and 30 Bronzes, our athletes carved friendships with their Jewish counterparts from around the world and left a legacy in Germany for future generations to look back on with pride. Only a few weeks after the last athletes returned home, Maccabi GB began preparations for the next major, Jewish Sports Tournament – the 20th Maccabiah Games in 2017. Recruitment began in September 2015 and, just a few months later the first set of appointments were made for Sports Chairs and Management Teams, including the Delegation’s General Team Managers. Plans also began for Team GB’s extensive and educational Maccabiah Games Pre-Camp.

Team GB prepare to enter the Opening Ceremony of the European Maccabi Games 2015 in Berlin

Just as our EMG2015 athletes did in Germany, Great Britain’s young representatives made the country and Community proud when they competed at the annual JCC Maccabi Games 2015 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Delegation of 65 athletes (aged 13-16-years-old) and 12 person Management team lead Team GB to a fantastic 79 medals across five sports including Football, Swimming, Table Tennis, Dance and Tennis. Many of our representatives received special recognition of their gamesmanship – whether it was for fair play, demonstrating honesty during competition and even creating a ‘mixed-Delegations’ team so that all participants could play with athletes from other countries. One of the things that makes the JCC Games so unique is the ‘Caring and Sharing Day’, which involves all Delegations taking part in charitable causes. This year, Team GB’s athletes volunteered at a Food Bank for impoverished people and also took part in a Bowling session alongside young people with learning difficulties. Plans began for the 2016 event which will take place in Stamford, Connecticut, in October 2015 with new Heads of Delegation announced and closely followed by Great Britain’s JCC Maccabi Games Management Team. Trials took place at the start of 2016 with squads selected for seven sports including Football, Table Tennis, Tennis, Swimming, Golf, Lacrosse and Dance. There was an exciting development in January as MGB announced that we planned to participate in the JCC Maccabi ArtsFest 2016, also in Stamford, which is a combination of performing arts and Jewish & social experiences.

Team GB’s JCC Maccabi Games Delegation in Fort Lauderdale

The end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016 brought with another fantastic international, Jewish sports tournament. The Pan American Maccabi Games gave Great Britain another opportunity to extend our reach across the globe by joining 19 other countries and 3,000 Jewish competitors in Santiago, Chile. Despite taking a relatively small Delegation (one Masters Futsal Team and two Open Tennis players) our athletes did us proud – on and off the sporting arena – winning one Bronze Medal and making many friends along the way.

Maccabi GB’s Masters Football Squad at the Pan American Maccabi Games

Looking ahead – March 2016 - May 2017 As has been mentioned, recruitment has already begun for Team GB athletes to represent their country and Community in both Israel and America. The first of six Management Meetings for the 20 Maccabiah Games take place at the beginning of March, as do the first set of Sports Trials. All final squads are forecast to be announced by the summer of 2016 and the 20th Maccabiah Games Pre-Camp schedule will be finalised by the start of 2017. Staying in 2016 and Team GB will be flying to the Costa Del Sol in Spain for the European Maccabi Football Trophy (EMFT). The event will see hundreds of male and female footballers from the European Maccabi Confederation’s Territorial Organisations (TOs) compete to be the best in Open and Masters Football and Futsal. Of course, the main element of the trip is to bring Jewish people from all over Europe together. Managers are to be appointed in March/April and trials will start around the same time, with training ongoing until the competition in June. Then, later in the year, Anglo-Jewry will be waving goodbye to our young athletes who travel to American in August for the JCC Maccabi Games 2016 in Stamford, Connecticut.

MAJOR EVENTS

Engaging our Community in a variety of ways June 2015 – February 2016 When looking at the varied ways we engage the Community, one event stands out for its sheer size and reach. Not many events in the Jewish Community engage thousands of people at one time and, if they do, rarely do they incorporate such a variety of ages, religious observances or abilities. The Maccabi GB Community Fun Run (MGB CFR) is one of the most unique events within our calendar.

Last year’s MGB CFR, at Allianz Park Stadium in June, broke all records that stood before it, welcoming a record number of people (3,500), runners (2,000) and charities (48). The brand new 5km Walk and Tri-Run joined the already-popular 1km, 5km, and 10km distances. This allowed for a wider variety of attendees than ever. Each person who crossed the finish line was the true embodiment of what the day is about and, thanks to them, a record number of £210,000 was raised for Jewish charitable causes. Away from the track, the Charity Fair and Kids’ Zone underlined the occasion as a cornerstone of communal events and the brand new Sport, Health & Wellbeing Hub highlighted Maccabi GB’s commitment to providing a healthier Jewish Community all year round.

The 5km race at the 9th Maccabi GB Community Fun Run gets underway

Over the Summer, in the build-up to the aforementioned major international sports tournaments, we hosted two Kit Days for our EMG2015 and JCC Maccabi Games Delegations. Held at The Bushey Academy and Maccabi GB @ Kulanu, respectively, the Kit Days saw Great Britain’s athletes and managers receive their official kit, meet their teammates and receive inspirational talks from key speakers including Lord Jonathan Kestenbaum and Jason Smythe – the fastest Paralympian in history.

Team GB’s European Maccabi Games Kit Day and the athletes got to meet Jason Smythe (centre)

Following the Jewish New Year, we held a successful fundraising breakfast with Sir Martin Sorrell in October 2015. The event, at the offices of Berwin Leighton Paisner in London’s Financial District, was overseen by Sky News Presenter Samantha Simmons and included a Question & Answer session, plus an appeal for the Maccabi GB Challenge Israel Tour – for young members of the Community with learning difficulties. The year concluded with the Maccabi GB Sports Awards 2015 – recognising the achievements of Jewish sportspeople and teams across the Community and beyond. Over 40 nominations were cast online before a select judging panel chose the winners and capped what was a truly incredible 12 months of sport throughout last year.

The Maccabi GB Board with Sky News Presenter, Samantha Simmonds (second left) and Sir Martin Sorrell (middle)

Looking ahead – March 2016 - May 2017 Once an event is over we are always looking forwards to the next one. There are plenty of major events approaching, starting with the Maccabi GB National Table Tennis Championships 2016, which will pit the best Jewish table tennis players in the UK against each other, in April. This will be closely followed by a joint fundraiser with our partners, UJIA, which will give participants the opportunity to spend An Evening with Ben Winston, the famous producer behind One Direction and James Corden who will be interviewed by Heat Magazine Editor, Boyd Hilton. In May members of Maccabi GB will be joining 10,000 Jewish people from around the world during the March of the Living 2016, where participants walk from Auschwitz to Birkenau in memory of those who did the same during the Holocaust. The biggest domestic event of the year will undoubtedly be the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run 2016. Held at Allianz Park Sports Stadium for the third successive year, the MGB CFR will celebrate its 10th Anniversary and has already broken the record for most Jewish charities signed-up (61 to date). The domestic football season concludes with the annual Maccabi GB Macc 5’s – welcoming a selection of teams from U9’s to Masters. Before Team GB’s 13-16-year-olds jet off to America to take part in the JCC Maccabi Games & JCC Maccabi ArtsFest they will be presented with their official kit at the Maccabi GB Kit Day. Following Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we plan to host another Fundraising event with the Maccabi GB Sports Awards 2016 celebrating our Community’s great sporting achievements of the previous year. The start of 2017 will see us host the National Shul Table Tennis League (NSTTL) Championships followed by the Maccabi GB National Table Tennis Championships 2017, bringing the next twelve months full-circle.

SPORT, HEALTH & WELLBEING

Keeping the Community happier and healthier for longer

June 2015 – February 2016 The Maccabi GB Sport, Health & Wellbeing (SHW) Programme continues to encourage the Jewish Community to maintain a healthier, more active lifestyle without putting emphasis on rigorous activity and it has rapidly become a cornerstone of our work. From June 2015 to February of this year we hosted a number of SHW events, which all catered for different audiences. Following on from the success of the regular Maccabi GB Walking Club, we created our very own bespoke Maccabi GB Jewish Walking Tours of London, each one designed to guide participants around a different part of London, learning about Jewish history and culture around the capital, whilst exercising and making new, Jewish friends. Of these, we hosted four in the last nine months which explored the upmarket history of Mayfair in July 2015, a Jewish Cemetery (around Halloween), communal roots in East London in November and the Jewish influences behind the City of London’s iconic buildings in March of this year.

A Maccabi GB Jewish Walking Tour of London Group

Maccabi GB’s Weekly Sports Clubs are the perfect example of Jewish participants utilising Sport, Health & Wellbeing to stay active. Maccabi GB Table Tennis is incredibly popular and their ‘conveyor-belt’ of talent has seen junior members go on to represent the Senior Team in the local league – where they won the title in 2015 for the second consecutive season - as well as Team GB at international, Jewish Sports Tournaments. Maccabi GB Badminton Club also welcomes a number of passionate players every week and our partnership with Hendon Joggers allows us to host a Weekly Running Club with Hendon Joggers for keen runners of all fitness levels. Thanks to SHW, we have been able to create ties with other communal organisations allowing us to extend our reach further than ever before (something which we will explore later in this Report). Our partnership with Jewish Care saw us host the second ‘Bowls on the Lawn’ day. The taster event, at Woodcock Park Lawn Bowls Club in July, was for any age and any ability and saw 20 participants learn the sport in a social setting. Our close ties with Chai Cancer Care have evolved by MGB running a

weekly Walking Group for their clients. Another partnership event over the summer was Footgolf with Boys Town Jerusalem. 50 players enjoyed an afternoon of leisurely sport which mirrors golf, but replacing golf balls with footballs and golf clubs with a player’s foot! The day was an incredible success and underlines our belief that staying active does not need to involve sweating in a gym or running round a sporting arena.

Participants get ready for the BTJ & MGB Footgolf event

Our Sports Coordinators have helped ensure that SHW reached all corners of the Country. Over the summer we ran a unique ‘Mini-Maccabiah Games’ for 90 participants from Redbridge JCC and Chigwell Maccabi at Skeet House, ensuring that our Community’s young people stayed active during the school holidays. Our Northern Sports Coordinator ran activity sessions for young members of the Jewish Community at MGB @ The Zone in Leeds, whilst September saw the return of tailored exercise classes provided by Maccabi GB to elderly Jewish Care residents. The classes, which we were able to put on due to funding received from the Mayor’s Fund (a grant for charities in London), saw MGB engaging 30 people in the first sessions. Looking ahead – March 2016 - May 2017 With the Maccabi GB ‘Sport, Health & Wellbeing’ Programme well-established, we have a number of other initiatives planned this year which will see it evolve and grow in equal measure. These include more Maccabi GB Jewish Walking Tours (with the next one in May) and the annual Maccabi GB Community Dog Walk, where members of the Community get active using their pets as inspiration. There will also be another Lawn Bowls Taster, which is always incredibly popular, and a brand new Maccabi GB Bridge which will give participants a chance to exercise their brains as part of the Sport, Health & Wellbeing initiative.

COMMUNITY SPORTS PROGRAMME

All ages, all abilities June 2015 – February 2016 Where Sport, Health & Wellbeing finds any way for members of the Community to remain active and healthy, our Community Sports Programme provides specific sporting outlets for participants to play regardless of their age or ability. These Community Sports Days engaged a variety of demographics across the Community from June 2015-February 2016. They engaged both seasoned and novice sportspeople alike, bringing them together to play sport. The year 2015 ended with the fantastic Community Ice Skating Day – an event which hosted 20 participants from one of our Affiliate organisations, Langdon, alongside families and friends who wanted to take part in a fun, active winter activity. January brought with it one of our newest Community Sports Days – the MGB 3-v-3 Streetball Tournament - where 30 participants took part in a competition based upon the smaller-version of Basketball. Hosting such a unique and fresh event gave us the opportunity to engage members of the Community which we had not reached previously. The National Shuls Table Tennis League (NSTTL) had a new twist this year as we welcomed 60 players for a day of ping pong at the London Academy in February. As well as the always-entertaining competition, we held the first ever free Maccabi GB Table Tennis Fun Zone. With a specific area designated to those of any age and any ability who wanted to turn up and play, without the competitiveness of the NSTTL, the initiative proved to be incredibly popular and saw a range of attendees - Some were as young as 3-years-old, playing with their dad, whilst other players were over 80, showing the popularity of the sport within the Community.

The Maccabi GB Table Tennis Fun Zone ran simultaneously with the NSTTL Chmpionships

Looking ahead – March 2016 - May 2017 We have already held one of our most popular Community Sports Days this year when 130 participants took part in Maccabi GB Community Netball this March. Jewish females of all ages and differing abilities formed a record twelve teams and took part in a tournament. Despite its competitive edge, the event was run in friendly spirits and it was incredibly rewarding to witness national level athletes on the same court as netballers who were picking up a ball for the first time since Secondary School. The event was in celebration of International Women’s Day 2016 and partnered with Sport England campaign, ‘THIS GIRL CAN’. To mark the occasion we added an extra ‘Sport, Health & Wellbeing’ element to proceedings by hosting a Health & Wellbeing Hub for the women, which included a Nutritionist, Health Expert, Physiotherapist and Personal Trainer. Community Badminton, at Hendon Leisure Centre in April, will see 40 attendees play in Singles and Doubles competitions in a fun and welcoming environment. As the summer sun returns to the UK, with it brings a number of outside events. The first ever Maccabi GB Golf Invitational will combine a sold out golf tournament for 20 teams with an opportunity to raise funds for MGB’s numerous programmes, projects and events. The day is expected to welcome 100 people. This will closely be followed by the return of the increasingly-popular Community Lawn Bowls Day. The end of 2016 will see us host the annual, and always popular, Maccabi GB Community Ice Skating. Our calendar of popular events begins again at the start of 2017 and will combine a combination of newer sports with the aforementioned Community Table Tennis, Netball, Badminton, 3-v-3 Streetball and more.

SCHOOL SPORTS PROGRAMME

Introducing a passion for sport from a young age June 2015 – February 2016 Jewish sport at grassroots level has always been strong. We are incredibly proud to say that, thanks to our work in attracting more Jewish young people to play sport, it has risen to another level. The numbers speak for themselves: We continue to engage 1,300 young people each week across the whole School Sports Programme. Since June we have delivered 1,320 separate PE Curriculum lessons & sports clubs and held 22 School Sports Tournaments which engaged 3,000 young athletes in total. During this time we hosted some of the largest Jewish School Sports Tournaments in our history with multiple Primary School Girls Football events welcoming over 250 young athletes each time, Netball competitions so large we now have to split the teams into two separate events and Primary School Boys Football Tournaments which feature more teams than the FIFA World Cup. These were just some of the highlights. We also held annual events such as the Simchat Hamayim Swimming Gala and Secondary Schools Track & Field Day, both of which catered for over 500 athletes. Away from the Schools, but catering for the same age groups, we held our latest Sports Clinic at Maccabi GB @ Kulanu in February 2016. This gave our Community’s young people a chance to remain active during the School Holidays whilst trying out, or honing skills in, their favourite sports. This will be explored later in this Report.

Maccabi GB Primary School Boys Football Tournament

The MGB Northern Sports Coordinator mirrored our Southern activity in the North of the UK during this time and regularly engaged over 130 young people each week via tailored sport and exercises sessions at The Zone in Leeds. He also worked on communal events at Manchester Maccabi and in regional schools providing similar activity. As impressive as these figures are, these sports tournaments are about more than just the numbers. Maccabi GB is responsible for coaching our Community’s future sports stars, encouraging a healthy lifestyle in Anglo-Jewry’s youth and bringing together thousands of Jewish boys and girls in a friendly, non-judgmental and integrated environment.

Maccabi GB Primary School Girls Netball Tournament

A new initiative began at the start of 2016 and has skyrocketed in popularity. Girls Football Development Sessions sees 20 young footballers sell-out the sessions on a fortnightly basis to receive top-class coaching from a Maccabi GB, FA-qualified female coach. The girls’ progress has been evident as their parents, teachers and classmates have noticed their improved skills at Maccabi GB School Sports Tournaments. Looking ahead – March 2016 - May 2017 One thing that is guaranteed is that Maccabi GB will always be at the forefront of providing the Community’s young people with sporting opportunities. Our PE Curriculum Lessons and Sports Clubs have been a regular occurrence during the Schools’ Spring Terms and will continue through to July 2016 and the end of the Academic Year. There are also numerous School Sports Tournaments for all ages and Sports Clinics planned throughout the year at Maccabi GB @ Kulanu. By May 2017, over 10,000 school children will have played a School Sport organised and run by us. Our goal is to develop sport at a young age and nurture it so that athletes can eventually represent Team GB at future International Games.

ISRAEL

Maintaining our connection with Israel June 2015 – February 2016 Maccabi GB’s ties with our International Jewish Communities will always remain strong and we remain in regular contact with Maccabi World Union (MWU), the European Maccabi Confederation (EMC) and other Territorial Organisations (TOs). In June 2015 Senior Leaders and representatives from Maccabi GB were present at the Maccabi World Union Plenum and Future Leaders' Forum (FLF), alongside 220 delegates from 36 Maccabi TO’s. Whilst there, they attended a number of lectures, talks and presentations from special guest speakers including Maccabi World Union President, Leo-Dan Bensky. There were a number of important announcements made regarding members of MGB; There were some important announcements made regarding members of Maccabi GB: Stuart Lustigman stepped down from his role as long-standing European Maccabi Confederation (EMC) President and received the 'Award of Recognition for Outstanding Leadership for the Maccabi Movement in Europe' by the EMC; Maccabi GB Chairman, Michael Ziff, was appointed an Independent International Sports Committee (ISC) Inspector of Cricket at the 20th Maccabiah Games; David Pinnick, Maccabi GB joint-Vice Chairman, was appointed Chairman of 20th Maccabiah Games Committee for Juniors and Education; Stuart Greenberg was appointed as Chairman of the 20th Maccabiah Games Committee for Masters; and Daniel Collins, Maccabi GB joint-Vice Chairman, began his role as an ISC Member. Maccabi GB also delivered a presentation alongside Maccabi Hungary on the respective countries' Community Fun Runs. There was also another presentation delivered by Maccabi GB and Streetwise during the International Education Committee Meeting. Perhaps one of the most anticipated announcements was the launch of the 20th Maccabiah Games logo. During the FLF our young representatives were part of an 85-strong group made up of their peers from around the world. During the seminar they had the opportunity to hear from a number of 'TED' speakers including Olympic Gold Medallist, Garrett Webber-Gale, and took part in a discussion on the future of the FLF. There was also a presentation delivered by Maccabi GB and Streetwise on Internet Safety. The European Maccabi Confederation (EMC) Congress 2015 was held in November 2015 and hosted by Maccabi VAC Hungary in Budapest. During the Congress the Delegations voted that the European Maccabi Games 2019 (EMG) would be held in Budapest. As well as the events for the Senior Delegates,

the aforementioned FLF is an opportunity for Maccabi’s young leaders to meet, go on tailored field trips, receive insightful and groundbreaking talks from guest speakers and share ideas as to what makes their respective TO’s successful. In October a group of 66 people – both players and spectators – travelled to Israel for the annual Maccabi GB Lawn Bowls Tour of Israel. Whilst there the group, organised and led by Maccabi GB Vice President Stuart Lustigman, played a number of matches around the country at 6 Lawn Bowls Clubs whilst also visiting the IDF, a number of attractions and charitable projects.

Maccabi GB Lawn Bowls Tour to Israel

We ended 2016 by welcoming a group of Israeli teens from Maccabi Tzair to the UK for the 71st Maccabi GB Chanukah Torch Relay. Over ten days the Israeli representatives toured the UK visiting Schools, Nurseries, Clubs and Care Homes teaching about the meaning of Chanukah engaging over 3,000 people nationwide.

Maccabi Tzair Chanukah Torch Relay 2015

Looking ahead – March 2016 - May 2017 Maccabi GB always ensures that there are strong links between the Jewish communities of Great Britain and Israel, arranging tailored tours between the two nations throughout the year. We are looking forward to the annual MWU Plenum and Future Leaders Forum (FLF) in May 2016 which members of our Senior Team and young representatives will be attending respectively. September 2016 will also see the return of the Maccabi GB Challenge Israel Tour. The biennial trip – part of Maccabi GB’s ‘Challenge Programme’ - will take a group of young, Jewish people with learning disabilities on a 10-day journey around Israel where they will experience many cultural, historical, social and Jewish experiences that one would find on a ‘Standard’ Israel Tour. This tour incorporates elements which include a physical challenge for the participants each. Also in September, a sold-out group of Lawn Bowlers will take part in the Maccabi GB Lawn Bowls Association Israel Tour. The annual event will see participants of all abilities travel around the country playing matches, taking part in a number of cultural and political talks, as well as visiting historical and religious sites and engaging in charitable causes. This will be followed in November by the Maccabi Masters Football League Israel Tour, which follows a similar format but is for over 35-year-olds who play in the weekly Jewish Football Leagues. What is pleasing about these tours is that, often, they attract participants who have never or rarely been to the Holy Land before. We will also be delighted to welcome back to the UK the 72nd Maccabi GB and Maccabi Tzair Chanukah Torch Relay in December for another fantastic tour around the UK teaching British Jewry about the meaning of Chanukah.

STREETWISE AND LEADERSHIP

Inspiring confidence inside and out June 2015 – February 2016 Streetwise – a partnership between Maccabi GB and the CST – has undoubtedly established itself as one of the most important educational organisations within the Community. Having engaged over 22,000 young people in a record-breaking year throughout the whole of 2015, they remain the only Jewish organisation to offer a variety of programmes on National Curriculum subjects of PSHE (Personal Social Health & Economic Education) and SRE (Sex & Relationships Education). These are delivered to 55 Jewish and non-Jewish Primary and Secondary Schools and 33 community organisations nationwide. In June 2015, Streetwise engaged 1,000 young people in SRE Education sessions across 10 Jewish School. As part of their Personal Safety and Personal Development education, the latest Antisemitism Workshop was run in Manchester, following similarly successful Workshops created and run throughout the last eighteen months. This one engaged 26 young people as the first of its kind in the region. In the same month, at the end of the 2014/2015 Academic Year we reached over 70 young people in Secondary Schools who graduated from the year-long Alan Senitt Community Leadership Programme – an interfaith programme which is managed and facilitated by Streetwise - during a special ceremony.

In July, Streetwise engaged 1,500 Year 6 Pupils in the campaign designed to prepare young people in their Transition to Secondary School. Additionally, they engaged 1,500 young people across five schools during their SRE Programme, educating pupils on topics including puberty. Also, throughout the summer, Streetwise visited a number of Summer Camps and Schemes run by youth movements to educate attendees on Antisemitism, Internet Safety and Personal Development.

A Streetwise session being run

From the start of the 2015/2016 Academic Year in September, we reached over 6,000 young people in both Primary and Secondary Schools as part of National Anti-Bullying Week, making it one of the biggest projects of the year. Streetwise also reached an important milestone, celebrating its 10th year of “inspiring confidence inside and out” within our Community’s young people. The occasion was marked by an Anniversary Evening in December which welcomed a number of dignitaries, patrons and past participants of Streetwise’s fantastic work. The event included talks from key speakers – including Maccabi GB Chairman, David Pinnick, and CST trustee, Lisa Ronson - and an exhibition of the organisation’s history and achievements.

(Left to right) Maccabi GB President, Michael Ziff, CST trustee Lisa Ronson and Maccabi GB Chairman, David Pinnick

Since the turn of the year there have been a number of programmes which has seen Streetwise engage over 7,000 young people across the UK. The end of February saw one particularly successful week standout, as the Safer Internet Campaign helped the team guide over 1,700 young people and their parents on how to stay safe online. The aforementioned programmes and events are just a handful of the many that Streetwise delivers and underlines how crucial they are in the development of Jewish young people. Leadership by Streetwise As important as Streetwise is in shaping the development of young, Jewish people, ‘Leadership by Streetwise’ is crucial in moulding our Community’s next generation of leaders. It is a unique four-year-course that gives participants training and qualifications nationally accredited by Sports Leaders UK and is a key part of the work delivered by Streetwise and Maccabi GB. For the 2014/15 Leadership Year, 82 young people took part in the last of their residential weekends and ‘Hands-on Events’, where the participants put their training into action by running sports activities for Summer Camp participants or helping in the running of the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run. The culmination of the course was a Graduation Ceremony. Such is the popularity of ‘Leadership’ that it has grown from 64 participants in 2011 to 100 for the current 2015/2016 year.

Leadership by Streetwise Graduation Weekend

Looking ahead In addition to the classes, seminars, programmes and campaigns that Streetwise will be running throughout the year, particular mentions must go to the start of the Academic Year and the Anti-Bullying Week Campaign and additional Anti-Semitism Workshops across the UK; Streetwise will also be hosting a number of assemblies dealing with Body Image and Gender Discrimination and will start an exciting project on interfaith work in schools. The Leadership by Streetwise 2015/2016 Year will continue in April and May with the next ‘Hand’s-On Events’ and residential weekends before the participants get ready for the hotly-anticipated graduation weekend in the summer of 2016. A new Programme begins again with the Bogrim Planning Shabbaton Weekend in November with 20 attendees expected; whilst a seminar weekend launching the start of Leadership by Streetwise 2016/2017 Year is being held in December 2016 with 110 young participants expected.

MACCABI GB @ KULANU

Providing the Community with even more sporting outlets June 2015 – February 2016 Maccabi GB has overseen the day-to-day running of the Kulanu Jewish Sport and Community Centre in Kenton since January 2015. Now ‘Maccabi GB @ Kulanu’, the centre has been used for a number of events allowing us to expand the programmes we provide and where we provide them. Since June 2015 there have been a regular stream of events and weekly clubs at the venue. It hosted two Half Term Table Tennis Clinics for 66 participants, welcomed 50 participants of an Ezra Shabbaton, hosted a British Friends of the Israeli War Disabled fundraising event for 75 people and has engaged over 150 people as a meeting and planning venue for parents, Managers and the Organising Committee of Team Maccabi GB’s European Maccabi Games 2015 preparation. The Team Maccabi GB JCC Maccabi Games 2015 Kit Day took place in July, where 150 people were present as the squad were given their official kit. Streetwise ran two sessions for a total of 40 people, including a Transition to Secondary School session and a Leadership by Streetwise Planning Day.

The centre has been used as a crucial tool to expand our reach within the Community and create partnerships across communal organisations of all sectors. Hasmonean Girls, Bnei Akiva, FZY and Movilim held additional Shabbatons over the summer of 2015 and there have also been events, fundraisers and seminars hosted by the likes of London Maccabi Vale and British Friends of the Israeli War Disabled.

JCC Maccabi Games Kit Day at Maccabi GB @ Kulanu

At the end of 2015, we were delighted to host the inaugural Maccabi GB Inter-charity Quiz for a number of Jewish charities, highlighting the importance in the venue in our ability to bring the Community together. MGB @ Kulanu has created links with the likes of England Netball and Spencer Stage School allowing them to host their weekly clubs at the centre. We also began a partnership with Stars Nursery at the beginning of 2016 which sees a weekly nursery held in the building for members of the Community and their young children. All of these partnerships are run alongside additional independent football, table tennis, netball and basketball groups who meet at Maccabi GB @ Kulanu on a weekly basis. Maccabi GB @ Kulanu is closely tied in with our School Sports Programme and regularly holds Sports Clinics during the school holidays so that our Community’s young people can remain active, improve their skills, receive top class coaching and meet other young, Jewish people their age. February 2016 saw us hold a Table Tennis Clinic for 40 participants which sold out both days of the clinics. Maccabi GB @ Kulanu is open for use to the wider Community with the goal of making it the hub for Jewish sport, health & wellbeing and beyond, underlining the centre’s versatility and use as a communal venue.

Maccabi GB Half Term Table Tennis Clinic in Maccabi GB @ Kulanu

Looking ahead – March 2016 - May 2017 Maccabi GB @ Kulanu will play a pivotal role in our programmes and events, with Stars Nursary continuing to grow further, a number of Day Camps and more Sports Clinics being held at the Kenton site. The next Sports Clinic will be held in April 2016 as Year 5-8 pupils will be able to choose between Table Tennis or Girls Football in four days of sport over the Pesach School Holidays.

PARTNERSHIPS Helping to build a strong, unified Community

January 2015 – March 2015 Developing and maintaining communal partnerships is an important part of what Maccabi GB does as we aim to reach more Jewish people than ever before. As well as the previously highlighted partnership events with Boys Town Jerusalem and Jewish Care, following last year’s initial partnership with Chai Cancer Care, this year we have seen MGB to continue to provide Chai’s clients with regular walking groups. Other examples of partnerships we have developed in 2015 include running a ‘mini-Maccabiah’ for Redbridge JCC Summer Camp in August, holding a Beach Sports Day at JW3 for Camp Simcha participants and hosting monthly sports clubs for Langdon clients. We were proud to join a number of partners as part of Mitzvah Day 2015 last October. For the ‘communal day of social action’ MGB and KitAid led a second-hand kit drive around the UK for unwanted sports kit to be donated to impoverished families around the world. We also delivered an integrated football session for Kisharon and Langdon clients with learning difficulties. A unique partnership project began in January 2016 with Step by Step to create the Maccabi GB Cycle

Club for 16 young, Jewish people with physical and learning disabilities. The partnership saw MGB support a Government grant which provided Step by Step clients facilities to hold regular cycling sessions at the Lee Valley Velodrome at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The Bowls on the Lawn group

Maintaining strong links to our affiliates, Chigwell Maccabi held an enjoyable and unique 'Inbetweeners Fun Day’, where young people ran programmes and organised a Fun Day, Quiz and Indoor BBQ for 100 people. Manchester Maccabi has had an incredibly busy quarter, taking more centre bookings than ever before (for Simchas and sporting events) and hosting 90 lunches a week in their new cafeteria, which is accessible to the Community. Maccabi London Brady (MLB) has hosted a very successful MLB February Camp, giving participants a choice to spend their day playing football or taking part in the multi-activity zone whilst also incorporating in a trip to ‘Kidzania’ Play Centre. The Maccabi Football Leagues continue to remain a central part of Jewish, sporting life for hundreds of players of all ages. Our sponsorship with the Maccabi GB Southern Football League (MGBSFL) is thriving, as is our new sponsorship of the Maccabi GB Junior Football League (MGBJFL) – engaging over 500 young footballers each week. We also maintain tight bonds with the Maccabi Masters Football League and Manchester Jewish Soccer League. Mentions, also, must go to Brady Maccabi, Catford & Bromley Maccabi, HMH, Langdon Foundation, Leicester Maccabi, Maccabi GB Cricket, Maccabi GB Table Tennis, Maccabi GB Netball, Maccabi GB Ten Pin Bowling, Maccabi Lawn Bowls and Maccabi Track & Field. Looking ahead Partnership work for the future includes our participation in the Yom Hashoah as part of the ‘Biggest Memorial Ceremony to the Holocaust in the UK’, hosting a Tribe-a-side Football Tournament with Tribe UK, attending a number of fundraising telethons for UJIA and our annual Second-hand Kit Drive as part of Mitzvah Day 2016.

SUMMARY

Building on what we offer Maccabi GB is incredibly proud of our actions and achievements in 2015 and into 2016. The programmes you have read about bode well for the future of our organisation and sport, health & wellbeing in the Jewish Community as a whole. Our Community Sports Programme will always provide an outlet for participants to play a variety of sports in an inclusive and non-judgmental environment; Sport, Health and Wellbeing will find innovative and engaging ways to keep Jewish people active longer into their lives; we have held some fantastic major events and have more planned, including the 10th Anniversary of the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run, where we will be looking to welcome even more participants and charities and break even more records than ever before. The School Sports Programme continues to provide the best coaching for our Community’s young sports enthusiasts whilst bringing together hundreds of Jewish players throughout the year in School Tournaments. Streetwise and Leadership will continue to inspire confidence and personal development to young people whilst also molding the next generation of communal Leaders. Team GB will fly the flag for Anglo-Jewry on the international stage, as we did last year with the EMG, JCC and Pan-American Maccabi Games, and as we intend to do during the upcoming EMFT, JCC Maccabi Games 2016 and the 20th Maccabiah Games. The organisation will work tirelessly to build strong connections with our communal partners, members of the Community with disabilities and the State of Israel. These incorporate the Maccabi Tzair Chanukah Torch Relay, the Maccabi Challenge Israel Tour and the aforementioned Maccabiah Games. A healthier Community is a happier Community. It is a Community which continues to thrive, continues to connect and continues to hold strong bonds to one another and to Israel. Maccabi GB will always look to be part of that fabric, responsible for helping Britain’s Jewish Community take the next step to being healthier, living longer and doing it together.