From 30.05. - 03.06.2018 the first MAKKABI Germany Junior Games took place in Munich.
Participants in this event were Jewish and non-Jewish young athletes with and without health impairments from the Maccabi local clubs between the ages of 12 and 18 from all over Germany, from the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland, so that our goal, to live the European idea and to present Germany as an international sophisticated host has been fully achieved. A group of around 200 participants was expected, with a total of almost 400 participants, including over 300 athletes, around 30 volunteers and Head of Sports for the individual sports, trainers and supervisors for each team, MAKKABI Germany presidium and organizational team, security team, media team, rabbis and survivors of the Munich attack during the 1972 Olympic Games was far surpassed.
The young people were accommodated in two hotels (B&B, Ibis Budget) close to the Maccabi Munich sports facility, which could be reached on foot from there. Parts of the presidium, the security team, the survivors of the 72 Olympics attack and the rabbi's family stayed in other hotels.
The milky breakfast was taken in the hotels.
Lunch and dinner, Israeli (but not kosher) style, were catered and served buffet style. Kosher meals could be ordered in advance and were also available. Drinks were always available. Snacks and fruit were offered between the main meals.
competitions:
The young people could register for eight sports: football, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, fencing, tennis, chess and e-sports. All sports could be carried out. Among the athletes were participants with physical and mental disabilities, who were easily integrated into the teams.
Venues were the sports facilities of Maccabi Munich (soccer, basketball, volleyball, fencing, tennis, e-sports). Table tennis and basketball took place during the preliminary round at the Municipal Vocational School in Munich, while the finals were also played at the Maccabi Munich sports facility. Chess took place in the Hotel Prinzregent.
Played in tournament mode. The athletes were divided at the age of 12-15 years and 16-18 years in the tournaments in order to distribute the level of performance fairly. The game was played over three days of competition. Each sport had a Head of Sport (tournament director) to coordinate the competitions and to be there as a direct contact for the participants. The three best players or teams were awarded medals at the end and each participant received a certificate as a reminder of the Junior Games.
Framework program:
In addition to the sporting offer, there was an extensive supporting program. The youngsters could try their hand at archery, climbing, bungee jumping, chess, table tennis, etc. at various stations. There was also a bouncy castle, a large slide and rodeo riding. Board games can also be borrowed.
Various workshops were offered during the Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, on which, among other things, working and competitions are prohibited: functional and fascia training, yoga, first aid, dancing, being Jewish in public, exchange with the two survivors of the Holocaust and the Olympic attack and communication training. All workshops were led by experts and attended in changing groups throughout the day.
Rabbi Bergauz from Munich led the Kabalat Shabbat (the Shabbat begins on Friday evening) and the morning prayer on Saturday. Anyone could take part in the celebrations, regardless of religious affiliation.
The highlight of the supporting program was the ceremony to commemorate the victims of the terrorist attack during the 1972 Olympic Games. Unfortunately, there was a severe storm that day, so that the celebrations had to be carried out in an improvised form with a slight delay. Guests of honor were two survivors of the assassination, Prof. Shaul Ladany and Mr. Gad Tsabari. Prof. Ladany reported to those present in detail about the events of that time as part of the greetings. Mr. Tsabari was recounting his personal history just outside the apartment building on Conolly Street where the assassination took place. At the end there was a wreath-laying ceremony at the new monument in the Olympic Park.
Jewishness:
The idea of this intercultural event was to make Judaism with its rituals and traditions recognizable and tangible. For many Jewish athletes, especially when they are young, Maccabi is the only point of contact with their religion. In addition, the proportion of non-Jewish athletes in the local clubs is sometimes very high. These members wear the Star of David on their jerseys as a matter of course and are sometimes exposed to rude anti-Semitic attacks.
By celebrating the Shabbat together with its rituals, prayers, songs and dances, we were able to convey that everyone is invited to participate and take part - at the Junior Games and in the local groups.
This happy togetherness was interrupted by an emotional and of course depressing commemoration ceremony for the 72 Olympics. Many children were completely unaware of this event, almost all children at least in these details and reported above all by eyewitnesses. We were very moved and impressed by the children's interest and sympathy, which was taken up and confirmed again during the subsequent workshop conducted by Prof. Ladany.
Among the participants there were also Muslims who were celebrating Ramadan at the time of the Junior Games and still took part in all sporting and other activities. This also shows the character of the event, which was held under the motto of fairness, community, tolerance and friendship.