36
Friday, June 7, 1985
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
CONGRATULATIONS
STACEY M. COHEN, B.S.
SPORTS
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to send someone a
gift subscription to
On Your Graduation From M.S.U.
THE
JEWISH NEWS?
Love,
Mom
Michigan's Maccabians
Contiwied front preceding page
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physician, who knew the im-
portance of creating the
"muscular Jew," explains
Sheldon.
"In the late 19th Century,
large numbers of Jews in
Eastern Europe and the
Middle East, suffering under
religious oppression, turned
to the development of their
physical powers for their de-
liverance." They formed
self-defense units and gym-
nastic clubs. "to rejuvenate
the muscles of a people de-
voted for centuries to the
study of the Torah."
From the first athletic club
in Constantinople, Turkey,
in 1895, the movement was
soon embraced by Austro-
Hungaria and Germany and
spread rapidly, although not
all clubs took the Maccabi
name. Some were called Bar
Kochba, after another famed
Hebrew warrior. Others were
called Hakoah, after the He-
brew word for "strength." On
the eve of World War I there
were more than 100
Maccabi-style clubs in
Europe.
The Maccabi World Union
was organized in 1921 in
Czechoslovakia, with leader-
ship transferring to Germany
(1g25-35).
"I personally have been
involved over 50 years in the
Maccabi movement," Sheldon
says. "It covered the period
from 1927 through 1938 in
Leipzig and Berlin, Ger-
many, and ... thereafter in
the U.S.A. ... You know
what happened during World
War II in Europe. The entire
European movement died."
Sheldon, who was born in
Germany in 1917 but fled in
the 1930s, says the Maccabi
movement was re-activated
in 1948 with the establish-
ment of the state • of Israel.
The U.S. Committee Sports
For Israel was established in
1950 in New York City and
mainly covered that area. It
had little contact with the
World Union. In 1982, the
committee was relocated in
Philadelphia and formally
joined the World Union.
"The ideals of Maccabi of
90 years ago, a center of
physical; and national educa-
tion of our youth, holds true
to this day in 45 countries,
in approximately 300 Mac-
, cabi clubs or Maccabi-
affiliated organizations,"
Sheldon says. "More than
300,000 members are active.
It is therefore the largest
Jewish youth sports organ-
ization."
A Maccabi Detroit chapter
was established last year,
culminating a 10-year dream
of Sheldon's. This is just the
beginning of America's in-
volvement in the Maccabi
movement, he says.
The large Michigan con-
tingent should help bring at-
tention to the movement in
the area. U.S. participation
is the largest ever.
"For many of these
athletes, the Games repre-
sent the pinnacle of their
careers," says Alan Sherman,
all-sports chairman for the
U.S. Maccabiah Committee
and team captain. "Our ef-
forts are geared to making
the Games two weeks that
these young men and women
remember for a lifetime.
We've pledged to send the
biggest and best-ever U.S.
squad to the games and we
will honor this pledge. We
want as many as possible to
know the Maccabiah experi-
ence." ❑
Jewish-Polish
Task Force Meets
Harold Gales
The National Polish-American
/ Jewish-American Task Force
will meet at St. Mary's College
Orchard Lake Campus Tuesday
from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Harold Gales, national co-
chairman, said the meeting will
examine reactions to the Bit-
burg incident, the activities of
the Office of Special Investiga-
tions, Oberammergau Passion
Play, human rights in Poland,
asylum issues and local de-
velopments.
To attend, call the American
Jewish Committee office, 965-
3353. Luncheon will be served
at the Dombrowski Field House.
Toastmasters Meet
The Jewish Community Cen-
ter's Toastmaster's Club will
meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at
Zadie's Restaurant at the main
Center complex.
For information, call Chair-
man Larry Bissinger, 258-9630;
or the Center, 661-1000, ext.
253.