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Maccabi Canada takes athletes who are Jewish to Israel, and brings back Jewish athletes.

The more competitive and successful Jewish athletes become, the more immersed they become in the secular world of sports, often distancing themselves from their Jewish roots.

As the only national Jewish sports organization in Canada, Maccabi Canada is able to connect with Jews who are interested in sports, but often are not engaged in Jewish activities.

The Maccabiah Games provide elite Jewish athletes with the framework to meet and compete against other Jewish athletes, and connect to the Land of Israel - often for the first time, nourishing a Jewish spirit that in many cases has been suppressed in the secular environment of leagues and competitive systems.

Maccabi Canada's Azrieli Israel Experience

A Unique Israel Experience for Canada's Junior Athletes ages 15-18

Recognizing the transformative opportunity the experience of the Games presents, Maccabi Canada created a unique Israel Experience for our Junior Athletes. Generously supported by the Azrieli Foundation, and introduced at the 2013 Games, the Azrieli Israel Experience has enabled Maccabi Canada to heighten awareness of Jewish identity, strengthen Jewish bonds, and encourage Jewish pride.

During this 6-day journey of discovery, held prior to the start of the Games and integrated with pre-Games training, Canadian Junior athletes travel to Israel's historic and modern sites, volunteer in Tikkun Olam (repair the world) activities, share in the wonders of the Jewish homeland, and become connected to the beauty of its geography, history and people.

The addition of the Azrieli Israel Experience proved to be overwhelmingly impactful. Significantly, for 45% of the Junior athletes, this was their first trip to Israel. Many Junior athletes ranked the Azrieli Israel Experience as the highlight of their Maccabiah experience.

The intensity and breadth of the Azrieli Israel Experience helps foster a deep bond among participants of the Canadian Junior delegation and creates genuine camaraderie where athletes form life-long, Jewish friendships.

As a result of the Azrieli Israel Experience, many returning athletes become engaged as community leaders and act as ambassadors for the State of Israel, visiting schools, running grass roots programs, and speaking of their experience.

Maccabi for Life Endowment Campaign

Maccabi for Life is a $25 million endowment campaign to ensure the long-term future of Canadian participation at the Maccabiah Games.

Canadian athletes have participated in every Games since Fred Oberlander led the first Canadian delegation of 17 athletes and officials into Ramat Gan Stadium in 1950, when the 3rd Maccabiah Games were held.

Maccabi Canada continues to be committed to enabling as many Canadian athletes as possible to participate in the Games. This is done by raising money to provide coaches and medical staff, and to keep the cost of participation as reasonable as possible for participating athletes. Beyond that, Maccabi Canada also makes additional funds available to those athletes unable to meet the necessary fee requirements.

Without any external grants or funds, Maccabi Canada relies entirely on its fundraising efforts and athlete participation fees. This places tremendous pressure on the organization to raise the necessary funds to ensure a strong Canadian presence at the Games every four years.

The Maccabi for Life campaign is born out of the need to create financial stability for the Games going forward, and to reduce the participation fee for the athletes.

Learn more on how to make the Maccabi for Life campaign a part of your giving at www.maccabicanada.com or call Tali Dubrovsky at 416-398-0515 x202

Maccabi's European and Pan American Games July 2019

Maccabi World Union has become the largest Jewish membership organization in the world, with over 450,000 registered members from more than 400 communities around the world.

It engages thousands of young people through sports. MWU is dedicated to the furthering of sports, Jewish education, and the promotion of Jewish identity and traditions through athletic, cultural, social and educational activities.

Every four years, Maccabi World Union organizes the European Maccabi Games and the Pan American Maccabi Games, held in Europe and in South America.

These Regional games perpetuate and preserve local Jewish communities through athletic competition, creating powerful experiences for Jewish athletes in Diaspora communities.

The next Pan American Maccabi Games will take place in Mexico City, Mexico and the next European Maccabi Games will take place in Budapest, Hungary, both in July, 2019. If you are interested in participating in these games, visit Maccabi Canada’s website for information.

Maccabi Canada’s Local Community Programs

Maccabi Canada continues to evolve into a national movement through its ongoing presence and involvement with Jewish youth across the country, creating a path of engagement with the Jewish world and Jewish continuity through their passion for sport.

This effort is made possible by the commitment of many past Maccabiah Games participants who, out of appreciation for having had the Maccabiah experience, give back to their community by volunteering their time and skills.

This year alone, through various community programs, Maccabiah Alumni helped bring the Maccabi message to well over 20,000 people across Canada.

Maccabi Canada Sports Days led by returning athletes and coaches who serve as role models, offer schools, camps, and other organizations across the country, a day of fun, action, and education on the benefits of leading a healthy, active lifestyle. Participating children have the opportunity to meet, learn, train and be inspired by Maccabi Canada's athlete ambassadors.

Importantly, Maccabi Canada’s Sports Days often connects with people not typically reached by other Jewish channels. Last year alone, Maccabi Canada alumni conducted sports programs that directly engaged and inspired more 5,000 Jewish youth in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Ottawa.