Jewish winter sports festival: “Maccabi connects across borders”

The winter games of the international Jewish sports movement Makkabi begin in Ruhpolding. These are the first “WinterGames” in almost 90 years and the first ever in Germany. Foreign Minister Baerbock paid tribute to the tournament.

At the start of the winter games of the Jewish sports club Makkabi Germany, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock paid tribute to the tournament. In addition to sport, the games in Ruhpolding, Bavaria, are also a “celebration of Jewish culture and identity,” explained Baerbock on Instagram. Maccabi connects across borders.

The tournament is a “figurehead for Jewish life in Germany,” emphasized the President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster. He wishes all participants that a sense of community may last for a long time.

“For the first time since 1936, a tradition is being revived here,” said the chairman of the organizing committee, Alfi Goldenberg. According to Makkabi, Jewish “Winter Games” took place in Poland in 1933 and in what was then Czechoslovakia in 1936. Even then, the National Socialists were in power. A few years later, war and the Holocaust made the Maccabi Games impossible.

400 participants and volunteers from 20 countries

In addition to Schuster, Charlotte Knobloch, President of the Jewish Community in Munich, and Justus Pfeifer, Mayor of Ruhpolding, announced their attendance at the opening ceremony in the evening. “I expect an exchange of Jewish culture and our village community – our village, Bavarian culture,” said Pfeifer before the opening.

Anyone who is a member of one of the worldwide Jewish Maccabi sports clubs can take part in the current Winter Games in Ruhpolding, regardless of religion or nationality. Almost 400 participants and volunteers from 20 countries are expected by January 9th. They come from Australia, Israel, Ukraine and the USA, among others. As the host country, Germany has the largest team.

Ski competitions due to lack of snow in Kitzbühel

Competitions at different levels are planned – figure skating and curling in Ruhpolding. Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snow volleyball will be held in Kitzbühel, Austria, due to a lack of snow.

There will also be an extensive supporting program in which the residents of Ruhpolding will also be involved. Manfred Lämmer from the German Sports University in Cologne and Holocaust survivor Shaul Ladany from Israel want to give lectures on the Maccabi movement and the 1972 Olympic assassination in Munich. A closing ceremony and honoring of the most successful athletes will take place on January 8th.