	<a href='/ads/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a37fd82e&cb=582193' target='_blank'><img src='/ads/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=2&cb=582193&n=a37fd82e' border='0' alt='' /></a>	RSS Twitter Facebook Archives Subscribe S & P About
	THE JEWISH CHRONICLE ONLINE	RSS Twitter Facebook Archives Subscribe S & P About

Olympics

London Olympics put the spotlight on local rabbis

By Jessica Elgot, December 29, 2011

Local rabbis will feature prominently within the contingent of 2012 Olympic Jewish chaplains with four rabbis from Redbridge working with Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

The quartet from Redbridge and Essex include official Olympic chaplains, Reverend Gary Newman, from Newbury Park United Synagogue; Rabbi Richard Jacobi, from Woodford Liberal Synagogue; and Rabbi Moshe Muller from Chabad.

Israelis going for 2012 gold

November 24, 2011

The Olympic Committee of Israel has tough qualification criteria for the 2012 Olympics, but is hoping to bring between 40 and 50 athletes. The Israelis have strong competitors in windsurfing, gymnastics and judo.
Top prospects are judo champion Alice Shlesinger, tennis player Shahar Peer, gymnast Alex Shatilov and sailing team Era Sela and Gidi Klinger.

Brits funding Israeli Olympic bid

November 24, 2011

A coalition of British and international multi-millionaires have pledged financial support to the Israeli Olympic team, hoping success at the 2012 London Games will enhance the country's image.

Kyte plays down concerns over 2013 Maccabiah

By Danny Caro, October 6, 2011

Athletes should not be put off applying for the 2013 Maccabiah Games as a result of spiralling costs.

That is the view of David Kyte, the head of delegation for Team GB, after a major price increase of £1,155 per athlete from the 2009 Jewish Olympics was announced.

Zinger reveals 2012 medal hopes

By James Martin, October 6, 2011

The head of Israel's National Olympic Committee is hoping his squad for London 2012 will produce the first female medallist for 20 years.

Efraim Zinger is also targeting a medal in a sport other than windsurfing or judo for the first time.

Zinger, a former Jewish Agency emissary to Boston, has headed the committee since 1995.

Wonder kids are flying the flag

By Danny Caro, September 22, 2011

The array of talent lining up at Sunday's Maccabi GB Sports Awards is quite staggering.

Maccabi on board for Olympics

August 11, 2011

Maccabi GB has become the first charity in the Jewish community to be granted the Inspire Mark - the badge of the London 2012 Inspire Programme - for their sports tournaments and clubs.

The programme recognises innovative and exceptional projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Seb Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralymp

Olympic call

By David Gold, August 4, 2011

Two more Israelis have qualified for the London 2012 Olympic Games after excelling at the World Swimming Championships in Shanghai.

Teenager Yakov Toumarkin, the European Junior Gold medallist, broke the Israeli record in the 200m backstroke. Gal Nevo also secured his berth in the 200m individual medley.

Meanwhile, Adam Warner finished runner-up at the annual pier to pier race in Brighton.

Confident Goodman on the up

By Brian Sacks, August 4, 2011

Richard Goodman, 18, trimmed his 1,500m PB to 3:45.66 in the qualifying round at the Aviva Senior World Trials in Birmingham.

His performance demonstrated his renewed confidence and raised him to fourth in the UK Under 20 rankings for the distance.

Goodman said: "Although, as the fastest non-qualifier, I just missed out on the final, I wasn't disappointed at all in my performance.

I can go all the way, says Paris

By Danny Caro, July 28, 2011

Josh Paris enjoyed his first taste of Olympic competition where he rubbed shoulders with 3,000 elite teenagers from 48 European countries in Turkey this week.

A member of Team GB's 64-man squad, Paris, 15, was selected as one of only two boys in the GB's four-man tennis team at the 11th European Youth Olympics in Trazbon.

Having breezed through the first round of the Boys singles, Paris, car

Bar-Or on track for 2012 Olympics

By David Gold, July 26, 2011

Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or reached the semi-finals of the 200 metres freestyle at the World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, becoming the first Israeli to meet the criteria set for qualification for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Bronze for Olympic hopefuls Kliger and Sela

By Danny Caro, July 22, 2011

Gidi Kliger and Eran Sela took bronze at the European Championships in Helsinki.

The duo, who have ambitions of taking gold in London next year, won silver in the 470 Class in 2010, but could only manage a third place this time around.

Double joy for Israel

June 2, 2011

Israel's Arik Ze'evi and Neta Rivkin have boosted their hopes of participating in next year's Olympic Games in London.

Ze'evi, 34, took gold at judo's Moscow Grand Slam with a victory in the under-100kg competition.

There was controversy in the quarter-finals when, after defeating Ramadan Darwesh, the Egyptian refused to shake Ze'evi's hand.

Nyman on track for 2016 Olympic squad

February 10, 2011

Lara Nyman has been identified as one of three British sportswomen as potential cycling contenders for 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Nyman, 18, was recognised by Paul Manning, who collected a full set of Olympic cycling medals with the men's team pursuit between 2000 and 2008.

Israeli Olympics committee perfectly formed

By Simon Griver, December 16, 2010

The Olympic Committee of Israel (OCI) has published tough qualification criteria for the 2012 Olympics and is confident of bringing home several medals from London.

OCI Secretary General Efraim Zinger said: "We are going to England to win medals and, in order to win, you need tough criteria so you can concentrate limited resources on the more promising medal prospects. The criteria are the same as for Beijing and we expect about 40 Israel sportswomen and men to travel to London."

He wants new (music) tracks for the Olympics

By Anne Joseph, December 10, 2010

Asked to consider what he thinks has been his most significant achievement as an arts benefactor, former GP Dr David Cohen pauses for a moment before choosing his answer carefully. Then, without a shred of pomposity or fanfare, he explains that he has actually just returned from the launch of New Music 20x12 - a programme designed to put new music centre stage of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. "We're doing something which I think is giving us a feeling of satisfaction," he says.

Faith helps for 2012 London Olympics

By Jessica Elgot, September 21, 2010

The capital's rabbis have been called up to volunteer as Jewish chaplains for Olympic athletes at the London 2012 Games.

Jewish chaplains will be recruited for the Games to support the religious needs of athletes and visitors to the Olympic site. Many rabbis in the Redbridge community, close to the Stratford site, have already expressed interest in the positions.

Rabbi Richard Jacobi of Woodford Liberal synagogue said: "I'm certainly discussing doing it. It's important
to show our hospitality to everyone who visits for the Olympics and Paralympics.

Munich victims snubbed

July 30, 2010

Israel's IOC delegate has confirmed there will not be a memorial for the Munich massacre victims at the opening ceremony of London 2012.

Alex Gilady, who is also a member of the IOC's London 2012 Co-ordination Committee, did confirm, however, that the Israel Olympic Committee will be hosting a reception to mark the 40th anniversary in which 11 of the Israeli Olympic delegation were killed during the 1972 Munich Games.

The Olympic kippah for Jewish volunteers

By Marcus Dysch, June 10, 2010

Volunteers at the London 2012 Olympic Games will be offered the chance to wear an "Olympic kippah" as part of their uniform.

The specially-designed yarmulke will form part of the official attire for Jewish members of the 70,000-strong volunteering team.

The London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) has held discussions with representatives of the Jewish community to discuss provisions, including kosher food, which will be needed for Jewish competitors and visitors to the capital.

Munich massacre remembered at 2012 Olympics

By James Martin, March 18, 2010

Sir Keith Mills, deputy chairman of LOCOG, is planning to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Munich Massacre at the London 2012 Olympics.

"We should certainly find a way of incorporating a commemoration into the Games. Not just in memory of those who were killed but also for the victims of other tragedies, such as the terrorist act at Atlanta," said Sir Keith, who admitted "the details still need to be discussed".