Year of Purpose, Pride and Progress

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Beyond schools, our grassroots and community sport continued to expand in both scale and diversity. New and growing opportunities from pickleball and padel to 3x3 basketball, tennis and walking football tournaments, ensured that sport was accessible to more people, at more stages of life, than ever before. Our Community Fun Run once again brought together thousands of participants and 99 charities, creating one of the largest and most joyful Jewish communal gatherings in the UK.

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At the international level, our athletes continued to train, compete and represent our community with distinction; following a forced postponement, Team Maccabi GB is readying itself for participation in the Maccabiah Games in Israel next summer. Our delegation to the JCC Maccabi Games demonstrated not only sporting excellence, but also the values that underpin Team Maccabi GB: responsibility, respect and connection to Jewish life. International sport remains a powerful expression of Jewish pride and solidarity, and we continue to invest in pathways that allow athletes of all ages to represent something larger than themselves.

However, Maccabi GB’s work has never been limited to physical activity alone. Education, leadership and responsibility are equally central to our mission, both within the Jewish community and beyond it.

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One of the unavoidable realities of the past year has been the continued struggle facing Jewish communities in Britain and across the world. Rising antisemitic incidents and deeply troubling events, whether closer to home or internationally, have challenged our sense of security and tested communal resilience. Antisemitism is not an abstract concept; it is something Jewish people now encounter directly, in daily life as well as in public spaces.

Maccabi GB does not shy away from this reality, but neither do we allow it to define us. Our response is rooted in education, confidence and calm determination. Through our Tackling Antisemitism in Sport programme, we have worked constructively with the British sporting world, from grassroots organisations to the highest levels of the professional game, helping clubs, governing bodies and matchday staff recognise antisemitism, understand its impact, and respond appropriately. This year culminated in the Tackling Antisemitism in Sport Symposium, bringing together over 120 senior leaders from sport, regulation and civil society to share learning and reinforce a collective commitment to inclusion.

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Alongside this, our Streetwise programme continues to support Jewish youth directly. Delivered to over 23,000 young people in Jewish schools and community organisations, in close partnership with CST, Streetwise focuses on contemporary antisemitism, personal safety and resilience. Through practical workshops, including personal safety awareness and Krav Maga training, young people are equipped not only with knowledge, but with confidence: confidence in who they are, how to stay safe, and how to respond when challenged.

Our educational reach also extends beyond the Jewish community. Through Stand Up! Education Against Discrimination, delivered in mainstream schools by Jewish and Muslim facilitators, we worked with over 17,500 young people of all backgrounds to tackle prejudice and misinformation. The programme addresses discrimination broadly, with a specific focus on antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate, fostering empathy, media literacy and critical thinking. In a divided world, this work is about building understanding early and strengthening the social fabric we all share.

Yet tackling antisemitism is not only about education and response; it is also about affirming Jewish life. Initiatives such as the Chanukah Torch Relay delegation brought light, visibility and joy into Jewish spaces across the country, visiting schools – where they engaged with over 3,000 primary school children, care homes and community settings. In very real ways, the Torch Relay symbolised something essential: that even in difficult moments, Jewish life continues to be lived proudly, publicly and together.

The laughter of children, the warmth of intergenerational connection, and the quiet confidence of shared celebration are themselves acts of resilience. They remind us that Jewish strength is not only found in standing firm, but also in continuing to live fully and visibly as a community.

None of this work happens in isolation. Maccabi GB is, at its core, a partnership; between professionals and volunteers, between trustees and staff, between affiliates and national leadership, and between generations.

I am deeply grateful to our professional team, whose dedication, expertise and commitment transform vision into reality every single day. I also want to thank our trustees, who give their time, experience and thoughtful challenge so generously in service of the charity. Together, they provide the strong foundations that allow Maccabi GB to grow with confidence and integrity.

Our volunteers and affiliates across the country are the lifeblood of Maccabi GB. From coaches and organisers to officials and supporters, your commitment ensures that Maccabi thrives in communities across Britain. This year has shown, more clearly than ever, what is possible when we work together.

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As Chair, I am proud of what we have achieved together. But I am even more excited about what lies ahead. We have a clear strategy, a strong sense of purpose, and a community that believes in what Maccabi GB stands for.

This past year has demonstrated what can be achieved when we act together, guided by our values, our vision and our shared responsibility to one another. Building on this momentum, I am confident that the year ahead will allow us to achieve even more: strengthening Jewish life, supporting our community, and continuing to contribute positively to the society of which we are proud to be a part.

‘A healthy, active and proud Jewish community, integrated within British Society’