Maccabi GB has started the search to find the top Jewish athletes and teams in the UK.
The Maccabi GB Sports Awards 2015 will recognise the achievements of Anglo-Jewry’s best sportspeople from January this year onwards and only those nominated by the general public will be in contention to win.
This year’s awards will see a number of new categories with the UJIA European Maccabi Games Award looking to acknowledge the achievements of Great Britain’s delegation at the European Maccabi Games 2015 in Berlin and the Sam Bulka Award introduced for the Community’s JCC Maccabi Games 2015 counterparts.
As well as the Awards honouring the top National and Elite athletes, there is also an Award for the top Jewish Sporting School (The Jewish Chronicle School Sports Award of the Year) and a brand new accolade focused around the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run, which will be awarded to a Charity or individual that went above and beyond to raise funds, awareness or inspire at this year’s event.
Maccabi GB CEO Martin Berliner said: "The Maccabi GB Sports Awards is one of the highlights of the Jewish Community’s sporting calendar.
"To recognise the talent, commitment, dedication and achievements of all those involved in Jewish sport over the past year is incredibly important and Maccabi GB is proud to host this event.
"It has been an amazing year for Jewish sportspeople – with the EMG 2015 and JCC Maccabi Games, as well as the record-breaking Maccabi GB Community Fun Run and all the excellent athletes and teams competing week-in, week-out at all levels – so I have a feeling our judging panel are going to have a tough task choosing winners.
"We encourage everyone in the community to get nominating as this is the only way to appear on the shortlists of Awards."
Online nominations close on November 13 with the winners decided by a judging panel from the shortlist of athletes/teams.
Whoever wins the Susan Halter Elite Athlete Award will halt the run of professional footballer, Dean Furman after he won the 2013 and 2014 editions but who is now ineligible as he does not reside in the UK.
Those who win each respective category will be presented with their prize(s) at an awards ceremony on November 25 in north-west London.
FULL LIST OF AWARDS
Sam Bulka JCC Award
John Dymant National Athlete Award
CST Young Sports Leader
The Jewish Chronicle School Sports Award of the Year
Ken Gradon Rachmanus Award
UJIA European Maccabi Games Award
Richard Urban Lifetime Achievement
Fred Worms Outstanding Volunteer
Susan Halter Elite Athlete Award
Maccabi GB Community Fun Run Award
Maccabi GB Silver Award
Maccabi GB Gold Award
