Press Release
12th September 2021
Last week the Hakoah Club and Maccabi NSW (‘Maccabi”) together with Maccabi Sports Centre Ltd (“MSC”) signed a detailed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which ensures that Hakoah at White City becomes the home of Maccabi as well as the hub for the program of activities organised by Maccabi Life.
Hakoah President Steven Lowy AM said “Having Hakoah at White City as the home of Maccabi will ensure that a broad cross section of our community, and in particular our youth, will enjoy the sport and fitness facilities at Hakoah at White City in a secure environment. As I have said, Hakoah at White City will not just be bricks and mortar but the activities and programs we host. Having Maccabi as a preferred partner will not only bring our youth to Hakoah week in week out but their parents and grandparents. Weekly competitive sport, training, Maccabi life programs as well as special events such as interstate carnivals will ensure that Hakoah at White City becomes a hive of activity bringing our community together on a regular basis.”
Maccabi President Lauren Ehrlich emphasised the primary objective of Maccabi is Jewish Community engagement through sport and wellness programs which is aligned with Hakoah at White City. “We are thrilled that as Maccabi NSW approaches its centennial, Maccabi’s home in NSW has been secured and we will be an intrinsic part of the fabric at Hakoah at White City. Our 2500 members in 18 different sports, together with our Maccabi Life members, will significantly contribute to the creation of a Jewish atmosphere at Hakoah at White City.
She said “The realisation of a physical home for Maccabi at Hakoah at White City is the culmination of an at least 40 year commitment of the MSC Board to finding a permanent home for Maccabi.
Mr. Lowy and Mrs. Ehrlich thanked the Board of MSC who through its substantial financial support for the project will enable Hakoah to accommodate some of Maccabi’s specific requirements. Max Futeran, Chairman of MSC said “The Board is delighted to have contributed in a meaningful way to the outcomes achieved in the MoU and to be in a position to commit funds generated from the former Maccabi Sports Centre at Heffron Park towards ensuring that Maccabi has a permanent home.”
“Our partnership with Shalom which was announced last week, ensures Hakoah at White City will be the preferred host location for Jewish cultural, arts and educational programs. Now with a similar agreement with Maccabi we will also be the home of Jewish sport and fitness activities. This combination, together with state-of-the-art modern facilities will ensure that Hakoah once again becomes the one central place that our entire community comes together on a regular basis to play, to appreciate, to learn, to eat, to drink, to chat and to just enjoy.” Mr. Lowy said.
Mr. Lowy emphasised that the agreements with Maccabi and Shalom are the first in a series of non-exclusive preferred partnerships which Hakoah expects to enter into with a number of Community organisations that provide a wide range of services.
Mrs. Ehrlich said “Hakoah at White City will provide a home ground for junior and senior soccer as well as small field competition in the off season. It will have courts for basketball, netball and futsal and the opportunity to use the fitness centre and pool for training and fitness. Similarly, the spaces available ensure that Maccabi Life will have modern, state of the art facilities to host its fitness and wellness activities.”
She went on to say “While having preferred access to these facilities is extremely beneficial to specific sports, one of the most exciting aspects of Hakoah at White City is that we now have a base from which all our affiliated clubs and members can call home. Whether it be for training, meetings, presentation functions or just socialising after a match. Hakoah at White City will be the place they will go.”
Media Enquiries:
Hakoah: Gary Samowitz 0413 525 592 gary@hakoah.com.au
Maccabi NSW: Lauren Ehrlich 0410 550 384 laurenehrlich61@gmail.com
Maccabi Sports Centre: Max Futeran 0408294110 futecorp@iinet.net.au
