 | | Lot No. | | *** | | Description: | A History of the Maccabi Movement - 1900 to 2000. A collection in four volumes, illustrating the history of the Maccabi Sports Movement, with documents, photographs, letters, tickets, badges, participation cards, programs, newsletters, medals and other ephemera from Europe, Palestine, other countries and Israel. The collection has been assembled over many years and is exhibited on annotated pages which explain and illustrate the various meetings, sports events, clubs and personalities which have played a role in the history of the Movement - the culmination of a vision which brings 1000s of athletes, officials and supporters to Israel for the Maccabi Games every four years. Comprising hundreds of items, many of which would be extremely difficult to find today. A wonderful opportunity for the historian and the basis of a fascinating exhibit. The origins of a world sports organization named after Judea the Maccabee, harks back to the foresight of a few young European Jews, towards the end of the 19th century. They saw the formation of an international movement as part of the dream of a national home in Palestine. These youths advocated a real change in the lifestyle of Jews, especially concerning the physical condition of the vast majority, who lived in urban centres, working and studying indoors and participating in very little physical activity. During this period, Jewish sports clubs were founded in Eastern and Central Europe. The first club was founded in 1895 in Constantinople, Turkey, and named 'The Jewish Sports Club'. In 1897 a club was established in Bulgaria. 1898 saw the founding of 'Bar Kochba' Berlin. Other clubs that followed were named after 'Bar Kochba' or Hebrew names such as 'Hakoach' or 'Hagibor' that symbolized strength and heroism. The basic premise behind the founding of these clubs was of Jewish Nationalism. The concept was that Jews were not only a religious entity, but also one based on a common historical and social background, having special cultural and psychological concepts that have been preserved to this day, resulting in a strong recognition of collective belonging and shared destinies. The idea for the founding of Jewish National sports organizations gained momentum in 1898, following a speech by Dr. Ma x Nordau, during the 2nd Zionist congress in Basle: 'The history of our people relates to the fact that we were once strong physically.but today that is not the case. Others succeeded in degenerating us physically. They made the ghetto Jews of the middle ages into sorrow weaklings, haggard and unable to defend ourselves in the narrow alleyways of the Ghetto. Nobody can deny us the necessary physical activity needed to make our bodies healthy again. What is lacking physically, we will develop through exercise. But our recovery to health is not only through the body, but also in the spirit, for as Hebrews will attain more achievements in sport, so will our self-confidence improve. Long live Sport! Hebrew Sports clubs go forward and bloom'. The editorial written in the first edition of the Jewish Sport Monthly, published May 1900, (in time renamed 'Maccabi'), summarizes the aims and ambitions of the movement in the phrase 'A healthy mind in a healthy body'. Three years later at the Sixth Zionist Congress in 1903, The Jewish Gymnastics Society (Judischen Turnerschaft) was formed as an international body encompassing all the Jewish sports clubs in the world. In 1906 the first Jewish Gymnasts club was formed in Palestine - The Rishon LeZion Club in Jaffa. From 1909, similar clubs were formed in there (Petach Tikva, Jerusalem, Rosh Pina, Haifa, etc.). In 1912 all were joined in the Maccabi Federation of Israel. That year the first relations were established between European and Palestinian clubs, when a decision was taken at the Maccabi Conference in Berlin, to begin group trips to Eretz Yisrael. At the 12th World Jewish Congress in Carlsbad (Czechoslovakia) 1921, the secretariat of Jewish sport leaders decided to form one umbrella organization for all Jewish Sports associations, to be named Maccabi World Union. Its aims were clearly defined: 'To foster physical education, belief in Jewish heritage and the Jewish nation, and to work actively for the rebuilding of our own country and for the preservation of our people'. (100s) | | Estimate: | *** | | Price: | *** | | Category: | Printed & Written Material — Historical Documents | |
