Bernie’s good as Gold

BERNIE Gold OAM will become the first person inducted into two Maccabi Australian Halls of Fame in November.

“It came as a total surprise to me, but I feel very honoured and very special that I am the only person in Maccabi NSW and Maccabi Victoria’s Hall of Fame,” Gold said.

Gold is one of six people who will be inducted into the Maccabi NSW Hall of Fame on November 11, including Australian sport and business icon Frank Lowy, Olympic silver-medallist Gavin Fingleson, Olympic referee Larry Cornofsky, Australian water-skiing champion Jack Ellison and former soccer star Jon Pillemer.

On the field, Gold was a member of the 1963 Hakoah football team that won the Federation Cup, he represented Australia in track and field at the 1965 Maccabiah Games, won the 1971 NSW Jewish Squash Championships; won the squash tournament at the seventh Pan American Maccabi Games in Uruguay, and competed at five more Maccabiah Games in squash.

And his achievements off the field are equally impressive.

Gold served on the Maccabi NSW executive for 10 years, was Maccabi Australia president from 1988-90, led Australia’s delegation to the 1981 Maccabiah Games in Israel, and served as vice-chairman of Maccabi World Union (MWU) from 1989-90.

He received the MWU’s highest honour, the Yakir Award, in 2009 and was given the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1999 for his service to Maccabi. He is a life member of Maccabi Australia and Maccabi Victoria.

“I’m not sure there would be many people with the history with Maccabi that I have, but I do it because I just love the Jewish aspect of it,” Gold said.

“Up until the age of 18 or 19 I played for non-Jewish clubs, and then one day I was asked to go and compete in the Jewish Athletics Championships and I’ve been a part of the organisations since.”

Louis Platus, who was a part of the three-person selection committee for the Hall of Fame, said that Gold deserves the spot in both Halls of Fame. “He has done as much for Maccabi as anyone else,” Platus said.

“He started in NSW and then moved to Victoria, and has held nearly every position in Maccabi Australia.”
Platus said the selection committee was looking at the previous winners of the Maccabi NSW Lou Rose Sportsman of the Year awards, and Gold’s name stood out.

“He has lived in Melbourne for more than 20 years, but when we looked at his CV his nomination was so strong that where he is living now doesn’t make a difference.”
Gold will join the likes of Lou Rose MBE, Tom York OAM, Louis Platus OAM and Tom Goldman OAM in the Hall of Fame.

The Maccabi NSW Hall of Fame gala event is on Sunday, November 11. To attend, call (02) 9331 0573.

Joshua Levi

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