MacVic welcomes non-Jews
MACCABI Victoria has officially amended its constitution to allow non-Jewish athletes to be participants at Jewish clubs, as well as changing its definition of what constitutes a member to include any child with a Jewish parent.
MACCABI Victoria has officially amended its constitution to allow non-Jewish athletes to be participants at Jewish clubs, as well as changing its definition of what constitutes a member to include any child with a Jewish parent.
Under the new constitution, non-Jewish participants will not be official members of the clubs, meaning they cannot vote or attend Maccabiah and carnival events.
General members of the clubs will now be determined by a rabbi, with the criteria being a child to a Jewish mother or father.
Following the same amendments by Maccabi Australia (MAI) late last year, it was a landslide decision by the Maccabi Victorian members (clubs) to carry the motions at the annual general meeting on Tuesday night.
“We had overwhelming support from the clubs, and they do get it so I was very delighted,” Maccabi Victoria immediate past president Miles Clemans told The AJN.
“It was never about winning, but progressing and working with the clubs on a solution for those in need.”
MAI set out to review its constitution because it found that the policies of its clubs were no longer in step with the various Equal Opportunity Acts, especially in Victoria.
Each state then had to vote on whether to amend its own constitution, with Victoria unanimously carrying the motion to allow a non-Jewish person to be a participant with Maccabi.
Non-Jewish athletes seeking to play with a Maccabi club will first need to get approval from the new State Oversight Committee.
The committee will base its decision on factors such as the club’s “geographical situation or for reasons of survival” and “where a team within a member [club] requires specialist or expert capability that cannot be fulfilled by existing or prospective members”.
Several past presidents and life members voiced their concerns at the AGM, asking whether Maccabi will still be “connecting our Jewish community through sport”.
They said they believe that clubs who adopt this new policy would no longer be preserving their rich Jewish heritage.
“We definitely took into consideration the views of past presidents and elders of the organisation, but not only is it hard to change, it is also hard not to change,” Clemans said.
“Clubs don’t have to take on non-Jewish people; it is there so we can take control of the non-Jewish factor.”
But from the point of view of several of the clubs, they will now be able to continue their affiliation with Maccabi Victoria, which they may not have been able to do before the constitutional changes.
This is because under the guidelines and constitutions of the governing sport bodies, grassroots clubs are prevented from discriminating against people who wish to be members of their club.
Several affiliated organisations already have non-Jewish players, and the new ruling by MAI and Maccabi Victoria will allow them to keep their affiliation and continue to adopt the services of players from non-Jewish backgrounds.
Also at the AGM, Clemans ended his four-year term at the helm of Maccabi Victoria, passing the baton to Joe Dorfman, who has been a strong part of the organisation for several years, most recently being vice-president.
“It really is time after four years,” Clemans said.
“I think it’s a lot to take in and we’re handing it over into very good hands.”
Dorfman said he is grateful for the opportunity to take charge of the organisation and that he believes it will be a smooth transition. “Miles, I and the board have worked very closely together throughout my period here,” Dorfman said.
“So I see myself as just stepping into the work that’s already been done.”
ASHLEY SHENKER
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