20 years on: remembering Maccabiah bridge victims
SHELLY Jackson was 37 weeks pregnant when Australian athletes, including her father Warren Zines, plunged into the Yarkon River as the bridge outside the 1997 Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremony in Ramat Gan collapsed.
SHELLY Jackson was 37 weeks pregnant when Australian athletes, including her father Warren Zines, plunged into the Yarkon River as the bridge outside the 1997 Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremony in Ramat Gan collapsed.
Zines, along with Greg Small, Yetty Bennett and Elizabeth Sawicki, died, while dozens of other athletes and officials were injured.
“Time has not numbed the pain and hurt,” Jackson said at a ceremony held at the Maccabiah Bridge Memorial in Israel on Tuesday night (Australian time).
“Dad never got to meet his first grandson, Ari, or the six grandchildren that followed.
“Every time I have come to Israel since, I have come to this spot.
“I stand here, and remember my father. Each time I look at the waters of the Yarkon River, I am saddened that it still appears as murky, poisoned and polluted as it did that day.”
This year, Jackson’s son Joshua is competing in the youth boys’ football competition of the 20th Maccabiah Games, which started this week.
“He will finish the journey that my father began.”
The memorial service at the spot where the bridge collapsed was a difficult occasion for the entire Australian team.
Hundreds of people attended the ceremony, including dozens of athletes and officials who were there when the bridge collapsed, several family members of those who died and the entire 2017 Australian Maccabiah team.
Maccabi’s Phil Wolanski said being there brings back memories of a tragic time.
“I can feel the pain and fear and you can hear the noises, he said. “Everything that happened suddenly returns, it comes rushing back.”
Maccabi Australia past president Lisa Borowick said that she still struggles to look at the Ramat Gan Stadium, which the athletes were due to enter when the tragedy occurred. “I feel that it’s so special that we get an opportunity to honour those that died,” she added.
Anthony Goodridge, coach of the open and juniors swimming team this year, reflected on the fact that none of the juniors competing this year were born when the bridge collapsed. “It’s really important that the juniors understand why we’re here,” he said.
“I’d love for our juniors to understand that it’s hard to come back every time but that we keep doing so in honour of the victims.”
JOSHUA LEVI
Full coverage in this week’s AJN.
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