Maccabi NSW

NSW Maccabi hosts sporting activities covering all popular activities for all age groups  at all standards.

 

MACCABI NSW NEWS

World Cup unleashes the big kid!

Maccabi NSW Executive Board member Max Futeran has just returned from a 2½ week trip in South Africa enjoying every moment of the World Cup experience with his brother, Colin.

Max told Maccabi News, “It’s terrific to feel like a 20 year old instead of a 44 year old. I just enjoyed the freedom and the pure obsession of being involved with the game 24/7.” Max and his brother went to seven live matches, five in Cape Town and two in Nelson Mandela Bay also known as PE which involved a nine hour drive from Cape Town each way. When they were not watching live matches they could be found in pubs or in marquees around various sites watching, at times, two matches at once on the big screens. One may say that they were overdosing on the World Cup experience but for Max it was a trip of a lifetime and one he will never forget.

Max reported, “The experience was incredible with around 64,000 fans at each match getting fully involved. They were blowing their vuvuzelas, chanting songs or creating a roar of atmosphere which made the arena rumble. I found the crowd to be well behaved, friendly and at all times felt very safe. If I have anything negative to say it would be that this World Cup demonstrated the need for the introduction of technology. Referees are only human but the effects of poor decision making is just too great to go unchallenged. The two red cards in the Australian games and the English goal not given were really good examples of game changing errors. I found it interesting that there were no replays on the big screen in the stadiums “to protect the officials”. I said at the time and now FIFA seem to reluctantly accept technology is needed. The players, the countries and the spectators are investing too much time and money into the sport for corrections not to be able to be made.”

Speaking to Max it was clear that the last 2½ weeks has been spent eating and breathing only soccer and that his childhood love of Liverpool was still alive and well. Max was very pleased to note that the Aussies were the third highest group of visitors to the event and according to Visa, were spending up big! Max is hoping this will add weight to our 2022 bid for the World Cup Down Under.

Survival of the Fittest – Meet Harry Wrublewski

The saying, “Survival of the Fittest” takes on a completely new meaning when you speak to Harry Wrublewski.

You realise that Harry has not only drawn on his physical endurance but more importantly his mental stamina to overcome life’s enormous adversities. I recently sat next to Harry Wrublewski at a dinner party and casually asked him what he had been doing over the past few years? As I delved more into the years gone by I found myself absolutely shocked. The story just kept coming in a mass of disturbing twists and turns. Harry is certainly a survivor and a remarkable man.

In 1998, Harry and his wife Sara, and their first born son, Sam were living in Birmingham, England. Harry was heavily involved in Basketball and was busy running the Birmingham Bullets Basketball Club. Life was exciting and frenetic, but relatively normal until one dreadful night. It was after travelling back from a match in Belgium and Sam, then just three years old had requested McDonalds for dinner. Harry explains, “A woman inside the store was smoking in close proximity to myself, Sam and Sara. So, I casually made a comment, “Why don’t you finish your cigarette outside and then come back inside.” She turned to me, told me where to go in a rude, abrasive swearing manner and left the restaurant and I did not think anymore of it. A few moments later several men came back into McDonalds and stormed toward me in order to pick a fight with me, obviously annoyed that I had spoken to their girlfriend. My response to this ugly stranger was if you had been here, I would have said it to you! I in no way wanted to commence a fight I was purely clarifying the nature of the comment.”

What subsequently happened is absolutely unbelievable. The attack got ferocious with an enormous punch being thrown square on Harry’s face from this unknown man. Harry hit the ground only to think he better get up straight away. He got up on his feet to find this same man grabbing his face and attempting to literally bite off his nose. The full penetration of his teeth sunk deep into his nose, breaking the flesh and causing an avalanche of blood. That was just the beginning. Within minutes Harry had not only this attacker repeatedly punching and kicking him but three other mates. Every time he would land on the ground his immediate survival reaction was to get off the ground and try to defend himself. This attack went on for ten long excruciating terrifying minutes. Staff and customers simply froze at first and did nothing, but eventually rang the police. The sound of the approaching sirens sent the thugs running. Both the police and the ambulance paramedics could not believe that Harry would have survived such a brutal bashing for ten minutes but the hard evidence was on the restaurant surveillance cameras. Thank heavens Harry survived this ordeal, and was pleased to report that the main culprit of the attack got nine months’ jail for grievous bodily harm.

A few short weeks later, he was to hear that his mother’s condition (she had cancer) had deteriorated and he would have to fly home to Australia. He didn’t want his mother to know of what had happened and his bruising and injuries were not quite healed, but he came home and spent two weeks with his mother. Three days after he left Sydney to fly back to England to rejoin his wife and son and continue trying to sell his business, his beloved mother passed away, so Harry hopped on another long flight home.

Eventually selling the Bullets and resettling back in Sydney, Harry thought he was in fine shape, until one day four years ago when he was doing his normal walk in Bronte and he noticed something different. He got to the top of the stairs and he experienced an abnormal amount of huffing and puffing. Harry consequently went to the doctor, underwent various tests to be told he needed an “immediate quadruple bi-pass.” He had five major blockages in his arteries and was a time bomb waiting to go off. After emergency surgery, Harry made a full recovery and is relieved that he did not have a massive heart attack and die on the spot.

One would think that would be now enough hurdles to overcome but yet he was tested again. Last year, his brother Michael Wrublewski, OAM passed away from pancreatic cancer. A huge blow to the Wrublewski clan. Therefore, the obvious question I was aching to ask, “How do you overcome all these huge challenges and come through the other side?” Harry’s response, “Things happen and you have to accept that they do and move on. I have learnt to compartmentalise and only keep onboard in my head what I need. With every hurdle I have gotten stronger and with my wife, Sara by my side I can do anything.” Harry is certainly inspirational and his determination not to let the negative things that have occurred in his life eat him alive is testament to how strong and courageous the human spirit really is.

Please diarise: Michael Wrublewski’s consecration is on August 15th 2010 at 10.30am at Rookwood Cemetery. Everyone is invited.

An eye on the Prize – Yuval Freilich

NSW Maccabi News caught up with Yuval Freilich who has been visiting Sydney from Israel and has just competed in last weekend’s Australian Fencing Championships in Marrickville, Sydney.

Aged 15 years he took out the prize in his Division. Yuval was thrilled to chat to Maccabi News whilst Aunty Lauren Ehrlich was singing his praises in the background.

Yuval took up fencing about five years ago. His inspiration commenced when he watched Fencing at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. He was always incredibly fascinated by the sport. Yuval said, “It’s a fun and interesting sport and a great way to let off some steam. I have been traveling all over the world to partake in International events and it has been rewarding.” Maccabi News has just found out that Yuval also tried his luck in the Under 18’s Division Tuesday evening and won. A true champion!

A match made in Maccabi Heaven

Meet Sandra & John Rosen

John Rosen aged 72, is a Maccabi legend.  

John’s life is a living textbook on Maccabi. He met his beautiful wife, Sandra at a Maccabi Carnival. They have been married this month for 48 years. As their love bloomed so did John’s roles within the organisation. They have ranged from President of Maccabi NSW to Director of Maccabi Sports Centre and of course a Life member of Maccabi NSW. His three sons, Glenn, Warren and Brad have always been actively involved and there is no doubt his seven grandchildren will follow in their grandfather’s steps.

John openly admits, “I am a bit of a sports junkie. One of my first loves was Amateur Boxing but really the list is endless with Basketball being towards the top!” John learnt at a very early age the importance and vulnerability of life and family. He lost his father when he was just nine years old. His father fought the Japanese in New Guinea and lost his life serving his country. He was only 36 years old. His mother never remarried, always devastated by the loss, focused on bringing up John. She lived to the golden age of 95 years old. We are very much a product of our circumstances and this helped to develop John into the devoted and caring husband, father and community volunteer, learning the meaning of responsibility at such an early age. Maccabi has been lucky enough to have John for over 50 years, always happy to offer support.

John is now actively involved in Lawn Bowls and is Chairman. This Club has a dedicated group of volunteers and is certainly a Club to watch and learn from. His mentors throughout his years, as an active volunteer, have been the late Lou Rose, MBE and the late Michael Wrublewski, OAM. John says, “Lou was an extraordinary individual and I learnt a lot from him. Even though Michael Wrublewski was younger than me and came on the scene years after, he certainly had an impact on me. He was tough but a very fair man and inspiring to be around.” Finally, Maccabi News asked John, “What are your thoughts about Maccabi today?” John’s reply, “Maccabi is being steered very well by Mick Vasin, CEO and together with his Executive they are doing a good job.” John’s last words, “Maccabi is all about relationships. The friendships last a lifetime. They have been the reason why I have stuck around for so long.”

Community Dedication – Barry Smorgon

Well, it’s official. Our very own Barry Smorgon, Maccabi Australia Chairman, has been acknowledged for his tremendous services to the community, particularly Maccabi by receiving an Order of Australia, OAM.

This was achieved predominantly for his work with Maccabi Australia, and to the business sector. Barry is incredibly humble by nature and would hate all the fuss but Maccabi NSW is incredibly proud of his achievements and would simply like to say “Mazeltov”.

Barry told Maccabi News, “I am honoured to be recognised for doing the things that I love.”

Since Barry became Chairman of Maccabi Australia in 2007 he has also founded the Board of Governors. He has been a founding Patron of the Inaugural Maccabi Australia International Games, “MAIGS” in 2006 and will be again in 2010. He has actively been involved in so many Boards and committees involved with Jewish Affairs it is difficult to list them all but JCA has been at the core.

Barry also is Executive Chairman of his privately owned business JALCO, which employs over 600 people. Amongst all that he still is dedicated to giving back not only to our community but to many others and his philanthropic contributions run far and wide. He certainly is a Maccabi Mensch!

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