Tributes flow in for Jessica

Tributes have poured into J-Wire for Jessica Fox who has entered the historical records as the first Jewish Australian to win a Gold Olympic medal.

It was her day in Tokyo yesterday when she scored Gold in the inaugural C1 canoe slalom. Two days earlier, Jessica won Bronze in the kayak event.

Her mother Myriam celebrated with her. She is the 27-yr-old’s coach. Jessica was born in Marseilles and the Fox family moved to Australia after the 2000 Olympics. She lives near to Penrith near Sydney.

In her Facebook, Jessica posted:

Jillian Segal – President – The Executive Council of Australian Jewry

Jess’s extraordinary achievement has brought immense joy and pride to our nation and to our community. As the first Jewish-Australian to win an Olympic gold medal, Jess will no doubt inspire a generation of young Jews to get active and compete. We send a hearty Mazal Tov, to Jess and her family.

Tom Goldman – World Maccabi Union

The global Maccabi family wishes Jessica Fox Mazeltov on becoming the first Australian Jew to win a gold medal at an Olympics. Jess typifies the spirit and strength that our Maccabi athletes from around the world strive for and her example will shine a light on Maccabi’s mission for many years to come.

Jeff Sher – Maccabi Australia

Maccabi members across Australia were glued to the television to watch Jessica Fox compete for and then win her gold medal. The celebrations were heartfelt given her dream spread over three Olympics to achieve gold. On behalf of Maccabi Australia we congratulate her for the dedication, persistence and resilience she showed and indeed on becoming the first Jewish Australian to win an Olympic gold medal. Seeing her celebrations which were centred around her family and the beautiful way she presented herself not only after the K1 but then on winning the C1 she has set up a fantastic role model for all women, but significantly for any Jewish athletes aspiring to make the Australian Maccabiah Team 2022. Well Done Jess on being a true champion in sport and life.

Maccabi NSW

UIA – Yair Miller CEO

The entire country had a collective lump in our throat as we witnessed Jess’s emotion spill over at the end of the race. As a Jewish Australian she has done so much to bring pride to our community through her performance in the race and her demonstration of so much dignity, poise and humility afterwards. Mazeltov and may she and her family continue to be a source of inspiration to so many.

JNF – Dan Springer

Together with the whole community, we share in the joy over Jess’s tremendous achievements and pride in the values that she and her family represent.

The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies – Darren Bark CEO

We would like to congratulate Jessica on her extraordinary achievement – an Olympic Gold medal to join her Silver and two Bronze medals, and the first Olympic Gold medal awarded to an Australian Jew.

To represent your country at not one, but three Olympic Games is an outstanding accomplishment.

Alongside the rest of both Australia and the global Jewish community we are proud of Jessica’s achievements, strength and advocacy for women in sport which led to the C1 event being included in the Olympic program for the first time.

Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies – President – Jason Steinberg 

The Queensland Jewish community and sports lovers across Australia rose as one to celebrate Jess’s win! A true champion and role model.

Mark Dreyfus MP, Shadow Attorney-General

Jess Fox is an absolute champion, an inspiration to everyone to never give up on your dream. After a decade at the top of her sport and coming so close with silver and bronze medals in London and Rio, then the heartbreak in the K1 just 2 days earlier, Jess’s gold in the C1 canoe slalom had the whole nation on its feet.

All Australians, and especially Jewish Australians, are so proud of her determination, and her will to succeed.

Federal MP Julian Lesser

Jessica Fox is an inspiration to every Australian. Her dedication to her sport across three Olympic Games is phenomenal. Her achievements make me proud as a fellow Jewish Australian.

Federal MP Josh Burns

Jessica Fox is a sensational role model for young Australian girls and boys. Not just because she’s an Olympic champion but because she’s clearly a person of courage and determination.

Jess Fox is an absolute champion, an inspiration to everyone to never give up on your dream. After a decade at the top of her sport and coming so close with silver and bronze medals in London and Rio, then the heartbreak in the K1 just 2 days earlier, Jess’s gold in the C1 canoe slalom had the whole nation on its feet.

All Australians, and especially Jewish Australians, are so proud of her determination, and her will to succeed.

Federal MP Dr Mike Freeland

Jessica Fox is an incredible athlete, who has made her country proud.

As a Jewish Australian, I know that many from our community will feel an immense sense of pride in Jessica’s achievements.

Not only has she secured two medals for Australia this Olympic Games, she ought to also be commended for her work in ensuring her sport and the Olympic Games are more equitable for women.

Jessica is one of the shining stars of our Olympic team, and her achievements have served as an inspiration to us all.”

David Southwick MP

“What an epic win for Jessica Fox who is an inspiration to young women everywhere, having fought for gender parity to include the C1 event in the Olympic competition for women. There is no one more deserving of this particularly momentous Gold, and it was generations in the making for the Fox family.

It’s been wonderful to see the Jewish Community get behind this true champion. In 2014 Jessica was also named Jewish Sportswoman of the Year by Maccabi Australia and I am sure at some point she will be added to the Maccabi Hall of Fame.

Jess has made the whole country proud and I am excited to follow her journey going forward. Mazel Tov to our first Australian Jewish Olympic Champion!”

NSW Labor frontbencher and Parliamentary Friends of Israel deputy chair Walt Secord

“Our whole household was glued to the TV waiting to see if the `Jewish girl from Penrith’ would win gold and she did not disappoint. We actually all stopped working-from-home to witness this historic event. It was wonderful to see all the hard work from the entire Fox family over the years come to fruition. It was truly a family victory.

It’s fantastic to see Australia not only celebrating Jessica’s victory and acknowledging the effort she has put in to stand on top of the podium.

The Australian Jewish community takes great pride in the fact that Jess becomes the first Jewish Australian to win gold.

Jessica Fox’s win will always hold a place in the history of the Australian Jewish community – and so it should.”

Norman Seligman CEO –  The Sydney Jewish Museum

Like every Australian and Jewish Australian, I was extremely proud to see Jessica Fox win her gold medal.

Her bubbly personality in all her interviews, even earlier in the week when she did not win gold,  was also exceptional

At the Sydney Jewish Museum, we showcase the contribution of Jews to many spheres of Australian society and celebrate Jewish achievers.

We plan to update our exhibit of Jewish Achievers, and Jessica and what she has achieved over many years will certainly be a most well-deserved inclusion”.

Alain Hasson, CEO, JCA

What an exciting time for the Australian Jewish community! A hearty mazel tov to Jewish Olympian, Jessica Fox, for her gold medal performance yesterday in the women’s C1 canoeing event” ~

JewishCare

JewishCare NSW congratulates the outstanding achievements of Australian Jewish Canoeist, Jessica Fox. We acknowledge the years of dedication, sacrifices and training Jessica has undertaken to achieve her Olympic Gold Medal. Your community is proud.

Rabbi Levi Wolff – Central Synagogue

We wish a huge mazel tov to our Central Family member, world champion and now Olympic Gold Medallist, Jessica Fox, for her exceptional canoe slalom race. For the record, I am equally as proud of her for her kayaking bronze and all other achievements that have led to this golden moment!

Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann – The Ark Centre

I want to wish Jessica Fox a huge Mazal Tov on her outstanding success in representing Australia at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. As the first-ever Jewish and Australian Gold medallist at an Olympics, Jessica has brought joy to many people. Her dedication to her sport has made the entire country proud of her. The Jewish community celebrates her massive achievements and wish her success in all her future endeavours. She should continue to go M’chayil L’Chayil, from strength to strength. AFLs Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann

Magen David Adom

Magen David Adom Australia congratulates Jessica  we watched you live in Melbourne and we are all extremely proud of your achievements

The Wolper Hospital

Everyone at Wolper Jewish Hospital wishes Jessica Fox a hearty mazal tov on her amazing medal achievements in the K1 event before winning gold in the inaugural women’s C1 Olympic event. It was so inspiring to watch Jess achieve her gold medal dream with the love and support of her family around her.

Congratulations to the entire Fox family.

The Union for Progressive Judaism

Absolutely wonderful! So Proud!