By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

Ramat Gan, Israel ---- July 23, 2009 ..... The organizers of the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel are proud of saying that the Maccabi World Union games are not about medals but rather about Zionism, culture, education and friendships.

Although they come from countries so distant in miles and culture, Ron Carner, 70, General Chairman of the 18th Maccabiah TEAM USA and Stuart Greenberg, 60, Chairman of the Jewish UK Maccabi GB could not be more in love!

At first sight, these two Maccabiah veterans appear to be putting each other and their respective teams down. Jab after sarcastic verbal jab being traded. Each comment more lethal than the one before.

"Since Bunker Hill, it's been a pleasure working with you," says Carner.
Greenberg responds with a slight smile: "Yes, since your tea parties in 1776, we Brits have had to help you out in every respect."

Carner talks about how many medals secured and how large the US Team is while Greenberg retorts that it is quality, and not quantity that counts.

And it just goes on and on.

It was George Bernard Shaw and UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill who both said that England and America are two countries separated by a common language. But in the 18th Maccabiah both the US and the UK could not be more on the same page.

Ron Carner, who volunteers as one of three International Vice Presidents of the World Maccabiah Union says that the US Team mission is to "preserve and perpetuate our people".

Carner first got involved with the US Maccabi Movement when his Israeli wife Talia, who works as a novelist, introduced him to Maccabiah organizers over 20 years ago. The former trial lawyer from Commack, New York said that it had become time to get back into sports, kids and the state of Israel. Ron played basketball in college, both in New York and while attending law school in Chicago. Today he oversees Maccabiah TEAM USA with a 7 million USD budget and 907 members consisting of coaches, athletes and medical staff.

Greenberg is an architect from Whetstone in North West London. He is responsible for a UK team of 518 athletes, coaches, medical and logistical staff. Maccabi GB has a professional paid staff of 12 employees of which half are partially funded in partnership with the CST - Community Service Trust.
Maccabi GB is responsible for a 3 million dollar budget for the 18th Maccabiah UK team.

Greenberg is also married to an Israeli wife. Aviva was born in Ramle.

Both Carner and Greenberg get calls from their wives and finding themselves smiling again as both keep saying: "yes dear" to their Israeli counterparts.

Their take on the 18 Maccabiah is also almost identical.

Carner tells the Israel News Agency that the most important element about the Maccabiah is to be proud of your Judaism, to let other people know who you are.

"Hank Greenberg, the famous US baseball player used to get annoyed when he was introduced as the 'Jewish baseball player', says Carner. "But as he aged he began to take great pride in being Jewish saying 'now that I am older I understand the importance of being real Jewish ballplayer."

On the 18th Maccabiah, Carner states: "I think it is going great - the best run Maccabiah ever. The complaint level is nearly nothing. And the US team really gets it - they understand the dual components of the program. Israel and sport."

In his message to the people of Israel, Carner says: "we will always be there for you."

Greenberg says that he is proud of the UK GB 18th Maccabiah slogan - "Actively Jewish".
"I think this is one of the best games - transportation, sports venues, competition. We are all seeing smiling faces."

To the people of Israel, he also says: "we will always be there for you as in 2001, we must never ever let Israel go, Israel is everyone's homes. From the British point of view - it is great to win a medal, but it is the ethos of these games which truly counts. Showing support for Israel."

When asked if the members of the UK Jewish Maccabi team, despite the rampant anti-semitism in the UK, will wear their uniforms in London, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham, Greenberg responds: "we will not hesitate to wear it all the time. I do not feel threatened. Yes, there are Jews who will remove their kippur in certain places, but these Maccabiah uniform will not be hidden."

Both point out that Ethan Zohn, the winner of the TV series Survivor: Africa, wears his uniform every where he goes. "Zohn, a professional soccer player who is presently battling a fierce battle with cancer, wears his Maccabiah uniform all the time."

Greenberg and Carner point out the athletes pay to come to the Maccabiah. The World Maccabi Union organizations help them to raise the money through fund raising efforts, but all the same they come to express their solidarity with the Jewish people.

When asked about the challenges they and their teams face upon arriving in Israel they both agree that getting to the sports events at the correct times of play was not easy. Both men average watching 5 - 8 sports events a day.

"It's important that they (the Jewish athletes) see us," says Carner. They have traveled a long distance and whatever moral support the Maccabi organizations can provide while they are in Israel in critical."

Carner, says that the Israelis may not be as polite as the Jews in Great Neck, Lake Forest, Hendon, Golders Green and Finchley, but wastes no time in saying that working with the Israelis presents no problems and sees them as "very helpful and getting to be more Western in their thinking."

He admits that he was surprised by the Mayor of Petach Tikva, Israel and the police who were sent down to the field asking the Maccabiah softball players for work permits, but said that this problem and many others were resolved quickly by the 18th Maccabiah rapid security and logistical response MOKED and executive management team.

When asked where else do the US and UK teams compete, they respond with the Transatlantic Cup which is held every 2 years between US Jewish and UK Jewish golfers.

The European Maccabi Games is another venue where the US Jewish Maccabi team is invited to compete as a guest country.

Greenberg states: Maccabi US is different than Maccabi UK in a few respects where Britain was 90 percent sports ten years ago, today it is 50 percent. Maccabi GB is placing a strong focus on the cultural and educational aspects such as a program called Streetwise, which addresses abused children and drug problems."

The INA asks: "Do the two of you ever get a chance to go out and get a beer while staying in Israel. Greenberg responds: "We can't, we are both too busy - running around taking care of the players and the Maccabiah staff, looking at dozens of sports events, being there and that they see us."

They both agree that the 18th Maccabiah and the World Maccabi Union serve as essential events in the lives of the people in Israel and the Diaspora.

The World Maccabiah Games are a quadrennial sports, cultural and educational event that takes place in Israel. The 18th World Maccabiah Games, taking place July 12 – 23, 2009 are the world’s third largest international athletic competition.

As the world’s third largest sports event after the Olympics, the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel plays host to 3,000 junior Maccabiah athletes, aged 15 -18; 5,000 open athletes, 2,000 masters and Paralympics.
In addition to the visitors, Israel will itself be fielding a team of more than 2,000 athletes.

Sports for which competitors will be going for Gold include: artistic gymnastics, badminton, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, bridge, cricket, chess, fencing, golf, gymnastics, handball, half-marathon, field hockey, judo, karate, netball, lawn bowls, rowing, rugby, squash, soccer, softball, swimming, table-tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, track and field, ten-pin bowling, volleyball, water polo, wrestling and windsurfing.

The 18th Maccabiah Games is utilizing powerful Web 2.0 new media social networking to connect in real time with millions in Israel and worldwide. There are Twitter news channels: israelmaccabiah and maccabiah and two official Facebook groups.

In addition to Maccabiah.com, a new state of the art Web 2.0 Maccabiah Web site has been launched.

With very little money, limited resources and a highly dedicated staff, Maccabiah World Union organizers Eyal Tiberger, Amir Peled, Jeanne Futeran, Igal Carmi, Itamar Herman, Rabbi Carlos Tapiero, Avinoam Caspi-Greenfield, Nirit Harel French and Tmira Shafran have provided Israel and the world's Jewish community with an 18th Maccabiah that shall be remembered and cherished for many years to come.

Maccabi is active in Jewish communities throughout the world.
More than 400,000 Jews in 400 institutions in 60 countries over five continents are part of the Maccabi family.

As the interview comes to a close, Greenberg leans over to the Israel News Agency reporter and whispers: "just delete anything that Carner has to say, it is just totally rubbish." Carner, hearing what Greenberg just said, smiles and corrects Greenberg saying that the correct word is "garbage" and to stop describing everything as "lovely" and "brilliant" and just simply use the word great - such as saying: TEAM USA is great.

Greenberg responds: "It's been a great pleasure to contest all the other nations here at the Maccabiah other than the US as the US has been incapable of getting to a final. In my capacity as Chairman of the UK Maccabi GB team I am ready help you Yanks, to send over professional coaches to the US to develop Netball and several other civilized European sports that you have a bit of a problem with."

Both men smile warmly at one another. A radiant smile which one can only recognize as coming from two close brothers who share the same Jewish values and traditions.
The Atlantic may separate Carner and Greenberg but their mutual love of Zionism and Israel remains strong, serving as a steady and consistent bridge for days gone past and the many years to come.

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