The Center for Jewish Impact, in a strategic partnership with Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club and the World Zionist Organization, with support from the NBA, is proud to mark the 85th Anniversary of the 1936 Berlin Olympics: United Through Sports, with an event promoting tolerance in professional athletics and opposing anti-Semitism and bigotry on the courts and society at large.
Besides the Tokyo Olympic Games, this month also marks the 85th anniversary of the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Although the Olympic Games have always been a symbol of international brotherhood, the 1936 Games were used by Nazi Germany to promote their pseudoscientific theories of eugenics. However, at the same Olympic Games of Berlin, a large number of prominent black and Jewish Athletes, like Jessie Owens and Ibolya Csák, proved the fallacy of eugenics through their Athletic prowess.
The Center for Jewish Impact is happy to launch a first of its kind strategic collaboration with Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club, the World Zionist Organization and with support from the NBA, to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games with an event entitled: "United Through Sports", to be held on August 24th, at 17:00 Israel time / 10:00 AM EDT.
The event will be joined by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, former Israeli President, Reuven Rivlin, the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Michael Muller and will include a dialogue between senior sports figures in Israel and around the world, together with leaders and diplomats, on the need to work together to counter hatred, racism and anti-Semitism in sports and society at large.
Adam Silver, Commissioner of the NBA: “The role of sports in society is a topic that we take great pride in at the NBA. That unifying power is why I believe sports matter now, more than ever, as we face a disturbing rise in hate and discrimination, including antisemitism. We need to use our collective influences to condemn these acts.”
Robert Singer, Chairman of the Center for Jewish Impact: “Even in 2021, we are witnessing a strong wave of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial and we must act to eradicate this phenomenon. Sports, in this case, is an important tool in promoting the values of tolerance, equality and acceptance of the other. As someone who has dealt with the issue for many years in various public positions, I have promoted, among other things, significant collaborations with Maccabi Tel Aviv as part of the World Jewish Congress in the We Remember campaign, which has had a great impact. Therefore, I have no doubt that the cooperation between the Center for Jewish Impact with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the World Zionist Organization is important and can influence many young people to choose the spirit of sportsmanship and acceptance of the other."
Shimon Mizrahi, Chairman of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv: "These days, these types of events are of great importance, as there is antisemitic activity all over the globe, especially in Europe and America. We must not forget that in our time, there are those who are trying to boycott Israeli products, so this unique cooperation of all three bodies is a milestone."
Yakov Hagoel, Chairman of the World Zionist Organization and Acting Chairman of the Jewish Agency: "The Berlin Olympics took place less than a year after the Nuremberg Laws were passed, which, without any hesitation, denied the basic civil rights of Jews. 85 years after the Olympics Racism and anti-Semitism, we stand as a united people, in an independent state, on the land of Israel, proud of our flag, our athletes and our Olympic achievements. Today more than ever, we mark the victory of light over darkness."