The Maccabi World Union movement announced the election of industrialist and social activist Michael Siegal as its next president and head of the umbrella organization.
Maccabi World Union is part of the global Maccabi movement, which boasts some 400,000 members and represents 70 different countries. It is also the largest Jewish organization in the world.
As the organization’s first American president, Siegal is making history for the Maccabi World Movement. Previously, he served in other prominent leadership roles such as chairman for Israel Bonds and the Jewish Federations of North America, and the Jewish Agency for Israel, among other organizations.
In a statement released by the Maccabi World Union, chairman Amir Peled said, “We are honored to have Michael at the helm of our movement, especially at a time when we are expanding our work in North America, the world’s biggest Jewish community.”
Siegal himself expressed gratitude and excitement for his new opportunity. "I am excited to head the Maccabi movement, the largest Zionist and Jewish organization in the world, and to use sports as a lever to create Jewish unity and solidarity worldwide," he shared.
What kind of work does Maccabi World Union do?
In addition to organizing athletic and educational events, they also organize long and short-term travel initiatives to the holy land and beyond. The movement boasts more than 450 clubs across five continents, with 85% of the hundreds of thousands of members under the age of 35, according to the organization’s website.
The veteran Jewish and sports-based organization employs the interest and passion for Zionism as a central pillar to attract members since it was founded in 1895. Every four years, the organization famously holds the Maccabiah Games in Israel, known to many as “The Jewish Olympics.”