The Jerusalem Chess Club has found a permanent home in the German Colony of Jerusalem, which will enable it to become the largest chess club in the country – if they succeed in raising the funds for it.
Since the chess club was established more than fifteen years ago, they haven't had a permanent location – until recently when the Jerusalem Municipality gave its approval for the establishment of a permanent space.
The club first opened its doors in the German Colony of Jerusalem and is registered with the Israeli Chess Association, allowing it to participate in national and international competitions. They belong to both local and national leagues, and have over 600 members of all ages.
The club has a range of educational and cultural activities for its chess-loving members, including meetings for the elderly in the mornings; a corner for reading chess booklets in various languages, including English, French and Russian; free games and lunch classes for all ages. It also hosts chess camps alongside its professional activities.
The Jerusalem Municipality, along with the help of an anonymous donor, has allowed the club to establish a permanent residence in the Jerusalem German Colony neighborhood, where they first started 15 years ago.
Israeli chess player Boris Gelfand, who holds the rank of international chess-master and has been the no.1 chess player in Israel for over 30 years, has voiced his support for the project and will attend the inauguration of the new building, playing matches against the club members.