In a celebratory ceremony this week, Maccabi Barcelona was inaugurated, with over 300 community members of all ages in attendance for both the inauguration and the city’s first Tu Bishvat Sports Tournament.
Attendees of the event included athletes, families, and community leaders, among them Deputy Chairman of Maccabi World Union and President of Maccabi South America, Riki Kanterevicz, and Maccabi Spain President Mauricio Cohn.
The inauguration of Maccabi Barcelona is particularly significant as it reflects the solidarity of a growing Jewish community, in the face of increasing global antisemitism, while Maccabi Spain prepares for its participation in the 2026 Maccabiah, this summer in Israel.
The new club ensures greater opportunities for athletes and their families to participate, while also strengthening the community, promoting leadership, and emphasizing Jewish identity through sports.
Cohn noted the growth of the Barcelona Jewish community, which has reached over 8,000 members following the immigration of Jews from Latin America and Israel.
“We are at a historic moment in Spain, where despite all the antisemitism since October 7, we are building a community with Maccabi as a central axis of Jewish life.”
In line with this momentum, Cohn says the goal is to increase opportunities for social and sports activities within the community, as well as to send the largest Spanish delegation to date to the 2026 Maccabiah.
Added Kanterevicz: “There is no greater joy than bringing together communities. This week we did so in order to open a new branch of Maccabi Barcelona, with the strength of the community of Jewish Barcelona behind it and the cooperation of the very large community of Israelis who live there.”