Current Committee
President |
Gary Lasky | |
Secretary |
Marilyn Faiman | |
Treasurer |
Lothar Prager | |
Our History
In 1968 Abe Goulburn and Ludie Adler (NSW) got together to talk about forming a Jewish lawn bowls club. They approached both the RVBA (Royal Victorian Bowls Association) and AJAX. The RVBA would not allow affiliation because of membership restrictions.
However, the governing body AJAX would allow a social association to be formed and encouraged the formation of a lawn bowls club.
Armed with this information they sent letters to the various RVBA affiliated clubs where they thought
Jewish members played; asking for their members lists. From those lists they contacted as many Jewish bowlers as they could to form The Ajax Lawn Bowls Club.
In 1969 Abe with Alan Rothman (LM) sought the assistance of Ben Sternfeld (Past President of AJAX) to draft a suitable constitution, so that The Ajax Lawn Bowls Association could be formed. The Club was thus established with members such as Basil Issacs, Peter Slutzkin (LM), Ben Finkelstein (LM), Ralph Samuels, Alan Rothman (LM), Bill Yaffe.
The first President being Abe Goulburn and Alen Eilenberg (LM) as Secretary.
The foundation membership of twelve had grown to over 300 by the early 2000. During Allan Rubenstein’s presidency (1983-86) membership reached 100 for the first time. In early 2007 membership reached 240 members, but has seen a steady decline over the past decade.
Ajax Lawn Bowls Association went through a transformation in 1991 when the members voted to Incorporate, and changed the name to Maccabi Ajax Lawn Bowls Inc.
In 1994, the club celebrate 25 years with a dinner dance at the Townhouse Hotel. At the dinner it was announced that George & Gita Smorgon become the Patrons in Chief & Godel Wroby accept the position of Patron.
The first social game was played in 1969 against the Armadale Bowling Club then located at Northcote Rd. Armadale. Games were also organised against Black Rock Bowling Club, City of St.Kilda, City of Hawthorn, Camberwell, City of Prahran, Oakleigh and many others.
During the club’s popularity there were over fourteen fixtured events per season, including: major sponsored tournaments such as, Solomon Kosher Butchers Inter Synagogue Day where as many as fifteen shules competed. There was the George & Gita Smorgon trophy and events with up to 198 Jewish Bowlers playing for prize money and trophies.
Lawn Bowls became a participating sport for the first time in the 1970 Melbourne Carnival. There were 12 men players per team playing fours, triples, pairs, and singles. The venue was City of Hawthorn Bowling Club, but rain delayed the completion of the competition and eventually it was completed at the Melbourne Bowling Club. The format of the play was devised by Ben Finkelstein (LM) who continued to convene Melbourne Carnivals until 1990.
In 1974 the Victorian Open Jewish Men singles Championship was introduced for the first time being won by Ben Finkelstein (LM) with Ben Samuel runner-up.
Some of the other winners since have been Basil Issacs, Lional Rosenfield, Ralph Samuels, Clive Sward, Allan Rubenstein (LM), Nathan Frydman, Keith Rubenstein, Bob Shapiro, Laz Marer, Steve Leivenzon, John Maver, Gary Barnett, and Alan Faigen.
It is not clear when the Victorian Jewish Ladies Open Singles started as there are few records. Winners include, Judith Rothman, Hannah Barnett, Norma Young, Min Sadman, Maisie Dudakov, Judith Same, and Jill Diamond.
The Victorian Open Men’s pairs competition was introduced in 1992, and a father & son tournament not long after.
Since then, the men’s and ladies’ pairs competition were the most prestigious tournaments until 2010.
Marylyn
At the end of the 1988/89 season the committee arranged a weekend away at the Marylyn Guesthouse in Marysville Vic., as they had built an indoor Lawn Bowls complex.
Fifty-two people made up of members and partners (many non-bowlers) attended this trip which proved so popular that it continued for over 13 years and the club then had to initiate a ballot system to accommodate the 120 maximum. The committee at that time established a revue style show on the Saturday night. It became so popular with members who performed & sung.
At the first weekend away at Marylyn it was decided to appoint a Sergeant at Arms who fined the members for their misdemeanors. Also, an auction and raffle were held with the proceeds directed to purchase equipment for designated charities.
In 2001 they celebrated 13 years at Marylyn with a “mock barmitzvah”.
To date Maccabi Ajax Lawn Bowls Inc. has donated in excess of $68,000. Some of the items include; Special wheelchairs & a ride on roller for Haifa Bowling Club to assist disabled bowlers. Special wheel chairs & kitchen equipment for Montefiore Homes. Special furniture to assist disabled young adults. Electronic educational equipment for students with learning disabilities. Oxygen equipment for Hatzolah. Yearly contributions to Ballarat Synagogue maintenance fund. Jewish Care, U.J.E.B & Melbourne Hebrew Ladies Benevolent Society receive donations each year. In 2007 the club hosted for the first time Jewish Care All Abilities afternoon & this has become an annual event.
In 1996, the men’s World Bowls was held in Adelaide & the Israeli team was brought to Melbourne to have warm-up trials against Jewish players from Australia. The Israeli team were very successful winning a number of gold, silver & bronze medals at the World Bowls.
Life Members
Ben Finkelstein
Allan Rothman (Dec.)
Alen Eilenberg (Dec.)
Peter Slutzkin (Dec.)
Allan Rubenstein (Dec.)
Joe Aarons OAM/AM
Gary Hartmann
Maurie Ashkenazy (Dec.)
Pat Cashmore (First female LM)
Marilyn Faiman
Lothar Prager
Keith Faiman
Les Newman
Australian Honors
2003 – Ben Sternfeld OAM
2006 – Geoff Sussman OAM, Joe Aarons OAM
2007 – Joel Solomon OAM
2019 – Joe Aarons AM
Presidents
1969 – 1974 Abe Goulburn
1974 – 1977 Alen Eilenberg (LM)
1977 – 1980 Peter Slutzkin (LM)
1980 – 1983 Alan Rothman (LM)
1983 – 1986 Allan Rubenstein (LM)
1986 – 1989 Keith Rubenstein
1989 -1990 Leon Diamond
1990 – 1992 Judith Rothman (First Lady President)
1992- 1995 Joe Aarons (LM) ·
1995 – 1998 Maurie Ashkenazy (LM)
1998 – 2001 Pat Cashmore (LM)
2001-2003 Gary Hartmann (LM)
2003 – 2006 Syd Shenker
2006 – 2008 Joe Aarons (LM)
2008 – 2009 Marilyn Faiman (LM)
2009 – 2010 Stan Woolf
2010- 2013 Keith Faiman (LM)
2013 – 2017 Brian Rosenberg
2017 – Present Gary Lasky
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2001- Legacy Pairs won by David Sebbag & Alan Faigan
They beat 140 competing clubs to win a major Open Bowls Tournament the first by MALB.
MAI Sportswoman of the Year 1998/1999/2002 Denese Brick –
One of our most decorated female Jewish lawn bowlers. Member of Victorian Test Side, Represent Australia in emerging players team.
Winners of the Maccabi Vic. Volunteer Awards:
Marilyn Faiman Helen Weiss Sue Aarons Nathan Simon
Longest Standing:
1996 – 2022 Secretary Marilyn Faiman
2006 – 2022 Treasurer Lothar Prager
2002 Maccabi Victoria Team of the Century
Men: | ||
Alan Faigen | Ben Finkelstein | Don Finkelstein |
Nathan Frydman | Steve Leivenzon | John Maver |
George Rottell | Allan Rubenstein | Keith Rubenstein |
Steven Rubenstein | Ralph Samuel | David Sebbag |
Ladies: | ||
Hannah Barnett | Denese Brick | Jill Diamond |
Maisie Dudakov | Ethel Finkelstein | Erna Goldburn |
Pam Morley | Fay Rubenstein | Ruth Rubenstein |
Minnie Sadman | Josie Ulman | Eva Yelen |
Maccabi Victoria Hall of Fame Members:
2006 – Ben Milgrom, Tess Green, Barney Peters, Denese Brick, Phil Kleid,
Leon Diamond, Sol Spitalnic OAM, Ben Sternfeld OAM, Barry Wicks,
Bernie Gold OAM, John Maver.
2006- Maurie Ashkenazy, Jill Diamond.
2011 -Joe Aarons OAM
2016 -Mark Klapish, Gail Nadelman
Inter-Synagogue Day
In 1993 Geoff Rose and Alec Miller approached the club to take over the running of the Inter Synagogue tournament that they had been organizing. The club accepted the Challenge and after discussions with our Patron (Godel Wroby) the Solomon Kosher Butchers Inter Synagogue Annual tournament was established. The initial game was played at the Auburn Heights Bowling Club with the three greens filled with players. Solomons’ provided the lunch which Mr Wroby cooked himself.
(Because of the uneven numbers of teams representing each synagogue we sought the expertise of a Professor of mathematics to give us a formular to establish the winners.)
In 2014 the sponsorship changed to Justice Alan Goldberg “In Memory of Jenny Goldberg”.
Winners:
2014 Chabad 2015 Blake Street
2016 South Caulfield 2017 Chabad Malvern
2018 South Caulfield 2019 St Kilda Hebrew Congregation
