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Memories of Maccabi


John L. Joseph

John L. Joseph has fond memories of the Maccabi and its sporting activities, as well as an encounter with the young performer and film star, Jerry Lewis.

The first people who come to mind are Michael Hartz, a chairman with
charisma, Evelyn Bloomfield, a fantastic secretary, Len Caplin, always at
the club and the jolly round figure of Jackie Fischer. These were some
of the people who impressed me when I joined in 1947.

As you can see from the citation, table tennis was my first love. Mike
Jacobs, always reliable, David Levine and later Ernie Bubbley became our
first division team that picked itself. Our junior squad was Brian Brooks,
Gary Levine, you and Wendy Bates. I spent many happy hours in the
vestry hall above Middle Street Shul, coaching and encouraging all of you.
I would leave you playing and when you had finished one of you would put
the keys of the Shul through my letter box in Duke Street.

Of the football team there was Stanley Goldstein, who went on to play
for Wingate, the Bloom brothers, Ray Stoleberg, Alan Shepherd, Pip
Levine, Basil Wise and Mike Jacobs in goal. I have a photo of the team
taken after a game in Hackney Marshes.

In the cricket team, I remember Harry Goldstein, Mike Jacobs, Leslie
Graham and Marshall Levy.

Of athletes, only Manny Richmond comes to mind. I can recall going by
coach to London Fields for the Macabbi Games. Someone requested a
cigarette and the cigarette case was thrown across the coach and went
out of the window. We had to stop the coach and go back and search for
it!

I was introduced to the club by my cousin, Johnny Monk, and on my first
visit there was a concert. We had a young guy on a visit from the States
- his name was Jerry Lewis - THE Jerry Lewis
.
There are lots of memories, the annual dance at Hove Town Hall, the
difficulty in getting the most popular girls to go to cultural events. The
rush to get to Zeros, to get to the table tennis table that they had
upstairs in the cafe and the girls who played table tennis, Pat Rind,
Cynthia Rose, both stick in the memory.

John L. Joseph

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