AJAX football captain Jason Ritterman (left) and North Caulfield soccer player Ari Ritz (right) shared the Victoria Maccabi club sportsman of the year award. They are pictured with former Maccabi president Russell Jaffe.

COREY JANKIE

ABLE tennis champion David Zalcberg capped off a memorable 12 months when he was presented with the Les Goldsmith Open Sportsman of the Year award at Maccabi Victoria’s Annual Awards presentation on June 4. Taking out Maccabi’s top honour was the latest in a string of achievements for the Australian champion. 

Zalcberg qualified for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and was recognised by the Victorian Institute of Sport earlier this year when it awarded him with the Sport and Career achievement. Zalcberg was also selected for Australia’s Maccabiah squad, but was forced to withdraw for work reasons.

 

Also recognised for their outstanding achievements were AJAX Football Club captain Jason Ritterman and North Caulfield Maccabi soccer gun Ari Ritz, who were joint recipients of the Maccabi Victoria Club Sportsperson of the Year award. Both Ritterman and Ritz were winners of their respective league best and fairest awards for the 2008 season.

Ritz, 21, returned to North Caulfield last year following a two-year stint in the Football Federation of Victoria’s highest grades, and the move yielded instant success. “Playing with all of my mates made it a lot easier,” Ritz said. “I was excited to go to training and I wanted to work hard.” For the skilful midfielder, receiving the Maccabi award came as both a surprise and a welcome reward for hard work. 

“I was a little bit surprised and I had no idea who I was up against, but it was a great feeling and now that I’ve had my best season to date, I just want to build on it,” Ritz added. Other highlights of the evening included North Caulfield Maccabi women’s soccer team receiving the Ivan Saffer Club Team of the Year Award, and the Ben Sternfeld Club of the Year award was presented to Maccabi AJAX Cricket Club. 

Marni Burger (swimming), Max Curtis (volleyball), Noam Tidhar (Judo) and Ashley Brown (football) were the distinguished junior athletes taking out the four junior awards. In total, 12 Jewish athletes and sports administrators received awards in recognition of their achievements in the company of more than 200 people at the Glen Eira Town Hall. 

Victorian basketball legend Lindsay Gaze was the guest speaker. 

 

2009 Maccabi Victoria Award Winners

Claire Isaacs Club Junior Sportswoman of the Year

Marni Burger

Maccabi AJAX Swimming Club

Les Abrahams Club Junior Sportsman of the Year

Max Curtis

Maccabi Volleyball Club

AJN Junior Sportsperson of the Year

Noam Tidhar

Judo

Maccabi Victoria Club Sportsman of the Year

Jason Ritterman

AJAX Amateur Football Club

Maccabi Victoria Club Sportsman of the Year

Ari Ritz

North Caulfield Maccabi Football Club

Basil Isaacs Open Sportswoman of the Year

Tal Karp

Melbourne Victory Women

Les Goldsmith Open Sportsman of the Year

David Zalcberg

Table Tennis

Ben Abrahams Club Administrator of the Year

Marc Felman

Maccabi AJAX Cricket Club

Ivan Saffer Club Team of the Year

North Caulfield Maccabi Women’s Open Football Team

North Caulfield Maccabi Football Club

Maccabi Victoria Presidents Award

Zvi Schweitzer

Maccabi Victoria Jewish Care All Abilities Group

Maccabi Victoria Board Award for Achievement Masters

Susie Shulsinger 

Maccabi Toastmasters Club

Ben Sternfeld Club of the Year

Maccabi AJAX Cricket Club 

Deloitte Rising Star Award

Ashley Brown