Footy Gives Back and Finals News 

AJAX SENIOR CLUB

As a Community Club, we engage with young adult players, men, women, and All Abilities, and we also enjoy giving back to our wider community.

Last Shabbat, 23 August, AJAX Committee member and All Stars Manager Jeff Israel singlehandedly organised a very special night. The AJAX Sunday Thirds Team, together with Emmy Monash, held a shule service and dinner at Emmy Monash. Jeff says he has two passions—Emmy Monash and the AJAX Football Club!

Report from Jeff Israel:

Many of the players (around 15) arrived early, giving them the opportunity to visit residents prior to the shule service. The players were amazing, taking their positive attitude and atmosphere into the nursing home and mixing with residents. The residents glowed with pride and joy having “such lovely young men” paying them attention. I have never felt that usually somber and sad dining room feel so alive with love and happiness and life. All our boys in uniform making AJAX proud.

It was really beautiful to see our players enthralled, and the residents telling their stories with a smile, happiness, and a spark in their eyes. The shule service was led by Sunday player and Chazan Sadya Liberow, whose voice was spectacular, and he prayed so beautifully. KOL Hakavod! The players all joined in, filling the room and shule with the loudest spirit-filled singing and praying heard for a long while. There were about 26 players, plus coaches, Club President Alida Lipton, as well as various family members and friends. The shule was full—the AJAX boys succeeded in bringing their team vibe and “Ruach” to the residents and all who were there. Just amazing.

Former Junior Club coach Nathan Frydman thanked AJAX for not only coming but also for giving “religious Kippah tzitzit-wearing Jews” the opportunity to play football for AJAX on Sundays. Nathan claimed, “I’ve never been prouder to be an AJAX member!!” His speech clearly moved the boys. We were also introduced to Jack Smorgon, who is Gary Smorgon’s brother. He told the boys with pride that “he played footy and of course for AJAX.”

Following the shule service, the team had Shabbat dinner, and to see the bond these teammates had with each other was inspiring. Their genuine love and concern for each other was evident. The players collectively and individually thanked me and the committee and club for the season and for the amazing night. They were so respectful and appreciative—a great reflection on their team and our club culture. Their benching and praying was heard throughout the nursing home, spreading the joy and Shabbat vibe.

The night was everything and more than I could have personally hoped for. The residents left feeling the love and gratitude that only our AJAX team and club could provide. There was dancing during the service on both the men’s and women’s sides, with lots of singing and clapping. A seriously memorable experience, one that was so full of happiness and joy.

Thank you to Emmy Monash for partnering with us to make this happen. Thank you to the AJAX Senior Committee for allowing me the freedom to think and act outside of the square. Thank you to the very generous sponsors who made this viable. Thank you to every single member of the Sunday side for making the night so incredibly memorable for the residents. As I was leaving, several players approached me to say, “Please can we do this and similar community-driven activities again next season; we don’t need to wait till finals to come back again.”

AJAX should be so proud of the team, club, culture, and the amazing ways we have been out supporting the Jewish community this season. Go AJAX!

Statement from Maureen Shulsinger, Partnership & Community Engagement Manager, Emmy Monash 

Our Friday night partnership programs with community organisations are always such special events, be they synagogues, schools or youth groups who attend to run the service and bring much spiritual energy through song, prayer and connection with our residents.
Last Friday night was extraordinary, beyond anything we have experienced before when the AJAX senior football team attended to share their successful season with our residents and families.
The spirit, the singing of thirty young men in unison, the feeling of joy and energy in the synagogue was so moving, families came to see what was going on and so happy that Emmy could connect with AJAX in this way .

Jeff brought us together for the first of what we hope will be many such occasions in the future.
We are so grateful that AJAX wanted to share this season-ending Shabbat with the Emmy Family, it was more than we ever could have expected! 

AJAX JUNIOR CLUB

Congratulations to all the coaches, team managers, volunteers, and especially the players who participated in Week 1 of the finals. Whether our teams came home winners or faced a tough loss, their dedication, effort, and sportsmanship were outstanding!

Every game offers a chance to grow, and reaching the finals is a significant accomplishment. Let’s keep rallying behind the teams still in the competition and make an effort to attend as many matches as we can in the coming weeks.

See fixture below.

Please note that the U16 girls and U18 boys Div 1 teams have a bye this weekend as they go straight through to the grand finals. You might recall our earlier story about the U18 boys team, the Comets, coached by Ryan Klooger and Maor Chrapot. They’ve continued their incredible run, remaining unbeaten well past 12 rounds. This marks the first time AJAX has had a team in Division 1 at this age group, making their achievement even more remarkable. Regardless of the finals’ outcome, their season has been nothing short of exceptional.