Lustigman bowled over

BOWLS STUART Lustigman described Maccabi GB’s seventh lawn bowls tour of Israel an “outstanding success” following a series of matches.

Following a walking tour of Akko and a visit to Carmiel Children’s Village — a UJIA project — Myra Schaffer, Laurence Ackerman and Terry Lichkin steered MGB to victory in their opening match against Haifa BC.

After a day in Jerusalem, the travelling party visited the Wingate Institute — Israel’s National Centre for Excellence in Sport — and were shown around some laboratories and the Centre of Sports Excellence that prepares athletes for the Olympics and international events. A match against Kiryat Ono BC followed, with the top MGB team award going to Bernard Taub, Warren Ross and Laurence Pinkus.

MGB’s 30 bowlers concluded the trip in Jaffa at a gala bowls evening where they lined up alongside 42 bowlers from Ra’anana. Julien Sampson was GB’s representative in the winning team.

Amir Peled, chairman of the 2013 and 2017 Maccabiot, as well as Leo Dan Bensky, President of Maccabi World Union, congratulated the group for their support.

All 41 tour participants received special medals, with Ben Marshal and Warren Ross, Cheryl Petar and Barbara Swillman recognised as the top bowlers.

Terry Lichkin was given an award for organising the GB team bowls teams throughout the tour and Stephen Levy for assisting in the preparations leading to the tour.

Tour organiser Stuart Lustigman acknowledged this was “probably the most successful tour of all”.

He commented: “I worked with the Israel Experience for 10 months of planning and organising over so many aspects of the programme and I was extremely proud to lead such an outstanding group of people.”