At Maccabi GB, our goal is to create personalised experiences and pathways that foster individual development within our community, and, in turn, enhance the experiences of the community as a whole.
Libby Poster began her journey with Maccabi GB in 2016 at the JCC Maccabi Games as a Junior Athlete, and again took part in 2017 at the Maccabiah Games. Over the past few years, she has taken on a management role within our Junior team, leading our female footballers to a bronze medal at the European Maccabi Youth Games this past summer, while nurturing their Jewish and Maccabi identities and fostering lifelong friendships.
On the 31st of October, Lord Mann of Holbeck Moor, together with the All-Party Parliamentary Group Against Antisemitism, hosted a tea to celebrate Jewish Women in Sport. Guest speaker at the event, Libby shared her experience:
“Hello everyone, I am so grateful to be speaking in front of you all today.
By way of introduction, my name is Libby Poster, I am 22 years old, and having just graduated from the University of Bristol in Spanish and Italian, I am now completing my law school qualifications, before becoming a trainee solicitor in 2026.
I also happen to live and breathe football. I always have, playing, watching, supporting, and more recently managing. I played for the same club from the ages of 8 to 18, played some football for the University of Bristol 1st and 2nd team in my first year, and am currently training with and setting up our very own London Lions Women’s team, which is a first for the club. We hope to enter competitively next season, and so if you or anyone you know is interested in playing, and is above sixteen, please do get in touch!
My first tangible experience with Maccabi GB was at the 2017 Maccabiah Games in Israel, where I competed in the Great Britain U18 Girls Football Team. Before embarking on this year-long journey of training, trips away, socials, and tactical meetings ahead of the 2017 Games, I must admit, I didn’t know too much about Maccabi or the Maccabiah. I say that I had always been around it, heard the name, knew that it was known as the ‘Jewish Olympics’ (every Jewish footballer’s favourite phrase), and someone very close to me in my life had always encouraged me to be involved in the bubble, but in truth, I never really got it until I took his advice. And that is something that I have heard over and over again from all different people who have experienced a Maccabiah. It’s a bug. There is nothing else quite like it, and as soon as I got a hint, I knew that I was going to be completely obsessed with it.
I felt extremely fortunate and honoured to be a small part of the GB delegation, to represent my country and my people at the same time, whilst making incredible memories on and off the pitch, playing the sport that I have always loved.
Last year, after a few too many years without my Maccabi fix, I decided to apply to be the Assistant manager of the U18 Girls Football team for the European Maccabi Youth Games, held in London this summer.
I participated in management trainings, safeguarding and first aid courses, wellbeing sessions, tactical team meetings and weekends away. This experience was so much more than I could have ever imagined. Our team became a family, all with the same goal of embracing our community and our culture, whilst competing against Jewish athletes all over the world, on one campus, totally united. There is something remarkable in the air, at a Maccabi games, there is this incredible coexistence of pride and togetherness, paired with drive, ambition, and fierce competition.
The rest of our management team were astonished by the grit and determination that our girls showed throughout the entire process, and especially through the obstacles that we encountered during the week of the games themselves. I truly believe that, although the tangible prize was a bronze medal, this team gained so much more than sporting excellence. The team fought like a collective, supported each other like sisters, and ultimately have contributed to the growth of Jewish female football for generations to come.
During the Games, it truly feels like nothing else outside the Maccabiah bubble exists. It’s impossible to create that atmosphere through fortune, and I am certain that the countless hours that Maccabi GB dedicated into hosting Great Britain’s first ever London games, was entirely worthwhile. On a personal level, the support I was given from everyone around me at Maccabi and in our management teams was invaluable, I learnt a huge deal both pastorally and competitively, and I know that this is a unique organisation that I would be lucky to be involved with for many years to come.
The momentum of women’s football has skyrocketed since the Lionesses' success a couple of years ago, and from that, the momentum of Jewish women’s football has followed suit. To create a space where Jewish women can come together, play the beautiful game, and support each other and our community is so vital. Especially in today’s climate. With the significance of unity and togetherness today, more than ever, at the forefront of the Jewish diaspora, we must acknowledge the power that sport has in bringing people together, and the ripple effect that it can have on the rest of the Jewish people.
This coming summer, I hope to be the Assistant Manager of the Girls Football team for the Maccabiah Games in Israel. This will be, without a doubt, the most special, emotional and empowering Games there has ever been. I keep picturing the opening ceremony, 10,000 Jewish athletes from around the world in one place, singing Hatikva, and every time I do, I am reminded of the strength of our people.
We pray for the safe return of the hostages, and for peace for all of those in and around Israel at this devastating time. In times of such darkness, we must all find our focus. For me, I have focused on uniting Jewish girls through competitive football. I equally hope to be someone the girls can relate to, who the girls could turn to, and who can help them navigate the challenging experiences I had been through just a few years prior, both on and off the pitch. If my very small contribution can make even the slightest difference to one person’s perspective of football and the Jewish community, then it will all have been worth it.
Celebrating the achievements of so many incredible people at this event today is so extremely important, and I am so grateful to have been invited, listened to you speak and learnt more about how Jewish women in sport are an asset to our community.
I feel extremely proud to be a Jewish woman today.”
Libby is just one of the many young professionals making a significant impact. If you’d like to get involved and make a difference, we have an exciting new opportunity…
Maccabi GB is looking for new committee members to help drive opportunities and experiences for those aged 18–35.
What’s involved:
Planning and delivering fundraising events and initiatives
Using your skills in event planning, fundraising, marketing, networking, finance, and more
Helping to raise vital funds to support Maccabi GB’s mission
Expanding your network and making a lasting impact
Developing your skills
Working with the Senior Leadership team at Maccabi GB
Ready to get involved? Contact yvie@maccabigb.org to find out more.
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