Maccabi, TOM team up for disabled IDF veterans

The agreement reflects a shared commitment to ensure that anyone who wishes to train, compete, or pursue a sporting dream is able to do so.

Maccabi World Union and the TOM – Tikkun Olam Makers – initiative signed a new strategic partnership last week aimed at advancing inclusive and accessible sport for people with disabilities, with a particular focus on IDF disabled veterans, ahead of the Maccabiah Games in the summer of 2026.

The agreement reflects a shared commitment to ensure that anyone who wishes to train, compete, or pursue a sporting dream is able to do so through practical, affordable, and accessible solutions. The partnership is expected to extend beyond the 2026 Maccabiah and continue toward the Paralympic Games in 2028.

Maccabi World Union, the largest Jewish sports organization in the world and the organizer of the Maccabiah, will work alongside TOM, an Israeli–international initiative dedicated to developing low-cost solutions for people with disabilities. Together, the organizations will develop tools and technologies that enable participation in sport, particularly for IDF disabled veterans. These solutions will be made freely available worldwide through TOM’s platform.

The collection of solutions will be named after Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann, a Holocaust survivor and widely regarded as the father of the Paralympic Games, and will be presented during the Maccabiah. An international innovation conference on inclusive sports is also planned ahead of the opening of the Games.

As part of the initiative, TOM and Maccabi World Union will collaborate with the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization, Beit Halochem rehabilitation centers, the Paralympic Association and Committee, and additional bodies to identify barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating in sport and to map needs directly from the field.

Partnership to establish 'Master Workshop'

The development of solutions for the wounded is part of a joint initiative with the Rehabilitation Division and MAFAT at the Ministry of Defense, and the Casualties and Disabled Soldiers Department of the IDF (Personnel Directorate).

The partnership also includes plans to establish an innovation complex in “Maccabiah City” ahead of the 2026 Games, featuring a “Master Workshop” where athletes and visitors will be able to observe the development of Paralympic equipment and new technological solutions.

Maccabi World Union CEO Roy Hessing said the Maccabiah represents more than competition.

“The Maccabiah is far more than a sporting event – it is a declaration of unity and the triumph of the Jewish spirit before the entire world,” he said. “This year, with delegations from more than 50 countries, we have an opportunity to show how Israel turns the challenges of injury into extraordinary achievements. The partnership with TOM and the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization is designed to ensure that no physical barrier prevents our heroes – men and women alike – from returning to the field. We are building a pathway that begins with rehabilitation and ends on the Maccabiah podium, rooted in a deep belief in the power of sport to build both body and soul.”

TOM founder Gidi Grinstein said the collaboration would have a global impact.

“This collaboration with Maccabi World Union will create the largest portfolio of solutions in the world for participation in sport by people with disabilities,” he said. “It is a true breakthrough for IDF disabled veterans and for people with disabilities in Israel and around the world. Israel is among the global leaders in rehabilitation, and we are proud to contribute to that leadership together with Maccabi World Union and Jewish communities worldwide. For us, this is a mission and a partnership with one of the most significant Jewish organizations in the world.”