While the final siren after Saturday’s Grand Final between Geelong Cats and the Sydney Swans marked the end of the 2022 AFL season, it was not the last game of football to be played on the MCG for the year.
That honour instead went to some of the state’s best Muslim and Jewish footballers.On Sunday 25 September, less than 24 hours after the Grand Final, the Bachar Houli Academy and Maccabi’s Jolson/Maccabi/AJAX Community Team (JMA) took to the hallowed turf in pursuit of the third annual Jolson Houli Unity Cup.
Created in 2019 as a legacy to the Australian Rules Peace Team, the 2022 event saw under 15 and under 18 sides come together in a powerful demonstration sport’s ability to break down barriers and foster social cohesion.
Playing the game at the ‘G has been made possible through the MCC Foundation’s partnership with the Bachar Houli Foundation.
Bachar Houli said the Interfaith program continued to be a powerful program for future leaders in both communities.
“What this program does more than anything is show these boys that they are not too different at all,” he said.
“There are some seriously skilled players on both sides, and it shows the power of sport that they can come together to showcase this on the big stage of the MCG.
“We are proud of this program. We look forward to seeing what it and these brilliant future Islamic and Jewish leaders can achieve for their own and the broader Australian communities.”
Jerome Jolson noted that it was fitting that the match between two of the world’s great spiritual faiths was returning to the spiritual home of football.
“What could be more inspiring than to see representatives of the Jewish and Islamic communities come together as one to play our beautiful game,” he said.
Sally Macindoe, Chair of the MCC Foundation, said the club was honoured to once again play a part in bringing the Jolson Houli Unity Cup to life.
“The Jolson Houli Unity Cup is a fantastic demonstration of sport’s special ability to not only bring people together, but to serve as a bridge between communities, transcending differences of background and beliefs,” she said.
“And after a 2020 and 2021 characterised by disruption and distance, there is no better or more fitting way to celebrate the end of the 2022 football season at the ‘G than with a game so centred on unity.”
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