Tributes to Israeli swimming pioneer Buch – Australian Jewish News
A “loved and respected icon”, a “pioneer of Israeli swimming”, a “Maccabiah Games legend” and a “generous and truly inspirational man” who taught thousands of Jewish Melburnians to swim are among the wave of tributes. Nachum Buch, who died in Melbourne on November 7, aged 89.
Best known as Israel’s first Olympic swimmer – competing in the men’s 100m freestyle at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics – Buch left an influential mark on Jewish swimming in both Israel and Australia, from the grassroots to the international elite level, as an athlete. coach, official and scholarship provider.
Born in 1932 in Kassel, Germany, Buch moved with his parents to Tel Aviv in 1934, and at the age of 15 he set the Israeli national 100m swimming record.
After his competitive swimming years and before moving to Australia in 1974, Buch became the head swimming coach of the Israeli Brit Maccabim Atid and then the coach of the Israeli national swimming team.
He participated in 15 Maccabiah Games, including representing Israel as a swimmer three times and as a water polo player twice, as Australia’s swimming coach at three Maccabiah Games and later as an official.
When the recently re-established Maccabi-AJAX Swimming Club was a powerhouse in Victorian swimming a few decades ago, it was under Buch’s coaching supervision.
As a swim instructor at Maccabi’s old Alma Road and Mount Scopus College pool from 1980 to 1994, Buch was known for going — often at dawn — to drive Learn to Swim participants into the pool.
In 2018, the father of three and recently grandfather of two founded the Nachum Buch Maccabi Australia Scholarship with his family, which awarded an annual grant of $2,000.
When launching it, Buch said he specifically wanted to “help young swimmers develop and become top swimmers in Australia and the world”.
Buch traveled to Israel almost every year, and his death made many Israeli news reports.
Michael Halika, president of the Israel Swimming Association (ISA), told Israel Hayom: “The entire Israeli swimming family mourns the passing of one of our greatest swimmers – a man who paved the way for us all and was the first to tread paths that Israelis did not. had walked before.
“We intend to remember him during the upcoming Israeli national swimming championships.”
One of Buch’s sons, Jonathan, told The AJN that the family “has received hundreds of uplifting comments about the tributes to Nachum, and it has been such a comfort to us.”
“A lot of people have a very strong memory of him – he had a very direct manner, that’s for sure, but he was one of the most generous people when you got to know him.
“It was often said that you should be careful when you ask him for a small favor, because you will get a big favor.”
He added that it is likely that several of Buch’s personal items related to his swimming career, such as swimming medals, will be donated to the Maccabi Museum in Tel Aviv.
Maccabi Aquatics chair Barry Carp said AJN“With his swim coaching, Nachum ignited a flame that still burns in so many of us [competitive Jewish swimmers] today – and that is an amazing legacy”.
“His style was very old school, so if you didn’t do something the way he wanted, he’d tell you about it,” Carp said.
“He was passionate about swimming, and even though Nachum was an Olympian who had competed and coached at the highest level, he always showed humility.”
Maccabi-AJAX Swimming Club President Roelof Vogel said: “Nachum was an icon loved and respected by the teams he coached”.
“Many of the Jewish champion swimmers still competing today talk about the love of swimming he instilled in them.”
Rob Friedman, who nailed a nearly 5-second PB en route to winning gold for Australia at this year’s Maccabiah Games at Wingate Pool in Israel – in the men’s 50-54 100m butterfly – said. AJN last week that “Nachum is probably the most influential reason why I still swim competitively.”
– He drove me to the swimming pool early in the morning, and that’s when my love for swimming started.
“And we saw each other for years after that and even right before the 2022 Maccabiah Games.”
Moments after winning his Maccabiah gold medal, Friedman walked toward the site of the “Wall of Honor” at Wingate Pool Stadium during a post-race interview, overcome with emotion, pausing to point to a plaque honoring Buch’s 1952 Olympic swim.
Many other tributes and memories were posted on the Mt Scopus Old Collegians Facebook group site.
Jack Chrapot wrote that Nachum “taught so many of our children’s generation to swim with his inimitable style, often throwing them in the pool”.
Rashi Elmaliah described Buch as “a significant influence in my life.”
“I will always be proud to have been taught to swim by an Olympic swimmer – we were all lucky to have him and he will certainly be missed.
“Some [whom Buch taught] even still compete with the shit and passion he instilled”.
Mark Bokser described him as “a wonderful man . . . tough as nails, but generous at the same time.”
Debbie Hilton wrote that she was delighted to see Buch swimming at Prahran Pool “not too long ago”.
“He [used to] driving around Melbourne twice a day, before and after school, picking up and dropping off any Jewish kids who wanted to swim.
“He gave so many kids the opportunity to train and swim – he was a truly generous man who gave so much to so many.”
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