By Jeannie S.
Ricky Landau has been showing up for Maccabi for nearly 50 years. As an athlete, as an organizer, as a flag bearer — and now, as one of its highest honorees.
It started in 1973 in Caracas, Venezuela, when Landau first began competing locally as a teenager at Hebraica and representing his community through sport. In 1977, at just about 17 years old, he was in Israel for the first time for the Opening Ceremony of his first Maccabiah, a volleyball player wide-eyed in a country that felt like home.
In the Games that followed, he would return again, competing in a different sport, softball, eventually earning a place in Israel’s Baseball/Softball Hall of Fame. “It was always something that made me very proud,” Landau said. “I represented Venezuela in the Maccabi Games — one time I was the bearer of the flag.”
Israel left a permanent mark on him. At the Maccabiah in 1981 he met his wife, Vicky. What started as a chance to represent his country became one of the defining chapters of his life.
Over the next four decades, the father of five and multi-sports enthusiast would compete in 11 Maccabiah representing Venezuela. But his 12th Games would be different. Having moved to the United States a decade ago, he was given the honor of putting on the American jersey and playing for Maccabi USA.
“Being able to wear the shirt with USA was a lot of pride and was an honor,” he explained.
But for Landau, competing was never the whole story. Long before his final games as an athlete, he began something he considers even more meaningful: leading the next generation to Israel.
As part of the Venezuelan delegation and later through his role as an organizer with Maccabi World Union, which he joined in 1999, he has spent decades alongside the leaders of Hebraica in Caracas to make sure young Jewish athletes from Venezuela have the opportunity to stand where he once stood. It hasn’t always been easy. There were years when Venezuela’s participation was uncertain due to financial challenges, and Landau fought to make it possible anyway.
“The most important thing was to bring kids to Israel,” he said. “We’ve done a tremendous effort — Venezuela was not going to participate and I made it a point to make it possible. It’s very important, especially under all the antisemitism, for them to have the opportunity to go to Israel. When they are training they wear the shirt and identify with Judaism, with Israel, and that gives them a sense of belonging to something very important.”
That sense of belonging is at the heart of everything the organization stands for. “Maccabi is a very central part of Judaism, of Israel,” he said. “We educate our kids through sports.”
At the 2026 Maccabiah, Landau will be named one of 11 recipients of the Yakir Maccabi, the highest honor the organization bestows.
“You don’t work just to get that honor,” he said. “But getting it makes you proud.”
Landau doesn’t plan to slow down. He still works as a leading organizer with the Venezuelan delegation and serves on the Eligibility Committee at Maccabi World Union to support athletes; Still fights to get them to Israel. Still shows up because that’s always been the point.
“I love what I do and I do it not for any honor. I have been doing it because I love what I do.”
Jeannie S. studied Human Development at Cornell University and Information Science at the University of Michigan, with a passion for using technology to foster connection and community. She works to connect with Gen Z audiences through her series, Gen Z Mentality, collaborating with brands to tell stories that resonate. An advocate for elevating Gen Z voices, Jeannie is driven by her interest in authentic storytelling, lifestyle content, and sharing meaningful conversations. Connect with her on LinkedIn.