Stuart Lustigman has had a 60-year association with the worldwide Maccabi Movement. He has served as Chairman of Maccabi Great Britain, Chairman of the European Maccabi Confederation, and Vice-Chairman of Maccabi World Union.
During the past six decades Stuart has participated in numerous events and programs, including eight quadrennial Maccabiah Games. He has been involved in grass roots soccer/football for more than a half-century and received an award from the English Football Association in 2017 in recognition of 50 years of service to the sport. During these years, Stuart qualified as an FA coach and referee, and founded and chaired the Maccabi Primary Football League (1988) and the Maccabi Masters Football League (1999).
Stuart was involved in the introduction of Walking Football to Israel in April 2021 since when the sport has flourished under the auspices of Football State, Israel’s largest organiser of small-sided football in cooperation with the Israel Football Association and the Ministry of Culture and Sport. The sport is played in various locations throughout the country where there are now 22 teams nationwide and a National League.
Stuart was also a founder of the Maccabi GB Strollers Walking Football Club in 2022 which provides regular weekly playing opportunities for its members and organised a solidarity trip to Israel in November 2025 playing matches in Herzliya and the Gaza Envelope.
In 1990 Stuart was appointed Sports Director of Maccabi GB, elected Chairman 1991-1995, then Vice-President. He served as Chairman of the European Maccabi Confederation 2002–2010, Honorary President 2010–2015, and now is an Honorary Life President. He was a Vice-Chairman of the Maccabi World Union Executive 2002–2010. In 2009 he received the prestigious Yakir Award from Maccabi World Union in recognition of services to the Maccabi Movement.
Stuart was Team Manager for Great Britain at the 1987 and 1991 European Maccabi Games. He was also assistant Team Manager for Great Britain at the 13th Maccabiah in 1989, and GB Team Manager in 1993 and 1997. In 1998, Stuart was appointed Co-Chairman of the Maccabiah International Sports Committee, a position he held until 2006.
Stuart has served the Jewish and general community as a sports broadcaster for Spectrum Radio, as well as being a contributor to the Jewish News and Shalom newspaper. He was a ‘Gamesmaker’ volunteer at the London Paralympics following the Olympic Games in 2012.
In 2000, Stuart organised a football tour to Israel for 30 youngsters from London and Manchester aged 12/13 years old. Between 2002 and 2025 Stuart organised 9 tours to Israel for veteran footballers and 12 tours for lawn bowlers. These tours are among the 45 international events in which Stuart has been involved including World Maccabiah and European Maccabi Games, JCC Maccabi Games, PanAm Maccabi Games and Maccabi Australian International Games.
In February 1991, during the scud attacks from Iraq, Stuart was one of 9 individuals from Maccabi GB who volunteered to travel to Israel in a mission of solidarity organized by MWU. The visit was acclaimed by Israeli authorities and included meetings with Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and former Prime Minister Shimon Peres, and other high-ranking government and military officials.
