Yehoshua Alouf

Yehoshua Alouf (Volpianski; March 4, 1900 – July 26, 1980) was one of the founders of sports in the Land of Israel and the leaders of the Maccabi organization and the Maccabiah Games. He was the recipient of the Israel Prize for a special contribution to society and the country in 1974.

Life and career
Alof was born in 1977 as Yehoshua Wolfiansky in the town of Salonim in White Russia. As a child he studied at "Hader Metoken", and in 1912 he was sent by his parents to the Land of Israel and began studying at the "Herzliya" Hebrew Gymnasium. In 1914 he returned to visit his parents and remained in Europe on the eve of the outbreak of the First World War, he continued his studies at the Reali School in Warsaw. During this period, Alof began to engage in Zionist activities and to combine them, being a member of the Zionist Association "Maccabi". In 1920, he returned to Israel and settled there 1924 married Hinda Beit Naaman, daughter of Aba Naaman.

Upon his return to Israel, he worked as a construction worker. At the same time, he also joined the "Haganah" organization, for which he completed an instructors' course in 1921 and over the years held key positions: member of the Haganah headquarters in Jerusalem (1933–1939), liaison officer between the Jewish Agency and the British Mandate authorities (during the events of the 1936 events) and in charge of the Watcher Corps in the Jerusalem district.

Two years after his renewed rise, his activities began to focus on the development of the sport. For 15 years, Alof worked as a physical education teacher at the Herzliya Gymnasium and at the Hebrew teacher's house in Jerusalem. In 1925 he was sent for professional training in Denmark, and upon his return he was appointed to serve as the chief laborer of Maccabi Tel Aviv and then Maccabi Jerusalem. Alof was elected a member of the national leadership of Maccabi and was entrusted with organizing the first Maccabi competitions in Israel (in 1932, 1935, 1950 and 1953). On behalf of Maccabi Eretz Israel, he was sent in these years as an observer to the Paris Olympics (1924) and the London Olympics and was the official representative of the Jewish community at international sports and youth events, including the democratic youth convention in Prague (1947). From 1938, Olof served as inspector (later called chief inspector) of physical education in schools. At the same time as these occupations, he was one of the founders of the Sports Association, the Israel Olympic Committee and the Physical Education Teachers' Organization. He is also one of the members of the committee for physical education terms of the Hebrew Language Academy.

His activity as chief inspector of physical education continued from 1938, on behalf of the National Committee, until 1954, within the Ministry of Education and Culture. After that he was appointed to head the physical training department of the ministry.

Alof was recognized for his work: elected an honorary member of Maccabi Tel Aviv, a member of the Wingate Institute's Board of Trustees, recipient of the Dov Hoz Prize for Sports on behalf of the Municipality of Tel Aviv (1951) (for his book "Gymnastics Guidelines") and recipient of the Israel Prize for a special contribution to society and the country in culture The body (1974).

Alof was the father of an only son, Ari Alof (1927–2000), who was a pilot, manager at "El Al" and head of the operations department of the Civil Aviation Administration

Alof lived in Ramat Gan. He was widowed by his wife in December 1970. In her name he founded a scholarship for Wingate Institute students. Died in 1980, at the age of 80. He was buried in the Kiryat Shaul cemetery.[4] He left behind his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.

Alouf died in 1980 and is known for coining number of Hebrew terms used in sport.

Awards

 * Israel Prize (1974)
 * Dov Hoz Prize for Sports (1951)