What an amazing week.
The Levite Jewish Community Center in Birmingham hosted the 2017 JCC Maccabi Games. This was the first time that the Games have been hosted in Alabama. Birmingham is the second-smallest community to ever host the games. Only Akron, which has a community of roughly 4,000 and hosted in 2008, is smaller.
The JCC Maccabi Games are an Olympic-style sporting competition held each summer in North America and is the second largest organized sports program for Jewish teenagers in the world. The Maccabi Movement began in 1895 when the first all-Jewish sports club was formed in Constantinople. The first world Maccabiah Games were held in Israel in 1932. Now, this two week competition takes place every four years and has featured many world class Jewish athletes including: Mark Spitz (swimming), Mitch Gaylord (gymnastics), Ernie Grunfeld and Danny Schayes (basketball), Brad Gilbert and Dick Savitt (tennis). (I am no so secretly hoping that #4 (now #3) will consider trying out for the 2021 Israeli Games.) Read more here: jccmaccabigames.
The Levite Jewish Community Center in Birmingham hosted the 2017 JCC Maccabi Games. This was the first time that the Games have been hosted in Alabama. Birmingham is the second-smallest community to ever host the games. Only Akron, which has a community of roughly 4,000 and hosted in 2008, is smaller.
The JCC Maccabi Games are an Olympic-style sporting competition held each summer in North America and is the second largest organized sports program for Jewish teenagers in the world. The Maccabi Movement began in 1895 when the first all-Jewish sports club was formed in Constantinople. The first world Maccabiah Games were held in Israel in 1932. Now, this two week competition takes place every four years and has featured many world class Jewish athletes including: Mark Spitz (swimming), Mitch Gaylord (gymnastics), Ernie Grunfeld and Danny Schayes (basketball), Brad Gilbert and Dick Savitt (tennis). (I am no so secretly hoping that #4 (now #3) will consider trying out for the 2021 Israeli Games.) Read more here: jccmaccabigames.
The Games started off with a moving Opening Ceremonies that was attended by more than 3,000 community attendees, 900 athletes and 150 coaches. Gen Krulak and former SEC Commissioner Slive were celebrity Co-Chairs for the Games. Auburn Hoops Coach Bruce Pearl gave the keynote address. Matisyahu entertained everyone, until he didn't. Not good. Despite this early blip, the Games have been viewed as huge success. Several articles have been written on the positive impact of the Games, including this very well done piece: Birmingham leaves lasting impression on visiting Jewish athletes.
The games were a success in large part because of the small but vital roles hundreds of volunteers filled. For our part, we each hosted four out of state participants at our homes for the week. For many of these kids have never been to the Deep South, tried sweet tea (gasp!), boiled peanuts (the horror!!) or proper bbq (blasphemy!!!). We housed them, gave them rides to transportation hubs and provided meals. I assume they had a nice visit. Nobody was injured. 😃😃😃
In addition, David and I served as the Venue Directors for the games
at the Altamont School. Altamont hosted dance, flag football, track and
field and girl’s basketball. We had a good time watching hundreds of
athletes came through Altamont during the week and participate in the
games. Thank you to Sarah Whiteside (Head of School), and the Altamont staff
and administration for allowing us to use the school during the week. They
were gracious hosts.
Hats off to the Games Co-Chairs Bruce and Carleton Sokol and
Layne and Amanda Held. Betzy Lynch, Executive Director of the LJCC and
her entire staff are to be commended for a job well done.
Closing party musical act.
The Games are so much more than what happens between the lines. Of course the games are important, but that's just one component of the Maccabi experience. During the Maccabi week, many collateral experiences develop. New friendships are formed. Kids from 25-30 delegations around the country, Israel and the Ukraine. The kids also were given a real history lesson about the Civil Rights movement, Birmingham and the South. A staple of the event is JCC Cares, teens spend time performing tikkun olam or “repairing the world”, taking a few hours out of their competition and play schedules to participate in community service. In addition, the Games honor and remember the Munich 11 athletes by memorializing their lives at the Opening Ceremony. Community members and guests, promise to never forget the past, including the athletes and coaches who were killed by terrorists at the 1972 Olympics, and honor their memories in prose and spirit throughout the Games.
Here is my video take on the Games:
This current week Albany, NY and Miami, FL are also hosting Macabbi Games. Some sports are being offered that Birmingham did not offer such as ice hockey (Albany) and ArtsFest, a unique program for creative Jewish Teens who have a strong interest in the arts. Every summer, in conjunction with JCC Maccabi Games, ArtsFest aims to inspire participants to explore their individuality and engage passionately with their creativity through a dynamic combination of workshops, performance, exhibition, community service, and social activities. The ArtsFest experience includes opportunities for participants to expand their knowledge of Jewish heritage, enrich their Jewish identities and develop lifelong friendships. Games in Albany and Miami are some what smaller in the number of athletes and sports being offered.
Emily played in the 2013 Austin Games.
I saw many young local kids at the Opening ceremonies and throughout the week watching different events. I hope with Birmingham hosting the Games this will now spark the interest of more Birmingham kids to participate in future Games. Next year the Games will be
held in Orange County / Long Beach, CA.
I'm exhausted. Time to go back to my real job.
The Sports Guy
