For an entire week this summer, 57 young athletes of the Sid Jacobson JCC got a chance to compete with young Jewish athletes from North America and five other countries in the 2004 Maccabi Games. Participants shared in the fun of competing, the joy of meeting their peers and the pride of being part of a world-famous Olympic-style event filled with Jewish content and values. It is a life-and personality-shaping experience that the JCC Maccabi Games have been offering to Jewish teenagers since 1982. At this Jewish mini-Olympiad, each athlete has the chance to participate in one of 13 sporting events.

Our tennis team traveled to Columbus, Ohio to compete with 124 other players from around the US and Israel. The eight players - Hilana Lewkowitz-Shpuntoff, Jacqueline Zysman, Madalyn Darnell, Dana Albert, Matthew Levy, Taylor Crane, Jordan Weissman and Adam Cole - brought home nine medals in singles and doubles.

The Sid Jacobson JCC is looking to start an athlete's committee comprised of the past and present players for planning next year's event. We invite you to become involved in the planning of the 2005 Maccabi games from designing the official pin to choosing the uniforms and the community service event to help raise funds.

David Levy, this year's coach of the Maccabi tennis team, explains, "We want to give the kids ownership in the Maccabi experience and let their voices be heard in such issues as planning, logistics and choosing their uniforms."

Tryouts for the 2005 Maccabi Games will be held in November for tennis, soccer, basketball and swimming. The Maccabi Games are open to all Jewish teens between the ages 13-16. JCC membership is not required to become a participant.

For more information, call Sarah Schmitt, sports and fitness director of the Sid Jacobson JCC, at 484-1545, ext. 143.