The 40th year of the JCC Maccabi Games took place in San Diego, California, from July 31 to Aug. 5.
The Kansas City team joined 57 delegations and more than 1600 Jewish teen athletes from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Israel and Bulgaria.
The Maccabi Games are an Olympic-style sporting competition held each summer in North America. The week-long, multi-sport and cultural event utilizes high quality venues and features competition in sports such as baseball, basketball, soccer, ice hockey, volleyball, table tennis, swim, tennis, golf, and competition dance. The week of competition is accompanied by a wide array of cultural and social activities.
The Kansas City team consisted of Hunter Brown, Sammy Hertzfield, Ethan Hobbs, Drew Liss, Ayden Mooney, Daniel Munro, Eli Nathan, Livia Noorollah, Ben Rosenthal, Sophie Stang, Gabrielle Sosland, Lucy Warner, Rose Wasserman, David Wasserman, Hudson Zack, and Teddy Zitron, along with coaches Damion Brown and Maggie Osgood-Nicholls.
Several Kansas City participants earned medals during the week of competition.
- Drew Liss: Five medals in dance
- Rose Wasserman: Five medals in dance
- Hudson Zack: Four medals in the boys’ 14-and-under swimming competition
- Sophie Stang: Four medals in dance
- Livia Noorollah: Three medals in dance
- Gabrielle Sosland: Three medals in dance
- Lucy Warner: Two medals in dance.
- Eli Nathan: Midot medal for representing Maccabi values
In addition, dance coach Maggie Osgood-Nichols and the dance team were recognized with Midot medals for exemplifying the values of the Maccabi program.
The athletes were joined by more than 300 coaches and chaperones, 350 host families, and thousands of volunteers and spectators. Opening ceremonies were held at the Del Mar Race Track
This year was also the launch of JCC Maccabi Access for Jewish teens with cognitive and developmental disabilities.
The week was packed with activities beyond sports. In addition to the opening ceremony and closing party, schedules included community service projects with host families, a social event at SeaWorld, a host family night, and a San Diego Padres baseball game.
The JCC Maccabi Games in 2023 will take place in two locations; there will be an option to participate in the Games in Israel or in the Games in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Bob Hennecke can be contacted for more information about Kansas City’s participation in the Maccabi Games at .
