The Kansas City Jewish community deserves a gold medal. We successfully hosted the 2026 JCC Maccabi Games – an endeavor with so many moving pieces that all parties involved should be commended for how smoothly it went.
The sheer number of volunteers alone should make our community proud. Host families, event facilitators, chaperones and more were integral in pulling this off, and the fact that community members showed up in droves to help is a testament to Jewish Kansas City.
The J staff deserve medals of their own for the monumental effort they undertook. From producing a professional-grade opening ceremony at the Municipal Auditorium to effectively managing more than 1,000 visiting teens and adults in its building, The J proved beyond a doubt that it is a world-class facility with world-class staff and leadership.
I would like to give a special shout-out to Lauren Taylor, The J’s marketing and communications coordinator, for managing the Star Reporters. These teens were responsible for covering the Maccabi Games, and Lauren was responsible for them. She, alongside chaperones including The Chronicle’s own Lacey Storer and Alexis Greenberg, helped ensure that these teens were effective and productive reporters. Much of the of Maccabi coverage in this issue is directly from these Star Reporters, and by extension, thanks to Lauren.
So, Kol HaKavod — well done — to The J and our community for the successful, impactful and historical 2026 Maccabi Games. We have once again proven our ability to unite, and thankfully, this time was for a joyous reason.
To learn more about the extent of the Maccabi Games and see the Star Reporters’ coverage, visit The Chronicle and The J’s joint website, maccabikcgameshub.com, to see what you missed.