Maccabi Games Detroit

ID I A R

YI

A Wonderful Feeling

To Belong To Something Big

LAUREN DWORKIN

Special to The Jewish News

A

fter many months of
anticipating and vol-
unteering time for the
Maccabi games, 10 days
before it began I started coun-
ting down to Aug. 19. It all
began for me when the
Detroit delegation of 272
teenagers met for a final club
meeting.
The excitement began that
evening! We received our
uniforms, met old friends and
that evening the Great Bri-
tain delegation arrived. I in-
troduced myself to the new ar-
rivals and so began a week of
meeting kids from all over the
world.
On Sunday the majority of
delegations arrived, turning
the WBJCC into a human
zoo. Excitement, enthusiasm
and energy filled the air.
Then came the amazing
never forgettable opening
ceremonies at the Palace of
Auburn Hills.
It began slowly with a two
hour stand in the rain and
cold weather getting prepared
for the athletes' entrance in-
to the Palace. It was well
worth the wait even if we
became somewhat rowdy. The
Detroit delegation marched
in as one unit, and everyone
in the Palace was cheering for
us. What a wonderful feeling
to belong to something so big!
It was the most incredible ex-
perience in my life. We were
all one Jewish people, in one
big building, here to have fun
and the most unique ex-
perience of our lives. After all
the speeches were made, the
torch was lighted. The lights
went off; athletes and guests
at the Palace waved their
flashlights to music by the
duo Gemini. Then athletes
and coaches left their seats to
start dancing . . . and then

the trading began in earnest
for other team sweat outfits,
T-shirts and pins.
Monday began the competi-
tion. As a swimmer, I was at
West Bloomfield High School
at 8:30 a.m. for warm up and
I didn't leave until 5:30 that
same evening. But as the days
went on, the swimming rules
were changed and things ran
more smoothly. For almost
every sport, the competition
was tough, but the attitude in
the air was friendly. In bet-
ween swimming events, I was
able to watch some of the
other sporting events at
WBHS. Most all of the com-
petitions were finished by Fri-
day so everyone could share
the weekend with their host
families.
Monday evening was a trip
to the real Zoo. If the weather
was more cooperative and not
so rainy, I feel that the time
spent there would have been
more enjoyable. I saw a few
animals but spent more time
meeting and making new
friends. Tuesday night was a
sports night at WBHS. I went
from one competition to the
next trying to keep up-to-date
on what was happening with
the sports. Wednesday and
Thursday evenings depending
on their individual delega-
tion, we were either at the
JCC, West Bloomfield for a
dance or on the Bob-Lo boat
for a cruise and dancing. I like
to dance and I like boats so
both nights were hits with
me. Friday evening was spent
with host families. Friday
night I had dinner with my
family and the three girls
staying with us. Saturday we
attended services in the mor-
ning, came home for lunch
and then got ready for our
Maccabi friends to come over
with their athletes for Shab-
bat tea. It was another chance
for us to share time before we

Southfield resident
Lauren Dworkin was a
member of the Detroit
Maccabi swimming
team.

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said goodbye.
For me an important part of
participating in the games
was to have people stay at my
home. We had three girls, all
swimmers. So you can im-
agine every night there were
five girls (me, my sister who
is also a swimmer, and the
three girls staying with us) in
one bathroom. My house was
turned chaotic with showers,
hair dryers, curling irons, and
make-up flying about. But we
had fun and we made it
without pulling each others'
hair out.
Before we knew it, Sunday
morning arrived and the par-

ticipants were once again
packed and headed out to the
JCC. Final events were held
for gold and silver medals.
Then a memorial service was
held for the 11 Israeli Olym-
pic athletes who died in
Munich. And then closing
ceremonies on the hottest and
most beautiful day of the
Maccabi games. All anyone
really wanted to do was jump
into the pool to cool off. We
said goodbye tearfully to new
and old friends, took pictures,
exchanged addresses, phone
numbers and made last
minute swaps of uniforms.
And now we store all these

wonderful memories of this
past week — never to forget.
I'm a veteran now at 16 and
all I need to do is convince so-
meone to let me go as a coach
next time.

Maccabi for me has been a
great experience from the
first, when we housed two
boys from Memphis six years
ago, to entering the Palace
carrying Detroit's banner. I'm
proud to have been part of
2,000 Jewish athletes around
the world who have helped to
light the torch of understan-
ding and love in our Jewish
brotherhood. ❑

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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