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Stamp Of Approval

ALAN HITSKY
Associate Editor

Iff

accabi week will be a full
seven days in Detroit?
You can thank the late
Jay Robinson.
Robinson, who was 61 when he died
on erev Passover in April after a 14-
month illness, was the heartbeat of the
Maccabi movement in Detroit and
nationally. His concern, first and fore-
most, was always for the teen-agers.
His passion and his organizing abili-
ties drew huge numbers of volunteers
from the Detroit Jewish community for
the games in 1984, 1990 and 1998,
and to annually support the Detroit
Maccabi Club teams in other years. Iri
several important cases, those volunteers
are taking key roles for the third time
that Detroit has been host to the North
American — or continental — Maccabi
Games.
"People just had faith in Jay," said his
wife, Barbara. "If he was involved as
chairman [in 1984, when Detroit host-
ed the second Maccabi], they said they'd
do it. In 1990 [when Detroit hosted
again], they knew it was going to be a
good event and liked working with
him.
'And this time, they said, 'Well, if
you're going to do it again ... OK.'
"He taught all these people how to
do it."
Three-peat Detroit committee chair-
men include Jay Robinson's JCC run-
ning buddies: Jerry Eisenshtadt and
Mark Saidman, transportation; Merel
Epstein, track; Jerry Sukenic, food; and
Carol Eisenstat and Barbara Robinson,
housing.
Jay Robinson got hooked when son
Steve, then 16, was asked in 1982 to
play on the Detroit Maccabi soccer
team in the inaugural teen Maccabi in
Memphis. After Detroit JCC exec Mort
Plotnick volunteered to host the second
Maccabi, in 1984, JCC Associate
Director Marty Oliff asked Robinson,
who owned a construction and property
management firm, for advice on how to
organize the games.

8/14
1998

MO Detroit Jewish News

Jay Robinson's
influence can be seen throughout
Detroit's JCC Maccabi Games.

Maccabi sailing in Toronto in '86 and
also played soccer. Now an automotive
writer, he published the daily games
newsletter during the 1990 Maccabi.
He and his fiancee scheduled their
upcoming marriage for the week after
this year's games.
"We didn't get involved just because
Dad was doing it," Beth said. "He cap-
tivated us too" with the Maccabi idea.
Jay's focus for 1998 was a wonderful
event for the Detroit community.
"He knew," said Barbara, "that the
games were going to be somewhere,
whether Detroit did it or not. But he
saw it as a jewel in the crown of the
Detroit JCC as it rebuilds. And his stip-
ulation was that it be a seven-day event
with a Shabbat experience. Otherwise it
would be just another regional."
Will the Robinson family slow their
Maccabi pace now that Jay is
gone? Will Detroit? Beth
Robinson doesn't think so.
"I'd love to go to
Israel as a master's ath-
lete some day [in the
Maccabi is a Robinson family affair: Aaron, Beth, Steve, Barbara
World Maccabiah
and Jay in Toronto, 1986
Games]. But for now,
I'm looking forward
Robinson's organizational scheme,
a.m. meetings with the delega-
to just getting back
drawn on a napkin during a lunch
tion heads and 11 p.m. socials
involved with the
meeting with Oliff, is still used today. It
with the Detroit coaches.
Detroit Maccabi
separates the organizational volunteers
"His focus was always on
Club after the games
from the athletic teams to keep the
the kids," said Barbara.
are over.
games on an even keel.
Daughter Beth added that,
"Those are the
Over the years, Robinson tapped
while cultural content is
people I've been
Jay Robinson
friends, family and associates to manage
important, "the kids are com-
doing this with all
1936-1998
the Detroit teams and to become
ing for quality athletics. Give
these years. It's a
involved in the national Maccabi move-
them that, and then they are
group of people who
ment. He chaired the Detroit delega-
open to buying into the rest."
basically agree on every important aspect
tion at every games until the late 1980s,
Beth is a Maccabi expert in her own
of our operation.
and then began recruiting others to take
right. She helped Detroit's housing
"We keep bringing in people who
key roles within the Detroit Maccabi
committee in '84, was a team chaperon
are willing to take on large responsibili-
Club.
in '86, '88 and '89, and served as the
ties, like [Detroit Maccabi president
Even though he stepped out of the
pai.d.g,arnes coordinator in 1990 and
and '98 games chairman] Alan
limelight, Robinson didn't take a back
again this year, although she's been
Horowitz. Sometimes, after the founder
seat. His diminished role with the ath-
working at a slower pace from home
is gone, everything falls apart."
letic teams allowed him to be even more
since the May 21 birth of daughter
That won't be the case with Jay
involved behind the scenes. And at each
Emma Jaye Kellman.
Robinson's legacy. "The games would
games he and Barbara would be con-
Steve Robinson continued his
have been done anyway," said Barbara
stantly on the move, driving from one
Maccabi involvement after 1982, serving Robinson. "But I don't think it would
venue to another, checking on the
as Detroit soccer coach in 1988 and '90
have been really as good without his
Detroit teams, watching the organiza-
and as '98 games chairman of soccer.
imagination." ❑
tion of the games, and attending daily 7
Brother Aaron participated in

