This Week
ALAN ABRAMS
Special to the Jewish News
A
lthough their reasons differ
widely, two well-known
Detroit Jewish amateur ath-
letes will not be going to
Israel next week to participate in the
16th Maccabiah.
But three area athletes will compete,
joining some 360 members of the
American delegation. Originally, 600
U.S. players were slated to attend, but
that was before the American delega-
tion cancelled its participation and
then reversed itself in June.
The games already have been down-
sized, having been shortened by a
week. Only half of the 4,000 foreign
athletes who originally registered will
be competing. Approximately 1,000
Israeli athletes will participate, but
some sports events have been eliminat-
ed. Among those cancelled are the
triathlon and half-marathon, beach
volleyball, badminton and baseball.
Richard Loewenstein of West
Bloomfield was a member of the U.S.
fast-pitch softball team. The coach,
Paul Rubin of Phoenix, pulled the
team from the quadrennial games over
safety concerns after the escalation of
terrorist attacks within Israel.
"In some ways, not going is a victo-
ry for terrorism," said Loewenstein,
who is president of the Gleaners
Community Food Bank in Detroit. '
Loewenstein's letter of withdrawal,
which he sent to the Games' organiz-
ers, his coaches and teammates in
April, said, "I don't believe the 2001
Games organizers can guarantee the
athletes' safety, and it would be irre-
sponsible of me to participate in the
Games. The U.S. State Department
still has a travel advisory for Israel, and
car bombs and suicide bombers are
now using the streets of Tel Aviv,
Jerusalem and Netanya as their stage.
It is my understanding that all three
cities will be heavily populated with
athletes during the 2001 Games.
"Based on what I know as factual, I
believe the Games' organizers are act-
ing irresponsibly by taking a 'business
as usual' approach, and moving for-
ward with the Games."
Said Loewenstein , 40, this week, "I
would like nothing-better than to have
my friends who are going come back
and say, 'I told you so,' and tell me
they had a great time."
opted out for personal reasons.
Deitch, a member of the Michigan
Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, went to
the games four years ago and returned
with two silver medals.
But, said Deitch, 40, "My reasoning
for not going has nothing to do with
all the events of the last couple
months and the escalation in Israel.
My intention was to go with my fami-
ly as I did four years ago, and to make
it a family event."
However, the U.S. team's indecision
on whether or not to withdraw the
American presence and the Israeli
organizers' debate on canceling or
postponing the games ran into
months: Ultimately, Deitch's decision
to go would have meant "making a
decision at the last minute, and I have
other obligations and demands upon
my time." Deitch is a physician in pri-
vate practice.
But, he admits, he still "flirted" with
the idea of going up until the last
minute.
Michael Fishman. is a lawyer and
owner of the Sports Gallery in
Birmingham. Single, he has never
been to Israel.
"It was a personal decision for all
the athletes," said Fishman. "When I
was offered the tryout for the masters
basketball team, I went to New York
to do it. Then I went to the Florida
training camp in December. There
were 12 guys, all competitive for the
game.
"But while we were getting ready to
go to the games, the calls and e-mails
Supporting Israel
Area athletes forced into security assessments on
whether to participate in Maccabiah.
Slow Decision Hurt
Dr. Jeffrey Deitch of West Bloomfield,
a member of the U.S. squash team,
Related commentary: page 5
7/13
2001
16
began. Over the winter, we all hoped
the problems [of the Palestinian upris-
ing] would just go away.
"There was a lot of dissension, and a
couple of people dropped out early.
But for me, this was the opportunity
of a lifetime — to play in Israel.
Basketball is something I've excelled
at, and that I love. And I thought it
was important to show support for
Israel now," Fishman said.
"The games are a symbol of athletic
competition and Judaism. I could not
let the opportunity go by," said the
36-year-old resident of Birmingham.
"I have to do this. I'm getting older.
This is my year — it is a golden
opportunity at a golden age."
Not everyone agrees with his deci-
sion. "Everyone has got an opinion,"
Fishman said. His family is nervous
about his participation. Some family
members originally were accompany-
ing him, but now, like most of the
other players, he is going alone.
Clockwise: Richard Loewenstein, Howard Waxer,
Michael Fishman, and Bill Ben-is.
Bill Berris is the masters team basket-
ball player-coach, although whether
he'll actually play depends on how the
herniated disc in his back is doing.
Berris, of West Bloomfield, is a
Maccabiah veteran, and a Maccabi
USA-Sports for Israel activist. He is
heavily involved in fund raising and
was chairman of the Maccabiah junior
basketball program in 1997.
"Six, seven months ago, the parents
began calling," said Berris. "To me, it
is a solidarity issue. I said that if every-
one shared these worries about sur-
vival, no one would go. And we need
to show support and solidarity.
"I think it will be safe," predicted
Berris. "The Palestinians do not want
to perform a terrorist act [against the
Games and the athletes] during this
time. The public outrage and outcry
would be overwhelming.
"Besides, Israel will be taking care of
our security," said Berris, who at 51
will be "the oldest guy" on the masters
basketball team, a role he filled at the
1997 games. He owns Promotions
Plus Apparel in West Bloomfield and
the Farmington Hills-based Goren and
Associates.
Another Detroiter participating in
the games, bowler Howard Waxer,
runs a local custom-catering business
and is already in Israel.
He told the Jewish News before his
departure that "nowhere in the world
will be safer" than the Maccabiah
Games because neither Israel nor the
Palestinians can afford it to be other-
wise.
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