Living Well

Cover Story/Sports

Old, New Blood

Karen Sklar Gordon represents a Maccabi
mixture of the old and the new
An accomplished basketball and softball
player, and now a young mother, Gordon
has been involved with Maccabi for some
time. She began coaching the Detroit teams
in 1986, is secretary of the Detroit Maccabi
Club and was one of the organizers for this
summer's Detroit Maccabi teams.
Gordon's nearly year-old son will keep her
in Detroit this summer, but Detroit's delega-
tion is led by a mix of veterans and newer
coaches. Dr. Alan Horowitz will lead
Detroit's athletes in Philadelphia. He has
JAMIE ROSEN
been involved with the organization since
College Intern
1988 and is president of the Detroit
Maccabi Club.
I is casino night at the Sunrise Assisted
Harold Friedman, who like Horowitz got
Living Center in West Bloomfield.
involved through his youngsters' involve-
Besides various card games, residents
menu on the Detroit teams, will lead the
enjoy the company of the Maccabi in-
Detroit delegation in Jersey Shore.
line
hockey
age-14-and-under team and their
The dean of Maccabi coaches, both in
two coaches.
Detroit and nationally, is swim coach Herb
The team decided to participate in the
Bernstein, who was involved in the first
Sunrise
festivities for their local mitzvah proj-
Maccabi Youth Games in Memphis in 1982.
ect, a new edition to the Maccabi Club of
In recent years, he has been assisted by his
Metropolitan Detroit program.
daughter, Dena, who was a high school,
Before Detroit's 170 participants head off to
Macaibi and college swimmer. They are
either
Jersey Shore or Philadelphia this month
helped this year by Steve Rosender.
for
a
week
of athletics and camaraderie with
Other Detroit Maccabi veterans include
other
Jewish
teen-age athletes, each Detroit
Right:
track coach Joel Kashdan, who began his
team
and
their
coaches
had
to
complete
a
simi-
Amanda
Ossipove,
15,
of
West
Maccabi tenure in 1985, softball coach Gary
lar
project.
Bloomfield
spikes
Bistrow of the Jewish
This is the first time the delegation has
during volleyball practice.
Community Center (1985-90,
implemented
a
mitzvah
requirement
in
its
19-
1994-2001), softball coach Don
Inset: Julie Hack, 16, of
year involvement with the JCC Maccabi
Rudick (1991) and volleyball
Bloomfield
Hills- sets up a
Games, this year taking place Aug. 19-24.
coach Ken Bertin (1990), who
volleyball
teammate.
Karen Gordon, Alan Horowitz and Harold
has been assisted for years by
Friedman head the Jewish Community Center-
daughter Gennifer.
sponsored Detroit delegation of 13- to 16-year-
The coaches are ,,plunteers, and
old participants.
pay their own expenses at the
"It's important that the kids know they are
Games. Karen Gordon says the rea-
not
going just to have fun. They have a social
son she stays involved is, "I love it. I
responsibility
as well," says Gordon.
love the idea of it.
The
new
program
is designed to enhance
"I love what the kids and coaches
community
service
and
promote a feeling of
go through — its just a great time.
Jewishness.
Teams
were
provided with a list of
And I love watching the kids togeth-
10
suggestions,
but
may
choose to help an
er, these Jewish kids from all over."
organization
of
their
choice.
The in-line hockey
Delegation head Friedman got
Track coach
team
chose
Sunrise
because
player
Eric
involved when daughter Emily played softball
Joel Kashdan
Lubanski's
mother,
Cathy,
operates
the home.
and basketball in 1991. "If you saw the
"During
the
week
of
Maccabi,
the
kids stay
sparkle in her eyes back then, you'd know why
with
host
families.
It's
all
about
seeing
how
I'm still doing this." Both Emily and brother
other
people
live,"says
West
Bloomfield's
Walter
Bradley participated in Maccabi and were
Schram,
one
of
the
coaches.
"The
whole
empha-
assistant coaches in recent years.
sis is that life is about more than just the sports;
Friedman says the hardest thing to get par-
it's about instilling values in the kids."
ents and new coaches to understand is that
Brandon Schram, 14, and a two-year member
"athleticism comes second to the Jewish expe-
of
the Detroit delegation, enjoyed the mitzvah
rience" in Maccabi. it took me a long time to
experience.
"I learned that it's always fun to
figure that out. -
'For a lot of youngsters, this is their only
Jewish experience. I saw a girl I knew at the
Uewish Community] Center last week, who
introduced me to her best friend. It was some-
one she met on her Maccabi team.
"That's what keeps me involved."
Friedman says the Detroit Mac.cabi Club is
always looking for additional volunteers. For
information, contact Friedman at

•

Jr14

8/3
2001

74

IISF1208@aol.com

— Alan Hitsky,
associate editor