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Nicole Meisner to run in
Israel's Maccabiah Games.

Steve Stein
Special to the Jewish News

Mort Meisner also is selling Maccabi
USA/Sports for Israel Extravaganza
raffle tickets at $100 per ticket. Prizes
icole Meisner has made
include trips to the Super Bowl, NCAA
a name for herself in the
Final Four, the Masters, Wimbledon
JCC Maccabi Games. She's
and Israel, a home entertainment cen-
won 15 gold, three silver
ter and cash.
and two bronze medals
Temple Shir Shalom in
in track in three years,
West Bloomfield also is
including nine golds last
expected to give Nicole
summer in the Detroit
some financial assis-
Games.
tance.
She's also been a
Though she only
standout at Berkley High
found out in mid-
School. Her 4x100-yard
December that she made
relay team has broken the
the U.S. team, Nicole has
school record three times.
already raised $2,000.
Now the 16-year-old
Held every four years,
Nicole Mei sner
Huntington Woods teen
the Maccabiah Games is
has been accepted as a member of
the world's third-largest international
the U.S. team for the 18th Maccabiah
athletic competition, behind only the
Games July 12-23 in Israel. She'll com-
Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
pete in the junior division, for athletes
More than 6,000 Jewish athletes from
ages 14-17. There also are open and
six continents and 60 countries are
masters divisions.
expected in Israel this summer. The
"I'm looking forward to going to
U.S. will send about 900 athletes.
Israel so much, not only for the corn-
One week after returning from the
petition but for the opportunity to
Maccabiah, Nicole will head to San
meet people from all over the world
Francisco to compete for Detroit in the
who could become friends:' Meisner
JCC Maccabi Games.
said. "I've made many friends through
Nicole also plays basketball at
the Maccabi Games. I'm a very corn-
Berkley, but "I hope to run track in
petitive person. I don't like to lose. So
college," said the 3.4 grade-point-aver-
it's saying something that the only
age student. "I love running. I think
track competitors I've become friends
I'm good at it, and it's a great stress
with are through the Maccabi Games." reliever."
Last summer, Meisner visited
To help Nicole's fundraising efforts,
Maccabi Games friends in Baltimore.
contact her father at mmeisnerassoc@
There are no track tryouts for the
aol.com or (248) 613-0948.
U.S. team in the Maccabiah Games.
The selections are based solely on
Poker Faces
verified times. Meisner's bests are 12.5 Bloch-Israel and Zeiger-Stone B'nai
seconds in the 100, 26 in the 200 and
B'rith chapters' sixth annual Texas
59 in the 400.
Hold'em fundraising dinner and
Before she heads to Israel for the
tournament will start at 5:30 p.m.
first time, Meisner must help pay for
Jan. 25 in the conference center at the
the trip, which will cost about $6,600.
Jewish Community Center in West
With her mother, Leslie Mangas,
Bloomfield.
she's baking cookies and selling them
Guaranteed minimum first prize
at school. They come three to a bag for is $500. Money raised goes to Bloch-
$1 (chocolate chip is the most popu-
Israel, Zeiger-Stone and the B'nai
lar) and include a note of thanks and
B'rith Great Lakes Region. Players
why she's raising money.
must be at least 21 years old. Pre-reg-
Friends and family have donated
istration is due by Jan. 22. Call Rick
money and her father, Mort Meisner,
Sherline at (248) 613-5400. L
is fundraising through EcoPhones,
Send sports news to
which recycles old electronics like cell
sports@thejewishnews.com.
phones and iPods.

N

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January 15 . 2009

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