sports
p
Medals Of Honor
Maccabi Is Coming
Steve Stein
Contributing
Writer
I
D
on't look now, but the 2014 JCC
Maccabi Games & ArtsFest hosted
by Detroit is just months away.
Aug. 17-22, 2014, to be exact.
Two kickoff meetings have been sched-
uled for prospective Detroit athletes and
artists, host families and volunteers. The
meetings are at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27,
at the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov.
13, at the JCC in Oak Park.
"It's time to make sure people know the
JCC Maccabi Games & ArtsFest is coming
to town:' said spokeswoman Sari Cicurel.
This will be the fifth time Detroit will
host the Maccabi Games, the most of any
city, since the event for Jewish youth ages
13-16 began in 1982 in Memphis, Tenn.
Detroit previously hosted in 1984, 1990,
1998 and 2008, but 2014 will be different.
"We're hosting ArtsFest (which began in
2007) for the first time, so we're not just
hosting the Maccabi Games again:' Cicurel
said.
More than 2,000 out-of-town par-
ticipants, their families and coaches are
expected. That means 800 host families
are needed.
More than 1,000 volunteers are needed
to make sure everything runs smoothly.
An estimated 15,000 will crowd into Joe
Louis Arena in Downtown Detroit for the
opening ceremony.
There will be competition in baseball,
basketball, soccer, flag football, volleyball,
softball, inline hockey, lacrosse, bowling,
dance, swimming, table tennis and tennis.
ArtsFest categories include acting/
improv, culinary arts, vocal music/glee club,
dance, forensics, orchestra, musical theater,
rock band, star reporter and visual arts.
Karen Gordon and Rick Zussman are
the event co-chairs, Florine Mark and Joel
Jacob are honorary co-chairs, and Ariella
Monson is the director.
Tryouts for Detroit Maccabi Games
& ArtsFest participants will be held in
December and January. For dates and times,
visit www.2014detroit.org or contact Detroit
delegation head Franci Silver at (248) 505-
9007 or soccerrcoach@gmail.com .
More information can be found on the
Maccabi Games & ArtsFest Facebook page.
Winning isn't everything at the JCC
Maccabi Games & ArtsFest. Sportsmanship,
being a mentsh, displaying rachmones
(compassion) and contributing to JCC Cares
community projects also are important.
This year, for the first time, medals were
presented by delegation heads and coaches
to participants who embraced those traits.
Receiving the Midot (Jewish values) med-
als were Detroit's inline hockey team and
coaches, soccer player Emily Fisher and
tennis player Brandon Solomon.
Detroit delegation head Franci Silver said
inline hockey coach Bryan Robbins, assis-
tant coach Ivan Glasser and the team were
honored for their sportsmanship.
Fisher won kudos for taking the lead
when her team played soccer with special
needs children in a JCC Cares project.
Solomon received a medal from another
delegation for offering helpful tips to a ten-
nis opponent, even though the opponent
was prevailing in the match.
Detroit's inline hockey and soccer teams
played in Orange County, Calif. Solomon
played in Austin, Texas.
Double Time
An ambitious recruitment campaign by the
Downtown Fox B'nai B'rith Bowling League
has paid dividends.
* jcc maccabi*
GAMES®& ARTSFEST®
AUGUST 17-22, 2014
"Only seven teams from last year com-
mitted to come back:' said Downtown Fox
President Justin Kaplan. "Now we have 14
teams. That makes us one of the biggest
B'nai B'rith bowling leagues in the area:'
Kaplan said a kickoff party Sept. 17 at
Drakeshire Lanes in Farmington Hills that
featured free bowling and food attracted
30-40 bowlers.
The league season has been shortened
from 38 to 24 weeks and split into two halves
to accommodate bowlers' busy schedules.
The first half began Oct. 1 and will con-
tinue every Tuesday until Dec. 17. After
taking time off, bowling will resume Jan.
7 and continue weekly until April 1. A
league banquet will wrap up the season.
"We're still looking for bowlers, from
subs to complete teams:' Kaplan said. "If
someone wants to stop by Drakeshire Lanes
at 7:30 on a Tuesday night and see what our
league is like, bowling will be free:'
For information, contact Kaplan at (248)
672-0818 or justin-kaplan@comcast.net .
❑
Send news to sports@thejewishnews.com.
A Great Life begins at the...
Meer Apartments
a residence of Jewish Senior Life
6760 West Maple Road, West Bloomfield, Michigan 48322
Eugene and Marcia Applebaum Jewish Community Campus
Independent Living in a Luxurious Senior Community
Complimentary JCC
Membership
A
//
-- Apartments
available!
// /
Spacious open floor plans with private balconies
Covered parking
Kosher nutritious dinners
Social work staff and support
Social and educational programs
Fitness room, library and computer center
Bus transportation for shopping and social outings
On-site café, boutique and hair salon
Personal care services available
For information or to schedule a tour call Marcia Mittelman at
or visit www.jsImi.org for an application!
Patti Tauber, LMSW, Administrator
JEWISH SENIOR LIFE
248-661-1836
0-7,
October 3 • 2013
37