sports

Maccabi Games
Kickoff Creates Buzz

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STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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December 27 • 2018

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etroit will be hosting the JCC
Maccabi Games & ArtsFest for
the sixth time.
That’s more than any other com-
munity in North America since the
inaugural Maccabi Games were held in
Memphis, Tenn., in 1982.
But the local organizers of the week-
long extravaganza of athletic competi-
tion, community service, cultural and
social programs for Jewish teens had
never held a kickoff celebration. The
experiment was a success.
“We had no clue how the kickoff
would turn out,” said Maccabi Games
co-chair Karen Gordon. “We had got-
ten good feedback from people when
they heard about it, and our social
media posts had gotten a lot of shares,
but you never know how something
like this ends up looking, feeling and
working.”
The kickoff worked.
A few hundred people came to the
Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield on Dec. 16 to get informa-
tion about being a host family, volun-
teering and participating as an athlete
or artist during the Aug. 4-9, 2019,
Maccabi Games, which has been given
the Twitter hashtag #DetroitIsBack.
“There were people of all ages at the
kickoff. New Maccabi Games people
and seasoned Maccabi Games people.
It ran the gamut,” Gordon said. “I think
the kickoff created the beginning of an
amazing buzz in the community.”
The key word in Gordon’s comment
is beginning.
“We’re in a really, really, really good
place right now when it comes to host
families, volunteers and interested ath-
letes and artists, but we can’t get com-
placent,” she said.
“There’s a buzz out there, but
there’s a lot more to do in the coming
months. The work and preparation are
never-ending for an event of this size. I
can tell you this: If people are willing to
be a host family or volunteer, we’ll find
a spot for you.”
More than 1,500 athletes and 300
coaches are expected to participate in
the Maccabi Games and more than 800
host families are needed. As for volun-
teers, more than 1,000 are needed.
Tryouts have been scheduled next

month for several Detroit sports teams.
The schedule is included with this
story. For more information on try-
outs, go to Maccabidetroit.com.
A meeting will be held from 7-8
p.m., Thursday, Jan. 10, at the JCC for
Detroit athletes who want to compete
in these sports and Detroit artists:
Lacrosse (boys and girls 16U); swim-
ming (boys and girls 14U and 16U);
table tennis (boys and girls 16U);
tennis (boys and girls 14U and 16U);
golf (boys and girls 14U and 16U); and
ArtsFest (all ages and specialties).
To register to be a host family or
volunteer, go to maccabidetroit2019.
com. ■

Send news to
stevestein502004@yahoo.com.

Tryout Schedule

Here’s the tryout schedule for Detroit
sports teams that will compete next
year at the JCC Maccabi Games. Most
of the tryouts will be in the Jewish
Community Center in West Bloomfield.
• Baseball (14U and 16U):
6:30-7:45 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 8,
JCC gym; 6-7:30 p.m., Thursday,
Jan. 17, JCC gym.
• Boys basketball (14U and 16U):
7:45-9 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 8,
JCC gym; 6-7:30 p.m., Tuesday,
Jan. 15, JCC gym.
• Dance (boys/girls 14U and 16U):
11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 13,
JCC dance studio.
• Girls basketball (16U):
6-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 15,
JCC gym.
• Girls softball (16U): 6-7 p.m.,
Thursday, Jan. 10, JCC gym.
• Ice hockey: 5:15-6:45 p.m.,
Sunday, Jan. 13, Novi Ice Arena;
4-5:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 14,
Farmington Ice Arena.
• Soccer (boys 14U and 16U and
girls 16U): 5-6 p.m., Sunday, Jan 20,
JCC inline hockey center; 5-6 p.m.,
Sunday, Jan. 27, JCC inline hockey
center.
• Volleyball (girls 16U): 4-5 p.m.,
Sunday, Jan. 20, JCC inline hockey
center.