16 August 1 • 2019
jn
STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Four Teens,
Four Stories
An ArtsFest veteran, girl hockey
player, English soccer player
and Hungarian hockey player
are part of the Maccabi
Games tapestry.
T
he JCC Maccabi Games &
ArtsFest is a collection of stories.
Each participant has a story to
tell. Here are four tales, from partici-
pants in the Aug. 4-9 Maccabi Games &
ArtsFest hosted by Detroit.
BENNY KIRSHNER
Benny Kirshner will set a record at the
Maccabi Games. It’
s a record that could
be tied, but never will be broken.
The 17-year-old from
West Bloomfield will par-
ticipate in ArtsFest for the
maximum sixth time, all
in acting/improvisation.
His first ArtsFest was in
Detroit in 2014. His last
ArtsFest will be in Detroit
in 2019. In between, he
went to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (2015),
Stamford, Conn. (2016), Miami, Fla.
(2017) and Orange County, Calif. (2018).
Detroit and Orange County are
Kirshner’
s favorite Maccabi Games ven-
ues.
“They were so prepared,
” he said.
Performing and entertaining come nat-
urally for Kirshner, who is a professional
magician, ventriloquist and balloon artist
and plans to show off his magic skills at
the Maccabi Games talent show.
What doesn’
t come naturally for
Kirshner is having fun at overnight sum-
mer camps. But that’
s never been a prob-
lem at the multiple-day Maccabi Games.
“I’
ve always felt comfortable at the
Maccabi Games,
” he said. “I think it’
s
because there are so many people there
with similar interests as me, and there
is so much to do. I’
d like to give back to
the Maccabi Games. Maybe I can be an
ArtsFest coach or something like that
someday.
”
Kirshner is a student at Aim High
School in Farmington Hills.
LUCY ZATE
Lucy Zate will join an elite club at the
Maccabi Games. Morgan Leib is the only
other member.
Zate will become only the second girl
to play hockey for Detroit in the four
years the sport has been a part of the
Maccabi Games.
Is the 14-year-old forward from West
Bloomfield ready for the challenge?
“Bring it on,
” she said.
There’
s no reason for the West
Bloomfield High School freshman to be
intimidated.
Zate is in her third year playing girls
hockey with the prestigious HoneyBaked
Hockey Club. She’
s competed in hockey
against boys.
“I’
m confident. I know my abilities. I’
d
say speed is my best asset,
” she said.
Detroit will have two hockey teams in
the Maccabi Games. Players were select-
ed through tryouts.
Zate is on the White team, which is
coached by Mark Berke.
This will be her first time competing
jews d
in
the
Benny Kirshner
COURTESY OF MACCABI GAMES
Lucy Zate will be
the second girl to
play for a Detroit
hockey team in the
Maccabi Games.
COURTESY OF HURRICANE GRAPHICS
FREDDIE
JONATHAN
BENNY
LUCY
Benny Kirshner, Alex Mison and Halley Whelan carried the Detroit banner in the opening
ceremony of the 2018 JCC Maccabi Games & ArtsFest in Orange County, Calif.