10 August 1 • 2019
jn

All Maccabi athletes are required to 
serve two hours of community service 
during the games. Projects have been 
arranged beginning Monday afternoon 
through Wednesday evening. 
This year’
s theme is ONE COMMUNITY, 
according to co-chair Miriam Bergman, 
who planned the projects along with 
co-chair Karen Rubenfire. 
She says a team of rabbis have com-
posed dvar Torahs and will be at each 
service project to infuse the activities 
with Jewish values and meaning. 
Projects range from helping out 
campers at the JCC day camp to visit-
ing one-on-one with seniors at Jewish 
Senior Life and the Brown Center for 
Memory Care. Athletes and artists can 
also choose to help assemble dolls for 
sick children with Hadassah or help 
NCJW prepare for its back-to-school 
bookstore. 
Tuesday afternoon, about 750 peo-
ple will be traveling to Temple Israel in 
West Bloomfield to hear Rabbi Yarden 
Blumstein of Friendship Circle and 
UMatter talk about suicide prevention 
and awareness, and former Michigan 
State University basketball player 
Anthony Ianni, who will talk about how 
he overcame the challenges of autism 
and bullying to earn a spot on the 
Spartans. Participants will then engage 
in an anti-bullying project that will be 
posted on Maccabi Games’
 social media. 
On Wednesday morning, Maccabi 
kids will partner with the Kids Coalition 
Against Hunger to package 20,000 
meals for those in need.
“Our theme is ONE COMMUNITY, 
because we are one community — from 
Detroit to Ann Arbor and everywhere 
in between,” Bergman says. “We’
re 
working with our community partners to 
benefit as many underserved people as 
possible.” ■

JACKIE HEADAPOHL ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Maccabi By the Numbers

Metro Detroit gets ready for Maccabi Games Aug. 4-9.

T

he sixth time is the charm. 
Detroit is the first city to host 
the Maccabi Games and Artsfest 
for the sixth time. That kind of experi-
ence matters when it comes to bringing 
everything together for a successful 
event, says director Jeremy Fishman. 
The work started two years ago with 
a steering committee of 50 people, 
the majority who worked on previous 
Maccabi games. During the last few 
weeks before the games start, “every-
thing comes together in a cohesive 
whole,
” says Fishman, who estimates 
about 100,000 manhours 
have been 

spent on making sure this year’
s games 
are the best ever.
This year’
s athletes arrive on Sunday 
and will be bused to the JCC where they 
will meet their host families. Delegates, 
athletes, volunteers — and the general 
public — are asked to bring nonper-
ishable items to fill up a Gleaner’
s Food 
truck for distribution to the needy. Later 
that night, opening ceremonies for ath-
letes and host families take place at Little 
Caesers Arena in Detroit. From then on, 
it’
s sporting events, volunteering, friend-
ship-making and fun.
About 10 days out, Fishman says 

they’
re making sure the venues are ready 
to go, supplies are on hand and everyone 
is set up for success. Fishman admits to 
feeling waves of anxiety and excitement. 
“I can’
t wait to wake up and have every-
one here,
” he said. “I’
m excited to see all 
the hard work come together.
” 
Fishman adds they can always use 
more volunteers to help at evening par-
ties, with food service and at the events 
keeping score. To volunteer, visit 
maccabidetroit2019.com. 
Look for updates on the events and 
scores throughout the week at 
thejewishnews.com. ■

jews d
in 
the

JCC 
CARES

187: Local athletes
21: Local artists
1,178: Visiting athletes 
and artists 
8,000: Spectators 
1,000: Volunteers
250: Referees and 
judges

45: In-bound fl
 ights of 
athletes
40: Continuously running 
buses over 5 days
8: Venues 
4,621 miles: 
Furthest distance traveled

11 Sports tournaments
7 Artsfest disciplines
300 lbs. of hummus
80,000 beverages
70,000 snacks
20,000 forks/knives/
spoons

COURTESEY OF JCC

JCCMACCABIGAMES.ORG

JCC Cares volunteers packed school supply 

kits last year.

PEOPLETRAVELEVENTSFOOD

