appreciate the efforts as well,
he adds. “I’ve gotten very nice
notes from parents who just
say their kids blossomed,” he
says. “The kids come home
and can’t stop talking about
Maccabi. It’s just a great expe-
rience for them.”
The athletes even grow
above and beyond during
their trips, he says, pointing to
parents who were pleasantly
surprised when he sent them a
video of their athletes helping
make salads for Shabbat din-
ner. “It’s something they would
have never done at home, but
here they dove in and did it.”
Adults picking up their
hosted kids swap stories and
chat at the end of the night
when they head back to The

J to pick up their charges, he
says. “It’s work. There’s no
question it’s a lot of work, but
it’s not anything that chal-
lenging, that you haven’t done
already in your life. It’s one
week of hosting someone else’s
kids.”
It’s good for Detroit to step
up and host, he says, and after
Oct. 7, more important than
ever to keep going, to keep
promoting Jewish values and
identity, he says. Maccabi is
just a piece of the puzzle, he
adds. “There are very few
cities capable of hosting such
a large number of kids, and
we need to be very proud …
Detroit has done it, we know
how to do it, and we’ll just
keep doing it.”

TOP RIGHT: Opening ceremony attendees in the VIP area.
ABOVE: Spectator family at the opening ceremony.

How to Be a
Host Family

Host families are a vital part of
the JCC Maccabi Games and
a great way to be involved in
the experience. The hospitality
offered by our local Jewish
community creates a warm,
homey environment for our
athletes and an amazing
experience for our hosts. Hosts
need to provide:
• Beds for at least two visiting
athletes
• Daily breakfast and two
dinners
• Morning and evening
transportation, Monday
through Thursday to the
athletic venues or The J
• Access to laundry
• A memorable evening on
Host Family Night
For more information or to
register as a host family, go to
www.maccabidetroit.com.

JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 17