Team Chicago wins a total of 127 individual and team medals

JCC Maccabi Chicago sent 100 Jewish teen athletes to compete at the 28th annual Jewish Community Center (JCC) Maccabi Games in San Francisco, CA (Aug. 2-7), San Antonio, Texas (Aug. 9-14), and Mid-Westchester, N.Y. (Aug. 16-21). JCC Macabi Chicago is a JCC of Chicago program that provides athletic, social and cultural experiences to Jewish teens ages 13-16 years.

Team Chicago earned 127 individual and team medals, including individual gold medals in Bowling, Dance, Golf, Swimming, and Track & Field, and team gold medals in Boys Baseball 16U. Boys Basketball 14U, Girls Basketball, and Girls Softball brought home silver medals in their respective team competitions.

Team Chicago was represented in San Francisco by Boys Baseball 16U, Bowling, Dance, Golf, and Track & Field; in San Antonio by Boys Basketball 16U, Girls Basketball, Girls Softball, Boys Soccer, and Swimming; and in Mid-Westchester by Boys Baseball 14U, Boys Basketball 14U, Girls Soccer, and Tennis.

“The JCC Maccabi Games can be called the Olympics for Jewish teens, but they serve a larger purpose than athletic competition,” said Allan Bogan, director of recreation and wellness services for Jewish Community Center of Chicago. “As with all of JCC of Chicago’s programming, our mission reflects ‘Bringing Jewish Values to Life.’ For our teen participants during this year’s Games, this meant teaching them Jewish Values like chesed (be kind), ometz lev (be courageous),kavod (be honorable), tzedakah (be generous) and kehilla (community)].”

In each host city, athletes were part of tzedakah and Day of Caring & Sharing community service projects. In San Francisco, the athletes donated calculators and spare change to local students in need and spent an afternoon cleaning parks all over the San Francisco area. In San Antonio, the athletes packed donated socks, combs, and other miscellaneous school supplies for distribution to a local ministry dedicated to providing shelter and care to the homeless of San Antonio. In Mid-Westchester, the athletes donated kosher snacks and spent the afternoon with Israeli Defense Force Soliders, trying Krav Maga and hanging out with less fortunate peers.

Bogan continued, “Through these service projects, and throughout the Games week, the program instills a sense of pride among the athletes in their Jewish identity while reminding them that the Games connects each of them to the world’s greater Jewish community.”

“Team Chicago’s success on the field came as result of the hard work and dedication the 100 athletes put into their respective sport throughout the year,” said Ron Katz, president of JCC Maccabi Chicago. “As part of the Maccabi experience, the athletes also had the opportunity to build life-long friendships with fellow teammates and competitors from cities throughout North, Central and South America, Europe and Australia.”

Chicago athletes attend the following schools: Aptakisic Middle School, Baker Demonstration School, Buffalo Grove High School, Caruso Middle School, Chicagoland Jewish High School, Deerfield High School, Edgewood Middle School, Elm Place Middle School, Evanston Township High School, Glenbrook North High School, Glenbrook South High School, Haven Middle School, Highland Park High School, Ida Crown Jewish Academy, The Latin School, Maine West, Maple Middle School, Marie Murphy Middle School, New Trier High School, Nichols Middle School, Niles North High School, Niles West High School, Northbrook Jr. High, Shepard Jr. High, Solomon Schechter Middle School, Stevenson High School, Sunset Ridge, Twin Groves, University of Chicago Lab School, Westview Hills Middle School, Wilmette Jr. High, and Wood Oaks Jr. High.

For detailed information on the results in each sports competition and to learn more about JCC Maccabi Chicago and the 2010 JCC Maccabi Games, please visit http://www.gomaccabi.org or www.gojcc.org.