Sunday, August 10th: Ben, Faith and Eric head to Akron after spending Saturday with Jason (to celebrate his 21st birthday) and Adam in WV where they work a camp counselors. Eric qualified to compete on the basketball team. He's a natural.
Eric's Baltimore Team played Israel @ 8am this morning followed by a game against Miami @ 11:45am. Tomorrow, Tuesday Baltimore plays Boca Raton @ 9:15am followed by a game against Columbus/Milwaukee @ 1pm. Wednesday and Thursday's schedule is not available today.
JCC Maccabi Games bring Olympic-style events to Akron. China won’t be the only place to see young athletes in action in August. While the 2008 Summer Olympics are taking place in Beijing, Akron will host another sort of international athletic competition, the JCC Macccabi Games.
From Aug. 10 to Aug. 15, about 400 teen athletes from 24 delegations, including Israel and Hungary and several major U.S. cities, will come to the games, which foster Jewish community and values in addition to celebrating the spirit of sport.
The games have been held annually in North America since 1982. The athletes, ages 13-16, and their coaches will arrive Aug. 10 and depart Aug. 15. They will compete in boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, golf, tennis, bowling and track and field. Competition will begin Aug. 11. The complete schedule of events will be available at www.shaw jcc.org. The games’
Opening Ceremonies will take place Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. The Opening Ceremonies are an audience favorite. “For many folks it’s the highlight of the games,” he said. “They are in many ways like a mini-Olympic opening ceremony. Each delegation is introduced and proceeds in, and there will be entertainment, music and dancing. "The ceremony also will feature a commemoration of the 11 Israeli athletes who were killed by terrorists at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
In addition to athletic competition, the games put an emphasis on service. On Aug. 13 from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m., all participants will take part in the Day of Caring and Sharing by participating in one of four community projects: beautifying green space at Lock 3 Park, creating a bog at Camp Y Noah, working with children with special needs at Akron Rotary Camp or spending time with older adults and adults with special needs at Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority complexes. The projects are meant to teach and demonstrate the Jewish value of tikkun olam, which means “repairing the world.”
Also, delegations coming to the games have been asked to donate new and used athletic equipment that will be given to Akron Summit Community Action for its Head Start programs and the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Western Reserve. The general public also may drop off donations at the Shaw JCC.
“Everybody loves winning, but these games are really about fellowship and meeting new people and giving back to the community,” Gertz said.
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