40th Annual Hebraica Maccabi Games

Description

For the past 39 years, we have had the opportunity of bringing a community together to share in an intergenerational experience. The MAR-JCC Hebraica Maccabi Games is an Olympic-style sporting competition. This week-long athletic event features over 700 competitive games in 13 different sports including Basketball, Swimming, Track and Field, Tennis, Soccer, Volleyball, Flag-Football, and more. The Games attract about 2000 registered athletes, and up to 3,000 spectators daily. All participants - children, college age and adults are divided into 8 teams (named after participant countries of origin). The children’s teams are then divided by age/school grade. Over the years, the games have added programs and activities that promote socialization “off the field” including a dance competition, bingo games, chess, bowling tournament, and an evening of domino. During this time, friendships and connections are created.
The Maccabi Games, organized by a committee of dedicated volunteers and staff members, has established itself as South Florida’s leading Jewish sporting event. Individuals and families from all over North Miami Dade County, as well as other areas of South Florida, the United States, Latin America, and Israel come together at the Maccabi Games to take part in a unique event that helps to maintain cultural ties, while promoting friendly competition and camaraderie, in a family friendly setting.
History of the Event
Maccabi Games was first organized in 1982, when a small group of Latin Jewish immigrants decided to continue the tradition of these Games that were so popular in their native Latin American countries. From its inception, athletes would register for the Games by country of origin, allowing them to maintain cultural ties to the countries from which they emigrated. Thirty six years ago, there were 350 children and adults, divided into four teams. Today, the Games have become a reflection of South Florida’s large and diverse Latin Jewish population, but also embraces participation by the total Jewish community