XXXVII Annual Maccabi Games

Description

The Michael-Ann Russell JCC 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 seven 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 embrace participation by the entire total Jewish community. 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.