Local Athletes Shine at Maccabi Games
Jewish athletes from a handful of North Shore communities competed at the Maccabi Games in Springfield last week.
The JCC Maccabi delegation. From back left, Alex Rothbard of Marblehead, Dan Copeland of Swampscott, Teddy York of Marblehead, Sydney Goldman of Marblehead, Sam Beerrmann of Swampscott, Ariella Salter of Swampscott, Aaron Rothbard of Marblehead, Jed Lautner of Marblehead, Harrison Young of Marblehead, Harry Copeland of Swampscott, Gabe Salter of Swampscott, Jake Cohen of Marblehead, Sam York of Marblehead, Jed Lautner of Marblehead, Sam Varsano of Marblehead. (Blocked in the back row is Julia Saxe)
Courtesy Leigh Blander
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The following information was provided by Leigh Newman, the Jewish Community Center of the North Shore's Director of PR and Community Relations:
With gold, silver and bronze medals swinging from their necks, several Jewish Community Center teen athletes returned from the national Maccabi Games after a week of exciting competition.
“It was awesome, playing with kids from around the world, getting to know them,” said Sydney Goldman 13, of Swampscott, who competed in girls' basketball.
The Maccabi Games are a type of Olympics for Jewish teens. The national Games, with 750 athletes, were held in Springfield from Aug. 14 to 18.
“I’m definitely a better basketball player now,” Goldman said. “And I’ve made a lot of new friends from all over.”
The JCCNS delegation included 28 teens competing in girls' basketball, boys' basketball, tennis, table tennis, golf, track & field and soccer.
In addition to the Games, the teens visited The Basketball Hall of Fame and Six Flags Amusement Park. They also joined community service projects.
“We took a group of children with special needs on a bowling trip,” Goldman said. “It was really cool.”
Teddy York, 13, of Marblehead, competed in boys' basketball. “It was awesome meeting kids from around the world – and everybody was Jewish,” he said. “They were all really good athletes, too.”
The Jewish Community Center of the North Shore has been participating in the Maccabi Games since 1992.
Carrie Berger, who has led the JCC delegation for eight years, says they plan to compete again next year when the Games are in Rockland County, N.Y.
Here’s the list of all the teen athletes who competed with the JCCNS delegation:
From Marblehead: Jake Cohen, Sam Cohen, John and Wilson Lautner, Teddy and Sam York, Sam Varsano, Julie Saxe, Harrison Young, Aaron and Alex Rothbard.
From Swampscott: Sam Beermann, Harry and Daniel Copeland, Ariella and Gabriel Salter and Sydney Goldman.
Other athletes include Brendon Argueta of Natick, David Mendelssohn and Zeke Vainer of Melrose, Aaron Greiner of Gloucester, Jonathan Koralnik of Newton Center, Garrett McSweeney of Hanson, Philip Batler of Waban, Jonathan Stern of Marshfield, Jason Miller of Needham, Shana Criscietiello of Winchester and Stephanie Wolf of Newton.
