THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF MACCABI USA VOLUME 11 | NUMBER 2 | FALL 2014 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE professional Basketball for Israel’s Super 2 David Blatt’s League. He continued to play professionally SEEKING JEWISH ATHLETES Maccabiah until 1993, when he transitioned to what 3 ROBERT E. SPIVAK Experience continues to be a stellar coaching career. LEADERSHIP AWARD “Playing for your country in the Maccabiah Games is a totally different VOLUNTEER PROFILE Influenced His Life Decisions experience than playing in college or 4 DONOR PROFILE professionally,” David said. “It’s about David first got involved with the sport of RECENT EVENTS more than just the competition; it is about Basketball as a small child. He watched immersing yourself in Jewish culture 5 UPCOMING EVENTS his older sisters practice the game using and gives you a sense of community and the basket their dad had installed over the MULTI-GENERATION togetherness. It’s an experience that stays 6 MACCABI USA FAMILIES garage and joined in. He fell in love with the with you always and is one of the main game and it’s been a lifelong affair. reasons I made Aliyah and have lived in LEGENDS OF THE MACCABIAH While playing point guard at Princeton, Israel the last 33 years.” 8 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE David was recruited by a coach from an In 1991, David married Kineret and Israeli kibbutz team, and he played in Israel EUROPEAN BASKETBALL together they are raising four children, INSIDE THIS ISSUE 9 that summer at Kibbutz Gan Shmuel. The Tamir, Shani, Ela and Adi. His son Tamir NEWS following year, a Maccabi USA volunteer competed for Israel at the 2013 Maccabiah 10 approached him about trying out for the Games as a member of the Juniors Boys’ USA Maccabiah team. David was excited Basketball team. His son’s involvement to try out for the team, which he made, was just one reason that David found and his Maccabiah experience changed the 2013 Maccabiah Games to be very his life. significant, for himself and for Israel. The 1981 Maccabiah USA Open “I was an integral part of the Opening Men’s Basketball Team won the Ceremony, which was a great honor, gold medal, but the athletes had and watching my son compete – doing such meaningful experiences that it something I had done over thirty years influenced many major life earlier – was enormously moving and a decisions. After the Games, great source of pride and happiness,” David made Aliyah to Israel David said. “Just as importantly, last year’s and continued to play Maccabiah Games really renewed interest with, and a connection to, the people of Israel, more so than in years past. There was just so much more excitement about the (continued on page 2) David Blatt PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE (continued from front page) Maccabi Movement by the Israelis than We Are Not Just About Sports – there has been in the past, which is so And We Are Not Alone important.” David has become very recognizable, Yes, Maccabi USA is a Jewish Zionist organization whose worldwide, over the years. He coached primary mission is to build Jewish pride through sports. I am RON CARNER proud to say that we are very good at making this happen: We the Russian National Team at the 2012 bring together thousands of Jewish athletes from around the world and instill in them the Summer Olympics to a bronze medal, importance of their Jewish identity, as they also become aware of the centrality of Israel led Maccabi Tel Aviv to the EuroLeague for the preservation of the Jewish people. Championship earlier this year and is now As I write this letter, Israel is engaged in a war in Gaza with an enemy that clearly coming back to the USA as Head Coach for expresses its goal to physically eradicate Israel and all the Jews residing within. The terror the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has become a organization voted democratically by the Palestinians does not mince words about its poster child for the Maccabi Movement and intentions, and they should be taken as seriously as the words of Mein Kampf should is committed to doing what he can to help have been taken in the 1930s. Fortunately, at this point in history, we have a strong State of Israel and it enjoys the both the Movement and Maccabi USA. worldwide support of Jewish organizations that are able to speak out and help her protect “I have always been open to its citizens against this existential threat. The Jews’ right for self-determination in their participating in Maccabiah events and am own land is not a matter of “politics,” an expression often used in its negative connotation, glad to serve as a speaker and participate but rather a question of life-or-death. It is our obligation as Jews to show strength without in any way I can because I have a deep being demonized for it, and we should not cower in the face of anti-Semitism. understanding of the importance and We are not alone in this mission: Maccabi USA belongs to an impressive group of major value [of the Games] in Jewish life and Jewish organizations under the umbrella of The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish tradition,” David responded when asked Organizations. The group is led by former Maccabiah athlete, President Bob Sugarman, and the much-revered Executive Vice-President Malcolm Hoenlein. This week, on short why he continues to stay involved. “[The notice, they called Jewish leaders from around the USA to Washington DC to meet with Maccabiah Games] is an experience that congressional leaders and our Administration’s representatives. I had the privilege to any athlete, coach, volunteer or supporter attend along with our First Vice-President, Jeff Bukantz, and one thousand other Jewish that has the opportunity to participate leaders to listen, learn and express our respective organizations’ solidarity with the State in should grab with gusto, as it is an of Israel. We reinforced our commitment to ensure that all of us, leaders and members, experience that they will value and treasure speak out the full truth about this devastating conflict between a democratic Jewish their entire lives. It is rich in terms of the country whose citizens have been attacked for years and evil that seeks to annihilate not value and depth of the Jewish experience; only our brethren in Israel, but Jews the world over. While we were one of the first American Jewish organizations to publicly support Israel, you will make friends with Jewish people it is our inclusion in the larger Jewish community that strengthens us and bolsters our from around the voice as we will continue to encourage our members to study the history and causes of world which will the conflict and not to remain silent. last a lifetime. It And what better reminder of what happens when anti-Semitism rears its ugly head is a life-changing than the upcoming European Games in Berlin in summer 2015? This will be the largest event.” gathering of Jews in Germany since the dark days of civilization, and the Maccabi USA solidarity Team, led by Rich Grodin, will march proudly alongside Jews from over twenty European nations and Israel. Can you imagine over 10,000 Jews singing Hatikvah under the waving blue Star of David—in Berlin? No sooner will we return home than we’ll leave again in December 2015 for the Pan Am Maccabi Games in Santiago, Chile. The U.S. delegation, led by Lou Moyerman, is expected to include about eighty teams—men, women, open, youth and masters—in over twenty sports. May Israel live in peace and prosper according to its abilities. Let us hope and pray that life in Israel returns to normal soon. May they live in peace and prosper at a rate never seen in modern time. But she will still need us—and we her. Sincerely, Ron Carner, President Maccabi USA 2 | sportscene | Fall 2014 SEEKING JEWISH ATHLETES Maccabi USA is seeking Jewish athletes to participate in the 14th European Maccabi Games in Berlin, Germany – July 27–August 4, 2015 and the 13th Pan American Maccabi Games in Santiago, Chile – December 28, 2015–January 4, 2016. This is your opportunity to participate in an international sports event that is about more than just competition, it is about a shared cultural experience and common bond with other Jewish athletes from around the world. Maccabi USA builds Jewish pride through sports. Athletes, coaches and volunteers will connect with the global Jewish community through international athletic, educational and cultural experiences. The experience will enhance Jewish identity, perpetuate Jewish continuity and increase support for the State of Israel. Both the European and Pan American Maccabi Games will feature sports in different age groups; Juniors, Youth, Open, and Masters. Maccabi USA is scheduled to compete in 17 sports at the European Maccabi Games and 22 sports at the Pan American Maccabi Games. So don’t wait, apply today to compete, coach or support the Team as a manager or member of the medical team. Our new electronic applications for both Games are available now at www.maccabiusa.com. The Robert E. Spivak Leadership Award is the highest honor that the leadership of Maccabi USA can present to its volunteers. It was named in honor of the longest-serving president in Maccabi USA history, Bob Spivak. The purpose of the award is to recognize the tremendous efforts of volunteers who have donated their time and resources in order to build Maccabi USA into the organization it is today. On the evening of July 28, following the Annual Maccabi USA Chicago Golf Tournament, Fred Cohen was presented with the award by Bob Spivak after being gently ‘roasted’ by friends and colleagues.