The Official Newsletter of Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel Volume 3 Number 1 Spring 2007 INSIDE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE THIS ISSUE The 21st century presents the Jewish people with difficult challenges. Now more than ever, the leaders of Jewish communities and organizations around the world must act to find the most effective means to ALUMNI/MUSA perpetuate Jewish culture and heritage, promote Jewish identity and awareness, strengthen the bonds PEOPLE between Diaspora Jewry and the State of Israel, battle assimilation and anti-Semitism, and groom new pages 2 and 3 generations of Jewish leaders. Responding successfully to these formidable challenges will help to ensure the spiritual and physical survival of World Jewry. Toni Wortman How does Maccabi USA fit into this equation? We are an organization of dedicated volunteers bound MUSA HONORS President together by a love of kids, sports and Israel. Our goal, through events like the Maccabiah, Pan American SAM SPORN Maccabi Games, European Maccabi Games and the Maccabi Australia International Games, is to KEEP JEWISH KIDS JEWISH. page 4 We build living bridges to Israel. Our formula is simple – sports are the attraction, international competitions are the vehicle and Jewish continuity is our primary goal. We work to perpetuate and strengthen the American Jewish Community. MACCABI The Maccabiah and all international Maccabi Games are more than just major athletic events. These Games are a celebration TZEDAKAH of Jewish sport, culture, heritage and pride. They are the embodiment of the Maccabi Spirit and a powerful demonstration of pages 5 and 6 the strength, vitality and unity of the Jewish people. Continued on page 6 STAFF UPDATE PAN AMERICAN MACCABI GAMES page 6 The 11th Pan American Maccabi Games, scheduled for December 22, 2007 through January 3, 2008 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, are destined to be the best and RECENT EVENTS biggest Pan American Maccabi Games ever! I have just page 7 returned from the planning meetings held in Buenos Aires and was pleased with the level of enthusiasm and cooperation every country showed towards mak- 2007 ing this a fantastic athletic competition. MACCABI These Games are considered an Event of National EVENTS Interest by the President of Argentina, the Secretary of page 7 Tourism and Secretary of Sports. This is above and beyond the commitment that the Jewish Community of Buenos Aires has made to 12TH EUROPEAN make sure that everyone works together to make these Games a great success. The MACCABI U.S. Team, as the largest delegation, has been assigned a local ambassador with the GAMES Hebraica, the largest Jewish organization in Argentina. They are committed to making back cover sure that our athletes and supporters have an amazing experience. The sports facilities are located very close to each other and there will be opportunities for athletes to attend competitions in various sports, besides com- MACCABI USA peting on their individual teams. This will also present a great opportunity for ENDOWMENTS/ socializing with other Jewish athletes from all over the world. All in all, these SPONSORS Games will be an outstanding experience for everyone involved: athletes, coaches, back cover volunteers and supporters. There is still time to apply for the Team by visiting www.maccabiusa.com. I look forward to seeing you in Buenos Aires! Fred Cohen 11th Pan American Maccabi Games Vice Chairman & Sports Chairman ALUMNI / MUSA PEOPLE JEFF AGOOS – 12 & 13th Maccabiah – was named Technical Director LISA FISCHMAN – 17th Maccabiah, L for the New York/New Jersey Red Bulls of Major League Soccer. AUS 06 – was signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv, where she will join her Maccabi USA Teammate, BRIAN BACHARACH – 16 & 17th Maccabiah and KEVIN PLATSHON – LESLIE BERGER – 17th Maccabiah, AUS 06. 17th Maccabiah – were on the University of California Water Polo Team which captured the NCAA Championship. Bacharach was named to the STEVE FLAMHAFT – L All-Tournament Team. 7 & 8th Maccabiah, 10th Pan Am – was JAY BLUMENFELD – 10, 14 & 15th Maccabiah – L inducted into the U.S. Claimed the New Jersey State Golf Association Soccer Hall of Fame 2006 Amateur Player of the Year Award on in Washington, DC October 26. this past October. JONATHAN BORNSTEIN – L 17th Maccabiah – was named JENNIFER FLEISCHER – 17th Maccabiah, Rookie of the Year by Major L AUS 06 – is currently playing Professional Jay Blumenfeld on right League Soccer. Basketball for Anda Ramat Hasharon in Israel. JIM BRONNER – 13, 14 & 15TH Maccabiah, 8th Pan Am – and BOB GILHOOLEY – 14th Maccabiah – recently published a tongue-in-cheek golf humor book, BILL JAFFE – 15th Maccabiah – was recently How To Hit The Second Shot First. Son MICHAEL BRONNER – named TV Analyst for the NY Islanders 14th Maccabiah – was the Associate Producer on the recent film, Hockey Team. United 93. Daughter JAMIE BRONNER – 8th Pan Am – is working as an editorial photographer. LISA KAPLIN – 16 & 17th HERB BROWN – 15, 16 & 17th Maccabiah – has been busy running Maccabiah, AUS 02 – Basketball Clinics for NBA Teams in Latin America and Europe as well and DAVID WEINSTEIN as for summer camps at Camp Ramah Doron in Clayton, GA and at the – 16 & 17th Maccabiah, New Jersey YMHA in Milford, PA where they even had a Herb Brown 10th Pan Am, 9th EUR – Basketball Academy. were both named JEFF BUKANTZ – 11, 12, 13 & 14th Maccabiah – co-captains of the was named the U.S. Fencing Captain, again, after Brandeis University leading the highly successful 2004 U.S. Olympic Women’s and Men’s Lisa Kaplin David Weinstein Fencing Team. Jeff also recently published a Varsity Soccer Teams, book, Closing the Distance: Chasing a Father’s respectively, during the 2006 season. Lisa was also named as a second- Olympic Fencing Legacy. team All-New England Team member by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. HANNAH DEUTSCH – 10th Pan Am – L signed a letter of intent to pursue HARVEY “HERKY” LEFF – AUS 06, 9 & 10th Pan Am – was named Man gymnastics at Illinois State University. of the Year by the Anshei Emuna Congregation in Delray Beach, Florida. LINDSEY DURLACHER – 14, 15, 16 & 17th STEPHANIE MOYERMAN – 16 & 17th Maccabiah – L Maccabiah – won a Bronze Medal at the was just awarded the prestigious American Physical World Meet in Guangzhou, China as a Society’s Apker Award rewarding her for her under- member of the U.S. Greco-Roman team graduate work on Polarized Neutron Scattering in September, 2006. from Spin Valves. SHELLEY MURVEIT – 17th LELAND FAUST – 7, 9, 16 & 17th Maccabiah – L L placed first in his age group at the Escape from Maccabiah – a freshman at Alcatraz Triathlon in June, 2006. He was also Georgetown University is a member of their named to the 2006 All American Team by USA Women’s Tennis Team. Triathlon. DAVID PUDLIN – 9, 13, 15 & 17th Maccabiah, 9th Pan Am – was named JILL FISCHMAN – AUS 06 – L Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel’s Legal Counsel entered her first season as Head in the Fall, 2006. Coach for the Ramapo College HALEY ROSENGARTEN – 17th Maccabiah – L Women’s Basketball Team after is serving as a Co-President of the Hillel serving as an Assistant Coach for at Emory University. the 2005-2006 season. Continued on page 3 SPORT SCENE Spring 2007 2 ALUMNI / MUSA PEOPLE Continued L ALEX RUBIN – 17th Maccabiah – signed a letter of JOSHUA – 17th Maccabiah, 10th Pan Am – and SHAINA SCHACHTER intent to play Basketball for Illinois State. are the proud parents of Trey Weston Schachter, born on December 26, 2006. There is a chance that Trey will be a shooting guard at the L University of Pittsburgh. BRIAN “SHIFTY” SCHIFF – 16 & 17th Maccabiah, 9 & 10th BETSY GROSSMAN – Board of Directors –is thrilled to announce Pan Am – won his first television the birth of her first granddaughter, Alana Brooke Fredricks, on January 7, Emmy Award as the associate 2007. Parents RobBee and Josh and big brother Jeremy are just as thrilled producer of Daily News Live, with the new addition to their family. a sports-talk television show on Comcast SportsNet in We mourn the passing of… Philadelphia. LEONARD “LENNY” RUBIN – 14th Maccabiah, January 26, 2007 SARA SCHIFFMAN – 17th Maccabiah, 10th Pan Am – has accepted Lenny was a Grand Masters Tennis alumnus as well as a former Maccabi the position of Assistant Coach of the Women’s Tennis Team at the USA Board member and longtime supporter. He was a pioneer and mentor University of Pennsylvania. to many young leaders in the Jewish Community of Bergen County. Our GARY SHEMANO – 11, 15, 16 & 17th Maccabiah – was inducted into thoughts are with his wife, Syril, and their family. May his memory be the Northern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. for a blessing. SAM SHWEISKY – 16 & 17th Maccabiah – was ELI SHERMAN – 5, 12 & 13th Maccabiah, November 14, 2006 L named Assistant Coach for University of Nevada Eli Sherman 74, spent over 40 years working for Jewish community Las Vegas Women’s Volleyball Team. centers in Los Angeles. He was a longtime physical education director at the Westside Jewish Community Center, having started as a part-time L ROBERT SPIVAK – Former worker in 1955. He co-founded the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall President & Current Chairman, of Fame in 1989, an organization that has honored almost 300 Jewish Maccabi USA – turned 70 athletes since its inception. Our thoughts are with his family. on December 30, 2006 and is May his memory be for a blessing. starting to train for the Masters Triathlon in Israel, 2009. SAM ZEITLIN – 7th Maccabiah, June 30, 2004 Sam was an avid cyclist who won gold and bronze medals at the MIKE TOBER – 10th Maccabiah – was named Diving Coach Maccabiah Games in 1965. He cycled every day of his life except for George Washington University.