The Maccabi games for youth takes place in the United States every summer. For over a decade, athletes from Arad and Tamar have participated in these games, as part of the delegations from our partner communities in New Jersey and Delaware to the games.

This year, the games took place in Springfield, Massachusetts. We received a request from the Katz JCC in Atlantic Cape May for three teens to join their delegation to the game. Noy Raskin and Nadav Okanin represented us in basketball, and Tal Amar in tennis, chaperoned by Yoram Egozy, a sports teacher at the Arad Ort High School. They were hosted at the homes of families from the community and were very warmly welcomed and were spoiled by many treats and outings, such as a trip to the Six Flags amusement park, where they rode the scariest and craziest roller coasters, which were of course the most fun!

After four days of getting to know the rest of the Atlantic delegation members, they set out for the Maccabi games, to the competitions in Springfield, to join some 750 young participants from all over the world.

One of the basketball games in which Noy and Nadav participated was held in the basketball Hall of Fame, which was a special event, not experienced by many basketball players.

Tal, Nadav and Noy fit in with the Atlantic delegation very well, and proved once again that the children of Arad are outstanding and can represent us with great respect.

Special thanks to Jack Fox and the JCC of Atlantic Cape May Counties for funding and hosting our wonderful athletes.