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Vancouver wins at Maccabi
Local delegates leave with 22 medals and renewed Jewish spirit.
KYLE BERGER
Iwas tlie experience of a lifetime for tlie 100 teens who made up tlie Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver's QCC) delegation at tlie 2005JCC Maccabi Games in early August.
VClien they arrived home from competition in eitlier Dallas, Tex., or St. Paul, Minn., they returned with stories of atliletic success, camaraderie and sportsmanship.
"We came back to Vancouver with a total of 22 medals, which is incredible," said Lu Wnters, Vancouver's assistant delegation head. "We also came back with a renewed sense of Judaism and golden memories for everyone involved."
"We're so proud of the hard woriv, dedication and commitment from tlie entire delegation," added Alan Slater, who led tlie delegation.
The 36 delegates who competed in Dallas were made up of the boys under-l4 soccer team, who brought home a silver medal, and tlie boy-s under-l6 basketball team, who won the gold. Dallas-based delegates also won a bronze medal in table tennis and the silver for dance.
The larger Vancouver team in St. Paul hauled in a bronze medal for the boys under-l4 basketball team, a silver for the boys under-16 soccer team, two gold, one sil-
The JCC gold medal-winning under-16 basketball team.
ver and five bronze medals for the individual swimming competition, two silver and a bronze for the individual track competition and two gold, one silver and two bronze for individual bowling.
The JCC also sent an in-line hockey team, two girls under-l6 basketball teams, tennis and table tennis players and the girls under-16 soccer team, who were forced to forfeit halfway through their bronze medal game after a gutsy ef-
fort that resulted in too many injuries to continue playing.
The games included opening and closing ceremonies at prestigious locations - tlie St. Paul athletes took over the Metrodome in Minneapolis for the closing celebrations - and other opportunities to visit local sights.
The opening ceremonies in Dallas took place at a rodeo arena and included a performance by tiie Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. In St.
Paul, the Maccabi torch was lit by windsurfing champion Gal Friedman, who won Israel's first-ever gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Greece.
"Coming from a smaller Jewish community like Vancouver, it was really great to see the looks on tlie faces of our delegates when they entered the opening ceremonies," said Winters, who joined Slater in Dallas in the first week of August and St. Paul in the second week. "Tliey were surrounded by Judaism and it was very inspiring."
Tlie Maccabi games are held in four diiTerent North American cities each summer, with 1,500 Jewish atliletes and coaches from around tlie world participating in each city.
Aside from tlie competition, the games also feature social, educational and spiritual programming that aims to offer a unique Jewish experience for the delegates.
Each team also particijwtes in a program titled the Day of Caring and Sharing, in which tlie athletes engage in social action projects dedicated to improving the communities that they visit.
Tlie 100 local athletes represented tlie largest delegation from Vancouver evcT sent to tlie JCC Maccabi Games, However, that number is certain to be surpassed next summer when Vancouver will play host to the 2006 games.
Information about the JCC Maccabi Games can be found online at www.jccmaccabi.org or by calling 604-257-5111. S
Kyle Bcrjjcr is a fixxlance journalist and graphic designer living in Richmotui.
Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jewish Conwnuoity Centre of Greater Vancouver Jewish FwJeratioo of Greater Vancouver
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A special type of Jewish school
Beth Israel responds to unique needs children.
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^he concept of "different learning styles" has now become noteworthy as more and more children are identified in tlie school system with learning "disabilities." It falls to educators to explain tliat these children are not learning "disabled" but rather challenged -and have different styles of processing information. They are often exceedingly briglit and creative individuaLs.
Tlie challenge for tlie school system is to employ teachers who., are willing and trained to meet tJiesc needs. Tlie Betli Israel Hebrew school has lx;en very active dealing with tliis vital Issue. Tlie scliool's mandate is inclusive, providing the full benefit of a Jewish education for cliildren who learn differently. Marina Gonigberg, a teacher specializing in this field, works individually witli the students. Tliis program, spearheaded by Harriet Frost, Sally Rogow and Krayna Feinberg, has been running for three years and is higlily successful.
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New jNF prez
TTlie Jewish National Fund, Pacific Region, welcomed new president Harvey Dales at its installation dinner June 16. Otlier officers welcomed to llie executive include vice-presidents Allen Gaerber and Susan Hector, treasurer Evelyn Goldman and secretary Jack Hyman.
Among Dales' goak are plans to create and foster a personal connection between tlie Jewish community and the state of Israel and to create a younger leadersiiip base in ordcT to broaclen community appeal and secure the JNF into tJie future.
JNF Canada is planning a mission to Israel tliis fall and everyone is encouraged to take part. For more information, call 604-257-5155. S