Every year Jewish teen athletes from across the globe come together to experience the magic of JCC Maccabi, the world’s largest Jewish youth sports event. Among the highlights of this unique, Olympic-style Jewish experience are sports competitions; community service; social and cultural events; and opportunities to create Jewish connections, friendships, and memories to last a lifetime! This year’s competition happened this week in San Diego, California and we are proud of our very own Aliyah Stupar who represented the Virginia Peninsula and competed in the games. 

As we start the book of Deuteronomy this Shabbat, Moses begins reviewing the events that occurred during the forty years journey from Egypt. When recounting the time spent at Mount Sinai, he uses the expression, “You have had much dwelling by this mountain.” The medieval commentator Rashi explains this cryptic verse to mean that all the people were rewarded for their time dwelling at the mountain because they built the Mishkan (Tabernacle), received the Torah and appointed the Sanhedrin (biblical court). According to Rashi, every person received greatness just for being there even though only a small number of people actually constructed the Mishkan and none of them appointed the Sanhedrin. This leaves us with a big question - how can you be rewarded for something you didn’t do?  

The answer to this question can be found in another spectacular sports event – the Super Bowl, where teams compete to make history and win a coveted Super Bowl ring. Have you ever wondered who gets a championship ring? Certainly the quarterback, wide receiver and rest of the starting bench would receive one. But what about the others who led to the team’s success? The last time my beloved New England Patriots won the Superbowl was 2019 and running back Kenjon Barner was pleasantly surprised to have been awarded a ring. Barner had been on-and-off with the Patriots all season and while he’d played for New England sporadically, he was off of the team by the playoffs. The Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl as Barner sat out as a free agent. It is not uncommon for Super Bowl rings to be awarded to cheerleaders, trainers and even the team’s beat reporter for their contributions. 

We are extremely proud of Aliyah for winning multiple medals at the JCC Maccabi games this week.  As she competed, we were all #TeamAliyah. From the counselors at Camp Chaverim who first gave her swim lessons to the leaders who ensure our youth have access to meaningful programming, we are all rewarded. We can’t wait to see how Aliyah takes what she experienced at JCC Maccabi to bring back to our community. 

This week the Torah is reminding us that we are all members of one team. Moses is telling the people that during their lifetime they all played a part of the great accomplishments. We are all credited and rewarded.   

Shabbat Shalom,
Eric Maurer
Executive Director
emaurer@ujcvp.org