This week the UJCVP sent a delegation of teen athletes from Newport News, Williamsburg and York County to compete in the 2023 Maccabi Games in Fort Lauderdale. Three thousand teen athletes from around the globe came together for the world's largest Jewish youth sporting event that featured Olympic-style sports competitions.  

It was remarkable to live stream into the Opening Ceremony and listen to the stadium cheer as Team Newport News made their grand entrance.  Click here to watch them. Throughout the week our delegation competed in sporting competitions and collected medals for their wins.  

And while we are proud of them for their medals earned, this week was more than just about the games. The Games are equally, if not more so, focused on values and giving back to the community at large. Throughout the week there were opportunities for the athletes to take a break from competition to dedicate themselves to charitable and community-building projects, including the donation of sneakers to local students in need and letter writing to soldiers in the Israeli Defensive Forces. 

Jewish values are also imbued in the competitions, such as the Rachmanus Rule. In Hebrew, rachmanus means “compassion.” If one team is vastly outscored, the leading team abides by modified rules. In basketball, for example, the winning team has to pass the ball a certain amount of times before shooting.

One of our Team Newport News athletes was even awarded the prestigious Middot Medal. Middot, in Hebrew, means personal character traits or values. This medal is given to athletes who demonstrate stellar qualities and embrace the Maccabi core values of Lev Tov (Big Hearted), Amiut Yehudit (Jewish Peoplehood), Rina (Joy), Ga'ava (Pride), Kavod (Respect) and Tikkun Olam (Repair the World).

This week, our Torah reading opens with the dramatic question that challenges us whether we will choose to be a blessing or a curse in this world. Our youth showed us this week at the Maccabi Games that the answer must always be a blessing.  

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