The Pan-American Maccabi Games was hosted in Buenos Aires, Argentina from December 27th to January 7th. Maccabi is an international event where 6,000+ Jews of all ages representing 25 different countries come together to play sports in Buenos Aires. Judaism plays a big role in my life and my family’s lives. My younger brother, Gabe, represented America by playing U16 basketball and his team won gold. 

Maccabi has a much bigger significance than Jews competing against one another in sports. It is a community. A famous phrase is, “The world is so small.” I say that the world is small, and it is even smaller in the Jewish community. The more people that I talked to at Maccabi, the more mutual connections I was able to make. I met multiple people from Atlanta, Georgia who know my cousins that live there. I also talked with people from Melbourne, Australia who know my family living there. A bizarre connection I was able to make was with my brother’s teammate, Daren, who lives in Atlanta. Every summer, Jewish Community Centers (JCC) from across the nation bring middle and high school athletes to a city in America for a national Maccabi. I participated in the JCC Maccabi in Atlanta in the summer of 2019, going into my freshman year of high school. I became close with my friend, Arik. Arik lived in California at the time, and the host family he stayed with during Maccabi in 2019 was Gabe’s teammate, Daren and his family. This made me realize just how small the Jewish community really is.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists went into Israel, murdered more than 1,200 people, and kidnapped more than 240 people. It was the deadliest day for Israel since its independence on May 14, 1948. As of today, it has been over 100 days, and hostages are still being held in Gaza. 

At the Maccabi games in Buenos Aires, all participants walked across a stage in order of which country they played for. Israel’s walkout was deep and emotional. As the Israeli delegation walked out, many Israelis were holding posters that read “Missing” with faces and names of people who were kidnapped by Hamas. At the end of their walkout, three men were holding a big flag that read, “WE WON’T STOP UNTIL THEY’RE BACK #BringThemHomeNow” with the faces of every single person who was kidnapped and currently missing in Gaza. After all of the participants walked across the stage, an October 7th survivor took the stage to talk about her brother-in-law who got kidnapped. The room was very emotional and we all felt the sadness and pain in our hearts. The President of Argentina then took the stand and he noted his support for the Jewish community as well as talked about how Argentina is going to back Israel. Although I do not speak and only understand a little bit of Spanish, the noise and the volume of the stadium spoke for him. The immense cheering and yelling of the people in the stadium gave me goosebumps.

I was deeply impacted by being around 10,000 Jews. It made me more proud to be Jewish. Even though a tragic event happened to our community, we are still able to come together and be strong as one people. As Jews, we all need one another. It is super important that we come together as one. I was curious to see if anyone else was impacted in the same way that I was in a religious and emotional aspect after Maccabi. I asked a few questions to people who were also at Maccabi once it was done. Here is what they had to say:

Mike Kaufman – Athlete:

1) It’s your first time playing in the Maccabi games. What drove you to play in the games on a personal level? To have an opportunity to represent my country and the Jewish people was a no-brainer. I played in the JCC Maccabi games as a kid and later in Israel professionally – I love being a part of the Jewish community through sports.

2) You played overseas in Israel from August 2014 to January 2016. This was your first time playing overseas since then. I came out to watch your game against Australia, which was physical until the third quarter when y’all were able to get a large lead on them. How competitive was the competition at Maccabi? To be honest, Maccabi wasn’t too competitive for our team. We had around 7 players who played at the college level in America and we beat every team by 20-30 points. Australia was the closest game. They are a solid young team with a lot of talent. 

3) How was the cultural aspect around Maccabi for you and what was the experience of being together with thousands of other Jews from other countries playing sports? The cultural aspect of the Maccabi games is what makes it so special. I was around amazing people and really got to be in-touch with Judaism. It was very special – especially the opening ceremony. 

4) Although Maccabi is about competition, it is more about being Jewish and connecting with other Jews from across the world. How did this experience deepen your commitment to Judaism, if it did? It has definitely deepened my commitment to Judaism. I’ve created content to use my platform to really promote the Maccabi games and Judaism as a whole. It feels really special to have been a part of it. 

5) As Israel walked out at opening ceremonies, people from their delegation walked out with missing posters. How did you feel the events of October 7th strengthened the bond amongst Jews playing in the Maccabi games and the overall atmosphere of Maccabi? I got goosebumps when Israel walked out during the opening ceremonies. It meant a lot that they were there to represent. Since October 7th it’s been a very tough time for the Jewish people and I think it was so important and awesome that we kept the games going and all came together. Israel will always have a place in my heart – it’s the homeland!

Jake Feder – Athlete:

1) You have played in the Maccabi games multiple times now. You said that this is your last dance. How was your experience playing at Maccabi? Did the vibe at Maccabi feel differently than previously because of what happened in Israel on October 7th? Yes and no. The president speaking was a big deal. It’s the equivalent of Biden speaking, so it’s important to be able to take that in. You are with your newfound friends and family, which is also nice but similar to past experiences. I suppose the context of war does change things a bit, but I wouldn’t be able to say exactly how. Perhaps the magnitude or weight of the event was heightened. Yes, I would say that. 

2) Your dad also played in Maccabi. What was it like to participate with your dad also playing? Did he shape your love for basketball? My father is a geezer, but a good geezer. He can get up and down, and people are probably inspired by his story. He stands out, that is certain.

3) Maccabi is not just about competition, it is about Judaism. I met a lot of people at Maccabi this year from other states who are friends with people that I am friends with who live in that state. How strong do you believe the Jewish community is at Maccabi? Have you seen the same people year after year? Has Maccabi made you more religious? Maccabi has made it clear that there is a Jewish community. It’s not something that I’m always aware of. But it’s nice to share similarities with people, even if it’s something immutable. I would say I found myself being Jewish, but that is not a bad thing. Community is healthy, so I am grateful for that. 

4) For me and many others, the Israeli delegation walkout was very emotional. We heard words from an October 7th survivor and saw the Israeli athletes walkout with missing posters. The Argentinian president is a big advocate of Israel, as we got to hear his speech about his passion for Judaism and his commitment to Israel. How did this impact you, as well as the people around you at Maccabi who you talked with about it? I don’t know that I talked about the specifics of the Argentinian president’s stance on Israel with my peers. However, I’ll stress again that it is a noteworthy experience to witness a world leader speak. That adds to the weight of the thing. That will remain present in my memory, even if they forgot to translate his speech. 

5) In your experiences playing at the Maccabi games, what has been your best memory and moment? Would you recommend that Jews go to Maccabi to strengthen their belief in Judaism? I would recommend that people broaden themselves and experience the world, if possible. That isn’t always possible, but when it is, I think it’s worthwhile. We are lucky enough to put up the money, to network, to enjoy ourselves. That is certainly not lost on me. I am appreciative of the experience. We brought home the gold, baby!

Lior Kowadlo – Athlete:

1) You said that you have never played Maccabi before. What was your experience like? Did you make any mutual or personal connections with anyone that you met? This was my first time at an international Maccabi event. This experience was unlike anything I have ever done before. At the start I was very nervous and scared to introduce myself to people, but as time went on, I felt more and more comfortable. I met some truly amazing people and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity I was given. 

2) You said that you have been to Maccabi to watch your dad play. What country was it in? Did you feel a big difference being at the games playing and not playing? In 2017, I went with my dad as a supporter to the Israel Maccabiah games. It was a completely different vibe and experience. Since I went with my dad, I went to all the old people’s events and dinner which aren’t really for me. When I went as an athlete, I went to events and dinners which were suited more towards me and my friends. I enjoyed going with my dad as a supporter but it’s nothing like being a player. 

3) Do you feel a deep connection to Israel? Did Maccabi feel different this year than when you went before because of what happened on October 7th? The Israeli delegation walkout was very emotional for me, and hopefully everyone else who was at Maccabi. This year after October 7th the whole vibe was different. I personally felt a deep connection to each and every person at the opening ceremony. It was awesome having so many Jews in the same location playing sports. Although we were rivals on the field, off the field we all were family. From memory, 2017 felt very happy and joyful. And now even after the tragedies that occurred on October 7th, I feel that we (the Jewish people) are stronger than ever by showing our resilience. I have a strong connection to Israel, having family and old family friends there who were all affected by October 7th.

Zak Elfenbein – Coach:

Zak Elfenbein: 1) You coached the U16 USA basketball team. What does it mean to you to be able to represent your country by coaching basketball? I’ve been fortunate enough to represent my country and my Jewish community (first in Miami and now of Atlanta) multiple times. Twice as a player and now twice as a coach. The pride you feel is amazing and seeing the same feeling rush through my players this time in Buenos Aires was rewarding because I think a few were nervous to even be at the Panam games but the moment they put USA on their chest and heard the anthem walking into the arena they were consumed in it the same way I was as a 16 year old doing the same thing. 

2) When the Israeli delegation walked out, it was very emotional for me, and hopefully everyone else. How do you feel that as a Jewish community, we are able to come together and be resilient? Israel’s delegation being a part of the games was such a symbol of bravery, hope, and resilience of the Jewish spirit. I was certainly emotional as they walked in and I’m incredibly grateful to those who made the journey and showed their strength coming to be a part of the games. 

3) How do you feel that Maccabi has an impact on the Jewish community and Israel? Maccabi is important because it allows young people to experience Judaism outside of a synagogue, day school, or even summer camp. Some people don’t fit into those spaces but they may have a love of sport. I’ve always connected with my Judaism through sports and as a matter of fact my opportunity to play in Israel in 2009 Maccabiah was my only experience in being in Israel and I got to see just how important a place that is, returning home with pride in a Jewish homeland. In some ways I’m hoping that the people who experienced the panam games feel the desire to go to Israel for Maccabiah and feel more pride in their Judaism having been a part of the Panam games, the same way I do.

Maccabi is the best way to meet Jews and connect with our community from all across the globe. It is super important to be proud of being Jewish, and being at Maccabi definitely made me, as well as others, more proud to be Jewish. I connected more with Judaism, and hearing from others, they certainly did as well. Israel is our homeland. As Jews, we need to stay resilient and stay strong with our community. Israel is our homeland.