It’s been nearly 30 years since Kansas City hosted the Maccabi Games. Last week, Jewish teens from all over the country and around the world traveled here to compete in the Olympic-style tournament that finished Aug. 7.
“Nationally, we’re considered flyover country, so to get people from across country and around globe to come to Kansas City for an event like this, it’s our time to shine and show off everything Kansas City has to offer,” said Jim Sluyter, CEO and president of the Jewish Community Center.
From Kansas City alone, there were 114 athletes, but teens ages 13 to 17 came from places as far away as San Diego, Philadelphia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Mexico and Israel. Athletes competed in team sports such as soccer, basketball and flag football but also individual sports like tennis, swimming and dance.
It took about two years to plan the event, and the center raised $1.5 million to host it.
There were logistical challenges, like finding enough sports venues to host the different matches and providing security for all of them. Sites included AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk, Scheels Overland Park Soccer Complex, the Overland Park Racquet Club and Blue Valley North High School.
One hallmark of the Maccabi Games is that the community also typically houses the athletes with host families. That meant finding spots for about 1,000 people.
Overland Park resident Traci Klein opened her home to two boys from St. Louis for the week. Several members of her family also hosted athletes or were otherwise involved with the Games.
“I don’t have kids at home, so I’m usually just on my own schedule, so waking up early and making sure I have breakfast and reminding them to get all their stuff together is definitely something different than my usual, but it’s been really great,” she said. “They’re both really fun to be around. It’s been fun to hear about their experiences.”
In their free time, she took them to see the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, to play golf at Tap-Ins and for food at Betty Rae’s and Whataburger.
Thirteen-year-old Evan Schlozman of Overland Park supported his Maccabi basketball team from the sidelines after getting injured right before the Games started. He competed last year in Pittsburgh.
“Seeing all these Jewish people in my hometown from out of town — it’s like unlimited friends, basically. I know I can’t compete, but usually, playing basketball and hanging out with friends — that’s just a perfect life combo. Just being social. It’s so much fun,” he said.
Drew Goldberg, 15, played tennis as part of the Philadelphia delegation. This was his third time in the Maccabi Games, though he’d played soccer at the last two.
“The Maccabi Games are a great way to meet people and have fun and play in competition. For me, that’s the biggest part of Maccabi, because it’s all about the having fun—even if you win. It’s more about the fun,” he said.
For him, the Games are “a celebration of being Jewish. It builds my Jewish character. … I would do this the rest of my life if I could. I’ve already decided I’m coaching when I’m older.”
Check out more photos from the Games below:
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