JCC Maccabi Games kicked off with young athletes from 8 countries

(JNS) - The JCC Association of North America's 41st JCC Maccabi Games and Access events, which took place Aug. 6 through Aug. 11, opened at a ceremony on Monday at the FLA Live Arena in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. It was hosted by the David Posnack JCC.

Nearly 2,000 Jewish teens comprising 64 delegations from the United States, Canada and six other nations around the world have gathered for the week-long events. For the first time, delegations from Argentina, South Africa and Ukraine are participating. Also represented are young people from Israel, Great Britain and Mexico, countries that regularly participate in the Games.

More than three-dozen state, county and local officials, along with prominent Jewish leaders, attended the opening ceremony.

The Games are a dynamic experience of Olympic-style sports and volunteer service designed to strengthen Jewish teens' identities and connections to global Jewish peoplehood. They feature baseball, basketball, ice hockey, girls' volleyball, flag football, lacrosse, soccer, table tennis, tennis, swimming and dance competitions.

The Games' closing ceremony and celebratory dinner on Aug. 11 featured the passing of the JCC Maccabi torch to next year's host communities.