Mandell JCC athletes represented the Hartford delegation in a variety of activities at the 2016 Maccabi Games and Artfest.

Maccabi Girls Basketball team won the bronze medal. Submitted photo

Submitted by Larah Winn, Mandell JCC

Mandell JCC athletes and artists went for the gold representing the Hartford delegation in a variety of sports and talents including soccer, basketball, acting and singing at the 2016 Maccabi Games and Artfest held in Stamford, CT, Aug. 7 – 12, 2016. The JCC Maccabi Games and Artsfest is an annual Olympic-style event where Jewish athletes and artists ages 13-16 from around the world come together to compete, volunteer for social action projects, and make memories and friends to last a lifetime.

The Mandell JCC girl’s basketball team won the bronze medal while athletes Ben Merritt, Emma Tishler and Lauren Walden received the Midot medal for outstanding JCC Maccabi values including Joy, Repairing the World, Having a Big Heart, Pride, and Jewish Peoplehood.

Maccabi Arts Fest. Submitted photo

Mandell JCC participating athletes and artists included: Drew Seidman, Ethan Raisner, Ben Merrit (Boys Basketball), Sophie Rosenberg, Megan Polun, Amber Raisner, Sydney Gellerman (Girls Basketball), Emma Tishler, Lauren Walden (Girls Soccer) and Sadie Margolis and Victoria Bounstani (Artsfest).

The 2017 Maccabi Games and Artfest will take place in Miami, Florida.

For more information about the JCCMaccabi Games and Artsfest, please contact either Thai Tran at [email protected] or David Laudati at [email protected]. The Mandell JCC will host the Northeast Jr. Maccabi Games, Sunday, May 21, 2017for ages 10-12. An informational meeting is scheduled for October 2016. For more information, contact Sam Lewis, 860-693-2378, [email protected].

The Mandell Jewish Community Center is open to everyone and supported by funds raised by the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, a recipient of funding from the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, and a member of the JCC Association of North America. For updates, follow the Mandell JCC on Facebook and Twitter.