Israeli
Teens “Pass It On” as They Light the Maccabi Torch
 On
November 30, 2004, five Israeli teenagers will leave Tel Aviv
to carry a symbolic torch, representing freedom, heroism,
and the story of Hanukkah to six North American communities
as part of the sixtieth anniversary of the JCC Maccabi Hanukkah
Torch Relay. The relay will take place from December 1-14,
2004 in the following cities: MetroWest (West Orange, NJ),
Philadelphia, Miami, Sarasota, San Diego, and Milwaukee.
Every
year since 1944, Maccabi World Union and the Maccabi Tzair
Youth Movement in Israel have conducted a traditional torch
relay during Hanukkah. The Maccabi torch is lit in memory
of the Maccabees, the Jewish guerillas who reclaimed the Temple
from the occupying Greeks, and then is carried through Israel
and the Diaspora to represent the link between Jews worldwide.
The goals
of the Maccabi torch relay program are to strengthen Jewish
identity in the Jewish communities of North America, cement
the link between the Jews of the Diaspora with Israel, and
imbue the participants with love of the Jewish State.
The English-speaking
high-school seniors bringing the symbolic torch to North America
are all members of the Maccabi Tzair Youth Movement and were
selected for their charisma and leadership qualities. Each
shlicha/shaliach (emissary) spends four to five days in each
city, participating in a variety of events, ranging from Hanukkah
parties to school visits, and social and cultural activities
at the JCCs and at local Jewish organizations. This year,
50 new Israeli activities have been created. From a Hanukkah
word search to Tic Tac Toe, women and men of all ages will
be able to experience these fun-filled educational festivities.
The JCC
Maccabi Hanukkah program is part of the JCC Maccabi Israel
programs, run by JCC Maccabi Experience at JCC Association
of North America. JCC Maccabi Israel is a Jewish, educational,
not-for-profit travel program that provides Jewish youth and
young adults the opportunity to explore Israel through cultural,
social, outdoor, and educational activities. The goal is to
foster Jewish identity through the experience of traveling
in peer groups.
####
The JCC
Maccabi Games are a program run by JCC Association. JCC Association
is the leadership network of, and central agency for the Jewish
Community Center Movement, which is comprised of more than
300 JCCs, YM-YWHAs and camps in the U. S. and Canada. JCC
Association offers a wide range of services and resources
to strengthen the capacity of its affiliates to provide educational,
cultural, social, Jewish identity-building, and recreational
programs to enhance the lives of North American Jews of all
ages and backgrounds. Additionally, the movement fosters and
strengthens connections between North American Jews and Israel
as well as with world Jewry. JCC Association is also the U.S.
government accredited agency for serving the religious and
social needs of Jewish military personnel, their families,
and patients in VA hospitals through JWB Jewish Chaplains
Council. JCC Association is the managing partner of the JCC
Maccabi Games, and operates in conjunction with Maccabi World
Union (Israel), Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel, and Maccabi
Canada, which together represent over 1.5 million members
worldwide.
Rachel
Friedman
Marketing Associate
JCC Association
phone: 212-786-5096
fax: 212-481-4174
send an e-mail
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