JCC Association of North America

We lead and connect the JCC Movement, advancing and enriching North American Jewish life.

JCC Maccabi

Creating meaningful Jewish teen experiences through sports, arts and travel.

JCC Maccabi®, a signature program of JCC Association of North America, is an Olympic-style sports competition designed to build and enrich teens’ Jewish identity; strengthen their connections to peers around the world, Israel, and the Jewish people; and encourage leadership development.  

I loved the community atmosphere. The individual delegations were not merely competitors. We’re part of something bigger: community service, supporting one another and celebrating each other’s accomplishments. I’ve never been such an integral part of such a movement of coming together to celebrate art and athleticism!

First year coach from Detroit

First launched in 1982, today’s JCC Maccabi Games annually attract more than 3,000 Jewish teen athletes along with 11,000+ family members, spectators, and volunteers. Two different North American JCC communities host the Games each year, with quadrennial Games in Israel. In addition to athletic and social events, JCC Maccabi participants give back to the host community through JCC Cares projects that focus on tikkun olam (repair of the world). 

In 2022, JCC Maccabi expanded to include JCC Maccabi Access for Jewish athletes (ages 12–22) with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Access athletes, with one-to-one support, participate in unified and specialized activities during the JCC Maccabi Games. 

In partnership with Maccabi World Union, Maccabi Canada, and Maccabi USA, JCC Maccabi serves as a global platform that strengthens JCCs by enabling them to offer teens opportunities for year-round engagement, leadership development, and community building.