Over 45 athletes from Sid Jacobson JCC returned home from the inaugural JCC Maccabi Campus Games in Pittsburgh with a collection of medals, including consecutive golds for the 17U baseball team, and what coaches and players described as a life-changing experience.
The JCC Maccabi Games are an Olympic-style gathering of Jewish teens ages 13-17 that go beyond athletic competition. In addition to sports, the games emphasize community service, cultural pride and social connection.
Athletes take part in opening and closing ceremonies, skill clinics and community projects, while forming friendships that last a lifetime.
The event also highlights six Jewish values: tikkun olam (repairing the world), kavod (respect), rina (joy), ga’ava (pride), lev tov (big-heartedness), and amiut yehudit (Jewish peoplehood).
The 2025 Campus Games, hosted at the University of Pittsburgh, brought together more than 2,000 Jewish teen athletes from around the world for six days of competition, cultural events and community building. Organizers said it was the largest Maccabi gathering in years and came at a time when antisemitism is on the rise on many college campuses.
SJJCC athletes captured gold medals in 17U baseball and 15U 5-on-5 basketball, while earning silver in both the 17U 3-on-3 and 17U 5-on-5 basketball divisions.
Off the field, athletes trained with Israeli-American basketball star Tamir Goodman, Israeli Olympian Ori Sasson and UFC fighter Natan Levy, and attended a performance by Artifex, the final DJ to perform at Israel’s Supernova Festival on Oct. 7.
They were also honored on-field during Jewish Heritage Night at a Pittsburgh Pirates game, alongside appearances by Spencer Horwitz and Mark Cuban.
“As a coach for nearly 30 years, I can say that the Maccabi experience stands out as one of the most moving and inspirational moments of my career,” said Mark Rosenman, head coach of SJJCC’s gold medal-winning 17U baseball team. “The pride these young athletes carry, along with the deep bonds they form, is truly remarkable.”
“Coaching the U15 basketball team to a gold medal was more than a personal milestone — it was a powerful reminder of resilience, unity and pride,” said Steve Blum, coach of the 15U 5-on-5 basketball team. “In a time when antisemitism casts a shadow over many college campuses, this vibrant gathering was a beacon of hope.”
For players such as Nate Greene, a Dix Hills resident and member of the 17U baseball team, the Games carried personal meaning.
“After Oct. 7th, I realized how important it is for me to be a proud Jew,” Greene said. “Playing on the biggest stage with all these Jewish athletes was really special and something I will never forget.”
Looking ahead, organizers said the 2026 JCC Maccabi Campus Games will be open to Jewish teens ages 13–17 (born between Aug. 6, 2009, and Aug. 2, 2013). Eligibility requires that participants have at least one Jewish parent or be a Jew by choice, and be raised Jewish. All athletes must have current medical insurance, be up to date on CDC-recommended vaccines, and may compete in the sport or division that aligns with their gender identity.
The JCC Maccabi Campus Games are expected to return in 2026 with an even larger field of athletes.
