The Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County hosted the 2013 JCC Maccabi Games and ArtsFest from August 4 to 9, 2013. JCC Maccabi is the largest annual Jewish youth event in the world.
Throughout the week more than 2,000 Jewish teenagers from all over North America, South America, Europe and Israel joined together in an array of sports, arts, community service and social activities held at venues throughout Orange County, beginning with Opening Ceremonies at Santa Ana Football Stadium. The Team OC delegation included 300 teens from Orange County.
A powerful and transforming experience for Jewish teens, the JCC Maccabi Games, first held in 1982, are dramatic in their scale and unique in their ability to integrate sports and arts with Jewish identity and values. JCC Maccabi ArtsFest was introduced in 2008. As we celebrate the return of the Games and ArtsFest to Orange County, we remember the Jewish athletes and artists who inspire us as role models.
The OC 2013 JCC Maccabi Games and ArtsFest strengthened the community and positioned it for the future. Volunteers, host families, donors and sponsors ensured the success of The Games & ArtsFest, and everyone was enriched by this involvement. The Maccabi Experience created memories that will be cherished by the artists, athletes and coaches, as well as their family and friends, for years to come.
