Philadelphia, PA, February 6, 2009 – Jerry Simon, of Burlingame, CA has been appointed to the USA Masters Basketball Team to compete at the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel, July 12 – 23. The Games will be Simon’s second international competition, where he will compete in the 40 and older age division.
Simon played Basketball at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, and then became captain of the University of Pennsylvania’s Basketball team. During his tenure at Penn, he competed in two international Basketball competitions with Maccabi, including the 1987 Pan Am Maccabi Games and later the 1989 World Maccabiah Games in Israel.
After graduating, he played several years of club Basketball in Israel. He now looks forward to competing internationally for the first time in 20 years. “Getting appointed to represent the USA Maccabiah Team is a great feeling,” Simon says. “I had a wonderful experience in 1989 and I look forward to 2009.”
Simon works as a teacher at Campbell Union High School.
About the organization:
Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel (MUSA) has an extensive history of enriching Jewish lives through athletic, cultural and educational programs. The organization is the official sponsor of the United States Team to the World Maccabiah Games, the Pan American Maccabi Games and the Maccabi competitions in Europe and Australia, as well as a co-founder of the JCC Maccabi Games for teens in North America. As the official Maccabi representative in the U.S., Maccabi USA supports Jewish athletic endeavors, enhanced by cultural and educational activities in the United States, Israel and throughout the Diaspora.
MUSA develops, promotes and supports international, national and regional athletic-based activities and facilities. They strive to provide Jewish athletes the world over the opportunity to share their heritage and customs in competitive athletic settings. MUSA supports programs that embody the Maccabi ideals of Jewish continuity, Zionism and excellence in sport.?
“Now more than ever, we need to get involved and commit to building a proud Jewish Identity among our young people in the U.S., Israel and the Diaspora,” stated Ron Carner, General Chairman, USA Maccabiah Team. “The Maccabiah (Games) is not just about sports, but about providing for these young people a Jewish awareness of who they are, where they come from and where they are going.”
The World Maccabiah Games are a quadrennial event that takes place in Israel.? The 18th World Maccabiah Games, scheduled for July 12 – 23, 2009 will be the world’s third largest international athletic competition.? Over 9000 of the world’s best Jewish athletes from six continents and over 60 countries will compete at the Games.