Written by Joelle Kirsch
Marilyn Glaser played a pivotal role for the U.S. delegation at the Maccabiah in 1981, and nearly five decades later, she will continue her steadfast commitment as an Ambassador and beloved figure with the organization.
“I was the first nurse that they took to the 11th Maccabiah,” she explained. “I worked with a physician who was at the 10th Games, and he came to work and couldn’t wait to tell me all about it. I told him ‘It sounds exciting – you need a nurse.’ He had never taken one before and decided it was time he did.” she said.
Once Glaser’s application was accepted, she was packing her bags and flying to Netanya. She was the only nurse at the time – leading to a plethora of incredible stories from that summer.
“The kids went down to the beach, and they found this stray dog, and they brought it back, and the dog was full of ticks. Did I learn to deal with ticks [in nursing school]? No. But I learned how to de-tick a dog there, adding to my medical knowledge tremendously,” she said jokingly.
After the incredible experience, Glaser knew she needed to continue attending. Four years later, she attended the 12th Maccabiah, and little did she know that this time, her life would change.
“I met one of the physicians who lived in my area in Maryland and because of that chance meeting, we started the Rockville JCC Maccabi Team that, to this day, participates in youth Maccabi Games, and that’s grown tremendously. That was fun. Also, I heard about the Pan-American Maccabi Games and in 1983, I went to the first Games in South America, and since then, I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve gone,” she remembers.
During the formation of the Rockville JCC Maccabi Team, Glaser began to love working the Games from an administrative perspective, which allowed her to continue participating in the competition as she got older.
It was suggested that she go for a management position. Soon after, Glaser became the nurse manager, and it’s not just a job for a young person. She turns 82 next month.
“I started in my 30s and I’ve really aged, but I can’t do things like I did when I was in my 30s,” she remembers. “So they said I should take it easier this time and that they would make me an honorary ambassador. That’s apparently what I’m doing this time.”
Glaser is also going to be the manager for the U16 Futsal team, a role given to her by a friend and fellow honoree. However, she expects that this will be her last time attending the games.
“I can’t even imagine four years from now what [my involvement with the Games] will be,” Glaser confided. “I’m thinking this will be my final appearance as part of the team, and I’m looking forward to it. I want to meet as many people as I can and be as helpful as I can.”
Glaser cannot express enough gratitude for Maccabiah and all the experiences she has enjoyed.
“I am just eternally grateful,” she added. “It’s not anything that would have been on my bucket list, but it’s the biggest bucket I have ever had. It’s just been phenomenal.”
Joelle Kirsch is a Journalism and Media, Communications and Culture student at New York University. An avid lover of pop-culture and entertainment, Joelle has spent the academic year working as a trade marketing intern at NBCUniversal, assisting with large-scale events such as Upfront and Cannes. As an intern for @mothercould, an instagram influencer with 1.2 million followers, she has learned to use social media as a tool to spread her stories. You can follow her journey on LinkedIn or Instagram.