Written by Aries Wickham
More than 90 years ago, two pitchforks were topped with oranges and candles as a way to honor the first Chanukah in a newly independent Israel. Ilan Cohen proudly thinks about that celebration ritual every day. And this summer, Cohen will travel to Israel to celebrate another first – this one inspired by his late father, Tuvia.
“I’m basically doing something for my family. History. Closing a circle.”
Ilan is 84 years old, and he will step onto the court for the Masters Tennis competition at the 2025 Maccabiah in Israel this summer, representing Maccabi USA. This will come 90 years after his father competed in diving and gymnastics at the Games.
“To me, my participation is a victory by itself and by creating a family tradition by sending a message to my children, grandchildren, and other friends that following your parents’ track is something desirable.”
Ilan says that he owes his life to the Maccabiah. At the end of the Games in 1935, his father was offered a chance to leave Europe and help in the creation of the state of Israel. His father answered the call and moved to a small town called Hadera. This is where Ilan’s father became a physical education teacher and started the Young Maccabees in his town.
Tuvia Cohen founded a small basketball team in a place where it was very rare to even have a basketball court. Although building sports facilities was frowned upon, Ilan’s father knew the value of sports and would continue to devote his life to improving the athletic community of his home. Ilan then went on to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“A strong mind is in a strong body.”
Ilan attributes his athletic prowess to his father’s wise words. In 8th grade, Ilan constantly procrastinated doing his homework. Every day, he would take a jog in the fields near his house, which he attributes to his mobility at his age now.
When Ilan later joined the Israeli Army, he was able to pass the obstacle course with ease due to his early fascination and connection to sports. He went on to become a physical education instructor. In the military, there used to be athletic competitions between the different branches, and as the instructor, he was able to decide who would represent them in the various races. When he saw they were missing someone to run the 400 meters, he volunteered. He didn’t have his own running spikes because they were rare, so he had to borrow a pair.
In the finals, he came in second, and that was enough to draw the attention of a coach who wanted to know where he trained in running. The coach assumed that someone with that speed must be training competitively, not knowing he stepped up because no one else wanted to run. Ilan always ran in blue and white, and he did not plan for this to change. He went on to run for Maccabi Tel-Aviv and was one of the top runners for Maccabi Israel.
In addition to running, Ilan grew up playing basketball, handball, swimming, and tennis. However, it wasn’t until COVID that he started taking tennis more seriously when he started playing in Connecticut during the pandemic.
“I will step into the stadium 90 years after my father did, and mostly, the victory is in the very fact that I am capable of running on the tennis courts, hitting the ball, and continuing the tradition that my father started 90 years prior.”
Named after the Hebrew word for tree, Ilan takes pride in still having strong roots in Israel. He has a second home there and is excited to return this summer for the Maccabiah. He also takes pride in continuing that tradition of topping two pitchforks with oranges and candles. He does that custom in front of his Connecticut home every Chanukah to stay deeply connected to his father.
Every Chanukah, Ilan places two pitchforks topped with oranges and candles in front of his house in Westport as a way to continue his father’s legacy. Gathering his family around something that so deeply connects him to his father is one way that he remembers where he came from.
He will step onto the tennis courts at the age of 84 this summer to follow in his father’s footsteps. He is both proud and grateful to honor Tuvia’s memory and carry on this cherished family tradition.
Aries Wickham is a 12th grader at New York City’s Columbia Secondary School, where she is Technical Director of the school musical, Producer of the Shakespeare play, and Head of Media Production for WCSS.