Buenos Aires, Argentina, December 25, 2007 – Tracy Bienenfeld of Huntington Valley, PA, will lead the USA Team into Opening Ceremonies as the Flag Bearer tomorrow night. Bienenfeld will lead the 485+ member USA Team onto the field at the Opening Ceremonies of the 11^th Pan American Maccabi Games. Tracy Bienenfeld is a member of the Open Women’s Soccer Team and an alumnus of the 17^th World Maccabiah Games in Israel. The Opening Ceremonies will take place on December 26, 2007, when the Games Commence.

Joining Tracy are eight other members of the Team that will march into Opening Ceremonies carrying the Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel Banner. They include Terry Goldberg of Holland, PA, Brian Schiff of Exton, PA, Seth Halben of Rochester, NY, Melody Khadavi of Santa Monica, CA, Abigail Goettsch of Lafayette, NY, Nathan Fish and Sam Sporn, both from Brooklyn, NY and Jillian Carroll, of North Coldwell, NJ.

?Terry Goldberg will coach the Open Men’s Softball Team and is an alumnus of the 12^th, 13^th, 14^th and 17^th World Maccabiah Games in Israel.? Brian Schiff, an Emmy Award-winning producer for Comcast will coach the Junior Boys’ Basketball Team and is an alumnus of the 16^th and 17^th Maccabiah Games and the 9^th and 10^th Pan American Maccabi Games. Seth Halben is a member of the Open Men’s Basketball Team and an alumnus of the 17^th Maccabiah Games and the 2006 Maccabi Australia International Games.? Melody Khadavi is a member of the Open Beach Volleyball Team and an alumnus of the 17^th Maccabiah Games.? Abigail Goettsch is a member of the Open Women’s Volleyball Team and an alumnus of the 16^th and 17^th Maccabiah Games and the 10^th Pan American Games.? Nathan Fish is a member of the Open Men’s Softball Team and an alumnus of the 17^th Maccabiah Games.? Sam Sporn is member of the Grand Masters Tennis Team and an alumnus of the 11^th, 12^th, 13^th, 14^th and 17^th Maccabiah Games as well as the 8^th and 10^th Pan American Maccabi Games.

“These athletes were chosen as leaders of the USA delegation because they have all demonstrated excellence in their sports and a passion for their Teammates and Heritage,” said Fred Cohen, Sports Chairman for the USA Team, when announcing the athletes that will lead the USA Team onto the field at the Opening Ceremonies.? “Fred has done a marvelous job at building the largest Team USA to ever participate in the Pan American Maccabi Games.? We are thrilled to join 19 other countries, 3000 athletes and over 2000 supporters as we celebrate our passion for Sports, Judaism and the Diaspora,” said Phyllis Magerman, General Chair of the U.S. 11^th Pan American Maccabi Games Organizing Committee.?

The Pan American Maccabi Games, taking place every four years throughout Central and South America, provide an opportunity for Jewish Athletes from Pan America and the Diaspora to compete at an international level while also building bridges for a stronger world-wide Jewish Community.

Since 1948, Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel has sought to enrich the lives of Jewish youth in the United States, Israel and throughout the Diaspora through athletic, cultural and educational programs.? The organization is the sponsor of the U.S. Team to the World Maccabiah Games in Israel, the world’s third largest international sporting event.? It also sponsors U.S. participation in Maccabi competitions in Pan America, Europe and Australia and supports Jewish youth through the JCC Maccabi Games.