By Elliot Pototsky
When the 2026 Maccabiah came to an end, the competition gave way to something completely different.
During Maccabi USA’s Israel-Connect program, the days after competition weren’t about medals or match results. They were about walking through Jerusalem, visiting historic sites, and spending a week in places many of us had only heard about. Like many people on the trip, I was experiencing Israel for the first time, and it quickly became clear that each of us was taking something different away from it.
Stephanie Cohen, 39, of the USA 35+ Women’s Tennis team, tried to keep an open mind.
“I was coming in here knowing whatever I was expecting probably wasn’t going to be how it actually went,” she said.
That approach stuck with her throughout the week.
“Being here has given me insight into what it’s like being Jewish in Israel,” Cohen said. “It builds a foundation of who we are—who I am—to be able to defend or educate others.”
She also hopes more people have the chance to experience the country for themselves.
“I think it’s a pretty cool experience for any Jewish American—or any American, really—to go through this program. It should be required.”
For Maccabi Media team member Matt Goodman, one of the first moments that really sank in came at the Western Wall.
“I was like, ‘Whoa, this is really what everyone talks about,'” Goodman said. “Walking up to it, touching it, and saying a prayer was just an unbelievable experience.”
Goodman said seeing Israel in person gave him a different perspective than following events from thousands of miles away.
“With everything Israel has been going through, it’s been cool to experience the country firsthand,” he said.
No single location defined his biggest takeaway. Instead, it was about the people.
“There are so many people out here who are pretty much the same as us—going through it all as one and reuniting.”
After exploring Israel alongside athletes, coaches, and volunteers from around the world, that sense of connection was hard to miss. We all arrived with different backgrounds and expectations, but we left with a shared experience that would have been difficult to recreate anywhere else.