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May 10, Philadelphia, PA – Coach Adam Chaskin is pleased to announce that the USA Juniors Boys’ Basketball Team has been fully appointed.  The Team is excited to participate in this historically significant competition in Vienna, Austria and is looking forward to a tough competition and a chance to explore their Jewish culture as a Team.

Chaskin has participated in previous World Maccabiah Games in 1993 and 1997 and at the Pan Am Maccabi Games in 1995.  Joining him will be three assistant coaches, David Gale of Los Angeles, CA; Andrew Levy of Manalapan, NJ; and Jacob Shechtman of Arlington, VA.  Both Gale and Shechtman participated in the Maccabi Australia International Games in 2006 and all the coaching staff will provide valuable insights to the Team, as they have extensive coaching experience at the high school, college and NBA levels.

The athletes on the Team include: Michael Albertson, Maitland, FL; Grant Chaskin, Schenectady, NY; Michael Cohen, Voorhees, NJ; Joshua Fried, Bethesda, MD; Jeremy Geiger, Huntingdon Valley, PA; Alex Gitkin, Wyckoff, NJ; Harrison Hall, Maitland, FL; Max Lefar, Atlanta, GA; Aaron Simon, Atlanta, GA; Jonathan Tramer, Beachwood, OH; Austin Wetzler, Cherry Hill, NJ; and Zachary Yoshor of Houston, TX who also is an Alumnus of the Maccabi Australia International Games in December 2010.

Coach Chaskin expects the Team to have a tremendous experience in Vienna and believes it will have a remarkable impact on the young men, both now and in the future.  The opportunity to compete with over 2000 Jewish athletes in a city with such an important history for the Jewish People will be an experience that everyone on the Team will remember for the rest of their lives.

“I expect the Team to bond [with each other] and form lasting friendships for years.  And although we will see some difficult competition, I am confident that our Team will triumph,” Chaskin said. “As a father of one of the athletes, it is important to me that all the young men experience the culture, continue to learn about their Jewish history and garner a greater appreciation for being Jewish in this world.  Winning a gold medal would be great too!

About the organization:

Maccabi USA (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.  It strives 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.

Maccabi USA – Building Jewish Pride Through Sports

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