Shavuah Tov
Tomorrow, thousands of Jewish teens from across North America, Israel, and around the world will arrive in Toronto and Kansas City for the opening of the 2026 JCC Maccabi Games + Access. They will come from different communities, traditions, and backgrounds, yet for one remarkable week they will discover something much greater than themselves they will experience what it means to be part of one Jewish people.
Here in Tucson, we understand that gift perhaps better than most. Just one year ago, we had the privilege of welcoming the Jewish world as hosts of the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games + Access. We watched strangers become lifelong friends. We saw competition inspire compassion, inclusion, and belonging. We witnessed Jewish identity strengthened not only through ceremonies and celebrations, but around Shabbat tables, on playing fields, in host homes, and through countless acts of kindness. While medals are awarded at the end of the week, the true victories are measured in relationships, confidence, Jewish pride, and a deeper sense of connection.
At the Tucson J, Amiut Yehudit, Jewish Peoplehood is at the heart of our mission. Our service pledge reminds us that we create community based on Jewish values by providing the highest quality programs and services in a safe and secure environment for all people of all ages. The JCC Maccabi Games are a living expression of that promise. They remind us that Jewish community is built not by where we live or how we practice, but by our commitment to one another.
Jewish educator Avraham Infeld teaches that Judaism is more than a religion it is membership in an extended family whose story stretches across generations. We inherit that story, we add our own chapter, and we pass it to those who follow. The JCC Maccabi Games invite our teens to discover that they are part of that remarkable global Jewish family.
The Torah teaches:
“You are standing today, all of you, before the Lord your God…your leaders, your elders, your children…everyone in Israel.” (Deuteronomy 29:9–10).
Before entering the Land of Israel, Moses gathered every generation together. The covenant belonged to everyone. Jewish peoplehood has always rested on the belief that every individual matters and every generation has a role to play.
The Talmud reinforces this with the timeless teaching, “Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh”—”All Israel is responsible for one another.” (Shevuot 39a).
Responsibility is more than obligation; it is relationship. It means caring for one another, celebrating together, and ensuring that no one journeys alone. That is precisely what happens during the JCC Maccabi Games, where friendships transcend borders and strengthen the fabric of the Jewish people.
This week’s Hebrew soundtrack could well be Yad B’Yad (“Hand in Hand”), a contemporary Israeli song that beautifully captures the spirit of the Games. Its message reminds us that our greatest accomplishments come when we move forward together. Young Jews arrive as individuals, but they leave as members of one extended Jewish family, carrying friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.
The Broadway classic Children will Listen from Into the Woods offers another fitting reminder. The values we model become the values our young people carry into the future. Every welcoming smile, every host family, every volunteer, every act of sportsmanship, and every shared Shabbat experience teaches our teens what Jewish community can and should be.
As our friends in Toronto and Kansas City begin this extraordinary week, we send them our blessings and gratitude. We know firsthand that lives will be changed, friendships will be forged, and future Jewish leaders will emerge.
At the Tucson J, our work is guided by two enduring commitments:
- To create more vibrant Jewish life.
- To build greater Jewish community.
The JCC Maccabi Games + Access fulfill all three. They bring Judaism to life through joyful experiences and meaningful relationships. They connect young Jews across continents, reminding us that we are one people with a shared past, present, and future. And they produce lasting outcomes, as participants return home with greater Jewish pride, stronger connections to Israel and the Jewish people, lifelong friendships, and the confidence to lead.
Those of us who experienced the magic of Tucson 2025 know that the impact of these Games cannot be measured solely by medals won or records broken. It is measured in the host family that becomes family forever, the athlete who discovers a deeper connection to Jewish life, the volunteer whose own identity is renewed through service, and the friendships that span oceans and generations.
As we celebrate the opening of the 2026 JCC Maccabi Games + Access, may we remember that while the competitions last only a week, their impact lasts a lifetime. Every athlete, volunteer, coach, host family, donor, and supporter helps write the next chapter of our people’s story.
May this year’s Games strengthen the bonds of Amiut Yehudit, inspire a new generation of Jewish leaders, and remind us all that when we move yad b’yad hand in hand there is no limit to what the Jewish people can accomplish together.
Cochenu b’Achduteynu | כחינו באחדותינו | Our strength is in our unity.
Am Yisrael Chai | עם ישראל חי
Todd Rockoff
President + CEO, Tucson J
