local
Kaiserman JCC
Opening Maccabi
Hall of Fame
You've worked hard for these carefree days and now it's time to
enjoy them. A day at our continuing care retirement community
might include a session in the floral design studio, a book discussion
group, and outdoor yoga. Plus, Philadelphia's cultural resources are
close at hand. Contact us today to find out more.

JARRAD SAFFREN | STAFF WRITER
D aniel Weiss is Jewish, but he’s
not very religious. For him,
Judaism is “a sense of family
and culture,” he said.

So when the Kaiserman JCC board
of directors member came up with a
way to celebrate that sense of family
and culture, he wanted to move on the
idea. The longtime JCC Maccabi soccer
coach’s idea was a hall of fame honor-
ing many of the great Philadelphia-area
athletes who have competed at the
games over the years.

In February, when Weiss pitched the
plan to Kaiserman CEO Alan Scher,
the CEO did not say “yes.” He said
“when.” Weiss said he would put together an
inaugural induction ceremony in just a
few months.

On June 16, it will happen at the
Wynnewood facility. The outdoor
event will feature corn hole, most of
the 13 inductees in the flesh and former
Philadelphia 76ers announcer Marc
Zumoff as emcee.

The inaugural class is going to
include two or three times as many
athletes, teams and contributors as a
normal class will in the future, Weiss
said. He said you need a big first class
to establish the hall.

Among the inductees are David
Groverman, who “basically financed”
the first Philadelphia team for the
JCC games in 1984, Weiss said; Rose
Weinstein, who has coached girls and
boys tennis teams for more than 35
years; and Devon Polak, a swimmer
who earned 31 medals in JCC Maccabi
competition. Teams are also on the list,
like the 2002 boys soccer squad that
did not allow a goal during its entire
gold medal run.

The JCC Maccabi Games are an
international competition for Jewish
athletes between the ages of 13 and 16.

The Philadelphia area sends teams in
soccer, basketball and tennis, among
other sports.

Kaiserman has long served as the
headquarters for the local delegation,
as most of the athletes are from the
Main Line and Bucks County, accord-
ing to Weiss.

Female athletes from Team Philadelphia at the JCC Maccabi Games
Courtesy of JCC Maccabi-Team Philadelphia
6 JUNE 9, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM