The annual Milwaukee-area celebration of Yom HaAtzmaut is to be held in a year marked by terrible pain and conflict in Israel.  

On May 19 at 2 p.m., the Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC – Daniel M. Soref Community Hall will host a participatory musical experience by Koolulam of Israel.  

After the Koolulam experience, a Walk for Israel is scheduled, followed by family games and food trucks.  

According to Noa Gerassi, the Milwaukee Community Shlicha for the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, with Israel at war, this year’s plans required special care.  

“It’s a really difficult year, for everyone, in Israel and here, and we really felt that it’s not so easy to decide how to celebrate this day,” Gerassi said. “We felt that in this year, when the Jewish people and Israel are under pressure, this is the year to come together and appreciate Israel.”  

Gerassi noted that similar discussions about how best to commemorate Israel’s Independence Day are also happening in Israel.  

“It took us a long time to finally decide how we were going to do it, but at the same time, we still have 133 hostages, and we don’t know what’s going on with them … so we decided that the best way and the most appropriate way to celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut this year will be an event that will bring people together, and we wanted the message to be that we are united, strong and proud,” Gerassi said, speaking with the Chronicle in mid-April.  

That inspired the organizers to bring Koolulam, which Gerassi described as “a really cool Israeli experience, a massive singing experience.” Koolulam does not merely perform; they encourage the crowd to join them in song. The name doesn’t mean anything in Hebrew but rather is a combination of a joyful vocal intonation and the Hebrew word “Kulam,” which means “everyone.”  

“They’re very famous in Israel, but here, we still need people to get to know them,” she said.  

The group will lead the crowd in the song “One Day,” which is a song by the Jewish-American performer Matisyahu, who will not be present at the event. AYouTube video of Koolulam leading a crowd in “One Day” in Haifa in 2018 went viral, with more than 10 million views. The song, which calls for coexistence and an end to hate, was sung in three languages. 

After the participatory performance, the “Walk for Israel” will leave from the JCC, then go several blocks and back. Security will be present.  

“This walk is a very special tradition that we have here in Milwaukee, and this is the year to do it,” Gerassi said.  “Please join us!” 

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When: Sunday, May 19, 2 p.m.
Where: Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, Whitefish Bay – Daniel M. Soref Community Hall
What: Participatory experience by Koolulam of Israel, followed by Walk for Israel
RSVP is required at MilwaukeeJewish.org/Yamim.

The work of psychotherapists and other mental health counselors has seen rising importance in recent years, especially since the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.  

On May 13, Israeli Eitan Spiegel, who performs such services, will visit Milwaukee to discuss his work as part of the annual commemoration of Yom HaZikaron. The day serves as Israel’s national day of remembrance.  

Spiegel is based in Kfar Tavor, in the Galilee region, which is Milwaukee’s partnership region in Israel. Spiegel, the founder of a psychotherapy center, is also an Israeli Defense Forces reserve officer who serves in the army’s mental health department. As you might imagine, he’s had much to do in the last six months.  

“I’m a clinical psychologist,” said Spiegel, a married father of three. “For the last ten years, I’ve been doing private practice. My area of interest is [with] very young children with their parents, and elderly people… what I specialize in, among the regular things that psychologists do… I have a lot of experience in treating PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).”  

At times, Spiegel will treat soldiers just hours after they experience traumatic events.  

“We are treating them there because that’s the way we are helping them to reduce the chances of developing PTSD,” he said. “I see them in the field and in the clinic.”  

Spiegel was invited to Wisconsin in part due to the partnership region relationship, according to Noa Gerassi, the Milwaukee community shlicha with the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. It will mark Spiegel’s first visit to the U.S.  

“Every year, we bring a different speaker for Yom Ha’Zikaron,” Gerassi said. “And this year, we felt that one of the main issues that the community is interested to hear about is mental health and resilience in Israel right now. This is why we chose to invite Eitan, and we all want to better understand what’s going on in Israel right now and how we as individuals can help ourselves in this situation.”  

Spiegel will deliver the keynote address. He said he will share his experiences “as an Israeli and a psychologist, and as a psychologist in the army.” He’s also happy to answer questions from the community. His itinerary will also include a visit with Jewish Family Services and talks at synagogues and elsewhere. 

“I’m coming to speak. I’m coming to listen. I’m coming to understand,” he added. “I’m very interested about Judaism in America… I’m coming as a visitor and also as a learner.”  

He said that he will share “anecdotes from the things I’ve done the past half year.”  

The event is set for May 13 at 6:45 p.m. at the Daniel M. Soref Community Hall at the Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC in Whitefish Bay. Bobbi Rector and Tehila Cohen are co-chairs of the event.  

For security purposes, RSVPs are required at MilwaukeeJewish.org/Yamim 

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What: Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s day of remembrance
When: Monday, May 13, 6:45 p.m.
Where: Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, Whitefish Bay – Daniel M. Soref Community Hall
For security purposes, RSVP is required at MilwaukeeJewish.org/Yamim 

Comedian and climate activist Josh Burstein is to speak at the Tikkun Olam Shabbat at Congregation Shalom, May 17 at 6 p.m.  

Burstein is an Emmy Award winner and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Burstein will speak at 6 p.m., after the 4:30 showing of “The Last Glimpse,” a documentary about the Maldives, an island-nation threatened by rising sea levels and the deterioration of its coral reef barrier.   

Burstein will introduce the film, then hold a question-and-answer session.   

Burstein has toured with Wisconsin’s Charlie Berens and performs in live comedy venues in New York and Los Angeles. He writes, interviews and produces “U Need To Know This,” a comedic roundup of the week’s top stories from the news site Mashable, and other late-night-style shows centered around social issues.  

The Tikkun Olam Shabbat is hosted by Congregation Shalom’s Social Action Committee, Dayenu Circle and Voices for Justice. At a “green” Oneg Shabbat following services, there will be tables featuring nonprofit organizations. A catered meal during the film is available for a fee, with registration. Shalom families will offer no-bake desserts, as part of a green theme.    

For further information contact the Congregation Shalom office at 414-352-9288 or dwolfson625@gmail.com. Or visit cong-shalom.org.  

Sunday, May 5 

Community Art Project 
Honor the legacies of fallen Israeli soldiers through an exhibit in the Surlow Promenade. In collaboration with the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center presents an exhibition that pays tribute to the legacies of fallen Israeli soldiers. Artists will be asked to create their interpretation of a kalaniot based on a soldier’s biography of their choosing. May 5, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay. Learn more at JccMilwaukee.org/event/honoring-soldiers-art-exhibit. 

Yom HaShoah 
Stand with the Milwaukee community in memorial to the Six Million and in remembrance of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and all resistance. May 5, 3 p.m. Harry & Rose Samson Jewish Community Center, Daniel M. Soref Community Hall, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay. Learn more and RSVP at MilwaukeeJewish.org/Yamim. Contact MichaelM@MilwaukeeJewish.org or 414-963-2716. 

Monday, May 6 

Coffee with the Shlicha 
Come enjoy coffee and conversation about the complexity of the current events in Israel. May 6, 9 a.m. Hannah’s Kitchen at CAFĀ B DATA, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay. Contact NoaG@MilwaukeeJewish.org for more information. 

Pickleball 
All skill levels are welcome. Members free. Community $25. Every Monday from April 8 to May 20, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay. Learn more and register at JccMilwaukee.org/event. For private lessons, please reach out to jklavens@jccmilwaukee.org 

Tuesday, May 7 

All About Lag B’Omer 
LOMED Lunch & Learn. Grab your lunch and learn all about Lag B’Omer. Discover ways to get your students involved and excited about Lag B’Omer. Join in person at the Linda and Fred Wein Family Center for Gan Ami Early Childhood Education Board Room. Zoom option available. May 7, 1-2 p.m. Gan Ami Mequon, 10813 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon. Contact NicoleB@MilwaukeeJewish.org. 

The Jewish Art of Wellness 
Explore wellness through a Jewish lens, highlighting the belief that caring for our bodies is a sacred duty. All are welcome to join for an educational conversation followed by gentle yoga practice. Members $20. Community $28.  May 7, 7-8 p.m. Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay. Register online at JccMilwaukee.org/event. 

Wednesday, May 8 

Israeli Wine Tasting 
Join for a special Israeli Wine Tasting event. Indulge in a flavorful adventure where you’ll sip on Israeli wines while hearing firsthand stories from community members about the recent Israel Solidarity Mission. May 8, 7 p.m. Villa Terrace, 2220 N. Terrace Ave., Milwaukee. MilwaukeeJewish.org/NextGen.   

Sunday, May 12 

ART AFTERNOON WITH OWN YOUR JUDAISM & BECCA SEGAL 

Join Own Your Judaism and Becca Segal for Art Afternoon. In this class, The New Ketubah: A Love Contract for Yourself, create a piece that celebrates an obligation to your personal wellbeing and unique selves. No painting experience necessary, art supplies provided. Cost: $25/$45. May 12th, 3-5 p.m. Material Studios & Galleries, 207 E. Buffalo St., #600 (6th Floor), Milwaukee. RSVP/Questions: moishe@ownyourjudaism.org 

Monday, May 13  

Yom HaZikaron 
Join in honoring Israel’s victims of terror and fallen soldiers and veterans of the Israel Defense Forces and other Israeli security services. May 13, 6:45 p.m. Learn more and RSVP at MilwaukeeJewish.org/Yamim. Contact AbigailS@MilwaukeeJewish.org or 414-390-5724. 

Thursday, May 16 

Banned Book Club 
Banned Book Club: “They Call Us Enemy,” by George Takei. Dive into the history of suppressing thought and why states and school districts are banning books. In conjunction with Tapestry, a program of the Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC. Worth 1 LOMED credit. Members $5. Community $6. May 16, 7 p.m. Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay. Register at JccMilwaukee.org/event/banned-book-club-they-called-us-enemy. 

Jewish music concert 
In this program, Klezmer Concert: Eastern European Jewish Music, the klezmer group A Band’n All Hope will provide a broad range of songs that emerge from this era while providing historical insights about the origins of the lyrics, melodies, and stories that the tunes can tell. In partnership with Ovation Chai Point. Members $5. Community $6. Free for Ovation Chai Point Residents. May 16, 7 p.m. Rubenstein Pavilion at Ovation Chai Point, 1400 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee. Register and learn more at JewishMuseumMilwaukee.org/events. 

Cream City Schmooze 
Every month, young adults are invited to join NextGen for an evening of connection and camaraderie. Unwind with a refreshing drink and engage in lively conversation with fellow young adults. Open to adults aged 22-45. May 16, 5:30 p.m. Broken Bat Brewery, 135 E Pittsburgh Ave, Milwaukee. Learn more and RSVP at MilwaukeeJewish.org/NextGen. 

Sunday, May 19 

Yom HaAtzmaut 
Join inWisconsin’s largest celebration of Israel – featuring Israeli experiential sensation Koolulam. Food available for purchase and family games. May 19, 2 p.m. Learn more and RSVP at MilwaukeeJewish.org/Yamim. Contact AbigailS@MilwaukeeJewish.org or 414-390-5724. 

Wednesday, May 22 

A pickle problem 
The Deli Revival and American Jewish Religion, with Rachel B. Gross, Associate Professor of Jewish Studies. This lecture examines how restaurateurs make American Jewish food fit for the 21st century. Emphasizing sustainability & local produce. Members $27. Community $35.  May 22, 6-7:30 p.m. Harry & Rose Samson Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay. 

Tuesday, May 28 

All About Shavuot 
LOMED Lunch & Learn. Grab your lunch and learn all about Shavuot! Discover ways to get your students involved and excited about Shavuot. Join in person at the JCC in the Glazer Board Room. Zoom option available. May 28, 12-1 p.m. Glazer Board Room at the Harry & Rose Samson Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay. Contact NicoleB@MilwaukeeJewish.org. 

Wednesday, May 29 

Online Shavuot Class
Own Your Judaism is sponsoring a second class during the Shabbat and Holiday series, taught by Moishe Steigmann, The Mindful Rabbi. This class is about the centrality of Shavuot in the formation of your unique Jewish identity. Class is online. Cost: $18. May 29th, 6:30 p.m. RSVP/Questions: moishe@ownyourjudaism.org 

Thursday, May 30 

Breakfast for Israel 
Join fellow Zionists for Jewish National Fund’s annual Breakfast for Israel and learn how JNF are making a difference in the lives of people affected by the Oct. 7 atrocities. Hear about JNF’s plan to rebuild the envelope and make it home again. Featuring Shahar Azani, Veteran Israeli Diplomat & Senior Vice President, Jewish Broadcasting Services. No Cost to Attend. May 30, 7:30-9 a.m. Milwaukee, WI. Address provided upon registration. Contact: Kim Levy at KLevy@JNF.org or (847) 656-8880 x763. 

June 2  

Garden inauguration 
Torah Academy of Milwaukee will, at 2 p.m., June 2, inaugurate the Nathaniel Hoffman Legacy Garden. For more information call 414-352-6789 or email tamoffice@torahacademymil.org. 

The Milwaukee Chevra Kadisha, the Jewish burial society, hosted an appreciation dinner for its members on March 19, 2024, at the Bader Philanthropies headquarters. It is traditional for Chevra Kadisha organizations to gather for such events around the seventh day of the Jewish month of Adar, which is considered the yahrzeit anniversary of the death of Moses. Chevra Kadisha volunteers who come from all parts of the Milwaukee Jewish community perform pre-burial rituals whenever called upon and in conjunction with all of the funeral homes in Milwaukee, where Jewish funerals are held. Rabbi Dovid Perlman, coordinator of the men’s taharas, as the rituals are called, led planning for the event, which was attended by more than 50 people.   

 

To bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance. In his 1790 letter of reply to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, George Washington echoed the words of first generation Jewish-American Moses Seixas who had penned them as part of a congratulations and query to the newly inaugurated first U.S. president with the aim of ensuring that American Jews would be afforded the fundamental rights spelled out in the U.S. Constitution. 

The letter, which has been described as the most important document in American Jewish history, represents two key springboard concepts highlighted at the summit, ‘Museums Respond: Strategies for Countering Antisemitism & Hate’ — the inherent link between antisemitism and democracy, and harnessing the power of primary resource collections. I was invited to join more than 100 leaders from American museums, libraries and archives, who convened to discuss this challenging, alarming moment in our country and our role in meeting it.  The summit was organized by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, in partnership with the Council of American Jewish Museums, part of work for the White House’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. 

Along with libraries, museums are the most trusted sources for information. Their collections and exhibits represent and speak to heritage, hardship and resilience, and as storytellers, they inspire connection and empathy. For Jewish museums, furthering these unique abilities is tied to re-thinking our traditional narratives and approaches to addressing antisemitism. One of the oldest forms of prejudice, antisemitism has waxed and waned while remaining omnipresent in the U.S. for centuries. The distinguishing feature underlying hatred of and hostility toward Jews lies in its conspiracy theory origins.   

There is the notion of Jews being nefarious and subhuman, while simultaneously superhuman in their ability to infiltrate, manipulate, control and promote their own agenda to the detriment of others, like those set forth in the widely distributed “The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion.” Jews have been used as a means of explaining and scapegoating societal problems. These age-old beliefs are regularly repackaged and recycled — a normalized process that has aided the resurgence of antisemitism.  

The dispelling of negative, fictitious ideas of who and what Jews and Judaism are not, requires education about who and what we are. This means the tenets, traditions and values at our core, combined with an accounting of Judaism in America, the origins of antisemitism, and how it has functioned historically in the U.S.  For museum visitors to care about antisemitism, they must be able to see themselves in the story – in the chronicles and artifacts which can connect people across space and time. This correlation of experiences and thoughts promotes the understanding that there is a Venn diagram between antisemitism and all forms of racism and hatred. In turn, this underscores the importance of allyship.  Antisemitism is a red flag indicator of an exclusionary society. It’s the kind of society which puts everyone’s freedoms and safety at risk. Finding ways in which diverse ethnic institutions and organizations can work together and help one another is key to combating it. 

Jewish museums have begun an important dialogue about strategies for affecting sustainable change. Through narrative modifications, using our collections to address and engage with current events, and continuing to inspire the trust our communities have instilled in us, we can meaningfully grow our role as essential resources and supporters of our communities. 

 * * *
Molly Dubin is chief curator of Jewish Museum Milwaukee, a program of Milwaukee Jewish Federation. 

Six years ago, a group of neo-Nazis and white supremacists orchestrated a violent attack on an anti-racism protest in Charlottesville, Va. held as a counter to their own rally. They planned for weeks, down to what to wear and even what to bring to lunch and how they would claim self-defense when one of them drove down a packed street slamming into protesters.  

At the time of the horrific event that left one dead and several injured, Amy Spitalnick was the communications director at the Office of the New York State Attorney General. Soon after, she got an opportunity to work for Integrity First for America, a nonprofit civil rights group that helped fund a successful $26 million lawsuit against the organizers of the white nationalist rally. 

“I didn’t know how anyone could say no to that let alone someone (like) me as a granddaughter of survivors of the Holocaust,” Spitalnick said during a recent visit to Milwaukee as keynote speaker during the Edie Adelman Political Awareness Lecture, an annual event held by the Women’s Philanthropy of Milwaukee Jewish Federation.  

I was “someone who really thought we were past that in this society. In the last six, seven years they have been emboldened in ways that none of us could have expected,” she added.   

Now, Spitalnick is the CEO of Jewish Council for Public Affairs and a leading national voice against antisemitism and hate in the U.S. 

“What happened in Charlottesville that weekend wasn’t an isolated incident but really a harbinger of the broader extremism and hate that we’ve seen across this country in recent years,” she said.  

Spitalnick said especially after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, antisemitism “is coming from all directions” and  being normalized through political and social rhetoric.  

“What’s unique about antisemitism is that it also operates as insidious, pernicious conspiracy theory related to ideas of Jewish control and power,” Spitalnick said. “Antisemitism just doesn’t threaten the Jewish community …. but it also threatens each and every one of us because this conspiracy theory sows distrust in our democracy and institutions.” 

The event was the brainchild of Edie Adelman, who was an influential leader in the city’s Jewish community. This year’s lecture  was originally planned to address threats to democracy.  

“But after Oct. 7, we felt it was imperative to acknowledge the extremely concerning increase in antisemitism we are seeing,” said Carrie Steinberger, a Milwaukee Jewish Federation board member. 

Spitalnick said over time, those who espouse antisemitic ideas have been more emboldened.  

“The celebration … [and] denial of what happened on Oct. 7 is one of the main manifestations of this,” she said. “The ways that it has continued in different forms over the last five and a half months, is not just heartbreaking, but also deeply dangerous.” 

The key, she said, is not to fall prey to deniers of Oct. 7 and to get lost in their arguments and debates.  

“Rather, really focus our energies on the allies, potential allies and partners who are in that movable middle and open to having constructive conversations,” Spitalnick said. “What we can do as a Jewish community is to recognize that there is nuance and complexity there.” 

 

 

The Milwakee County Board of Supervisors issued a proclamation March 21, commending Chelsea Cross for her community contributions and efforts. Cross, who is a member of the local Jewish community, is pictured at left with Miryam Rosenzweig, president and CEO of Milwaukee Jewish Federation, after the presentation of the award in the County Courthouse building. Cross and others were granted awards that day in celebration of Women’s History Month. County Board Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman, also part of the local Jewish community, presented Cross with the award for her work, which includes serving on the boards of Tikkun Ha-Ir and Ovation Jewish Home, plus holding a position with the Midwest Regional Jewish Diversity and Racial Justice Collaborative.  

Last month, Milwaukee Jewish Federation’s “Solidarity Mission to Israel” brought 14 witnesses to Israel at a time of crisis. This was not the first time. 

In fact, it was one more step in a history of mission trips in support of Israel During Israel’s crises, Milwaukee has stepped up time and again. Here are just a handful of examples of past missions at moments of peril, from the 1960s and 70s. 

A 1969 mission trip took 25 men from Milwaukee to Israel, the largest contingent in history up to that moment, according to our reporting at the time. The December 1969 trip, a little more than two years after the Six-Day War, arrived in the middle of the Egyptian War of Attrition. This meant shelling from Egypt, which coincided with terrorist attacks from Jordan. Missiles were fired into Israeli cities and villages. 

The men visited the Bet Shean Valley border kibbutzim, shelters, and the Sinai area, which was the site of sporadic clashes at the time. 

Women went at the time, too. The first national Women’s Division Mission to Israel, from Milwaukee, was also in 1969. Five women leaders from the Milwaukee Jewish Welfare Fund, the predecessor to Milwaukee Jewish Federation, traveled to Israel in its moment of need.  

We reported in our Jan. 17, 1969 edition, following the writing conventions of the time: “Winging their way to Israel will be Mrs. Raymond C. Waisman, president of the Women’s Division of the Welfare Fund, who is a past chairman of the women’s campaigns in Milwaukee, and Mrs. Sidney Lieberman, a vice president, education; Mrs. Ralph Eder, chairman, Highlighter’s Division;  Mrs. Lorimer Hankin, vice chairman, Stylesetter’s Division, and Mrs.  Esther J. Sarfatty, director, Women’s Division here.” 

Four Milwaukee rabbis also joined a national “study mission” at that fraught time, in February of 1969, according to Chronicle archives. Rabbis Dudley Weinberg of Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, Jay Brickman of Congregation Sinai, David Shapiro of Anshe Sfard and Joseph Gorfinkel of Congregation Beth Israel were named as the rabbis making the trip.  

“We Rabbis, Orthodox, Conservative and Reform, are going to Israel together to demonstrate the solidarity of American Jewry in its concern for the welfare and the security of our brothers and sisters in Israel and to learn at first hand the nature and dimensions of the burdens which Israel is required to bear,” Weinberg told the Feb. 7, 1969, Chronicle. 

In 1974, the year after the Yom Kippur War that served as a particularly fraught moment for Israel, Milwaukee Jewish Federation organized their portion of a national “Prime Minister’s Mission” to Israel.  

“On this mission, our group will visit the battle sites on the Sinai and Golan for briefings by officers of the Israel Defense Forces,” Joseph Lurie told the Chronicle at the time. He was associate chairman of the 1974 Federation Campaign. 

“We will meet with newly arrived immigrants and share their joy,” he said. “Top level Israeli government and military leaders will meet with us for briefings on the dimensions of the problems faced by Israel in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War.” 

 

For Ryan Kelly, 18, trading sports jerseys with an Israeli player whose kibbutz was attacked on Oct. 7 will be a moment he never forgets. The exchange of jerseys was a moment in Ryan’s recent participation in international Jewish games overseas. 

The Franklin native said that meeting other athletes helped him “understand what some of them went through to just be at the games.” 

Ryan and his mother, Debbie Minsky-Kelly, participated in the 15th Pan American Maccabi Games, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from Dec. 26, 2023 through Jan. 4, 2024. 

Both are at Carthage College in Kenosha: Ryan is a volleyball player and part of the class of 2027, and Debbie is field director and clinical assistant professor in the School of Social Work.  

Ryan participated in a U.S. boys’ volleyball team, among approximately 12 other boys from across the country. Many players joined from California, Florida or Illinois. Ryan was the only player on the team from Wisconsin.  

Ryan played as the setter when his team won the bronze medal in a match against the Israeli team. “The more we practiced and played together, the more our connection grew. All the hitters learned the sets better. That really helps a volleyball team because you get to know each other’s habits, what people were going to do when,” Ryan said. 

Debbie participated in the games as the sole mental health professional for the approximately 700 people from the USA delegation. She acted as a resource for athletes who needed support: whether for interpersonal conflicts, processing grief, or facing the consequences an injury could have on the remainder of their season.  

Debbie said she felt grateful she could be there to support her son in person and  the broader group. A highlight was hearing the then-newly elected president of Argentina Javier Milei speak at the opening ceremony. “It was really cool to see what a big deal it was for Argentina to host this event, and see how welcomed we were by the highest levels of their government,” she said. 

The Maccabi games had a different tone this year, with the recent events in Israel contributing to a constant background reminder of vulnerability. “The organizers of the games were very transparent about needing conversations following Oct. 7 and security,” Debbie said. “They decided to go on with the games as an important statement of solidarity, and not giving in to our fear and still wanting to gather as Jewish people in spite of world events.”  

After winning the bronze medal match, Ryan exchanged jerseys with Topaz Kemeny, a player on the Israeli volleyball team, as a symbolic representation of understanding the trauma and challenges the Israeli team faced this year. On Oct. 7, Hamas destroyed Kemeny’s kibbutz, and his girlfriend was killed. Ryan said that trading their jerseys will be “something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life…reminding myself to be grateful for what I have and to understand that everyone’s different.” 

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Maccabi USA, the organization behind the games in Argentina, seeks to build Jewish pride through sports and promotes support for Israel, Zionism and Jewish continuity through athletic, educational and cultural experiences for participants of all ages.