This blog was a labor of love and hopefully a lasting memory to an incredible three weeks in Israel coaching the greatest game in the world. While I have done my best to insure all the links work and the videos play, Blogger does have some bugs and I will continue to try and fix some of the videos that don't always play on every browser interface.
It seems to work best on phones and tablets, but if you encounter something , notify me by email. I am most interested in feedback,positive and negative. I will continue to add,subtract and fix wherever I can. If you were on this adventure with me and have pictures or videos to contribute , I will always consider them,
It's finally done!!!! Version 1.0
David Lazarus
Fanwood, NJ
7/8/2017 - I love using the international date format to make August 7 into one of my two favorite days of the year.
Sleep will be a major casualty as we head back home. For those in the Eastern time zone, it means a 31 hour day. Bus loading is at 5:45 am, breakfast at 5:30. My late sleeping boys surprise me by being ready. They had talked about an all nighter which I agreed with. A final hasty breakfast and last goodbyes and we're loading the bus. Five of my six juniors are all aboard and we're off to Tel Aviv-Yafo airport. Traffic is generally light as we leave the highway for the airport.
The lateness of the closing ceremonies combined with a long bus ride home, gave us precious little sleep time. On my El Al flight home nearly all Maccabiah participants were sleeping for much of the first half of the 12 hour flight. Conversations were scarce but I managed to meet some wrestlers and other open athletes. Other than chess, this is not a flight for juniors in Haifa.
With all the new friendships formed, flight seats are swapped like clothing was the night before, so I move my seat to allow two golf team members 12 more hours to talk. I wind up seated between the gymnastics coach Daniel Ribeiro of Illinois, who has a major sleep deficit and works on it aggressively. I impress everyone with my ability to hoist myself over him and into the aisle without disturbing him.
My window neighbor is an interesting young open gymnast Cobey Pava. His biography page to the right of his picture:
I am Cobey Pava. As you can see, I am African American; less obvious is I am also Jewish. I am a student. I will be graduating from Wolcott School in June, 2017 and starting at the University of Illinois, Champaign, in the Fall where I will be part of the Fighting Illini Men’s Gymnastics Team. I am also a a gymnast. For those of you who know me, or even know a little bit about me, is that I identify most as a gymnast. There is one disruptive woman on flight who is yelling at just about everyone. She is temporarily restrained but fortunately she does not cause the plane to be turned around. We arrive at Kennedy without incident. An agonizingly slow luggage return extends our trip until we all go our separate ways back to normalcy.
The competitive part of the games ended yesterday with tremendous US success in the team sports. But there is one more chapter and it played out tonight with a rousing closing ceremonies at Latrun, the Military Museum.
Our final full day in Israel was packed with a final trip to Jerusalem, where we stopped by the Knesset. I pose with our tour guide Tal.
After a quick lunch it's off to Machane Yehuda Market aka “the shuk” and is Jerusalem's most famous market.
My shopping goals include chocolate,t-shirts and jewelry. Chocolate is easily procured and I find a screen t-shirt shop that makes you whatever you want. Trying to bargain is challenging when your Hebrew is so weak,but I enlisted a woman from New Jersey, who helped me save quite a lot. Her name is Leah and she is pictured here:
I am unable to get any high quality jewelry but my shopping excursion was mainly a success. It is now back to Latrun for the final ceremonies. Unlike our previous trip on July 1 and the opening ceremonies on July 6, this is all about partying with the other athletes from around the world and trading our merchandise for the best foreign clothing we can get.
This is emblematic of what was for sale. This guy had everything.
I realize that the US backup is in high demand and will fetch a kings' ransom in return. So I let the offers increase until I trade. One guy is offering his right kidney but I take his bag, two unworn Germany shirts and an unused Australia shirt in return. I make a few more trades, getting rid of some extra non Maccabiah shirts and getting things from every continent.
I meet Lithuanians for the first time at the games and decide to snap a picture.
The master of ceremonies is the elegant Israeli actress and supermodel Bar Refaeli. The show combines numerous athletic stalwarts, with entertainers and the true heroes from the IDF.
Looking for a place to sit in the crowded amphitheater, I wind up next to a young American woman, who turns out to be the 10K gold medalist. It turns out she is from Millburn and her mother is dating a Scotch Plains person.
With the chess competition 48 hours in the rear view mirror it is now time to continue support of other teams. The chess juniors are scheduled to go to the first soccer game where we are supposed to participate in the Lev'lev charity. I have breakfast with some of my favorite coaches-including the inimitableMike Schiesel of Water Polo and Joe the volleyball coach.
Breakfast was probably my favorite meal of the day in Israel. Plentiful Makyato, salads, omelettes and fish.
Of course I also had many dates in Israel
The first game featured the boys junior team against the gold standard of soccer-Brazil.
The boys scored first on an amazing bicycle kick by Jackson. they scored a second goal but Brazil came roaring back to score twice and tie the game before half time.
As the second half wore on, the boys lost the girls from their cheering section as they had to get ready for their game with Israel. The game remained tied through regulation and the first overtime. With penalty kicks looming the US scored with three minutes left to take the lead. But Brazil came right back down the field and beat the goalie with a shot towards the corner,but David, the amazing number 8 headed the ball out of the goal!
I spend an enjoyable afternoon with some of the indispensable Maccabi leadership team. Midway through the girls game they leave to attend the boy's basketball final 30 minutes away. It was nice to see the management team relaxing because I honestly have no idea when these people ever slept, especially Leon, who always kept us one step ahead with his daily email updates.
The girls game is not nearly as suspenseful. Two early goals are never answered by Israel. The girls dominate possession and win 2-0. It is happy bus ride back to Haifa. We attend our final coach's meeting at 10:30 that night in the 21st floor training room. It is a chance for many celebrations from goldmedal winning coaches. We are given our final set of instructions regarding the closing ceremonies and departure day on Tuesday. Sleep will be a scarce commodity once again.
It was a picture perfect Haifa summer afternoon and a chance to enjoy the Mediterranean once more.
No recap of Israel is complete without a stray cat. This one loved to hang out on the balcony when we ate.
This was a Sabbath to treasure. No more chess games and a day of leisure until we bus to the open hockey finals tonight. I meet a hotel guest and his lovely wife sunning by the pool. My camera caught more of her than him-just an accident..
The afternoon was spent enjoying the Mediterranean and playing water games like frisbee. The night trip to the hockey finals was long and we missed the start of the game,coming in mid first period with Canada ahead 2-1. That was as close as the US would get. The Americans were game but outgunned.
I spent an enjoyable time at the game with my roommate Mike.
The Canadian fans among the 8,000 in attendance showered the ice with hats after one of their players scored their third goal.
The scoreboard told the story:
Unfortunately, we were unable to get back to Jerusalem the following night to see the Juniors avenge the defeat.
It is important to get such a busy day off to a healthy start. Breakfast is always good.
Omelettes with blintzes,herring and latte
Gefilte fish with Horse Radish would made my wife happy
Halivah always in plentiful supply
The day starts early for me with a busride to the Hub to watch the junior boys soccer semi finals against Canada. I ride over with the junior girls soccer team who watch the scoreless first half and then exit for their final practice before Sunday's final against Israel.
The boys have their hands full with an aggressive Canadian team, which has the majority of the fans since they are hoteled at The Hub. As the tension mounts deep into the second half, I have to leave to take the walk up for the final round of the chess tournament. For good luck, I take some pieces out of my set and put them on the life size chessboard.
I arrive at the playing hall and
Zeltsan efficiently dispatches his Israeli opponent to clinch first place and the gold medal. The news is not as good from Jerusalem where Wyde loses to Moshe Gal of Israel and falls completely out of the medals race.
The final printout shows all the results. The US finished first overall and also had the top women's finisher.
Before we all broke up we took this great picture:
After a morning run and breakfast it was time to enjoy one of the advantages of a hotel on the beach. The Maccabiah Beach Volleyball competition was held on the beach right outside our hotel.
I made a new friend from Mexico-Miguel.I seem to be meeting Mikes all over the place.
It was time to locate the chess juniors and get them ready for an important round of the tournament. With one round to go in each tournament,Americans are atop the leaderboard with a chance to sweep the gold medals. Make it 6 in a row for red hot David Wyde as the Austin Assassin takes Jerusalem by storm. He is now tied for first with Moshe Gal at 7 points.
Joseph Zeltsan continued to dominate the Juniors with another win over teammate Kevin Ordet and leads Ezra Chambers by 1/2 point. "It wasn't easy for us to play since we are roommates and have played so many games this week," said Zeltsan. the Juniors tournament had Israeli grandmaster Evgeny Postny as a guest.
The tournament organizers spoke almost no English.
Back at the hotel, the boys prepared for another chess filled night in their room with members of the squash team that included Ryan and Nathan.
Joseph Zeltsan of the United States 🇺🇸 maintained his lead in the Juniors with a dominant 20 move victory with white in an irregular line of the French Defense. Zeltsan has 4 1/2 points- 1/2 point clear of Daniel Savchenko of Germany and Ezra Chambers of Burundi. Kevin Ordet of the United States holds Fourth with 3 1/2 points and has White against Zeltsan in the penultimate round tomorrow. Ordet won with white and has only lost to Chambers. Americans Simona Nayberg and Eitan Genger each have 3 after a back and forth draw.
Rose Dreizen joins the group at three after suffering her first loss to Chambers who has played four straight Americans going 3-1.
Max Weinstein was unable to extend his winning streak and settled for a draw as black in a quiet position After the games there was a glow stick party near the Hub.
Me and the two girls took advantage of an excellent day trip to the northernmost point of Israel. As is everything in this country, it was filled with history.
We could have walked to Lebanon.
We got back in plenty of time and shuttled it over to the Hub for lunch.Shuttles were not always dependable and it took my constant attention to make sure we were able to get around.
After today the tournament will be more than half done and it is now up to Joseph Zeltsan to hold onto his lead.Facing perhaps his toughest remaining opponent Daniel Savchenko of Germany,Zeltsan almost fell back into a tie for first but maintained his lead with 3.5 by escaping a losing position with a draw.
"I was losing but then I missed a chance to win, so a draw is probably a fair result," said Zeltsan.
Rose Dreizen continued her strong play with a victory with white pushing her to 3 points. Eitan Genger fell victim to a strong attack and stayed at 2.5.
He is joined at that level by Kevin Ordet and Simona Nayberg who drew a hard fought game Max Weinstein got on the board with a solid attacking game that yielded a winning ending Tougher matches await tomorrow
The second day of the tournament is far and away the most arduous with two games scheduled-the first at 11 am and the second at 4 pm,which doesn't leave much time in the case of a long game. The second day is a far improved setup from day one as the room next door, the hotel synagogue(!) is opened for the spectators and coaches to set up shop. The man on the right is Ezra's father, Don, a most interesting person, who has spent much of his life in the United States but has a Burundi passport and currently lives in Tiberius. His talented son is the only titled player in the tournament, a FIDE master. In round 2 he defeats Kevin Ordet of the United States in a game that he relentlessly pressed his initiative until Ordet blundered. Fortunately all our second round games finish with time to grab a quick lunch at the hub. The third round matches are on the door sign. Round three matches two of the three perfect scores-Joseph Zeltsan of the United States with white against Chambers of Burundi.
For the third straight round an all US match
With such a small tournament, the two best players meet in round 3 and Zeltsan wins a tactical melee. For the second time in three rounds, Dreizen's game is the last to finish. She is unable to find the right plan in a winning position where she has a rook,bishop and a pawn against a rook. After 70 moves and over 5 hours, she agrees to a draw. Scores after 3 Joe Zeltsan 3 Eitan Genger 2.5 Rose Dreizen 2 Kevin Ordet 2 Simona Nayberg 2 Max Weinstein 0
In the open in Jerusalem after 5 rounds Jeremy Glassman and David Wyde have 4 and Iris Kokish has 3.5
And finally after nearly two weeks the real reason we're here, the chess tournament finally begins. The round is scheduled to start at 3:30, and we all agree it would be a good idea to arrive very early and scope out the playing venue. The tournament is small,only 20 entrants, six of them Americans, meaning there is a very good chance we will play each other many times. The playing area is a small room with four tables set in three rows.
I immediately realize that English is the third language behind Russian and Hebrew. My lack of skill gives me a translation disadvantage but at least chess is universal.
For the first day, there is nowhere to wait except for a room quite a distance from the playing room, so I spend much of my time in the outside heat and watching the games.
As seen below our six players all looked relaxed at the start of their games. As was the case in every round, we had an intrasquad battle-this one between Joe and Max.
We won all our games against other countries! Here is Simona's first round scoresheet.
Rose was the last to finish and we closed up the room at 8:30 as the other team members went back to the hotel. Rose and I grabbed a quick dinner at the hub. I told the team to get a good night's sleep as tomorrow was two games, the first starting at 11 am!
Our second Sabbath-much different from first. It was parent's visiting day and I met several of our teams' parents.
It is a slow day with everything closed for the Sabbath. I meet a young Israeli woman who is fully shomrei Shabbat and it is fascinating how she observes the Sabbath.
Back home-this is my precious daughter Jaclyn Esther Lazarus' birthday-only the second we haven't shared together but broadband enables us to see each other although it still doesn't replace the human touch.
After dinner I get out and take a long walk on the walkway by the beach. Amazingly I see my chess juniors, which was bizarre to say the least
It's the morning after the thrill of the opening ceremonies. Chess competition is still two days away so we run the final round of our intrasquad tuneup but I have other priorities-namely a non working cell phone. Luckily I have my laptop to communicate with the Maccabi staff and arrangements are being made to get me a replacement if needed,
The Israeli Maccabi volunteers at the hotel are helpful as always in getting me a ride to a local mall with a phone store. Hopefully my phone can be fixed. This is Friday morning, and with stores closed tomorrow the shopping panic at the stores is reminiscent of the day before a big predicted snowstorm.
Luckily, my phone prayers are answered as the technician finds excessive grime in my phone contacts and thoroughly cleans it. I also buy a new charger and get a very useful international five port switch.
I get back in time to join the team for a 'mandatory' beach party.
While the crowd represents many nations, the music is decidedly American, not necessarily a positive development based on your point of view.
Opening ceremonies-"It will be one of the highlights of your life". "Nothing prepares you for the opening ceremonies". "50,000 Jews cheering the United States" . We have heard these comments so many times-before we left and since we have been here.
And now July 6-opening ceremonies is upon us. It is a LONG day with little else scheduled. A long traffic filled ride to a large complex with every country (80) also there. we are scheduled to go in after the small Ukraine delegation and before the even smaller Uruguay group.
Our first stop is to Pais Arena, where the coolness of the empty hockey rink feels refreshing amid the intense summer heat. Most of us tie our warmup jackets around our wastes and pass the time by eating the plentiful snacks and socializing.
I find time to renew my friendship with the hockey juniors team,which has been holed up in Jerusalem,away from the Haifa hijinks.
It is now onto the interminable walkup line into the stadium. I have a fun exchange with my top player.
The walk continues with the excitement building.
And finally we hit the stadium. Ths video needs to be edited but in its entirety paints an accurate picture of the magical 15 minutes is like.
Hi fiving many fans in the front rows,who all want our uniforms. There is nothing to be given away. I make my first trade of my USA cap for a Hungary hat.
The rest of the evening is a bit of a letdown. We can hardly see anything from our seats,but oh that feeling of walking into the stadium!
It is reset day. Everything is brand new for us. A new hotel in Haifa with nearly every junior team, save hockey which is housed in Jerusalem. Lots of new faces, many of whom stayed together at the headquarters Kfar Maccabiah, Many new coaches,some of whom I had met and the international olympic like village The Hub.
You don't go anywhere without your credentials and meal card, which gets you everywhere. I find my team the perfect spot to play our pre tournament practice rounds. The 21st floor training room is air conditioned and isolated.
Unlike Peta Tikvah,where we were mixed with the open players, we can now concentrate on the tournament for 90 minutes in the morning and then the six are free to do whatever they want as long as it is within the rules. That means going to the beach but not leaving the Maccabiah area. Lunch is at the Hub, where we go and explore the area.
July 4 - Independence Day in the USA and a busy morning at Peta Tikvah as we pack up. There is a send off get together at Kfar Maccabiah and the highlight is the speech of Noam Gershony. Here is part of it.
He was funny,self deprecating and had the audience enamored with his incredible story of heroism and when Ha Tikvah was played upon his winning of the 2012 paraolympics gold, there wasn't a dry eye in the audience.
After many more speeches, we eat a quick lunch and find our bus for Haifa. It is a long ride and we have the bus to ourselves-seven of us spread out. When we finally get to Haifa, it is the beginning of the competition portion of our trip. Our
Monday is the most solemn day of the trip. We head back to Jerusalem to visit the Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem
Even though I have visited the Holocaust Museum In Washington Dc and the Jewish Museum in New York, nothing quite prepares you for visiting this shrine. We all take headphones and tune to a channel where a guide moves us through all the sections and explains much history that had escaped me.
We finish the tour at the Chidren's Memorial and Rabbi Dan conducts a service for the dead and there is not a dry eye in the room.This is the only picture I take at Yad Vashem. The kids we have traveled with are chastened.
It is on to Herzl Cemetary where we honor all the deceased Israel heroes from politics and the military. Among those buried here are Modern Zionist pioneer Theodore Herzl and prime mnister Golda Meier.
At this time,we say goodbye to our tour guide Nimrod.
And then there are the many soldiers-young men and women barely out of high school. Americans who have made Alliyah and served are as here. A memorial to a young American brings tears to my eyes. The Philadelphia man was only 24 and a friend to many in the hockey community.
From this tearful day comes one f the highlights of my lifetime. I am to be bar mitzvahed aong with 100 Maccabiah athletes and coaches.
We only have to go on the Bimah to do a ceremonial Alliyah, but I am able to stay on for an extra time as I help Rabbi Tina keep her place as she reads Torah.
The Huppah holders are Men's basketball 6'7 and taller.
Two of our three women chess players also took advantage of the opportunity.
