Closing in style

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.

The small universe of world Jewish Geography.