Kennedy freshman wins big at Macabi Games

Soon to be Kennedy Freshman Ben Rabinowitz spent the past few days at soccer tryouts, but he already has a drawer-full of medals to be proud of. The 14-year old Merrick resident competed in the Macabi games for track and field in early August in Denver.

The Macabi Games encourages "Jewish pride, strengthening Jewish bonds and ... creating a heightened awareness of Israel and Jewish identity" through athletics, according to the organization's website.

Rabinowitz had initially planned to compete in soccer, but when his team fell through he joined the track and field team with the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan. Though he had not initially planned to compete in track and field, he was no foreigner to the events. Rabinowitz competed for Merrick Avenue Middle School's track and field team and was the captain last year; he also plans on continuing to compete in track and field for Kennedy in the spring.

While he's participated in races in the past, Rabinowitz said that the Macabi Games were a completely different and new experience. A large part of the difference rests on the emphasis placed on sportsmanship at the Macabi Games. "They emphasize that a lot there," he said of the sportsmanship atmosphere. That attitude was also helpful when Rabinowitz met other athletes his age from all around the world.

"We met a lot of different people from all different places and got to know them," he said. The teenagers were from all across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Hungary and Israel. Rabinowitz said that he made many new friends and plans to stay in touch with them.

The friendly environment was also fostered through community service that all of the athletes were required to complete during their time in Denver. Rabinowitz and the the three other boys from the 92-Street Y volunteered with seniors in the area and participated in games with them.

Even though friendship and sportsmanship are emphasized at the games, they remain a competition. Rabinowitz won 10 medals throughout the course of the tournament. He won six gold for the  400-meter dash, the 110-meter hurdles, the 200-meter hurdles,  the triple jump, the sprint medley relay, and the four-by-100-meter relay. He also won silver medals in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the long jump, and the mixed four-by-100-meter relay.

Rabinowitz said that though he enjoyed participating in track and field, he might look to compete in soccer next summer. But that's part of the Macabi Games' philosophy, he added. "They just encourage you to try something new and have a new experience."

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