By DEBBIE ROSEN
Clad in team jerseys of green, black, and grey, with a Jewish star in the center, fourteen boys ranging in age from 13 to 16 years old from the Florence and Barry Friedberg South Shore Y Jewish Community Center (SSYJCC) walked into the Tucson Convention Center in Arizona and took their rightful place alongside 1,400 athletes from around the world. And when all was said and done, they had the right to wear those stars, for not only did these athletes attend the 2000 Maccabi Games, an Olympic style event held annually, they brought home a silver medal in roller hockey.
The smiles on the faces of players shined nearly as bright as the silver on their skates and the silver on the medals, which graced each and every one of them.
For Oceanside's Jonathan Sandos, more commonly known by his Hebrew nickname, Yony, it was an event inline with his own life's goal. This 14-year-old member of the South Shore Y JCC Star's Roller Hockey team exists to play the game of hockey and with a silver medal and the experience of a lifetime, this defenseman said he scored big time.
"It was my second time on the team and a chance for me to meet people from around the world," said Yony, as he picked up one of his 12 new hockey sticks from the garage of his Oceanside home.
Yony, along with the others on the team, stayed with a host family. His experience there was one which tied the game of hockey into his Jewish heritage in a way he will not soon forget. Staying at the home of Issac Senor, a 77 -year-old resident of Tuscon, Arizona, was an experience that taught him about the Holocaust. Mr. Senor, who Yony and his teammate Billy Adler now call grandpa, took the boys to temple on Saturday morning, and spoke to them about his experiences during the Holocaust. But the reality of bringing that horrible event in history to life came shortly thereafter.
"I looked at the phone number on my entrance tag to the games and asked him if one of the numbers was a seven," said Yony. "No, he said and pointed to his arm where numbers were marked into the skin - that's a seven," said Yony still shaking his head in shock. "When I saw it, I was speechless."
Yony and his teammate said their time with Issac Senor meant a great deal to both of them. "I want Issac to know we really appreciated what he did for us and we really like him and had a great time," added Yony.
Yony was just one of the fourteen boys who participated in the Jewish Olympics called the Maccabi Games, which began in Israel and started 15 years ago in the United States according to Joan Goldfadden, coordinator of the Maccabi Game teams for the SSSYJCC. "The games were started to give Jewish teens a venue to experience culture and heritage and to participate in an athletic event as is done in Israel," she said.
When the Maccabi games were held on Long Island in 1995, the SSYYJCC began to participate in the annual event. The games are held at several sites, depending on the sport. Some sports are held at a single location, which was the case for the Stars roller hockey team, whose competition faced off in Tucson.
The stars are exactly that - shining athletes who competed in a world showcase and gave it their best shot. The group of 14 individual athletes gelled as a team over time in Arizona and played seven games before claiming the second place spot in the world.
The most exciting moment in the seven-game tournament came when the team played third seated Philadelphia. According to coaches Charlie Adler and Frank Timlin, the win put the team into the medal round. "After playing four games in the preliminary round, we wound up in sixth place and had to play the third place team," said Coach Adler, in his fifth season coaching the roller hockey team.
He recalled the pride everyone felt as each player's name was called out before the games, following the playing of both the national and Canadian anthems. His son, Billy, wearing the number three and tending goal, kept his goalie crease clean with an outstanding 47 saves out of 50 shots on goal, not to mention a win in overtime. "It was totally the Billy Adler Show," said Yony.
Billy has been a team member four years running (skating) and said he felt great about the game, but gave the accolades to his teammates. "I played the best I could, but the whole team tried and everyone gave it all they had."
Defenseman and team captain David Gottlieb skated with heart and in honor off someone dear to him. Shortly before the games began, David's grandmother, Anita Gottlieb passed away. To honor her memory, David wore this captain's mark of 'C' on one side of his jersey and placed his grandma's initials atop his other shoulder.
He said the experience for him, now age 16, is over. But it is also one to remember for all time. "It was my third year on the team and it really felt great to win, not having done so the first two years," said David. "I'd really like to say thanks to Joan [Goldfadden] and the JCC for making it possible to play for me to play for them these past three years."
After speaking with team veterans, newcomer and youngest player Jared Lieberman said his "goal" for next year is hone his roller hockey skills, so he'll be ready to roll. "From this experience, I learned you really need to practice," he said.
As the Stars began their quest for a gold medal, they faced of against the only team not beaten, Mid Island. The Stars were down five to nothing going into the second period. With Coach Adler yelling to the boys not to give up, the captain gave the chalk talk. "David, the captain stepped in and sparked us on," said Yony. He yelled to us on the bench, "You want to win this game... it's not over...it's not over, we can do it." With that in mind, Yony, assistant captain, and the team stepped up their game. Yony scored four goals in two periods. With 30 seconds left in the game, a sixth goal was scored, and the game ended in a 8-6 loss to Mid Island.
The second place world title silver medal is a tribute to a team and a community said those in attendance. "I think we proved a lot to a lot of people," said Coach Adler, expressing pride on his team's silver medal victory.
"I absolutely think they were incredible," Ms. Goldfadden said. "They made us so proud. Not only are they outstanding athletes, but good kids who played and stayed together as a team."
Next year's teams will be forming in the near future and the SYJCC said, in addition to their roller hockey team, they will be announcing the formation of a swim and golf team. The 2001 Maccabi Games will be held in Philadelphia. Those interested in joining should contact Ms. Goldfadden at 766-4341.
