PICKLEBALL TO BE CONTESTED FOR FIRST TIME AT MACCABIAH 2025 IN ISRAEL

Applications are open to join the National Team. Tryouts planned.

PHILADELPHIA, PA, USA, July 30, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Maccabi USA Pickleball Co-Chairs Marty Einhorn and Brian Levine are proud to announce the inclusion of Pickleball at the 2025 Maccabiah Games in Israel.

According to Co-Chair and Coach, Brian Levine “Pickleball has been the fastest growing sport in the US for each of the past 5 years with 48 million Americans (19% of the population) playing the sport.” Levine added “It is arguably already the most popular participation sport in the country, and we are rapidly seeing this addictive Seattle-born game catch fire around the world.”

“Pickleball is a relatively new sport in Israel, but as is the case in the rest of the world, it is growing rapidly” added Co-Chair, Marty Einhorn. “There are a number of courts throughout the country, mostly temporary courts in the existing tennis centers, and a few in private clubs. There is an organized Israel Pickleball Association which is working to grow the game. It will be a thrill to play at Kfar HaMaccabiah, the home of Maccabi World Union, and the global Maccabi Movement.”

In recognition of his many extraordinary efforts on behalf of the sport of pickleball, Maccabi USA Pickleball Co-Chairs, Marty Einhorn and Brian Levine and proud to announce that Seymour "Rif" Rifkind will serve as Honorary Chair of the team. Rif is the President and Founder of both the World Pickleball Federation (WPF) and the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA). He also serves as President of the Pickleball Hall of Fame. Rif has traveled the world promoting pickleball and "coaching coaches" who go on to teach the game in their respective countries. This includes two trips to Israel, one to certify coaches, and a second to lead a group of professionals who ran clinics and demonstrations throughout the country in during the Maccabiah in 2022.

Maccabi USA is seeking Jewish pickleball players to represent the United States in the Open (18+) category at the 2025 Maccabiah Games in Israel, July 1-22, 2025. Tryouts will be held Sept 7 in Broward County, FL and September 14 in Los Angeles, CA. Interested participants can apply at www.maccabiusa.com.

The Maccabi USA Pickleball team will be part of the overall USA Team that will be 1,300+ members strong. They will compete in the largest Maccabiah in history and be an integral part of the largest gathering of Diaspora Jewry in Israel since the October 7th attacks.

The Maccabiah Games is more than an international sporting competition; it is a celebration of Jewish culture, unity and pride. Israel Connect, Maccabi USA’s unique cultural and educational program, takes place for seven days prior to the start of the Games. All Junior, Open and Paralympic athletes participate in the program where they have the opportunity to tour historical and religious sites, take part in cultural identity seminars, connect with Israel and Israelis, and train with their teams, all while developing lifelong relationships.

The 2025 Maccabiah Games are the world’s second largest international sporting event and will consist of over 10,000 athletes from 80 countries participating in over 40 different sports. A complete list of sports and age divisions offered is available at www.maccabiusa.com.

ABOUT THE MACCABIAH - The first Maccabiah was held in Israel in 1932 with athletes from18 countries. By 2017, the games grew to include nearly 10,000 Jewish athletes from more than60 countries, making it the second largest international multi-sport event, and one of the largest gatherings of the Jewish diaspora around the globe. Traditionally held every four years, the games have only been interrupted twice in its 90+ year history: by the Second World War and more recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2022, Maccabi USA sent its largest-ever delegation of more than 1,300 to Israel, larger than the USA Olympic Team.

ABOUT MACCABI USA - Maccabi USA builds Jewish pride through sports and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with an extensive history of enriching Jewish lives through athletic, cultural and educational programs. Maccabi USA is the official sponsor of the United States team to the World Maccabiah Games, the Pan American and European Maccabi Games, and the Maccabi Youth Games, as well as a sponsor of the JCC Maccabi Games for teens in North America. Maccabi USA envisions a world where sports serve as a galvanizing force in strengthening Jewish pride, connection, and community.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Maccabi USA Senior Director of Programs Shane Carr: scarr@maccabiusa.com

Shane Carr
Maccabi USA
+1 215-561-6900
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