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When Jason and Alex, two basketball players from Pittsburgh, found out that they had to stop shooting hoops for the afternoon to learn Israeli dances with Rivka and Tom - two children with special needs -- well, let's just say that they were very, very reluctant! They couldn't believe they actually had to do this bizarre dance with little kids in front of people- it wasn't exactly how they planned to impress the three cute girls from New York City! Their coach Jimmy had to practically force them to participate. But once Jason and Alex caught onto the steps, and started letting go, they noticed the smiles of pure joy that had flooded the faces of Rivka and Tom, and pretty soon no one could force them to stop. What started out as a potentially painful project turned out to be a few hours of fun that even the girls from New York City wanted to be a part of.
Later in the week, Alex whispered to Jimmy: "One of the best parts of my experience at the Games was seeing Rivka's face light up when I held her hand!"
Since the summer, Jason, Alex, and the other guys from the Pittsburgh basketball team have been doing their Israeli dance at the beginning of every game for luck!
This is exactly what the Days of Caring and Sharing program at the JCC Maccabi Games is all about. Whether it's making a girl smile, spending time with a senior, or cleaning up a local park, the program is about making a difference and making the world a little better through Tikkun Olam (the Jewish value of repairing the world).
For suggestions, comments or questions about Days of Caring and Sharing, or to just share some of your experiences, please send us an email to: nfessler@jcca.org
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