JCC Maccabi Games & ArtsFest

JCC Maccabi Games^® started in 1982 with a big mission. It was designed in order to provide Jewish youth with a supportive environment that fosters mutual respect and sportsmanship, where they can interact in an atmosphere of fun, democracy, and peace; cultivate a deeper understanding and instill an appreciation of Jewish values within Jewish youth, enrich their Jewish identity in an informal setting, and encourage their identification with the state of Israel; promote and encourage the health, physical fitness and well-being of Jewish youth through participation in recreational and athletic activities; and introduce Jewish youth to the international Maccabi Movement, which presents athletic, cultural, and social opportunities with Jews from around the world.

JCC Maccabi ArtsFest^® is a week-long arts experience for creative Jewish teens ages 13 – 17, featuring workshops in a variety of specialties with some of the leading artists in each field and incorporating community service, social activities, and themes of Jewish heritage, community, and Israel. ArtsFest offers artists the opportunity to partake in intimate master classes during the day and party at the largest Jewish teen block party at night. The program culminates in an exciting final showcase, where each specialty will have the opportunity to share their creations with fellow ArtsFest and Games participants and invited guests.

Team Dallas regularly brings one of the largest delegations to the JCC Maccabi Games and ArstFest.

The 2020 JCC Maccabi Games and ArtsFest are in San Diego CA starting August 2 and running through August 7.

You can sign your teen up for tryouts using the following link:

SIGN UP NOW!

Tryouts will take place in January and February of 2020. There will be specific emails and social media posts with details of each week’s tryouts sent out in December. There will also be reminders sent out about upcoming tryouts the week before the tryouts. The tryout schedule will also be posted here on the Team Dallas web page.

We recommend that each teen tryout for at least two sports. There are limited spots for Team Dallas athletes this year.

Team Dallas has a history of great JCC Maccabi coaches. These coaches are volunteers from our community who have been a part of the JCC Maccabi Games and local youth sports programs for many years. Our coaches are dedicated members of the community who volunteer their time to help give our local teens an amazing Jewish summer experience.

If you are not a JCC member and your child makes Team Dallas for the 2020 JCC Maccabi Games your teen will need to join the JCC as a ZTX Member. ZTX members are teen members of the JCC from the moment they pay their membership fee through August 31, 2020.

In early to mid-March the Delegation Heads will call parents with information about which team their child made and will send a follow-up email. Parents and teens will have 48 hours to make their deposit to secure their spot on Team Dallas. If you do not immediately hear from the Delegation Head that does not mean your teen was cut from Team Dallas; there will be over 100 phone calls made to those who tried out. You will receive a phone call informing you if your teen did not make Team Dallas for the 2020 JCC Maccabi Games as well.

After receiving a phone call and email informing you and your teen of the sport they made for the 2020 JCC Maccabi Games you and your teen will have 48 hours to log-in to your JCC account to put down the deposit or pay the entire fee in full to confirm the spot. Without the deposit your teen’s spot is not confirmed and we will move on to our next athlete on our list for Team Dallas.

After paying your teen’s deposit, you will receive a confirmation email including a link to the RegPack registration system. You will need to go the link to register your teen for the 2020 JCC Maccabi Games. You will need the following information to complete the registration:

• Current headshot photograph
• Teen’s proof of age (passport, birth certificate, or driver’s license)
• Health insurance card and information
• Updated immunization records
• Current physical signed by pediatrician (JCCA form must be used)

Everything except for the current physical and updated immunization record will be due by Friday, April 17. The current physical and updated immunization record will be due by Friday, June 19. Anyone who misses these deadlines will be subject to a late fee penalty.

In late March there will be one week of gear try-ons at the Dallas JCC. We will also try to spend one afternoon in Plano for try-ons for those that live north of the JCC. This will be your teen’s one opportunity to try on the gear for correct sizing. If you miss these try-ons we will use the sizes listed in the Regpack registration system when ordering your teen’s gear.

In the spring we will have our delegation meeting followed by team breakout sessions to meet with coaches and learn expectations for the spring and summer as well as to go over schedules for the team. After this meeting team practices will begin. Some sports will start practice right away while others will wait until later in the summer. Each sport practices different amounts depending on the teens’ availability and the specific sport.