Alpert JCC Spotlight

Maccabi Games 2022

Susan Paletz | Director of Fund & Community Development

Each summer for over 30 years, Jewish Community Centers around the country and in Israel hold the Maccabi Games for teens ages 13-17 years. This summer after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the games are back, stronger than ever.

The Alpert JCC is so proud to be part of the games. We are taking 12 individual athletes to compete on July 29-August 5, 2022 in San Diego, California. We are also extremely proud to include Samantha (Sammie) Hamilton who will be not only competing in the games in San Diego, but also participating in the Israel Maccabiah Games. Sammie and her family are long time Alpert JCC members.

We are so happy that we can be part of Sammie’s Jewish journey through the Maccabi Games. The games are so vital for teens in their ongoing connection to Judaism and developing new friendships. To help families pay for the cost of the games and the travel expenses, the Alpert JCC has a Maccabi Fund.

If you are interested in making a donation to the fund, please contact Susan Paletz at spaletz@alpertjcc.org.

Pictured: Samantha Hamilton

Samantha Hamilton, daughter of Elle and Robert Hamilton and granddaughter of Fran Itkoff, will be competing in the 2022 Maccabiah Games in Israel on their Team USA Swim Delegation. She will be competing in the pool events and Open Water as well. The games are the third largest swim competition in the world, with over 80 countries competing.

Sammie just returned from the Open Water National Championships in Florida, where swimmers from around the World competed. Her family has been members of the Alpert JCC (AJCC) their entire lives. Sammie attended preschool at the Alpert JCC too. Grandma, Fran Itkoff, has held many meetings of the Lakewood/Long Beach M.S. Patients group there at the AJCC. Sammie’s grandfather, Dr. Phil Itkoff, had Multiple Sclerosis, and Fran still runs the group. Elle Hamilton was also a Camp Counselor at the AJCC. The family are members of Congregation Shir Chadash.

Prom Dress Drive

Andrea Zbucki, Case Manager Casa Youth Shelter picking up prom dresses from Susan Paletz, Director of Fund & Community Development, Jewish Long Beach and Alpert JCC

Spring means High School Proms and Prom mean dresses!!! Even though our Prom Dress Boutique was not in person this year, hundreds of dresses were given to local teens.

Jewish Long Beach Women’s Philanthropy Members distributed new prom dresses to local high schools and Casa Youth Shelter. Staff at the local high schools are setting up “shops” for their students in need to come and pick out their dresses. The new dresses were donated from Macy’s of Cerritos.

Matzah to Mitzvah

Thank you to all of our generous donors to the Matzah to Mitzvah campaign. Through your heartfelt donations, we are able to provide over 180 Passover meals and Passover Gifts to the Senior Adults in our community.

Thank you to our wonderful volunteers who delivered the meals and Passover good wishes. Toda Raba.