'Jewish Olympics': Deerfield Hoopsters Ready To Travel Overseas

DEERFIELD, IL — Playing hoops on the North Shore is an important athletic activity for many local residents. Getting an opportunity to compete in another country is something only a select few can boast about, including two students from Deerfield High School.

Next year, sophomore Charlie Robin and freshman Drew Rodgers will be traveling to Israel as part of the Maccabi USA 16U Boys' Basketball Team. The players will be competing in the 21st Maccabiah Games, or the "Jewish Olympics," an event put on hold the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Games are scheduled for July 12 through July 26, 2022.

"I am so hyped to be able to play basketball overseas," Rodgers said. "I have always wanted to take my talent to the next level, and I can’t wait to prove myself and to be able to watch everyone grow and improve."

Competitions will take place in Haifa, Jerusalem, Netanya and Tel Aviv. First established in 1932, the Maccabiah Games are the third-largest sporting event in the world, with 10,000 athletes competing. The Games are open to Jewish athletes from around the world.

Amazingly, of the 12 slots on the team, four are represented by basketball players from the North Shore. In addition to Robin and Rodgers, Glencoe's Logan Feller and Northbrook's Brandon Wilensky make up a squad with players in Illinois, North Carolina, California, New York, Texas and Georgia.

"It’s definitely an honor getting selected to join the team, knowing so many kids around the country wanted this opportunity," said Robin, who is 6-foot. "What it means to me is a chance to represent my country and wear U.S.A. across my chest, not a lot of people can say they did that. I’m just super excited to get over there and compete against other countries and try to bring home gold."

The Maccabiah were originally held every three years, but it was changed to every four years following the 1953 edition. Competitions at the Maccabiah are organized into four divisions — Open, Juniors, Masters, and Disabled. The Games are organized by the Maccabi World Union.

Tryouts for the Maccabi USA 16U Boys' Basketball Team were held in Philadelphia and Los Angeles. According to Robin, each tryout consisted of two days of drills and scrimmaging.

"I was confident I played well after the tryout was over," Robin said. "I found out about the news a few weeks later and I was excited."

The players were chosen among hundreds of athletes from across the United States. The team is being coached by Michael Weinstein, who founded Fundamental University in 2012. Fundamental University is an elite high school basketball travel program in Illinois.

"I have put in thousands of hours with this sport and it is just beginning to pay off," said Rodgers, who is 6-foot-8. "To be one of the top players in the country is an indescribable feeling. I can't wait to represent my country in Maccabi and to be able to represent myself."

Maccabi World Union is the largest and longest running Jewish sports organization spanning over five continents, more than 60 countries, 450 clubs, and 400,000 members.

While a number of their teammates will be new faces, the North Shore athletes are no strangers to one another.

"It definitely shows that there are a lot of very skilled players from around here," said Robin, who has been playing with Rodgers for the past few years. "Everyone wants to win and represent their town. There is definitely a lot of tough competition around here. I’m excited to finally team up with all of these guys in Israel after competing against each other for so many years."

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