JCC Maccabi Games® 2026 Brings Together Nearly 3,000 Jewish Teens From 12 Countries Across Kansas City and Toronto, Strengthening Jewish Pride and Global Connection

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JCC Maccabi Games® 2026 Brings Together Nearly 3,000 Jewish Teens From 12 Countries Across Kansas City and Toronto, Strengthening Jewish Pride and Global Connection

Record international participation, expanded Access program, and year-round partnerships underscore JCC Maccabi's growing impact

More than 12,000 people including nearly 3,000 Jewish teen athletes, as well as coaches, families, spectators, volunteers, and community leaders gathered this month in Kansas City and Toronto for the 44th annual JCC Maccabi Games®. A signature program of the Center for Jewish Peoplehood at JCC Association of North America, the Games united participants from 85 Jewish communities across 12 countries in a week-long celebration of athletic competition, Jewish identity, leadership development, service, and global Jewish peoplehood.

The success and momentum of the 2026 Games reflect a pivotal moment for JCC Maccabi. Following the announcement of JCC Association's landmark $19.5 million growth initiative earlier this summer, this year's strong participation, expanded programming, and deeper engagement opportunities underscored both the demand for and the continued evolution of one of the Jewish community's premier teen engagement and community building programs. The initiative is anchored by transformative investments from The Marcus Foundation, supporting the expansion of JCC Maccabi across North America, and the Samueli Foundation, whose support will make possible the return of the JCC Maccabi Israel Games in 2028.

"At a time when Jewish teens are searching for connection, belonging, and pride in their identity, JCC Maccabi offers something truly extraordinary," said Barak Hermann, president and CEO of JCC Association of North America. "This year's Games reflect both the growing demand for meaningful Jewish experiences and the power of investing in the next generation of Jewish leaders. They also demonstrate the importance of fostering connections among teens from Israel and Jewish communities around the world. As we continue expanding JCC Maccabi, we are deeply grateful to our host communities in Kansas City and Toronto, our philanthropic partners, and the thousands of volunteers and families whose commitment made this transformative experience possible."

"The JCC Maccabi Games continue to show the extraordinary power of bringing Jewish teens together in joyful celebration of who they are," said Samantha Cohen, senior vice president and director of JCC Maccabi. "Whether they came from across town or across the world, every participant experienced what it means to be part of something larger than themselves. These connections-to one another, to Israel, and to the global Jewish community-are exactly what our young people need today, and they will continue to shape their Jewish journeys for years to come. But the impact of JCC Maccabi extends far beyond the teens themselves. The Games bring entire communities together, create opportunities for collaboration and connection across differences, and inspire a new generation of Jewish leaders who will carry that sense of community and responsibility forward."

Hosted by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City and the Prosserman JCC and Schwartz/Reisman Centre in Toronto, this year's Games welcomed delegations from the United States, Canada, Israel, Argentina, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Mexico, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, and Venezuela. The Games also welcomed three swimmers from Caracas, marking Venezuela's first participation in JCC Maccabi since 2012.

Among the participants were 150 athletes and coaches from Israel-the largest Israeli contingent in JCC Maccabi history-including 30 teens from northern border communities and the Gaza Envelope. Some Israeli teens also participated alongside their North American sister JCC delegations, strengthening connections between communities across the global Jewish peoplehood network. The Games also welcomed the largest-ever Ukrainian delegation, with more than 20 teens and adults participating across both host cities. Participation by the Israeli delegation was made possible through the generous support of Seed the Dream Foundation, Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and RootOne, and local federations in the host communities.

Host community leaders reflected on the lasting impact the Games had on their communities and the thousands of teens they welcomed.

On hosting the JCC Maccabi Games in Kansas City for the first time since 1997, President and CEO of the JCC of Greater Kansas City, Jim Sluyter said: "Hosting the JCC Maccabi Games has been an incredible reminder of what our J and our community can accomplish when we come together with a shared sense of purpose. For me, seeing our community open its homes and its hearts to Jewish teens from around the world, and watching as these teens got to know each other, became friends and found a sense of belonging, has been incredibly meaningful. These Games will leave a positive and lasting impact on our community long after the final competition."

"A strong Jewish community isn't simply something we inherit-it's something we build, together. These Games show what is possible when thousands of people come together to invest in young people and give them the opportunity to connect with one another, celebrate who they are and feel part of something larger than themselves. The medals may eventually be forgotten, but the confidence, friendships and sense of Jewish peoplehood these athletes take home will stay with them for a lifetime," shared Andrew Levy, CEO, Schwartz/Reisman Centre and Prosserman JCC, who brought the Games back to his community for the first time since 1986.

The impact of JCC Maccabi extends well beyond a single week of competition. According to post-Games athlete survey data,* 91% of participants reported a stronger sense of Jewish pride following their experience, while 75% said the Games inspired them to seek out Jewish life on campus. For many teens, JCC Maccabi is their primary connection to Jewish community-56% are not involved in another Jewish youth organization. The program is also building the next generation of leaders, with more than a quarter of 600 coaches being JCC Maccabi alumni.

Athletic competition remained at the heart of the JCC Maccabi experience, with teens competing across a wide range of individual and team sports. The 2026 Games introduced two new sports to the program-pickleball and girls ice hockey-expanding opportunities for athletes to compete and connect through sport. Professional hockey player Chelsey Goldberg helped launch the inaugural girls ice hockey competition, leading clinics for the four participating teams and inspiring a new generation of Jewish athletes.

This year's Games reflected the continued evolution of JCC Maccabi, introducing new opportunities for participation and engagement. JCC Maccabi Access welcomed a record 34 athletes, the largest Access program in the event's history, including three athletes from Israel who participated through a partnership with Eitan: Everybody Can.

Beyond athletics, teens participated in an expanded lineup of Jewish identity, leadership, and Israel engagement programming throughout the week. They learned from an unprecedented array of Jewish and Israeli leaders, athletes, and role models whose stories inspired resilience, leadership, and Jewish pride. Special guests included former hostage Omer Wenkert; former professional basketball players Tamir Goodman, Eddy Curry, and Ricky Davis; Israeli Olympian skeleton athlete Jared Firestone; Israeli Paralympic para-taekwondo champion Asaf Yasur; actor and singer James Maslow; professional hockey players Chelsey Goldberg and Zach Hyman, and former professional soccer player Ethan Zohn, all of whom led clinics, conversations, and educational programs throughout the Games in Kansas City and Toronto.

Recognizing that one transformative week can inspire a lifetime of Jewish engagement, JCC Maccabi strengthened partnerships with organizations including RootOne, Birthright Israel, Hillel International, Chabad on Campus, Maccabi World Union, and others. Through JCC Cares, athletes also participated in service projects with Repair the World, putting Jewish values into action while giving back to their host communities.

For more than four decades, JCC Maccabi has been one of the Jewish community's most powerful leadership development experiences, engaging more than 600,000 athletes, coaches, volunteers, host families, and spectators while strengthening Jewish life across North America and around the world. The Games are made possible by the extraordinary commitment of the communities that host them. This year, more than 2,000 volunteers, 3,500 host family members, 650 coaches and delegation heads, and countless community members across Kansas City and Toronto welcomed athletes into their homes, staffed competition venues, and created an unforgettable week of connection, hospitality, and Jewish pride.

At the conclusion of the Games, JCC Association announced that the first confirmed host for the 2027 JCC Maccabi Games® is Shalom Austin and the Dell Jewish Community Center in Austin, Texas. Austin previously hosted the Games in 2004 and 2013 and will once again welcome Jewish teens from across North America and around the world.

*Based on responses to the 2025 JCC Maccabi post-Games survey of participating athletes and coaches.

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About JCC Association of North America

JCC Association of North America, through its three Centers of Excellence-Peoplehood, Talent Development and Innovation and Impact-leads the JCC Movement, the largest and most inclusive platform for Jewish life in the United States and Canada, which includes nearly 150 Jewish Community Centers and Camps (JCCs) and the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council®. Collectively, the JCC Movement engages more than 1.5 million people each week- in person and online. With leadership and support of JCC Association, the JCC Movement strengthens Jewish community, advances vibrant Jewish life, and delivers intentional, measurable impact, locally, continent-wide, and wherever Jewish life is lived. Learn more at JCCA.org or on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Please note that JCC Association of North America should not be referred to as JCCA or the JCC Association but initially as JCC Association of North America and as JCC Association in subsequent references.

About JCC Maccabi

JCC Maccabi®, a signature program of the Center for Jewish Peoplehood at JCC Association of North America, is one of the continent's preeminent Jewish youth-serving and community-building platforms and is crucial in inspiring Jewish identity building, strengthening communal connections, and serving as a key leadership development pipeline. For over 40 years, the JCC Movement has engaged 3,000 teen athletes, more than 400 coaches, and a community of over 12,000 annually for JCC Maccabi, the Olympic-style sports competition that is one of the greatest Jewish peoplehood projects of our time. The majority of JCC Maccabi athletes-59%-attend neither Jewish day school nor Jewish summer camp, making JCC Maccabi their primary connection to the Jewish community, global Jewish life, and Israel-creating a remarkable and unmatched opportunity for engagement, support of their Jewish identity, and a lasting impact on their lives. Follow JCC Maccabi on Facebook and Instagram.