Sports and Scripture showdown

At first local Maccabiah Games, Temple Bat Yahm students test their skills at baseball, basketball and ‘Jewish Jeopardy.’Almost 175 students competed in sports and academic events Sunday at the Temple Bat Yahm’s first Maccabiah Games.

“I thought they were great,” Rabbinic Assistant Corie Yutkin said of the games. “It was great to see the kids running around, participating and having fun being Jewish.”

The Newport Beach temple’s kindergarten through seventh-grade students were divided into eight teams, which competed in baseball, basketball, football and skateboarding. They also had a chance to show off what they’ve been learning in Hebrew class and scriptural study while playing games like ‘Wheel of Torah’ and ‘Jewish Jeopardy.’

The event, which is the brainchild of the school’s assistant director, Barry Koff, is modeled after the real Maccabiah Games, also known as the Jewish Olympics. The games, held every four years, focus on athletic ability. Thousands of Jewish athletes from all over the world participate, and many go on to compete in the Olympic Games.

“In our case, it’s a combination of athletic and academic,” Koff said. “We just wanted to do a fun event where all the kids can get together and show what they’ve learned and work together.”

For the past four weeks, the teams have been gathering during regularly scheduled prayer time to come up with a team name, design a banner and coordinate who would compete in which event.

Although these games were significantly shorter than the two weeks of the regular Maccabiah Games, they began with an opening ceremony and closed with medal ceremony for the winners, just like the real deal.

The children signed up for activities in different time slots -- each event was 15 minutes -- and alternated between sports and academic competitions.

“We’re all working in teams; it’s fun,” said 9-year-old Teddy Somekh of Newport Beach. Teddy was a member of the winning team, Yehudim Extreme.

Koff said the Temple Bat Yahm Maccabiah Games gave students a chance to work together in teams, with the older students helping out the younger ones. The age groups are generally separated, and the younger children don’t have many opportunities to interact with the older students.

“This brought everybody together,” said first-grade teacher Meta Evans. “The kids got to see and be part of the whole temple community.”

While the school’s teachers ran the academic portion of the games, many parents volunteered to help with the sports.

Rabbi Mark Miller said he thought the first Maccabiah Games went so well that they’re likely to become an annual tradition.

“Once we do something once, it’s a tradition,” he said.

After the top three teams were presented with their gold, silver and bronze medals, everyone relaxed and ate a barbecue lunch.

“A Jewish event isn’t complete until you eat,” Koff joked.

* LINDSAY SANDHAM is the news assistant. She can be reached at (714) 966-4625