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It’s the first time in 25 years that Tucson is hosting the JCC Maccabi Games, which now feature the Access program, giving Jewish teens and young adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities the opportunity to participate.

“Oh we are so honored to have this here in Tucson, to be welcoming people really from around the world to participate in the games, to come see our beautiful community,� said Tucson JCC president and CEO Todd Rockoff.

The games, which kicked off Sunday with opening ceremonies and competition on Monday, are expected to attract more than 1,000 visitors and generate more than $4 million in local economic impact.

Local businesses and individuals sponsor the games and athletes stay at hotels and with host families. Information on how to attend is available through — spectators need to get security clearance to attend.

Pittsburgh is also hosting this year and the 2025 Maccabiah Games originally scheduled for this month in Israel was delayed due to the Iran war.

“JCC Maccabi is much more than a sports event — it’s a powerful and transformative Jewish experience that brings the Jewish community together in the most inspiring and unifying way,� said Barak Hermann, president and CEO of JCC Association in a news release. “This summer, in both Tucson and Pittsburgh, we will witness the strength of Jewish connection as 3,000 teen athletes, more than 400 coaches and a community of over 7,000 come together to celebrate pride, unity and Jewish joy through the unforgettable experience of the Games.

“As one of the most significant touchpoints for Jewish teen engagement across the continent, JCC Maccabi ignites identity, belonging, and leadership in our teens, coaches, and volunteers — and reminds us of the power of community.�

The event also coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Tucson JCC.

The JCC Association of North America features more than 170 Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Community Camps (JCCs).

“Communities can through conversation and application be selected to host the games and this is this was our moment and we were really honored to do it,� Rockoff said. “We’re really hoping that we build energy and we’ve done a lot to engage the entire community with this and hopefully we won’t have to wait 25 years before we do it again.�

The Tucson delegation features 75 athletes in a host of different sports and some local teens will even cover the games.

“There will be Tucson teams competing from tennis to volleyball, soccer, basketball, I believe we have a dancer and we have a couple of kids that are star reporters, which is the part of the games for kids that are not necessarily participating in one of the formal competition sports, but they’re really covering the game, so they will be doing social media writing captions and they’ll spend time learning how to be a journalist,� Rockoff said.

First piloted in 2021, the Tucson games will feature the addition of JCC Maccabi Access — a program for Jewish teens and young adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities. Access is for athletes from 12 to 22 and they compete in multiple sports.

“It’s amazing, I was a part of the creation of the pilot, and there were three years of pilots in San Diego, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) and Houston and through that, we refined the program, we really anchored it as a permanent fixture in the JCC Maccabi Games moving forward and we are really honored to be the first community to host Access outside of the pilot,� Rockoff said. “So this is really the formal, the inaugural JCC Maccabi Access games and we have 25 athletes from a variety of different communities, including four from here in Tucson that will be participating.�

Israeli judo champion and Olympic medalist Or Sasson is speaking to the teens at the event and there will be a performance by DJ Artifex, a survivor of and performer at the Nova Music Festival attack in October 2023.

The games also feature JCC Cares, which is the service part of the JCC Maccabi experience, displaying “Tikkun Olam� (repair of the world), supporting the Diamond Children’s Medical Center, Youth On Their Own and Ben’s Bells.

“We take a break from the competition on Tuesday and Wednesday and all the teams across the board participate in a project that is giving back to our community here in Tucson and they’ll have an opportunity to learn about two of our really, I think, flagship, nonprofits,� Rockoff said. “We’re working with Ben’s Bells and we’re working Youth On Their Own and all of the kids will have an opportunity to do some work that will benefit Ben’s Bells and Youth On Their Own. But they will also have an opportunity to learn about the very important work that both of them do and each team that came (Sunday) got off the plane and brought a specific donation for the play zone at Diamond Children’s Hospital.�

The goal of the games is not just to compete but to do community service and connect the Jewish community.

“I think it is remarkable to be able to have a gathering like this where we celebrate Jewish joy,� Rockoff said. “We help create pride in who we are as a people and connect people, in this case teens, to one another so that nobody feels like they’re alone. They all feel like they are part of a wider peoplehood.�