MACCABIAH ATHLETES—Norman Lawrence, left, and Glen Coblens, above, both played on the gold-medal-winning masters basketball team at the Pan Am Maccabiah Games in 2007. Lawrence again will play on the masters basketball team while Coblans intends to compete in the masters triathalon and half-marathon at the world games in Israel.

 

 

Northwest athletes to compete in 18th World Maccabiah Games in Israel

Smart Car raffle to aid competitors

By JEWISH REVIEW

article created on: 2009-01-15T00:00:00

Oregon and Southwest Washington athletes planning to compete in the 18th World Maccabiah Games in Israel in this July are getting a helping hand.

Portlander Glen Coblens, who has served on the Maccabi USA national board since 1999, has organized a raffle to help athletes pay for their trip to Israel. A Smartcar will go to the winner of the raffle for which 1,000 tickets at $36 each will be sold.

To purchase tickets, contact Coblens at glencoblens@yahoo.com.

This July’s Maccabiah Games will be the 18th since the series began in 1932 in what was then British-ruled Palestine. Held every four years in Israel, the Maccabiah Games now are the third-largest international sporting event after the Olympics and the World University Games.

In addition to serving on the national Maccabi board, Coblens is also the chair of the USA women’s basketball team. Last year Coblens competed in the Maccabi PanAm Games on the masters’ basketball team with Portlander Lawrence Norman, who plans to compete at the World games.

“It is all about brotherhood—and a deep sense of pride knowing that I am a part of something much bigger than I am,” said Norman of his reasons for competing in the Maccabiah Games. “There is no better time to support Israel … and I look forward to joining my brothers in July on our journey to the Promised Land to win Gold.”  

This year Coblens plans to compete in the masters half marathon and triathalon. Portlander Steve (Rosy) Rosenberg is also considering competing in the masters triathalon.

Coblens said other athletes from the region still are being recruited to be part of the nearly 1,000 athlete delegation being assembled by Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel. As of the group’s fall newsletter, 984 athletes were signed up for 72 teams in 27 sports.

For more information on the Maccabiah games, contact Coblens at glencoblens@yahoo.com or visit www.maccabiusa.com.