Los Angeles, CA (PressExposure) August 29, 2007 -- Beverly Hills residents Ally Maize and teammate, Alexa Block, were two of just ten lucky teens selected to represent the city of Los Angeles in the 2007 Maccabi Games®, part of the world’s largest annual summer sporting competition for Jewish youth. The L.A. Team celebrated a gold medal win at the 25th annual Maccabi Games held in Orange County. Maize and Block competed in the week-long sporting event on the soccer field against teen athletes from around the world in a fun and culturally supportive environment.

“We are very proud of Ally and Alexa’s dedication and enthusiasm as they trained, got selected and then competed alongside their teammates in these Olympic-style games,” explained Rochelle and Richard Maize, Ally’s parents who have cheered her on for the second year in a row. “The Maccabi Games are one of a few opportunities that instill an appreciation of Jewish values in a meaningful and influential peer-to-peer environment,” added Richard Maize.

Past Maccabi Games competitions have featured many world class Jewish athletes, including Mitch Gaylord (gymnastics), Mark Spitz and Lenny Krayzelburg (swimming), Ernie Grunfeld and Danny Schayes (basketball), and Brad Gilbert and Dick Savitt (tennis).

The Maccabi movement originally began in Israel in 1895 and was introduced to the U.S. in 1982 with 300 participating athletes. Today, the Maccabi Games involve more than 6,000 Jewish teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16 competing in summer games held in multiple sites in North America and carries on a proud tradition of athletic competition. Participants have an opportunity to compete in one of 14 sports and no matter which team wins, all participants in the games are winners just for playing in such an important global event.

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About The Maize Foundation

Media Contact: Ágnes Huff Communications Group

Ágnes Huff, PhD, or Anna Jerden

Tel: (310) 641-2525 or E-mail ahuff@ahuffgroup.com

Press Release Source: http://PressExposure.com/PR/The_Maize_Foundation.html