Tucson JCC to Host “Maccabi Games” – International Youth Sporting Event- Summer 2025
2025 Maccabi Games® expected to bring more than 1,000 visitors and $1.5M economic impact
The Tucson Jewish Community Center (the Tucson J) is thrilled to announce Tucson as the first North American host community for the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games®. The Olympic-style sports competition for Jewish teens aged 12 to 16 will return to the Old Pueblo July 27 through August 1, 2025, marking 25 years since the Games were last held in Tucson.
The JCC Maccabi Games is a unique event that combines an action-packed sports competition with personal development and community building opportunities. Together with JCC Maccabi Access, which includes activities for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Games participants benefit from meaningful experiences both on and off the playing field that promote teamwork, leadership skills and lifelong friendships.
In addition to the 75 to 100 local Jewish teens including five Access athletes that are expected to compete in the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games, more than 1,000 athletes, plus coaches, delegation heads and spectators from North America and across the globe will travel to Tucson for five days of exciting tournament play. The influx of visitors is expected to provide a $1.5 million boost to the local economy through increased business, hotel, and restaurant revenue.
“As the town square of the Tucson community for nearly 70 years, the J is a gathering place for all, where everyone belongs, and some people join,” said Todd Rockoff, Tucson J President and CEO. “To host the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games is both an extreme honor and a natural extension of our work. We are thrilled to extend an invitation to the entire Tucson community to take part in this extraordinary celebration of sportsmanship, leadership, and Jewish identity. As we welcome athletes, families, coaches, and volunteers from across the globe, we also look forward to showcasing the beauty and vibrancy of our city.”
Beyond the sporting arena, highlights of the week include opening and closing ceremonies, community service and social activities. With events occurring at venues across the city, Tucson will be on full display and a coordinated effort of volunteers and host families is essential to the Games’ success. Over 40 community members have already joined the steering committee for the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games, but organizers anticipate more than 1,000 volunteer positions will need to be filled.
“The JCC Maccabi Games will be a keystone event for Tucson,” said Barney Holtzman, chair of the Tucson JCC Maccabi Games. “Sports have a unique power to unite people, and the Games are an incredible opportunity to contribute to the personal growth of our youth and cultivate community pride. I encourage everyone to actively support and engage with this incredible event.”
Local community businesses are also invited to join corporate sponsors Coca-Cola and JCC Association of North America in supporting the 2025 JCC Maccabi Games in Tucson. For more information, contact jccmaccabi2025@tucsonjcc.org or visit https://tucsonjcc.org/jcc-maccabi-games-tucson/
About the Tucson J:
Together with the greater Tucson community, the Tucson Jewish Community Center (the J) creates opportunities for people from all faiths, identities, abilities, and walks of life to connect, learn, and grow together. Located off East River Road in Tucson, the J is a vibrant non-profit community center that serves over 5,000 members on its 110,000 square-foot facility with programs ranging from arts and culture to sports and wellness and children and family. The J is committed to serving the community by offering a robust schedule of events that reach people at all stages of their lives. Learn more at tucsonjcc.org.
About JCC Maccabi Games®
JCC Maccabi®, a signature program of a signature program of 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 more than 3,000 Jewish teens and an additional 11,000+ family members, spectators, and volunteers through the Olympic-style sports competition of JCC Maccabi, one of the greatest Jewish peoplehood projects of our time. For the majority of JCC Maccabi athletes, 63% of whom report being otherwise unaffiliated with any other Jewish youth organization, JCC Maccabi remains 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.
