Sports Festival For Jewish Teens to Return to Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The annual Maccabi Games return to Philadelphia this summer.

Beth Segal, director of the 2011 JCC Maccabi Games, says being chosen as the host city for the annual games for Jewish teens is a big deal.

"They were here in 2001, so this is the ten-year anniversary of the first time we hosted the games," she told KYW Newsradio on Friday.

The Maccabi Games are a series of Olympic-style competitions for Jewish kids between 13 and 16 years old from all around the US.

"There are quite a few aspects of the games that make the games very special," notes Segal.  "One of the aspects, of course, is that all the kids are Jewish.  But the other piece of it is that the kids all participate in community service projects here."

The games are held every summer in a different host city.

"The games first started in 1982.  The first games were held in Memphis, and we actually have the original torch that lit the first flame -- and it will light our flame for our games this summer."

Opening ceremonies for the 2011 Maccabi Games will take place on Sunday, August 14th at the Pavilion at Villanova University.

Reported by Hadas Kuznits, KYW Newsradio 1060.