Seventeen years ago, MB Klyman stepped onto a wrestling mat for the first time and instantly fell in love with the sport. Klyman wrestled for four years at TABC, but shattered his spine in a match and was confined to a brace for months. After intense rehab, he had the opportunity to wrestle at Rutgers University, but had to refuse the offer due to Shabbat.

Determined not to let up on his dream, Klyman started the Rutgers Wrestling Club as an opportunity for students not in YU to wrestle. He had a successful four years wrestling there, culminating with an Athlete of the Year award from Rutgers Recreation. Over the past four years, Klyman has opened his own training facility, Underground Training, in Tenafly, and a kosher meal prep business called the Barbell Chef, in order to give observant athletes the edge they have been missing. Klyman is a former coach at JEC and currently coaches the Frisch wrestling squad.

Klyman was recently selected to represent Canada in the 20th Maccabiah Games in Israel, summer 2017, in the 97 kilogram weight class. MB is the first-ever yeshiva wrestling alum to compete in the games. Of his historic opportunity, Klyman said, “My dream is to be able to experience this with my family and I am reaching out to everyone to help me realize this goal: to have my family on the sidelines as I step onto the mat in Israel as a proud Jew representing his birth country in the third largest competition in the world.”

The 20th Maccabiah Games will take place in Israel from July 4 – July 18, 2017. To help Klyman share this milestone with his family, visit https://www.gofundme.com/mbmaccabi2017.