Maccabia 2024 was an exhilarating display of camaraderie and competition between Naaleh’s four grades. With a special focus on support and pride for Eretz Yisroel this year, each grade’s team represented a significant Israeli city. The ninth graders embodied the spirit of Yerushalayim, symbolizing their passion with fire. The 10th graders represented Tiveria, epitomizing water, reflecting the depth of Torah and spirituality. The 11th grade, representing Tzfat and the element of air, emphasized mysticism and foresight. Lastly, the 12th grade, representing Chevron and the earth, emphasized the toil and growth inherent in Torah learning.

Over the course of two days, the teams engaged in a variety of competitive activities, sports, artistic challenges and, in a special addition for this year, a “libi bamizrach” portion of each day where they took a break from their games to focus on Eretz Yisroel. One of the highlights included a heartfelt conversation with Ilan and Hodaya Levy who spoke about what it has been like to fight in Gaza for the past three months.

Maccabia culminated in final presentations, where each grade showcased their talents, all intricately woven with the essence of their cities, elements and themes. Amidst the competitive fervor, Maccabia 2024 fostered a sense of unity and love for Naaleh while also demonstrating the student body’s pride for Eretz Yisroel. Thank you to Aliza Davis and the Student Life team for bringing this experience to the Naaleh students.