Milken Athletes Strike Gold at International Athletic Games
Congratulations to juniors Brian Pearlman and Kian Zar for winning gold medals in basketball at the European Maccabi Games.
It was the first Maccabi Games for the two Milken Varsity Basketball players. Brian, who plays center, competed on the Junior Boys’ team, and Kian, a small forward, played on the Youth Men’s Team. The strong U.S. teams matched up against teams from Germany, Turkey, and Israel, with the Junior Boys’ team also playing Argentina and the Youth Men’s team playing Canada and Great Britain. Both teams faced Israel in their championship games and posted decisive wins.
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Participating in the games was an amazing experience for Brian and Kian — one that they will not soon forget. They struck up friendships with athletes from all over the world and created lasting memories. Proud to represent the U.S.A. on the world stage, Brian declared, “The games were unlike anything I have ever experienced.”
Held every four years, the Olympic-style competition brings together Jewish athletes from all over the world to compete in 14 sports including basketball, soccer, golf, and water polo. Over 2,000 athletes represented 36 countries.
This year’s games, held in Berlin, comes 79 years after the 1936 Berlin Olympics in which Jews were banned from participating. The irony wasn’t lost on the athletes. Brian noted, "There was a lot of opposition to holding the Maccabi Games in Berlin. Many thought that it was too soon to go to compete in a city that actively tried to rid the world of Jews 70 years ago. However, I thought it was the perfect place to show how not only did the Nazi's fail in getting rid of us, but that we are now thriving.”
And while athletes and teams vied for medals against each other, it was much more than just a sports competition. Kian summed it up perfectly, "Although we were competing, we were all brothers and united at heart."
Congratulations also go out to Jaden Pressman ’19 who brought home a gold medal in baseball at the JCC Maccabi Games in Dallas, Texas.
At Milken Community School, we think education is more than what you know. Our School, founded on Jewish values, is about who our children can become and how they can help others become who they might be. Because the world our children will create tomorrow is born in the School we build today, our mission is to educate our children so they can surpass us.
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