“JCC Cares” service projects have long been a cornerstone of the JCC Maccabi Games, reinforcing the value of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), one of the six core Maccabi values.
For the games in Tucson this year, the Tucson Jewish Community Center partnered with two other local nonprofits, Ben’s Bells and Youth On Their Own (YOTO).
Ben’s Bells teaches individuals and communities about the positive impacts of intentional kindness and inspires people to practice kindness as a way of life, while YOTO supports the high school graduation and continued success of youth experiencing homelessness in Pima County.
On Wednesday morning, teen dancers were upstairs at the J, painting ceramic flowers to be included in the windchimes that are Ben’s Bells’ signature creation. Each Maccabi delegation will receive a bell to take home as a reminder to practice kindness.
During the week, teens also assembled snack kits and hygiene packs for YOTO.
“JCC Cares provides an opportunity for teens to practice and live Tikkun Olam,” said Jennifer Selco, senior director of Jewish living and engagement at the J. “For this year’s JCC Cares project, we chose both Ben’s Bells and Youth on Their Own so that the teens could learn about two amazing local Tucsonan organizations making an impact for good in our local community.”
JCC Cares was also a chance for the teens to chat and compare the delegation pins they’ve collected.
Along with Ben’s Bell Co-Executive Directors Katie Kevershan and Autumn Rentmeester, and Volunteer Coordinator William Weaver, representatives of cities that will host upcoming Maccabi Games took part in JCC Cares on Wednesday.
Molly Hess, director of Jewish Experience, JCC Cares, and Hangtime for the 2026 games in Kansas City, hopes to create a similar hands-on learning opportunity that will make a big impact on the wider community.
The 2025 Maccabi Games also included a tzedakah project, Selco said, with teens bringing arts and craft supplies and other items to donate to the Diamond Children’s Medical Center Play Zone.
All teens got a chance to participate in JCC Cares. When the dancers’ time painting bells was up, their spots were filled by members of the Maccabi Games Star Reporter cohort.
Most of the Star Reporters did short video interviews, asking the athletes a single get-to-know-you question, said local teen Elliya “Ellie” Griver, a student at Catalina Foothills High School.
Many of the teens she connected with had never been here before, “and they talked about the dry heat like it was some foreign concept,” she said. She was surprised at how willing people were to talk when they saw her with a microphone, even asking to be interviewed.
Ellie said she feels fortunate to have a Jewish community center close to her home. “You get to see that you are not alone,” she said, adding that in addition to providing representation and educational opportunities for Jews, JCCs give members who are not Jewish a chance to learn a bit about the Jewish people.
Ethan Mutchnik of San Jose has played soccer, but said he wasn’t talented enough to play on a Maccabi team. Being a Star Reporter took him a step closer to his goal of a career in sports journalism.
The J used several of Ethan’s video interviews on its social media this week.
The Star Reporters met with different media organizations each day. Ethan had connected with representatives of Lost Tribe, a digital meeting place for Jewish teens and young adults, at last year’s games in Detroit; they were so impressed by his delivery of his signature line: “This is Ethan Mutchnik, signing off” that they still talk about it.
