MACCABI USA ANNOUNCES EQUESTRIAN COACHES FOR THE 20th WORLD MACCABIAH GAMES
Philadelphia, PA, August 31, 2016 – Maccabi USA Equestrian Co-Chairs, Sandra Cohen and Anna Sylvan-Jaffe, have appointed Equestrian Coaches, Kate Levy and Neal Shapiro, for the upcoming 20th World Maccabiah Games in Israel, July 4-18, 2017. Over 9,000 athletes will compete from 75+ countries.
Neal Shapiro was a member of the U.S. Equestrian team for over 12 years. He competed in the 1972 Olympics in Munich winning both the team Silver medal and individual Bronze medal. In addition, he has twice won the Grand Prix of Aachen, the world’s most prestigious show jumping competition. Shapiro was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 2010. As a past coach for the 2013 Games, he wants “to help build an elite equestrian team who will compete to the best of their abilities, as well as experience their heritage and the culture of Israel.”
Dedicating her life to her passion for horses, Kate Levy owns and operates Kate Levy LLC, a full-service boarding and sales business where she manages the care and training of first-class horses, brokers sales worldwide and coaches students to top national placings. Levy made the short list for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Gold Medal Show Jumping Team and is a consecutive winner of the Maxine Beard award. Having previously watched her family members compete in the Games, she “is looking forward to meeting Jewish athletes from around the world, bonding with a fabulous team and continuing her family’s tradition of participating in the Games.”
This will be the second time that the Maccabiah Games will include an Equine competition. Maccabi USA is scheduled to compete in Dressage and Show Jumping in the Open category. Jewish riders born in 1999 or older are encouraged to apply online at maccabiusa.com.
Maccabi USA builds Jewish pride through sports, generating the emotional intensity, high ideals, and powerful camaraderie of competition. We connect athletes, volunteers, and supporters with the global Jewish community. Our athletic, educational, and cultural experiences build Jewish identity, perpetuate Jewish continuity worldwide, and strengthen support for the State of Israel.
For more information, please contact Shane Carr, Program Director, at 215-561-6900 or by email at scarr@maccabiusa.com, or Maccabi USA Equestrian Co-Chairs, Sandra Cohen and Anna Sylvan-Jaffe, by email at sandracohen.nyc@gmail.com and a.s.jaffe@gmail.com.
About the organization:
Maccabi USA (MUSA) is a federally-recognized not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization with an extensive history of enriching Jewish lives through athletic, cultural and educational programs. The organization is the official sponsor of the United States Team to the World Maccabiah Games, and the Pan American and European Maccabi Games, as well as a sponsor of the JCC Maccabi Games for teens in North America. As the official Maccabi representative in the U.S., Maccabi USA supports Jewish athletic endeavors, enhanced by cultural and educational activities in the United States, Israel and throughout the Diaspora.
MUSA develops, promotes and supports international, national and regional athletic-based activities and facilities. It strives to provide Jewish athletes the world over the opportunity to share their heritage and customs in competitive athletic settings. MUSA supports programs that embody the Maccabi ideals of Jewish Continuity, Zionism and Excellence in Sport. Maccabi USA Builds Jewish Pride Through Sports.
Maccabi USA is a U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Multi-Sport Organization (MSO). The organization is one of 38 MSOs nationwide to be recognized by the USOC for its ability to cultivate a national interest in sport and increase opportunities for participation internationally, nationally and at the grassroots level.
###