Israeli team to take on Nets, host clinics

The Maccabi Haifa professional basketball team of the Israeli Basketball Super League has scheduled a full itinerary during their visit to the United States from Sept. 29 to Oct. 5.

First they will take on the New Jersey Nets in an exhibition game as the team moves into its new home at the Prudential Center in Newark, on Oct. 3.

The following day, members of the Maccabi team — which is owned by former West Orange resident Jeffrey Rosen — will take part in basketball programs for kids cosponsored by United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ.

The players will hold a scrimmage with high schoolers at the Ramaz School in Manhattan from 2-4 p.m. The students will raise funds for Maccabi Haifa’s charity program, Haifa Hoops for Kids, a joint initiative with UJC MetroWest that distributes Maccabi Haifa tickets to underprivileged and special-needs children in northern Israel who otherwise could not afford to attend a pro basketball game.

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The hoops scene moves to Newark later that day as the athletes participate in a free clinic sponsored by UJC MetroWest, the Diller Teen Fellows program, and the Network Youth Development Program of Newark for local teens in grades six-12. The event will be held at the UCC West Side Park Community Center on Monday, Oct. 4, from 5 to 7 p.m. Advanced registration is required and will be open until Oct. 1 at the center. Diller is a leadership program for Jewish teens run by UJC MetroWest.

On Tuesday, Oct. 5, Maccabi Haifa will host a “Play with the Pros” scrimmage at the Baldwin Gymnasium at Drew University, Madison, beginning at 7 p.m. where young adults who have traveled to Israel on Birthright Israel will have an opportunity to take to the hardwood with the Israeli team. The event is sponsored by Birthright Israel Next and MASA, Israel Journey in partnership with UJC MetroWest. MASA enables Jewish youth to spend a semester or year in Israel in any of 160 programs; Birthright Israel Next offers programming to help young adults build a life-long relationship with Israel and a firm commitment to Jewish life.

“We are excited to bring Maccabi Haifa to the United States to play the Nets as well as to have the team involved in the community to inspire American youth to strengthen their connection with Israel,” said Rosen, CEO of Triangle Financial Services in Aventura, Fla. “We are very appreciative of the sponsors, including Birthright Israel Next, Diller Teen Fellows, MASA, the Network Youth Development program of Newark, the Ramaz School, and UJC MetroWest that stepped up to help put these events together.”

For more information about Maccabi Haifa, contact Andrew Wilson at Triangle Financial Services, 305-933-8308, ext. 123, or awilson@trianglefs.com. For more information about the Newark Basketball clinic, contact Michal Greenbaum at 973-929-2966 or mgreenbaum@thepartnershipnj.org. For information about the Drew University scrimmage, contact Justine Reuben at 973-929-3054 or jreuben@ujcnj.org.