Marblehead resident David Pliner, this year's Jewish Community Center of the North Shore's Volunteer of the Year, loves sports, kids and the JCCÉand not necessarily in that order! David's passion for all three is the reason that he's participated in the Maccabi Games for the better part of the last ten years. The Maccabi Games are Olympic-style games that bring together Jewish teenagers from all over the world.

David will be honored at The JCC of the North Shore, 4 Community Road in Marblehead on Tuesday, April 30 at 7pm.

David grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and graduated from Ohio State University. David says he "discovered " Marblehead and the JCC in 1983. David starting participating in the basketball leagues when he joined the Center. "As a single person who really didn't know anyone in the area, the JCC was like a home to me. And, I was very fortunate to find the JCC, because there was nothing like it when I was growing up."

He was married in 1986, and now has three children. The JCC has played an important part in their lives too, from Preschool, camps and other programs. They even accompany him to the Maccabi games now.

In 1992, Harold Zimman (longtime friend, and former JCCNS President) wanted the JCC to be able to send a delegation to that year's games in Baltimore, and David was delighted to be a part of the JCCNS first-ever delegation to go to the Games. He participated as the basketball coach, and 42 teens went to play. "It was a thrill," David says, "The teams did well, and we got our first taste of the Maccabi Games. I've been involved for seven out of the last ten years." (He took a couple of years off to raise his kids.) He's been a coach for six of those seven years, where one year he went as the delegation head.

What brings David back to volunteering for the Maccabi Games year after year? "The Games still are thrilling to meÑthe opening ceremonies, and seeing and interacting with Jews from all over the world is very meaningful." And now he has some company at the Games. For the past three years. his entire family accompanies him. ÔThey have a wonderful time meeting other kids and trading pins from all over the world." He also says, "I love basketball and coaching and teaching the kids. It's one of those things in life that you can't realize how meaningful and fun this event is until you participate. For all of the preaching and convincing I've done (to enroll others to volunteer) the words can't describe the experience". He says it's not just about the sports. "Even though we won the silver (medal) last year (in basketball) there were years we were just lucky to win a game. The silver was a bonus, but the experience would be just the same without it".

To folks who have not had the experience of being a part of volunteering, David says, "These kids may never have a chance to interact with Jews from all over the world again. A lot of the kids will make life-long friends. That is a very special experience". David feels that there nothing more important the JCCNS can offer our kids than the experience of participating in the Maccabi Games. His personal goals are to increase teen attendance at the games, and to see an all-girl's team in the near future.

Congratulations to David Pliner and many thanks for his thousands of hours of dedication to the JCCNS, the Maccabi Games, and the teens of the North Shore.