MACCCAAAABBBBIIAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!

I was looking through the blog and all of the comments that people have been leaving. It occurred to me that many of the memories that people have posted have to do with one of Eisner’s most beloved events, MACCABIAH. Those few days at the end of the summer have made millions of memories; apache relays, sports games, song, cheer, dance, and art showcases. Everyone has taken their own memories from particular events or happenings during Maccabiah, but there is one thing that all individuals from all four teams remember from each year’s Maccabiah, the “Break.” Check out a video of the break from last year..

Hundreds of campers year after year wait anxiously in those last few days of second session for the four colors to be miraculously splayed throughout camp. The word “madness” cannot even begin to describe the aura and energy of the campers during the Maccabiah break. The campers all ask the same question year after year, “How will they break it this year?” Sometimes it seems that everything has been done. Will parachutes fall from helicopters with the four different iconic colors blue, red, green, and gold? What about fireworks shows or fake emergency evacuations? We’ve seen it all…well that’s at least what we say every year until something new and crazy happens. It’s high time that we collect these “breaks” in this unofficial history book. This is where you come in. Tell us what the break was from your year (and even what the fake break was)! What crazy things do you remember? Truthfully I don’t even know how far Maccabiah goes back, maybe someone can answer that…

CHECK OUT THE BREAK FROM LAST YEAR…

MACCABIAH THROUGH THE YEARS (Winners in parenthesis)

1958-
1959-
1960-
1961-
1962-
1963-
1964-
1965-
1966-
1967-
1968-
1969-
1970-
1971-
1972-
1973-(White) Shomrim plans the break for Maccabiah and has large plans to contract a local pilot to drop different colored volleyballs with parachutes over the crowd of campers.  Shomrim reverts to their Plan B when overcast skies make it hard for to execute the initial plan. Instead Shomrim runs through the bunks in the morning screaming “Maccabiah.” Maccabiah 1973 ended with the dramatic drinking of the Fribbles.  Shomrim counselors “Les and Linda” had added up the points and had concocted a novel way to announce the winner. As the entire camp watched, one at a time the 33 members of Shomrim came up and were handed a Fribble. As they sipped it through the straw it came up either blue or white, and campers announced the color to the crowd. One half of the dining hall would scream and a point would be added to the total. It came down to the last Fribble, and Sue (Yael) Shuman went up to get it. Sue Schuman pulled the drink through the straw, but the camp couldn’t tell what color it was. She tried to yell it out, but no one could understand it at first. She finally spit out “White!”, and the white half of the dining hall erupted.- Contributed by Jim Levi
1974-
1975-
1976-
1977-
1978-
1979-
1980-
1981-
1982-
1983-In the New Facility, at the end of the “Muppet Movie” Rich Stoerger dressed as animal breaks through a paper screen followed by all of the Olim ‘83 unit.
1984-
1985-
1986-
1987-
1988-
1989-
1990-
1991-
1992- (gold) During a spirited chanting of the “Announcements Song” DF was thrown into the pool as the Chadar echoed with “Won’t shut up till they throw you in the pool…” DF emerged from the bottom of the pool with a banner announcing Maccabiah.-Contributed by Saul Wiener

1993-The Ron Dagan concert brought all of Eisner together in the New Facility. The final chorus of “Jailhouse Rock” concluded with “Maccabiah”–Olimers ran in to the Newf and some were posted on a platform above the stage, revealed when a sheet dropped at the chant of “Maccabiah.”-Contributed by Saul Wiener

1994-Olim runs through all of the Eisner bunks screaming “Maccabiah!!!!” to wake up all of the campers at 6 AM. Chaos Ensues.-Contributed by Melanie Wiener.  
1995 (Blue)-
1996 (Gold)- Unit specific breaks. Bonim plays Simon Sez in the Chadar Ochel and for the final question, Simon said “Maccabiah!!!” as Olimers ran out of the Kitchen. Ofarim played “how well do you know your counselor” which was promptly interrupted by Olimers. Probably the coolest, most classic part of the break happened for Tzofim. While they were watching Terminator 2, the movie was spliced in with a message from Olim that told them, “that’s right, it’s Maccabiah.” Olimers ran through the screen and led everyone to the Quad.
1997-
1998-There’s a fireworks show over the large soccer field with the four colors of Maccabiah.- Contributed by Melanie Wiener.
1999 (Gold)-Olimers (and adventure staff) repelled with ropes and harnesses off the sides of the New Facility (which was taken down at the end of the summer) after a unit play and break into the building.-Contributed by Melanie Weiner and Bevin Nicastro
2000 (Green)-Olimers hide in the bushes and as a helicopter lands on the Quad, the Olimers run out from everywhere screaming, “Maccabiah!”- Contributed by Melanie Wiener
2001 (Red)- As camp anticipated an evening break after the Bonim show, they have to wait until the next morning when as staff goes into the serving line in the new Chadar, Olim runs out of the outdoor as a big surprise. Teams rolls were called and then split into team breakfasts.
2002-
2003- Unit evening programs were interupted by face-painted Djembe players who appeared out of nowhere. Camp all ran to the old chadar where a Blue Man Group exhibition and blue light powered balloon drop happened.
2004 (Red)-
2005 (Green)-Indiana Jones is the theme for this Maccabiah! An “arc” is built to the exact dimensions as stated in the Torah. All units are shown a movie clip from “Raiders of the Lost Arc” on large butcher paper screens throughout different locations on camp. Olimers run through the back of the screens and bring all of the campers to the lake for a fireworks and fire twirler show where the different color tablets are brought out of the arc.
2006 (Red)- Fraggle Rock is the 2006 Maccabiah theme. Eisner brings “Camplified” concert series to camp. Olim 2006 paints themselves in the four different colors and rush into the rock concert as confetti cannons blast.
2007-
2008-

TAKE A LOOK AT THE GALLERY TO SEE WHAT MACCABIAH HAS BECOME!