When the Jewish Olympics — alias The Maccabi Games — open in Jerusalem on July 13th, hockey will be at the forefront for several reasons. For one reason, past games have been as intense as a Stanley Cup Final.
Edmonton’s Zach Hyman and the Rangers’ Adam Fox can attest to that. Each is an alumnus of past Maccabi ice tilts.
What’s more, the upcoming games will feature a historic breakthrough. For the first time the organizers have added a women’s hockey tourney to its agenda. My granddaughter, Odel, 17, will be playing defense for Israel against Canada and U.S. teams.
“This is a major advance,” says Mitch Miller of Ottawa, manager of Canada’s men’s hockey entry. “Our gals will be practicing hard for this event.”
Behind the Maccabi hockey scene will be Joe Cohen, who, for years, has been one of the most important and influential hockey figures. Cohen’s hockey involvement runs deeply in the sport although this enormously popular guy operates unobtrusively and without any fuss or fanfare.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman calls Joe, “A great man!”
Former owner of the Los Angeles Kings, dapper Joe was a confidant of NHL leaders such as Rangers president Bill Jennings, as well as Flyers owner Ed Snider and the league’s one-time chairman of the board Bill Wirtz.
Joe is so revered that none other than iconic Wayne Gretzky once said, “If there’s one person in the world who doesn’t have an enemy it’s Joe.”
“The Maccabi Games are special to me,” says Cohen, “because they allow me to combine two of my passions, hockey and the State of Israel.”
Currently a member of the Maccabi World Union’s board of directors and board treasurer, Joe will be accompanied by his wife, Rita, daughter, Mary, and Judy Gilbert, wife of the late Hockey Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert.
“I got involved with the hockey part of Maccabi in 2010,” Joe recalls, “and in 2014, the NHL helped out when club owners invested in improving the Olympic-sized rink in Metula on the Lebanese border.
“And with (NHL Commissioner) Gary Bettman’s help, in 2018, the league arranged for its portable rink to be installed in a Jerusalem basketball arena so that many more people could attend the games.”
“For me, it’s amazing to see hockey moved from a rink on the outpost on the Northern Israeli border to a major Jerusalem arena and have the games on live Israeli tv.”
Cohen, 75, singled out Maple Leafs owner Larry Tanenbaum among many current NHL leaders whose contributions have made the Israeli hockey games possible.
“I’d like to thank Maccabi CEO Eyal Tiberger for his support,” adds Cohen.
If current plans jell, President Joe Biden will drop the ceremonial opening game puck as part of his Middle East tour.
Cohen: “The president’s attendance at the opening ceremony is another major step in the growth of the Maccabi Games.”
Joe knows a ton about arenas. During his stewardship as head of MSG Networks, he masterminded the creation of the Rangers’ and Knicks’ fabulous training facility in Greenburgh, N.Y. Needless to say he’s a passionate Rangers fan and is as proud of the team’s accomplishments this season as any rabid fan.
“The Rangers long playoff run exceeded all expectations,” Joe says, “and was a highlight of my spring. For both the Blueshirts and the Maccabi Games, the future ahead of us is very bright!”