Troy -- While the athletes do their best to get in shape for competition, supporters in Metro Detroit do their best to get everything in shape for the upcoming 2008 Detroit JCC Maccabi Games.

   Nate Forbes and Dan Gilbert, honorary co-chairmen of the 2008 JCC Maccabi Games, sponsored a kick-off meeting in November for supporters of the Games at The Capital Grill in The Somerset Collection in Troy. Committee members came for a delicious array of appetizers and an evening filled with anticipation and excitement.

  In addition to Forbes and Gilbert, the honorary committee includes Jon Aaron, Peter Alter, Eugene Applebaum, Marcia Applebaum, Pamela Applebaum, Bob Aronson, Dennis Bernard, Douglas Bloom, Jeff Cohen, Bill Ford, Sam Frankel, Brian Glowiak, Hugh Greenberg, Nancy Grosfeld, Brian Hermelin, Jim Hiller, Bruce Israel, Joel Jacob, D. Dan Kahn, Shari Kaufman, Ron Klein, Barry Leshman, Hannan Lis, Howard Luckoff, Florine Mark, Allan Nachman, Norm Pappas, Matt Prentice, Steve Rosenthal, Mark Schechter, Karen Sosnick Schoenberg and Larry Wolfe.

  Forbes began by discussing the importance of the Games to the entire community and showing a video that offered an informative and fun history of the Games.

   Games Chairman Harold Friedman discussed why the JCC Maccabi Games means the world not only to the athletes who participate, but to the coaches and families.

   Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit President Todd Sachse and Executive Director Mark A. Lit also presented remarks, saying that the Games cannot be a success without involvement from the entire Jewish community.

   A highlight of the evening was the announcement of a generous gift of $250,000 from the Chrysler Foundation, presented by Foundation Vice President Brian Glowiak.

   Now in its 55th year, The Chrysler Foundation is the primary source of charitable grants made by Chrysler LLC. The Foundation annually supports hundreds of charitable organizations with an emphasis on community growth and enrichment, arts and culture, education, public policy and youth development programs throughout the United States and, increasingly, the world.