We're here!

It is certainly a long journey, but we are here in the Holy Land. Holy sh....

Some pictures from our first day include the hotel and a great dinner on the water in Tel Aviv. The big news, however, is that Elana is one of three that will be competing in all four events tomorrow! This was the coach's decision as only 5 of the 6 compete on each event and the top four scores count. Regardless of what happens, we are all very proud already.

Opening ceremonies tonight, so I will have pictures of that and the competition tomorrow. More picures on Abby's facebook page.

Feel free to post comments or email me. My blackberry is working great! dmolotsky@lawsgr.com

Update July 9th - Where's Waldo?

We have spoken to Elana regularly who is EXHAUSTED! They have them running like lunatics but she is having a "great" time. They have seen most of the major sites including the Wall, Yad Vashem, Masada, and the Dead Sea, and have been out until 1o and 11 at night before starting over at 6:15am for practice the next day. A few days of relaxation are on tap now as they gear up for the games to start on Monday. Thank God for Shabbat! First day of competition is Tuesday.

Where's Waldo? Maccabi USA has posted hundreds of pictures at http://www.maccabiusa.com/. There is a link on the main banner at the top of the page next to the pictures (It says "18th Games Photos now available"). Elana is in exactly 4. I only see her in two, but Abby says she's in the background of some of the Bat Mitzvah ceremony group shots. Anyone who finds her in any other shots wins a prize! The two clear shots are in the posed team pictures under "open sports". You can then click on the junior girls gymnastics to see her and the others in their competition leotards.

We leave in two days to join her! I'll have pictures and video once we get there. Stay tuned.

Update - Sunday July 5th

Well, we have no pictures as of yet but we've heard from Elana several times and she is doing great. They are practicing each morning beginning at 7am and then doing a full day of touring. Practices are going well, and they are adjusting to the new equipment. Largest problem so far has been converting their vault runs from feet to meters! The touring has taken them to the caves at Beit Guvrim and through the tunnels of Old Jerusalem. Tomorrow includes shopping in modern Jerusalem and the Holocaust Museum. Accommodations "feel like camp" as they are sleeping 4 to a room and staying up too late, but it's all good!

Elana Departs!

The adventure begins. Elana departed from Newark today with the balance of the USA gymnastics and other teams, bound for Israel. It was a stressful few final days, but we were all smiles this morning. Away we go!

Today's Article in The Voice

The Voice came out today with an aticle about the local atheletes for the games. This time Elana is described as "perky". They love those gymnast adjectives, don't they! Below is the excerpt. The full article (with a picture) can be found at http://www.jewishvoicesnj.org/news/2009/0701/home/001.html

"Perky 14-year-old Elana Molotsky, who attends Harrington Middle School in Mt. Laurel, identifies with Olympic gold medalist and winner of "Dancing with the Stars" Shawn Johnson.

Molotsky caught the gymnastic bug at a best friend's birthday party when she was just shy of turning three. The 5-ft., straight "A" student works on her vaults, floor and balance beam exercises five days a week. She even carried the theme of gymnastics to her bat mitzvah celebration. Bears holding "10.0" signs and lower scores were centerpieces at her party, and her sign-in board was a balance beam. They were donated to local charities along with a check to the Special Olympics as part of her mitzvah project."

TV Broadcast Channels

Where to Watch JLTV:

The opening ceremonies start at 8:30pm Israel time on Monday, July 13th. That means 1:30 in the afternoon here in the US. JLTV says they are broadcasting them live, so here are the channels:

DIRECTV:
Channel 366 (all 50 states)

Time Warner Cable:
Channel 120 in New York and New Jersey, in Hudson Bay area on Channel 137
San Antonio on Channel 491

You can also "stream" the channel live at their website, http://www.jewishlifetv.com/.

Jewish Exponent Article

Today's Jewish Exponent has an article about the games. Elana is quoted (and described as "pixieish"???). Anyway, below is an excerpt. The full article can be found at http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/19126/.

Wishing Them Well

Athletes from every age division -- from early teens to late 70s -- came together last week for a send-off reception held on the 43rd floor of the Comcast Center in Center City. At eye level with Liberty One and the Pyramid Club, athletes, family members and Maccabi USA personnel schmoozed and got to know one another in an informal setting in advance of rejoining one another next month at the opening ceremony at Ramat Gan stadium.

For 14-year-old Elana Molotsky, just making the games and being among so many athletes was a victory itself. The pixieish gymnast from Mount Laurel, N.J., was all smiles at the send-off, but clearly with lots of energy to burn.

"If I go and I win, then hallelujah," said Molotsky, one of the area's youngest competitors. "If I don't, then I competed internationally -- and how can you go wrong with that?"