Welcome back to Pull Up A Chair, our monthly podcast where we explore different themes and what it means to build and be a part of a strong Jewish community.

In this episode, we meet Paul Lurie, chief operating officer for the Jewish Community Centers in Park Heights and Owings Mills, agencies of The Associated.

Paul rose to his position by way of his work in the JCC Maccabi Games.

Since 1982, the Maccabi Games have offered a life and personality shaping experience to Jewish teens. Today, nearly 6,000 teens from around the world participate in this five-day Olympic style sporting event, held each summer in several North American cities.

Beyond athletic competition, the games promote community involvement, teamwork and cultivate a deep connection with Jewish pride.

In his professional career, Paul started out with Maccabi coaching baseball and inline hockey. Then he oversaw the Maccabi program at the JCC for more than a decade, which included being at the helm when Baltimore hosted hte games in 2007 and the combined Games and Arts Fest in 2010.

But it was when Paul was just a teenager when his trajectory into the world of Maccabi sports launched like a story that only Hollywood dreams are made of.

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View the episode’s full transcript.

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Pull Up A Chair is a monthly Associated Podcast where, each month, we sit down and talk with members of the Baltimore community. Hear the personal stories of Jewish Baltimore – from CEO’s to The Myerberg’s Bagel Boys to Summer Camp Sweethearts. We’ll laugh, reminisce and learn a thing or two about what it means to build a strong community. Pull Up A Chair – You’ll feel like you’re sitting in the room with us.