Doylestown Gold Medalist Returning To World Maccabiah Games

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. — Doylestown native Ellen Goldstein will be embarking on a second trip of a lifetime following the Fourth of July weekend.

Goldstein, who won gold at the World Maccabiah Games in 2017 as a member of the U.S. Women’s Softball Fastpitch Team, is returning to the games this summer in hopes of leading the team to gold as its assistant coach.

The Pine Run director of fitness and aquatics is representing the United States in this year’s games, the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition, usually held every four years in the tradition and values of Maccabi, emphasizing the centrality of the State of Israel in the life of the Jewish people.

The games have grown to include nearly 10,000 Jewish athletes from more than 75 countries competing in 40 sports, making it the third largest international multi-sport event in the world following only the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.

Goldstein will be part of the U.S. delegation, which will be sending 1300 athletes, coaches and managers to the games.

“There’s nothing like having USA across your shirt, playing at such a high level and representing the whole United States,” she said. “There’s not that many people who get to experience that and representing your country.”

Goldstein, who played women’s softball at Central Bucks West and at Ursinus College and who helped coach at C.B. South, said she’s looking forward to the opportunity to help lead the women’s team, a group of 13 women ages 18-35 from across the United States, into the winner’s circle.

“It’s going to be exciting to bring these women the same experience I had,” said Goldstein. “Hopefully, working with the head coach, we can lead them, they can play their hearts out and we can go home with a gold medal as well.”

The team will come together for the first time in Israel. After that they will have four or five practices before heading into competition against teams from Israel and Canada.

“We have a lot of great players, most of whom are either in college or just finishing college, so they are all coming off their seasons. They are all fresh and ready to go,” she said.

The Maccabiah Games meet for three weeks in Israel in July. Week one is known as Israel Connect and provides education and tourism opportunities for the participants as well as time for the team to meet and practice together. Weeks two and three consist of the opening ceremonies at Teddy
Stadium in Jerusalem on July 14 followed by the games, which are played throughout the nation culminating in gold medal ceremonies for each event.

Goldstein compares the opening of the games to the pageantry of the Olympics, with a parade of nations and the official lighting of a caldron following a torch relay throughout the country.

“When they call it the Jewish Olympics, they are not exaggerating,” said Goldstein. “I can tell you that the level of energy and excitement when you’re waiting in the tunnel to come out during opening ceremonies, is just palpable."

For the games, she will be staying in Tel Aviv and coaching games at Kibbutz Gezer and at Baptist Village, both located outside of the city.

Back at home, Goldstein's fans at Pine Run will be rooting for her success. And she has been buoyed by the excitement and energy coming from the Villagers in the lead up to her trip.

“We are excited that Ellen is representing Pine Run and the United States at this prestigious sporting event,” said Maria Santangelo, executive director at Pine Run. “Ellen’s ability to connect with and build relationships with our Villagers is extraordinary. She has been a guide and advocate for our Villagers on their wellness journeys and we are so proud to support Ellen as she demonstrates her leadership and talents on the world stage.”

Goldstein joined the Pine Run Healthy Living team in September 2019. She is a magna cum laude graduate of Ursinus College where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise and sports science. She also is a certified trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine.

Prior to joining Pine Run, Goldstein taught health and physical education in the New Hope Solebury School District, Central Bucks School District, and at the Windmill Day School in Doylestown.