When Dylan Kratchman first arrived in Israel for the 2026 Maccabiah Games earlier this summer, it finally began to dawn on her that she would be taking part in representing team USA in girls basketball on an international stage. With conflict between Israel and Iran at its height last summer, the Games could not safely go on. The Maccabiah Games, often referred to as the “Jewish Olympics,” is the largest Jewish sporting competition in the world. And it was just everywhere we went, ‘You’re from the Maccabiah Games?’” We were representing being Jewish, and it’s not like you’re coming here and trying to just win a medal.