--- title: HR 1676. Yeshiva University Maccabees; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1676 cite_as: HR 1676, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1676 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1676.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1676/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74058 date: 2026-03-12 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1675.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1677.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 134 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1676.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1676 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-12 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Esther Panitch - Brent Cox - Deborah Silcox text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1676/2025 upstream_id: 2133291 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - college basketball - Yeshiva University - legislative commendation - NCAA Division III --- # HR 1676. Yeshiva University Maccabees; commend ## Text House Resolution 1676 By: Representatives Panitch of the 51st, Cox of the 28th, and Silcox of the 53rd A RESOLUTION Commending the Yeshiva University Maccabees; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the Yeshiva University Maccabees Men's Basketball Program has been playing competitive basketball for almost a century, beginning in the 1930-31 season; and WHEREAS, the Maccabees have demonstrated extraordinary athletic excellence, discipline, and sportsmanship throughout the 2025-2026 NCAA Division III season, and captured their second consecutive Skyline Conference Championship, finishing a remarkable 16-0 in conference play, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament and demonstrating unmatched dominance within their conference; and WHEREAS, Skyline Conference Player of the Year and senior guard Zevi Samet, a proud Jewish student-athlete who wears a kippah on the court, surpassed 2,500 career points during this tournament run, setting a new Yeshiva University single-game scoring record of 52 points earlier this season, and exemplifying the sustained individual excellence of this program; and WHEREAS, the Maccabees defeated Bates College in a heart-stopping NCAA Tournament first-round contest by a score of 71-69, winning on a clutch last-second free throw by senior guard Max Zakheim with just 0.2 seconds remaining on the clock, a victory that demonstrated the team's composure, resilience, and will to win under the most intense pressure; and WHEREAS, the Maccabees then advanced past the University of Maine Farmington in the second round, with junior forward Yoav Oselka, a native of Givatayim, Israel, delivering 24 points and 11 rebounds in a dominant team performance, sending Yeshiva to the Sweet Sixteen; and WHEREAS, this Sweet Sixteen appearance marks only the second time in program history and the first since 2020, a testament to the sustained program-building work of Head Coach Elliot Steinmetz and the dedication of the entire athletic staff; and WHEREAS, Yeshiva University is a proud institution of Jewish higher learning, founded in 1886, whose student-athletes compete with faith, integrity, and purpose, embodying the university's guiding philosophy of Torah U'Madda– the integration of religious devotion and secular excellence– demonstrating to the world that identity, faith, and athletic achievement are not in conflict but deeply and beautifully complementary; and WHEREAS, Yeshiva University counts among its proud alumni a significant and growing community of graduates who call Georgia home, making the Maccabees' success a source of particular pride and celebration throughout the state; and WHEREAS, the Maccabees serve as an inspiration to Jewish communities across Georgia, across the nation, and throughout the world, demonstrating the power of pride, purpose, and perseverance at a time when such symbols of Jewish strength and joy carry special and profound meaning. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend the Yeshiva University Maccabees Men's Basketball Team, Head Coach Elliot Steinmetz, and the entire athletic department on this historic achievement, and extend its warmest congratulations and best wishes as the Maccabees continue their pursuit of an NCAA Division III national championship. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to Yeshiva University President Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, Head Coach Elliot Steinmetz, team captains Zevi Samet and Max Zakheim, and the members of the Maccabees Men's Basketball Team. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution formally commends Yeshiva University's Maccabees men's basketball team and its coaching staff for their 2025-2026 season and Sweet Sixteen run in the NCAA Division III Tournament. ### Plain-language summary This is a commendation resolution, a symbolic statement passed by the Georgia House of Representatives rather than a law that changes anyone's rights or duties. It praises the Yeshiva University Maccabees Men's Basketball Team for winning a second consecutive Skyline Conference Championship, advancing to the NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen, and for individual achievements by players such as Zevi Samet and Max Zakheim. The resolution directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare copies for distribution to Yeshiva University's president, the head coach, team captains, and team members. It has no regulatory effect and does not appropriate funds or alter Georgia law; it simply records the House's congratulations and best wishes as the team continues in the tournament. ### What it does - Formally commends the Yeshiva University Maccabees Men's Basketball Team, Head Coach Elliot Steinmetz, and the athletic department for their 2025-2026 season. - Recognizes specific individual and team achievements, including a Skyline Conference Championship and a Sweet Sixteen NCAA Division III Tournament appearance. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to university leaders, the coach, and players. - Extends the House's congratulations and well wishes as the team continues pursuing an NCAA Division III national championship. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Yeshiva University, its Men's Basketball Team, Head Coach Elliot Steinmetz, players Zevi Samet, Max Zakheim, and Yoav Oselka, university president Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, and Yeshiva alumni living in Georgia. ### Why it matters As a commendation, the resolution carries no legal force and changes no law, funding, or policy. Its practical effect is recognition: an official record of the Georgia House honoring the team's achievements, distributed to the university and players named in the text. ### Key provisions - The resolved clause commends the Maccabees Men's Basketball Team, Head Coach Elliot Steinmetz, and the athletic department for their achievements. - A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies to named university officials and players. - The whereas clauses recite the team's season record, tournament wins, and individual player statistics as the basis for the commendation. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-12) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-12) - Sponsors: Esther Panitch, Brent Cox, Deborah Silcox - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74058 > The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1676.md?full=1