HR 1676: Yeshiva University Maccabees; commend

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.