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.