Freeholder Patricia Sebold, second from left, presents, from left, Jamie Schneck, Allison Edelstein and Gayle Edelstein with commendations during a special presentation at the Orange Town Hall.
ORANGE, NJ — During a special presentation held at Orange Town Hall on Wednesday, May 24, the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders honored Gayle Edelstein, Allison Edelstein and Jamie Schneck for being selected to represent Team USA in the 2017 Maccabiah Games in Israel this July.
The Maccabiah is most notably referred to as the “Jewish Olympics” and is the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition in the tradition and values of Maccabi. The games emphasize the centrality of the state of Israel in the life of Jewish people and takes place every four years in Israel. The principal mission of the Maccabiah is to facilitate a worldwide gathering of young Jewish athletes in Israel, stage the highest possible levels of sports competitions, and strengthen their connection to the state of Israel and the Jewish people. Teams from France, Brazil, Germany, United States, Canada, Hungary, Australia and other locations will assemble in Israel to compete.
Freeholder Patricia Sebold presented each of the girls with commendations to commemorate their hard work and congratulated the girls, whom she considered leaders in girls’ volleyball in Livingston. As a retired schoolteacher, Sebold celebrated the young women for their academic and athletic achievements and wished them luck at the Maccabiah.
Gayle Edelstein, a graduating senior at Livingston High School, was one of two freshmen to make the varsity team at her school. She served as a starter for the team and was recruited by several universities to play volleyball on the college level. She will attend McDaniel College in Westminster, Md., where she will play on their Division III volleyball team. Gayle Edelstein has won many individual awards, including All State as a senior. Under her leadership, the volleyball team has won multiple county and conference championships.
Allison Edelstein, Gayle Edelstein’s sister, was also honored. Allison Edelstein began playing volleyball in the seventh grade and has excelled since then. She will graduate from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., and is also an alumna of Livingston High School. She is currently enrolled in the George Washington University Doctor of Physical Therapy program from which she will graduate in August. During her four years at F&M, she helped the team go to the NCAA National Tournament as a sophomore, and in her junior and senior years, she led the Centennial Conference in assists and passed the 2,000 career assists mark. Allison Edelstein has won many awards, including XX Super Essex Conference Championship, XX Group IV Championship and a New Jersey State Championship.
Schneck is a 2013 graduate of Livingston High School and a 2017 graduate of Springfield College in Springfield, Mass. She will continue her education at Life University Chiropractic School in Marietta, Ga. Schneck began playing volleyball at Mount Pleasant Middle School in Livingston. At Livingston High School, she helped lead her team to win multiple county, conference and state championships, including two Group 4 Sectional Finals and the 2011 Group 4 State Championship. She served as co-captain of the girls’ varsity volleyball team. She was named a Star-Ledger “High School Player of the Week” and was selected by the Star-Ledger as the 2012 “Essex County Girls Volleyball Player of the Year.” While at Springfield College, she and the team won the 2013 NEWMAC Conference and competed in NCAA Division III regional playoffs annually. In both the 2015 and 2016 seasons, the team ended their season at the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 round. In 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, she was named to the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference Team in Women’s Volleyball.
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