Spotlight #36: Maccabee

Maccabee Ben-Horin, age 43. Born into an ultra-religious family, he was quickly bound to the strict teachings and lifestyle of the faith for most of his early life. As such, he constantly found himself at odds with his parents, but ended up falling in line the more he aged.

One day, he met a Japanese archeologist by chance, and after bonding with her, made the big decision to elope with her and abandon his ultra-religious lifestyle for a more secular one. Moving to Los Angeles, the couple had a single daughter, whom they named, Noa.

As he has an affinity for Hanukkah due to his namesake, he quickly developed a thing for dreidels, to the point where he carries many around with him at all times. He's entered a few dreidel spinning contests, but his talent there pales in comparison to his chess prowess. Even over 40, he still plays 2700-level chess.