New York City Bike Ride to Promote the Environment will Benefit the Center for Sport and Jewish Life
					Hazon (hazon.org), a pro-environment Jewish organization, is holding its annual New York City bike ride this year on September 3-6. Each year funds are raised to support various grass roots projects. This year the Center's newest initiative: RE-USE (Recycling at University Sports Events) has been selected as one of the grantees. We enthusiastically call upon you to join us at the Bike Ride. Check it out at http://www.hazon.org/go.php?q=/rides/2010NY/joinThePeopleOfTheBike.html and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fU8GfxKoWg You can receive a $100 discount on the "basic rider" category by entering discount code CSJL (case sensitive).  More details to follow.
Announcing the 6th SPORT and JEWISH LIFE Essay Contest
The Center for Sport and Jewish Life announces its current Sport and Jewish Life essay contest - ''Mitzvah-Minded: Promoting Fitness in our Communities''.  Read more...
MY FATHER THE JEWISH ATHLETE
With Father's Day just past, the following article offers a wonderful tribute to a father remembered for - among other things - his athletic feats, written by Helen Epstein, author of Children of the Holocaust and Where She Came From: A Daughter's Search for her Mother's History (www.HelenEpstein.com). A longer version of this article is available on Kindle as "Swimming Against Stereotype."
FROM NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS TO … THE WORLD  by Michael El-Saleh
Michael El-Saleh is a sophomore at Penn State where he is on the 2010 NCAA champion men’s fencing team. He also was on the U.S. fencing team that competed in the 2009 Maccabiah Games in Israel, and is a member of the Jewish Athletes Alliance, which is sponsored by the Center for Sport and Jewish Life. Mike recently competed in the Grand Prix in Shanghai, and headed from there to St. Petersburg Russia for another competition where he filed this special report to JewishSport.org      Click here for article...
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks to Omaha B’nai B’rith
Basketball legend and Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recently addressed the Omaha, Nebraska B’nai B’rith sports banquet, calling upon the NBA to reconsider one of its key policies.   Entire Article »
NEW FEATURE on JEWISHSPORT.ORG: Health and Fitness
It may be “a small, small world” at Disneyworld, but many of the nations represented at another Disney park – EPCOT – suggest otherwise. Both the United States and Israel are among the ten fattest nations, as reported in a recent study by the World Health Organization. With this in mind, the Center for Sport and Jewish Life announces a new feature – the Health and Fitness Corner. With the help of our advisory panel and others, we will feature articles dealing with nutrition, fitness, and personal/spiritual well-being. Stay tuned … (By the way, the Hebrew word for “fitness” is… kosher – most large hotels in the country have a “hadar kosher” – a fitness room.)  See article...
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Ani V'Ata - An Athlete-led Initiative Reaching out to Ourselves and Others - CLICK HERE
Across the country, hundreds and thousands of people are stepping up in a new spirit of volunteerism, a kind of re-incarnation of President Kennedy’s inaugural exhortation that we ask not what our country can do for us, but what we can do for others.  The Center for Sport and Jewish Life is issuing the call to athletes and others to join our initiative!
Would YOU like to write for the Center for Sport and Jewish Life?
The Center for Sport and Jewish Life is looking for writers interested in writing for us (interviews, etc.) and younger writers (ages 12-17) to write for our teen page. If you are interested, please write us at info@csjl.org.
OMRI CASSPI: LE’SHANAH HA-BA’AH … IN THE PLAYOFFS
Last year, Sacramento Kings rookie Omri Casspi was celebrating Yom HaAtzma’ut with friends and family in Israel. One year later, Omri has completed a whirlwind year having realized his dream of playing in the NBA. But just as surely as we recite at the Passover seder, (recalling Egyptian bondage and holding out promise for the future) “This year we are slaves. Next year may we be free people,” Casspi must be reciting his own wishes that “This year I played in the NBA; next year hopefully in the playoffs!”).    Entire Article »
Remembering Israel's Defenders - The Fallen Striker    by Uzi Dann
Each year on the eve of Israel’s Independence Day, the country observes Yom HaZikkaron, the Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers. This observance, immediately – and intentionally – followed by Yom HaAtzma’ut, Israel’s Independence Day, is a similarly solemn day, given over to remembering those who gave their lives during Israel’s battles and military campaigns to achieve statehood and vigilantly maintain secure borders. In 2010, Israel observes Yom HaZikkaron on April 19, and Yom HaAtzma’ut on April 20. Writing in the daily Ha’Aretz, Uzi Dann recalled a fallen Israeli sportsman.     Entire Article »
Omri Casspi - Israel's Ambassador in the NBA
Photo from NBA Sacramento Kings				While the Israeli delegation was marching in opening night ceremonies in the Vancouver Olympics, waving the blue and white national flag, some 1500 miles away another Israeli was representing his country as surely as if he, too, was waving the same flag. After being selected with the 23rd pick in the 2009 NBA draft (the first Israeli to be drafted in the first round, which guarantees a contract with a club), Omri Casspi has gone on to have what to date has been a memorable rookie year with the Sacramento Kings – capped by his being named to the Rookie All-Star team that played in the NBA All Star Weekend Rookie-Sophomore Challenge. And just like they have been doing ever since October 28, 2009, when Casspi marked his debut in the NBA as the first Israeli ever to play in the league, Israeli diehards were up at 4 AM to watch him play. Long after the All-Star game had ended, Casspi still had a grin a mile wide.       Entire Article »
Israel's Levy in Sunrise Challenger
				He once held the number 30 spot in ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) rankings, and in his heyday he beat Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick, Michael Chang and Tim Henman. But a hip injury set Israel’s Harel Levy’s career back. Today, at age 31, he is once more playing the challenger circuit, hoping to bring his ranking back to the top 100, but more importantly, he wants to just enjoy playing tennis. The man who helped Israel to the semi-final round of 2009 Davis Cup competition spoke to JewishSport.org.                           Entire Article »
GRUNER, MINTZ HELP LAFAYETTE TO WIN OVER RIVAL LEHIGH
February 21, 2010 --- It might not be Duke – North Carolina, but don’t tell Lafayette fans that. When Lafayette basketball hosts down-the-road Patriot League rival Lehigh it is standing room only. On February 21, Lafayette managed to avenge a 75-57 loss to Lehigh earlier this season with a 90-75 victory. Lehigh raced out to a 10-2 lead, but Lafayette responded with six three-pointers to take a 20-15 lead with 12:51 remaining in the half.  After that, Lafayette maintained a comfortable lead. Jared Mintz, who leads the Lafayette squad with 15.4 ppg, was questionable due to an injury suffered earlier in the week, but managed to contribute 9 points to the effort, while senior Michael Gruner added 12. Mintz is currently 13th nationally in Division 1 in field goal percentage (57.4%) and 23rd in free throw percentage (88.1). These stats put him at the top of the Patriot League in field goal percentage and second in free throw percentage, while he is sixth in rebounding (5.8 rpg). Lehigh and Bucknell currently share top spot in the Patriot League at 8-4, but will face each other on February 24, while Lafayette is just behind at 7-5. Bucknell soph Bryan Cohen was a member of the U.S. men’s basketball team that competed in the recent Maccabiah Games.  Lafayette Head Coach Fran O’Hanlon spent two years coaching in Israel in the 1980s. One of O’Hanlon’s players from those days, Moty Amisha, who currently works with Israeli high-tech company Amdocs in their European division, recently shared his memories of Coach O’Hanlon, “He was a brilliant coach and a great person… I have good memories of him.”
ZACK ROSEN: THE FIGHTING QUAKER
Some readers may recall the movie Friendly Persuasion, starring Gary Cooper, about the Quaker who wouldn’t fight during the Civil War. Philadelphia being a town where some of your best Jews are Friends (as the saying goes), one modern day Quaker is the embodiment of the fighting spirit. Well… Quaker by team affiliation, Jew by personal commitment.  Click for article
Mazal Tov, Omri!
Omri Casspi, Sacramento Kings' Israeli rookie, was named to the 2010 NBA All-Star Weekend rookie team that will match off against league sophomores. The Rookie Challenge game will be played in Dallas on February 12.   The Israeli forward, who has surpassed expectations with a strong first-half season with the Kings, will be joined - among others - by teammate Tyreke Evans, whom many consider to be the league's best rookie, along with Brandon Jennings (Milwaukee), Stephen Curry (Golden State), and Sweden's Jonas Jerebko (Detroit).   Through the first 42 games this season, Casspi has registered just over 12 points per game while playing 27 minutes. He has grabbed nearly five rebounds per game while shooting 47 percent from the floor.
HELP THE PEOPLE OF HAITI VIA JEWISH/ISRAELI ORGANIZATIONS
If you saw NBC Nightly News on Tuesday night you couldn’t help but feel a great deal of pride to see the report of how Israel dispatched two jumbo jets to Haiti immediately after last week’s disaster – one full of medical supplies and equipment, the other with medical personnel. The Israeli presence represents not only best example of Jewish sensitivity to the suffering of others, but also the most advanced high tech medical equipment, enabling the Israel medical team to see and treat a vast number of individuals in an efficient way and be able to share diagnoses with experts around the world in cases where consultation is needed.      THIS CALL IS FOR ALL VISITORS TO THIS WEBSITE who want to respond as a group to make a combined contribution...
Two Athletes Reach Career Highs
JARED MINTZ, junior forward on the Lafayette College men's basketball team, scored 26 points - a career high - in a December 29 game against the University of Delaware. After leading throughout the second half, Lafayette lost in OT to Delaware, 82-72. Mintz, who is Lafayette’s leading scorer, is currently fifth in Patriot League scoring with 14.7 ppg, and sixth in rebounds with 6 rpg. He leads the conference in field goal percentage with .604 (ranking him 26th in the nation) and is fourth in free throw percentage (.863). The Toronto native is also the top performing Canadian in the NCAA ranks (some 80 players), tied in scoring and rebounds with Andrew Nicholson of St. Bonaventure. Five days after the loss to Delaware, Mintz, together with teammate MICHAEL GRUNER (highlighted in an article posted on JewishSport.org) and the rest of the Lafayette squad held off an attempt by opponent Penn to win their own first game of the season. Despite a career high 30 points by Penn sophomore guard (and U.S. Maccabiah squad member) ZACK ROSEN (tying the Penn record, as well as the record for 3-pointers in a game with six), who spearheaded a 15-4 run in the second half, Penn came up short, falling to Lafayette 72-62.
Up Close and Personal with... Michael Gruner, Lafayette Basketball
				“When it comes to a good combination of academics and athletics, there are very few leagues that have this to the extent that the Patriot League does. So when I was offered a scholarship to Lafayette College (Easton, PA) it was exactly what I was looking for.”   More...
Casspi Hits 14 as Kings Lost to Heat
Congratulations to Omri Casspi for a good night's work - pumping in 14 points off 5-for-8 shooting (4-for-4 from behind the arc) in the Kings-Heat contest. Unfortunately a good night for Casspi wasn't enough as the Kings fell to the Heat 115-102.
Olympic record restored to 95 year old Jewish woman after 73 years
				Germany has restored the 1936 high jump record to a 95-year-old New York woman who was kicked off the Nazi Olympic team because she was Jewish. Read more here.
Holding “court” with Bruce Pearl
University of Tennessee head men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl is finally going to fulfill his dream of visiting Israel, when Pearl will coach the U.S. men’s team in the upcoming Maccabiah Games, which will take place in mid-July. “I had always planned after high school to go to Israel,” Pearl told JewishSport.org...     Entire Article »
An Israeli in the NBA ... Finally???
When the NBA holds its annual draft on Thursday night June 25, one more Israeli player wonders if he might be the first Israeli to actually play in the NBA. Doron Sheffer, Lior Eliyahu and Yotam Halperin have all been drafted, but to date, no player has ever worn an NBA uniform. Jerusalem Post writer Allon Sinai explores the possibilities that Omri Casspi might be the first.  Click here.
Israelis Help UCLA Men to NCAA Tennis Quarterfinals
Israelis Amit Inbar and Har'el Srugo teamed up on the no. 2 doubles court to defeat their counterparts from the University of Miami helping the #7 seeded UCLA men win the doubles point. Then Srugo won his singles match to help UCLA to a 4-1 win in opening round play of the top 16 Division 1 men's tennis teams. UCLA advances to the quarterfinals for the 33rd consecutive year. As a doubles team, Srugo and Inbar are 14-0 for the year. UCLA will face second-seeded Mississippi on May 16.
Seth Davis: The Rashi of College Basketball
		Rashi (aka Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki, 1040-1105) was the foremost Biblical commentator of medieval times. Known for his commentating on the college hoop scene, Seth Davis is similarly adept at exploring and explaining the nuances of the annual quest for that “one magic moment” known as the Final Four. Fresh from his TV duties, and having recently completed his book, When March Went Mad: The Game That Transformed Basketball, about the 1979 pairing of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, Seth took time to talk with JewishSport.org. Here is what he had to say...
Gail Brodsky: Tennis Up-and-Comer
			While most 17-year-olds are busy making spring plans for their prom, Gail Brodsky was pursuing a spot in the upcoming French Open. By mutual agreement with the United States Tennis Association and the U.S. Open, one wildcard spot for an American player who otherwise does not qualify for the main men’s and women’s draw was made available through a playoff, which was held at the end of April in Boca Raton, Florida. Brodsky was one of 11 young women seeking the wildcard spot.   Entire Article »
Israeli Tennis Players Take Center Court in California
		March 21, 2009. Indian Wells, CA - Israel was represented at the championship finals in both men’s and women’s doubles play at the Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open, which was winding up as March Madness was just getting underway elsewhere around the country.        Entire Article »
Derek Glasser's Spectacular Play Helps Arizona State Past NCAA 1st Round Play
	It was his first time at the Big Dance, and he stepped up with a huge performance. Junior guard Derek Glasser’s 22 points went a big way toward helping Arizona State							advance to beat Temple and advance to second round play in the 2009 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. More »	Photos by Bruce Yeung, Yeung Photography
Israel-Sweden Davis Cup Play: Down to the Wire
						Malmo, Sweden --- It was March Madness – after a fashion. After the second day of Davis Cup play, Israel trailed host Sweden 2 matches to 3. On the last day of play (3/8/09) Israel’s big gun, Dudi Sela, won his second match of the series, but it took him five sets to do it, after two of the three previous matches also went down to the fifth set. Now Israel was tied, and Har’el Levy, who had lost on Friday, faced Andreas Vinciguerra. Whoever won would present their team with a ticket to Davis Cup quarter-final play.    More »
This Andy Went to Dubai, That Andy Stayed Home
						Israeli tennis player Andy Ram got to Dubai after all. Following all the fuss with Shahar Pe’er, who was barred from entering the country and thus kept out of the women’s draw one week earlier, (and having been denied entrance along with his regular doubles partner and fellow Israeli Yoni Erlich in 2008), the UAE authorities granted Ram a visa at the last minute. Meanwhile, another Andy made history of his own by NOT showing up in Dubai.  More »
Israeli Davis Cup Team Faces Sweden in Empty Arena
						March 4, 2009 – Superman had his Fortress of Solitude. The Israeli Davis Cup team may have their own version in frigid Sweden when they meet the Swedes this weekend in the southern Swedish town of Malmo which is hosting the matches.    More »
Israeli Tennis Star Dudi Sela: Making A Racquet
						Dudi Sela is currently ranked no. 65 in the world on the ATP tour. He was in south Florida recently to compete in the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, and took time out to talk with the Center for Sport and Jewish Life.                                                                                                              More »
MATZO MATZO MAN - I WANT TO ASK THE MATZO MAN!
With apologies to the Village People... here's your chance to ask the experts. The Center for Sport and Jewish Life invites you to ask your sports-related questions, and we will do our best to obtain a knowledgeable response from selected athletes, coaches, sportswriters, sports physicians, trainers, nutritionists and others. Submit your question to info@jewishsport.org, and include your name (questions will be published using first names only), location, and if you play or are a fan of any particular sport(s).
Toledo's Kosher Point Guard
						Israeli Naama Shafir, starting point guard for the University of Toledo women's basketball team, is presumed to be the first orthodox Jewish woman to play Division 1 basketball, and is helping her team to surpass this season's expectations.    More...
Shahar Pe’er denied participation in Dubai Tennis Championships
						Responding to the denial by the United Arab Emirates to grant a visa to Israeli tennis player Shahar Pe’er to participate in this week’s Dubai Tennis Championships, Jewish leaders and Israeli officials have called upon the Women’s Tennis Association, under whose auspices the event takes place, to remove it from its 2010 calendar.                                              Entire Article »
Garrett Weber-Gale: Swimming to Olympic History
Garrett  Weber-Gale, Michael Phelps celebrate						Thrilling – amazing – a dream come true. That is how Olympic swimmer Garrett Weber-Gale described his summer at the Beijing Olympics. As it happened, he won a couple of gold medals in the process – and helped Michael Phelps win his history-making eight gold medals. Weber-Gale spoke with the Center for Sport and Jewish Life recently; this is what he had to say...
"SPORT and JEWISH LIFE” Winning Essay
						Earlier this year, the Center for Sport and Jewish Life held its 4th “Sport and Jewish Life” essay contest. This year’s theme – “What does it take to succeed in sports?” - was timed with the Summer Olympic Games. Click here to read one of the winning essays: The Attribute that Most Guarantees Success in Sports and in Life, by Adina Erdfarb. Check back soon for details of the next essay contest.

Blue (and White) Devil Jon Scheyer
	Some years ago, St. Joseph’s University’s men’s basketball team was scheduled to play Lute Olson’s Wildcats in Tucson. A snowstorm prevented the St. Joe’s team from getting to Arizona, and as a result they had to forfeit the game. To gain sympathy, St. Joe’s coach Phil Martelli (this was in the pre-Jameer Nelson glory days) commented that whereas Arizona had players that were McDonald’s All-Americans, St. Joe’s had players that ate at McDonalds. The point being, of course, that McDonald’s All-Americans signed to play at top programs. With 14 Final Four appearances (3rd behind UCLA and North Carolina) and three NCAA championships, Duke basketball is certainly one of those top teams, with its fair share of high school McDonald’s All-Americans. One member of the current Duke team holds the record as the only Jewish McDonald’s All-American to date. Sophomore guard Jon Scheyer recently spoke with our reporter. Here is what he had to say:   Entire Article »
Jon Scheyer

In Memoriam: Legendary Israeli Coach Ralph Klein, 1931-2008 It is with great sadness that the Center for Sport and Jewish Life shares with our readers the news that legendary Israeli basketball coach Ralph Klein has passed away at the age of 77. Klein served as one of two Honorary Presidents of the Center, along with MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. Klein had spent the past week in the hospital with health complications. Three years ago he battled cancer, and had subsequently been in remission. Klein has been recognized on numerous occasions for his many accomplishments. In 1998, he was chosen as Israeli Coach of the Half-Century. In 2006 he received the prestigious Israel Prize (something like the Congressional Medal of Honor), which is awarded each year on Yom HaAtzma’ut (Israeli Independence Day) to a dozen or so individuals from the arts, education, industry and other realms.  Entire Article » The Jewish Boys of Springtime On the Jewish calendar, March means Purim, and recalling the time that lots were cast to determine the fate of Persian Jews. For aspiring minor league baseball players, March means spring training, at the end of which ones fate is determined – as far as season assignments in the hierarchy of the clubs farm teams. Two Jewish minor leaguers, both pitchers, both in their third season of professional play, spoke recently to the Center for Sport and Jewish Life. Here’s what Avi Rasowsky and Josh Appell had to say about life in the minor leagues.   Avi Rasowsky                                                                                                                                             Josh Appell
Jewish Sports Center, HaKo'Ach, Re-opens in Vienna
	On March 11, 2008, the Associated Press reported that the Jewish sports club,  HaKo’akh of Vienna was being re-dedicated in its new home in the city’s Prater Park.  Almost 70 years to the day, on March 12, 1938, one million Austrians had gathered in Heroes’ Square to cheer on the arrival of the Nazis.        Entire Article »
HaKo'Ach's soccer team won the Austrian National Championship in 1924-25.

Duke soph Jon Scheyer scores career high 27 points in 96-95 loss to Miami

Trailing Miami by 20 points nearly 3/4 of the way through the game, Duke mounted a late second-half rally, only to see victory elude them in the final seconds of play. Leading the comeback effort was Jon Scheyer, who played like a man on a mission. After shooting 2-for-6 in the first half, Scheyer connected on 5 of his 7 second-half shots, including 4-for-5 from behind the arc. He sank 8 of his 9 foul shots to finish the night as the game’s high scorer. Jon Scheyer                                                                                                                              Entire Article »