April 22, 2009
It’s the second night of Passover, and Jordan Farmar is warming up under the bright lights of Staples Center. His teammates have already slipped into the locker room to decompress before taking the court against the Denver Nuggets. Farmar is still taking shot after shot.
Who knew that basketball has a storied Jewish past, or that a non-sports guy like me would ever read, no less enjoy, a book about baseball umpires, Bruce Weber’s “As They See ‘Em” (Scribner, 2009)? Maybe it’s because Passover is a time of miracles — or is that Chanukah? Or Purim? Or the entire sweep of Jewish history? No matter. We’re here to talk sports, a subject I now know a little more about.
Cypres' vast sports collection, which fills 30 well-lighted galleries, is extraordinary and reflects its owner's deep love of sports history.
In response to the terrorist attack on Mumbai and its Chabad Center, three Los Angeles businesmen have put up $125,000 to enable a Jewish cricket team from India to participate in the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel.
Some still affectionately refer to the game that they and top coaches such as Red Sarachek and Red Auerbach developed -- emphasizing teamwork, crisp passing and defense -- as "Jew ball."
Jason Marquis became the first Jewish pitcher to hit a grand slam since 1950.
Israel’s biggest source of pride at the Beijing 2008 Olympics became its biggest blight this past week, after bronze medal-winning windsurfer Shahar Zubari called Chinese people “sh*ts” in an interview published September 5th in Israel’s Yediot Aharanot.
Virtual Rabbi (and Olympics fan) David Paskin presents a Shabbat message based on the determination and dedication of Olympic athletes
Four modern-day gladiators do battle for the gold (a lifetime supply of Gold's mustard) in the Heeb Olympics
Not surprisingly, Israel's first medal of the Beijing Olympics was not won in Beijing, but rather in Qingdao, where the sailing competition is being held.
The Shi Jia school put on events over the last two years to teach the students about Israel, how to say "Shalom," even had its students Skype with a school in Jerusalem. Of course, the school was following the progress of Israeli athletes along with China's.
U.S. swimmer Torres wins two silvers
Former record-holder is gracious as Phelps grabs the glory
American Jewish Olympic swimmer Jason Lezak followed up his relay heroics with a bronze medal in the 100-meter men's freestyle.
Israel’s tennis players were eliminated from the Beijing Olympics
Security checks are no longer just for airports in Beijing
'Bitachon' on his jacket (in Hebrew) means 'security'
At the same time Southland Jewish Olympians like Jason Lezak and Dara Torres medaled in Beijing, the next generation of local athletes was preparing to compete in events of their own.
In a strange Jewish sports irony, the gold for this half-Jewish team may come at a price to the legacy of iconic Jewish sports figure Mark Spitz
Jordan Farmar was in his familiar place in the backcourt on Aug. 5, scoring an easy shot. Only this time his teammates were not named Kobe and Pau but Daniel and Ibrahim, and instead of shooting to win, he was shooting for coexistence in the Middle East.
". . . I can't even explain it, it was unreal. I've been a part of the two teams at the last two Olympics that came out behind, and I think I wanted it more than anybody, not just for myself, but to show that we are the nation to be beat in that relay . . ."
An Iranian swimmer refused to compete against his Israeli counterpart at the Beijing Olympics
Record time, new record for winning medals in five different Olympiads.
American Sada Jacobson won a fencing silver medal, becoming perhaps the first Jewish medalist of the Beijing Olympics.
Christian, Jewish and Muslim clergy lead rally protesting Chinese persecution of Falun Gong and China's involvement in Sudan.
Director Oren Kaplan offers this 60-second 'commercial' for the 2008 Beijing Olympics
A day before the scheduled opening ceremonies in Beijing, Jewish World Watch (JWW) hosted at the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles
The largest contingent in Israeli Olympic history is eyeing its biggest medal haul as the Olympics get under way here.
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