A response to NYT article about racist Israel

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on January 31, 2013

In Europe, new kosher ski options that won’t break the bank

Published on December 26, 2012

Skiing has always been something of a rich man’s sport. Between the costs of travel, accommodations, lift tickets and lessons, a family with children can easily drop upward of $6,000 for a few days on the slopes. If you keep kosher, the costs can be even higher.

Teshuvah and Penn State

Published on September 12, 2012

In our busy lives, there are lots of decisions to make. Although we know that quick judgments made without all the facts may be faulty, we do not have the time to dwell on each decision, and we learn to live with a kind of necessary impatience. Whether it is a route across town, what we want for lunch or the selection of a shirt to wear, we need to make our choices quickly and then get on with the day.

Israel and the world Pt. 17 - weekly news from Israel

By Noga Gur-Arieh
Published on August 27, 2012

Bentsch it like Beckham?

Published on September 8, 2007

Beckham is half-Jewish, or maybe a quarter Jewish, but what with anti-Semitism rising at the rate of 2.755 percent in North Dakota, according to scientific surveys, we can use every muscular tribesman we can get.

L.A. ‘boys of summer’ take to the diamond in Israel

By Carin Davis
Published on July 5, 2007

Creating a baseball culture in Israel is one of the league's biggest challenges and primary goals. In a country where soccer and basketball dominate athletics, will people jump on the baseball bandwagon?

Leaders of the PAC are back

By Carin Davis
Published on March 8, 2007

Alter Kayakers make waves in Newport Bay

By Barry Zwick
Published on December 21, 2006

The Alter Kayakers stand out for their awesome endurance and robust bearing, and they cram their days with endless bicycling, hiking, tennis, martial arts and river rafting. But no one has to quit when his abilities falter.

Come dive with me—Israeli skydivers training in SoCal

Published on October 19, 2006

Sharon Har-noy and Adi Freid make up the only all-female Israeli skydive team in the advanced category, which includes just six teams.

Pro soccer rookie Bornstein gives small goals a big kick

By Carin Davis
Published on October 12, 2006

ChivasUSA's Jonathan Bornstein is the top contender for the 2006 Major League Soccer (MLS) Rookie of the Year award. Not bad for the Los Alamitos native who was not invited to the MLS combine and was chosen in the fourth round (of four) of 2006 MLS SuperDraft (37th pick overall).

Circuit

Published on July 19, 2006

Circuit news.

My Yiddische Mama

Published on May 11, 2006

Up Front

Choices Snowball for Ski Adventures

By Adam Wills
Published on December 15, 2005

Skiers and snowboarders who want vacations with fresh powder have an avalanche of options this winter. Jewish ski trips abound for teens to 40-somethings of all skill levels.

Sportsmanship Starts With Parents

By Julie M. Brown
Published on September 1, 2005

Years ago, when my son was beginning his foray into competitive tennis, I entered him in a local, somewhat low-key tournament intended to introduce new players to tennis competition. I thought it would be fun. But as I watched my son's match, the activity one court over distracted me. A father was screaming at his son from the sideline, for making an error. The boy grew frustrated and angry; their interchange was embarrassing.

An official informed the father that he'd be removed if he could not keep quiet. A short while later, when the boy lost, he threw his racquet and burst into tears. He could barely bring himself to shake his opponent's hand.

Surprised? Not really. While there are multiple reasons some kids end up being bad sports, parents usually receive the most blame -- something we moms and dads ought to consider as another sports season is set to kick off.

Israel’s Grand Duo

By Bucky Fox
Published on August 25, 2005

Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram think they can win the upcoming U.S. Open. Come again? The Grand Slam tennis tournament that no Israeli has come close to winning?

"Every tournament we enter we think we can win," Ram said.

Erlich and Ram nearly backed that up two years ago at Wimbledon. They reached the doubles semifinals, and Ram butted into the mixed doubles final. That makes them the top Israeli Grand Slam duo in history.

Running the Gamut of Faith

By Carin Davis
Published on July 14, 2005

Racing fans don't fill out cross-country brackets at the office or lay down a C-note in Vegas on a marathon. But in his book, "God on the Starting Line: The Triumph of a Catholic School Running Team and Its Jewish Coach," Marc Bloom turns this discounted sport into a captivating tale and lures readers into its unexpected intensity.

Let the Games Begin

By Carin Davis
Published on July 7, 2005

Let the games begin -- in Israel.

The 17th World Maccabiah Games, an intense, world-class Olympic-style competition, will begin July 10 in Israel. The quadrennial games will bring together more than 7,000 Jewish athletes from 60 countries in 30 sports and four age divisions: youth, juniors, open and masters. More than 80 of those athletes hail from the greater Los Angeles area.

Shabbat on Slopes Takes Wrong Turn

By David T. Levinson
Published on February 3, 2005

To me, skiing is almost a religious experience. When you're flying down the back bowls, sun on your face, cool air filling your lungs and a warm feeling filling your heart, it's like you can feel the hand of God.

Letters to the Editor

Published on January 27, 2005

Letters to the Editor

Twin Triathletes Go for the Gold

By Carin Davis
Published on September 9, 2004

Ran and Dan Alterman are Israel's reigning triathlon champions. For the past four years, they have dominated the sport in their native land. Now, they look to bring their success to the international arena.

Israel Serves Up a Star

By Bucky Fox
Published on August 26, 2004

Smashnova-Pistolesi has done it on the go. She was born 28 years ago in Minsk, Belarus. Her family moved to Israel when she was 14. She stays at her parents' home in Herzelia when she's in the country. She has her own home in Italy, where she lives with her husband, the former pro Claudio Pistolesi.

A Kick Out of Torah

By Carin Davis
Published on June 3, 2004

What do you get when you cross Judaic philosophy with Chinese martial arts? Tora Dojo. The brainchild of Gandmaster H.I. Sober, Toro Dojo combines elements of traditional Karate and Kung Fu with Jewish spirituality. Tora Dojo, which started more than 30 years ago with 12 Yeshiva University students, is now taught to 30,000 people worldwide. There are no storefront studios; classes are held in synagogues, JCCs and at Jewish day schools and universities.

"Tora Dojo is a sport, but it's more of an art form," said Ben Andron, the head of Los Angeles' Tora Dojo West . "Students learn to defend themselves, fight, even break bricks, but the main goal is to improve their ability to focus and unlock unlimited potential."

Coming of Age on a Basketball Court

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on September 25, 2003

"I knew this could be a good story because so many different things had happened to people," said Dan Klores, sounding more like an introvert than a schmoozer. "You have a group of guys, and one is homeless, one wins a $45 million lottery, two lose their children and one lives without electricity or running water in Woodstock, N.Y."

Words From the Old Ball Game

By Rachel Brand
Published on May 29, 2003

In his new book, pop songwriter Seth Swirsky pays tribute to the sport that has played such an important part in his life.

Mainstreaming Makes a Difference

By Sharon Schatz Rosenthal
Published on July 18, 2002

Eight-year-old Tamar's fingers dance across a set of harp strings like small waves rhythmically pounding the surf. While the large instrument dwarfs her, she doesn't seem to mind as she sits and plays a complicated classical tune. After the musical interlude, she hops onto her living room couch; her shiny dark hair bounces as she moves. Her bright smile reveals a missing front tooth with its adult counterpart just barely poking through.

Rodeo: Not Just A Beverly Hills Street

By Mike Levy
Published on June 20, 2002

The broncs and the bulls are coming to Anaheim. Not the NFL or NBA variety, though -- real bucking broncs and angry bulls, with real cowboys holding on for dear life. The rodeo is coming to town.

Community Briefs

By Jewish Journal Staff
Published on February 21, 2002

Community Briefs

Karate Kids

By Ari Morguelan
Published on March 22, 2001

Look for these young stars to grace the Maccabi Games and the karate world in the near future.

A Jewish Olympian Reflects

Published on September 28, 2000

I had no idea of the impact that our gold-medal victory in the 1984 Games would have on not only my life, but on the lives of others as well.

Starting Over

By Peter Ephross
Published on September 14, 2000

Millions of immigrants have flocked to the United States looking for streets paved with gold. Lenny Krayzelburg, who came to Los Angeles from Odessa, Ukraine, in 1988 is searching for gold as well - but in a pool at Sydney's Olympic Games.

Olympic Moments

By George Eisen
Published on September 14, 2000

That Jews have been prominent in the history of ancient and modern sport, and specifically the Olympic Games, should not come as a surprise. We tend to forget that one of the sparks that ignited the Maccabbees' revolt was - as the Jewish historian Josephus Flavius recorded some 2,000 years ago - that some high priests in Jerusalem's Holy Temple neglected their holy duties and instead, exercised in the nude, Greek style. Josephus also recorded that Herod the Great [Herod The Wicked, to some], King of Judea, saved the ancient Olympic Games from bankruptcy by endowing them with gifts and revenues upon which "he was generally declared in their inscriptions to be one of the perpetual managers of those games."

Exercise is Good for the Soul

By Ilene Springer
Published on June 29, 2000

Maybe it's a stereotype, but Jewish people have always been considered smart. Not just by others but by themselves, too. We pride ourselves on making education a priority for our children. We encourage them to study, to go for the extra credit, and we imbue them with the value of education that they will pass on to their own children. But there's a type of education that we - and many other Americans - have been ignoring, that may have a direct impact on brain power: physical education. According to new research by neuroscientists and educators, physical exercise "may boost brain function, improve mood, and otherwise increase learning," writes Dolores King for the Boston Globe.

A Sports Complex as “Civic Presence”

By Kerri Zerlin
Published on February 10, 2000

Even before celebrities and community leaders gathered to cut the ribbon on the Ferne Milken Youth & Sports Complex last December, Eli Sherman was out visiting San Fernando Valley malls, neighborhoods, schools and synagogues, urging all Valley residents to treat the complex as their own.

Co-Existence on the Court

By Helen Schary Motro
Published on November 18, 1999

The inspiration and driving force behind "Co-Existense" is the energetic and visionary, Freddie Kravine, 80, who serves as president of the Israel Tennis Federation and is one of the original 1976 founders of the Tennis Center.

Glorifying DiMaggio, but Not His Times

By Yehuda Lev
Published on March 11, 1999

By the time you read these words, the death of Joe DiMaggio will be old news.

How Do We Egage Teens?

By John R. Fishel
Published on November 12, 1998

There are more than 30,000 Jewish teen-agers in Los Angeles -- how do we engage them?

From Worst to First

By Naomi Pfefferman
Published on November 13, 1997

After the Yeshiva University High Schools of Los Angeles crosscountry team won the Westside League finals on Nov. 6, a competitorwas puzzled. "You guys were so bad last year," the rival asked RaphyHulkower, 15. "What happened?"