http://www.jstandard.com en-us http://www.jstandard.com N/A editor@jstandard.com Sat, 06 Sep 2008 10:59:52 MDT 20 http://www.jstandard.com/articles/4578/1/Jews-in-China-roll-out-red-carpet-for-tourists%2C-athletes Dini's kosher restaurant in Beijing plans to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, during the 2008 Olympic Games. Alison Klayman BEIJING - Gold medalists won't be the only ones climbing podiums in Beijing once the 2008 Olympic Games are under way. Isaac Shapiro will be stepping up to celebrate his bar mitzvah. Isaac, of Highland Park, Ill., will be called to the Torah at the Chabad House in Beijing on Aug. 16. Isaac and his family are among the hundreds of Jewish tourists, athletes, dignitaries, and media expected to converge on the Chinese capital for the 2008 Olympic Games, which begin Aug. 8. Alison Klayman Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/4577/1/Rhythmic-gymnasts-go-to-the-mat-with-approach-born-in-FSU Irina Risenzon, a Ukrainian immigrant to Israel, practices her routine in preparation for the rhythmic gymnastics competition at the Beijing Olympics. Brian Hendler NETANYA, Israel - On one side of the cavernous gym, six members of Israel's first Olympic rhythmic gymnastics team warm up in a circle, chatting softly in a mix of Russian and Hebrew while stretching their legs in effortless splits on the mat. Nearby, Irina Risenzon, a fellow gymnast competing in the individual category, is trying to master a leap in which her head must tilt backward to meet a bent leg. It's late afternoon and the young women, ranging in age from 17 to 22, have been practicing for much of the day. In black T-shirts and black shorts, they appear to be in uniform, reinforcing a feeling of discipline and order that marks their training and routines. Dina Kraft Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/4576/1/Swimmers-lead-U.S.-contingent-of-Jewish-athletes-in-Beijing Garrett Weber-Gale, who won the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials, is one of four Jewish swimmers on the American squad going to Beijing. A. Dawson/flickr For Jason Lezak, Ben Wildman-Tobriner, and Garrett Weber-Gale, the marketing possibilities are endless - perhaps "The Three Chaverim" or "Jews in the Pool." All three Jewish sprinters are hoping to make a splash as part of the U.S. men's swimming team heading to Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Not only will they be competing as individuals, but they are expected to make up three-fourths of the 4x100-meter freestyle relay team. Marc Brodsky Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/3491/1/An-Orthodox-marathon-man Martin Bodek approaches the finish line. Brightroom Event Photography PASSAIC - He started his morning at the so-called Marathon Minyan on Staten Island, along with about five dozen other hopefuls. He fueled his 26-mile, 385-yard run with kosher snacks and drinks. And though 32-year-old Martin (Mordechi) Bodek of this city did not win the Nov. 4 New York City Marathon, he completed the grueling race in four hours, 40 minutes, and nine seconds - close to his goal of 4:24 and with enough time to get to afternoon services. Abigail Klein Leichman Fri, 23 Nov 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/3454/1/With-the-glove-and-the-bat%2C-Jews-sparkled-on-the-diamond Ryan Braun, at bat, was just named "Rookie of the Year." Courtesy of the Milwaukee Brewers Ryan Braun this season accomplished something that Sandy Koufax, Hank Greenberg, or any other Jewish Hall of Famer never did: He was named Rookie of the Year. Braun, the slugging third baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers, picked up the award Monday in the National League. In the voting by the Baseball Writers of America, Braun edged Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, 128-126. "To show you how good Ryan was, in any other year Troy Tulowitzki would have won hands down," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin told The Associated Press. Martin Abramowitz Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/3190/1/First-IBL-player-turns-pro BOSTON - Rafael Bergstrom, a 6'5" righthander who last month hurled a complete game shutout to lead the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox to the championship, has become the first player from the Israel Baseball League signed to a pro contract in the U.S. Bergstrom, who turned 26 on September 5, has signed with the independent Atlantic League's Bridgeport (CT) Bluefish, managed by former big league star Tommy John, and will join the team immediately. The league's regular season ended September 16. Jewish Standard Fri, 21 Sep 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/3114/1/Israeli-tennis-stars-unveil-plan-for-U.S.-Jewish-athletes Israeli tennis players Jonathan Erlich, left, and Andy Ram are launching a foundation to help American Jewish athletes. In the philanthropic equivalent of a return volley, two top Israeli tennis players who have received the support of American Jews want to raise money for disadvantaged American Jewish children. Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich, a doubles pair ranked sixth in the world, are trying to start a foundation that would provide grants to young American Jews for their athletic training. Jacob Berkman Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/3113/1/Rookie-could-make-history-%97-but-will-he-cut-Yom-Kippur%3F As the baseball season heads into the home stretch and the High Holy Days approach, Ryan Braun is supplying a double dose of suspense: Will the Milwaukee Brewers' slugging third baseman become the first Jewish player to be named Rookie of the Year in either league? And does he plan to take a day off on Yom Kippur in the tradition of Hank Greenberg, Sandy Koufax, and Shawn Green? Braun, 25, has made an impact since his debut at the end of May. The California native made history in July by becoming the first player to be named the National League's Rookie of the Month and Player of the Month. Martin Abramowitz Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/3077/1/Team-wins-injunction-against-harassers BERLIN - An anti-Semitic incident has led to chaos in amateur soccer in the German capital - and there seems to be no resolution in sight. What started as an extreme example of harassment on the field has led to the advancement of the TuS Makkabi team within the amateur ranks. It's not exactly what officials of the Jewish team had in mind when they protested against the anti-Semitic behavior of fans last fall. Toby Axelrod Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2903/1/On-your-mark%2C-get-set%2C-go-to-the-Maccabi-Games The first time I experienced the opening ceremonies of the Maccabi Games it was awe-inspiring," says Maccabi Games alum Steven Mark. The annual games, known as the "Olympics" for Jewish teens, attract athletes from around the globe and give participants the chance to compete in one or more of 14 individual sports. This August, more than 50 delegations will attend, at three different sites. "You can't duplicate the experience," Mark continues. "You look around and you realize there are people all over the world that you have a connection to, even though you've never met." Maureen Jeffries Fri, 13 Jul 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2845/1/Miracle-victory PETACH TIKVAH - In an atmosphere that was both ceremonial and heimesh, pro baseball made its debut in Israel. The visiting Modi'in Miracle defeated the Petach Tikvah Pioneers, 9-1, in Sunday's opening game of the Israel Baseball League's inaugural season. Martin Abramowitz Fri, 29 Jun 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2788/1/Coming-together-on-the-court A member of the Lithuanian team hangs from the ring after dunking, as Russian team members watch helplessly during the Friendship Games at Tel Aviv University on June 3. Brian Hendler/JTA RAMAT AVIV, Israel - As the pony-tailed Polish point guard tried to dribble past a towering Chinese defender, rooters in a cacophony of languages cheered from the bleachers. Russian, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, Serbo-Croatian - they all could be heard as Poland and China battled in the women's championship game of the second annual Friendship Games. Dina Kraft Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2730/1/Israeli-born-women%92s-basketball-player-heads-to-New-York SHay Doron   After four years at the University of Maryland, women's basketball guard Shay Doron has been drafted No. 16 overall by the team she's been watching most of her life - the New York Liberty. Doron moved from Israel to Great Neck, N.Y. at the age of 3. Since it was created, the New York Liberty has been her team and guard Becky Hammon has been her hero. When Doron was drafted earlier this year, it left her speechless. Nadine Simpson Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2609/1/Clutch-win Life imitated art for the Cougars, who won the JV championship of the MYH basketball league. It seems that every sports movie has the scene, where in an hour of crisis, a coach or a player inspires the team to victory with a rousing speech during halftime, as a crescendo of music builds in the background. So many real-life sports figures have been romanticized in these Hollywood tales, it's tough to say if Knute Rockne ever really asked his team to "win one for the Gipper" or if it was just Ronald Reagan. However, sometimes life imitates art, as the Frisch Cougars Junior Varsity girls' basketball team recently found out. William Gary Fri, 04 May 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2572/1/Batter-up%21 With nine weeks remaining until the June 24 opening game of the inaugural season of the Israel Baseball League, online ticket sales have gone live this week (with orders in shekels accepted beginning next week), and a player draft will be Webcast later this month. Jewish Standard Fri, 27 Apr 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2541/1/Closter-Kadima-team-wins-championship Back row from left to right: Coach Gary Evans, James Bassen, Alex Frankel, Matt Citak, Micheal Grunstein, Eric Lesorgen, and coach Larry Rothstein. Front row from left to right: Noah Rothstein, Zack Kovar, Closter Kadima Basketball coordinator Tammy Ween, and Alec Evans. The Temple Emanu-El of Closter Kadima basketball team from New Jersey's Hagalil region went 12-0 this season, winning the 2006-2007 championship title. The team of sixth- through eighth-graders, coached by Larry Rothstein and Gary Evans, held practices at the JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly. Kadima is a division of United Synagogue Youth of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. The championship game was held on Sunday, March 25, at the East Brunswick Jewish Center. The final score of the game was Closter 52, Pine Brook 33.  Other games through the undefeated season were played at Neve Shalom in Metuchen, the Pine Brook Jewish Center, and the East Brunswick Jewish Center. Jewish Standard Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2507/1/Lou-Limmer%2C-who-played-a-role-in-Jewish-baseball-history Lou Limmer, part of a little-known bit of Jewish baseball trivia, died April 1 at age 82 in Boca Raton, Fla. The Philadelphia A's first-baseman appeared in a total of 209 games in 1951 and 1954, batting .202 with 19 homers, 62 RBIs, and three stolen bases. Martin Abramowitz Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2478/1/After-the-Storm The Torah Academy of Bergen County floor hockey team had been the underdogs in every big game of the season, yet they were victorious in all. Now they faced off against Davis Rehnov Stahler Yeshiva High School of Woodmere, N.Y. There were two predictions of the championship's final score, neither of which gave TABC a chance. Jewish Standard Thu, 05 Apr 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2419/1/Paramus-takes-league-title Coach Marc Sapin, back row, left, and assistant coach David Bosworth, back row right, celebrate with the winning team. KEN HILFMAN PHOTO It was a bitter end to an undefeated 8-0 season for Passaic on Sunday as its seventh- and eighth-grade team bowed to a superior Paramus JCC quintet, 62-44, for the division championship of the North Jersey JCC basketball league at the YM-YWHA gym in Wayne. With a large lead throughout the game, it was a decisive win for the Paramus players, who had the advantage of height and chalked up more turnovers and rebounds. The team, not wanting to repeat past history - it suffered two losses to the Passaic team during regular season play - also had a game plan, said coach Marc Sapin at the final buzzer.   Ken Hilfman Thu, 22 Mar 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2384/1/Young-man-with-a-big-heart Historically, Jews haven't been known for their prowess in basketball. With the exception of some great Jewish-led teams in the 1940s, most Jews have found themselves watching the court rather than playing on it. But with basketball gaining popularity in Israel, it's only a matter of time before it gathers steam here as well. And maybe Jon Lubat, a senior at The Frisch School in Paramus, will be the person to lead the Jewish charge. Will Gary Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2383/1/Baseball%2C-Passover-share-openers The opening day of baseball season coincides with the first night of Passover this year. Steve Pittleman This certainly won't be the first time that opening day of baseball season coincides with the first Passover seder, but the confluence seems particularly appropriate this year. Why is this spring training different from all other spring trainings? It turns out that this winter saw the greatest exodus of Jewish Major Leaguers, or JMLs, in the history of the sport. Six of last year's record-tying 13 JMLs will begin the 2007 season with new franchises, and three are among the top 10 Jewish players in career rankings. Martin Abramowitz Thu, 15 Mar 2007 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2323/1/Israel-launching-a-pro-baseball-league Players try out for the new Israel Baseball League in Petach Tikva, Israel. Israel Baseball League Modi'in may not be the Mudville of Casey fame, but its Miracles will enter baseball lore when their pitcher unleashes his first fastball against the Petach Tikva Pioneers on June 24. The central Israeli town is hosting the opener of the new Israel Baseball League, which will feature six teams playing a 45-game schedule this summer, officials announced Monday at a press conference in New York City. IBL officials are hoping the league will quickly spur Israeli interest in American baseball - they aim to draw about 1,000 fans per game in the first year - while government officials hope it will help boost Israel's image abroad. Jacob Berkman Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2293/1/Israeli-school-gives-athletes-a-leg-up Mekora Tarapeh would run up the steep, pine-covered hills on the outskirts of Addis Ababa for hours with friends, not realizing that his running talent would eventually help bring him to Israel. Tarapeh, 19, along with several other Falash Mura teenage boys, was identified by an Ethiopian-Israeli running coach. Soon after, Tarapeh's family's immigration request was granted after an eight-year wait. Tarapeh now rises at dawn for runs with a view of the Mediterranean Sea. He's training as a long-distance runner at Hadassah-Neurim, a boarding school near Netanya that helps immigrant students fulfill their athletic potential. Dina Kraft Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2226/1/En-garde Emily and Wesley Hauptman A talented young fencer isn't someone you run into everyday. Meeting two at once is even less common. But visit the Hauptman household in Ridgewood and you'll find two of them living under the same roof. By all account, 12-year-old twins Wesley and Emily have quickly become - under the tutelage of longtime fencing instructor Frank Carnevale at the YJCC in Washington Township - two of the best young fencers in northern New Jersey. Wesley started fencing when he was in fourth grade; Emily started a year later. A family friend introduced them to the sport, which Emily says is "better than fun," comparing the strategy of fencing to "human chess." Both fencers love the tactical aspect of the sport, especially as they try to counter the lunges of their opponents. Accordingly, they display great respect for the artistic and dignified aspects of fencing, placing a premium on sportsmanship over cheap tricks. William Gary Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2102/1/Israel-rides-a-wave There may not always be strong waves on Israel's Mediterranean shore, and sometimes there are no waves at all. But that hasn't stopped 20-year-old Mor Meluka from becoming the first Israeli surfer to compete in the trials for the upcoming 2006 Billabong ASP World Junior Championships in Australia, the most prestigious junior surfing event in the world. "The first time I surfed was when I was six years old. I loved it then and can safely say that I believe I'll be surfing for the rest of my life, or as long as I can," said Meluka, who grew up in the southern coastal city of Ashdod, where the Mediterranean Sea was a natural part of the leisure time activity. The surfer began entering local competitions at age 12 and was the Israeli junior champion for three years running, beginning at age 16.   David Brinn Thu, 04 Jan 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2072/1/Jews-boost-pro-sports It was no accident that two of the most prominent American Jews of the 20th century - former Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg and baseball great Hank Greenberg - were involved in Curt Flood's 1970 suit against Major League Baseball, which not only revolutionized baseball but all American professional sports, as well. So says Brad Snyder, 34, whose "A Well-Paid Slave: Curt Flood's Fight for Free Agency in Professional Sports" (Viking) was published earlier this year. Aaron Leibel Thu, 28 Dec 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2040/1/Blind-and-sighted-bikers-hit-the-road Orli Tal is an extremely active woman with a hectic lifestyle. In addition to working full-time as a computer programmer, the 45-year-old is a devoted athlete and an enthusiastic bike rider. She is also blind. In order to enjoy her love of cycling and enable other blind riders to take advantage of the sport, Tal founded the Jerusalem-based Tandem Israel seven years ago, a group of 10 blind riders who together with their seeing partners explore the side roads of Israel in the manner only mountain bike riders can. Sima Borkovski Thu, 21 Dec 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/2012/1/Mixing-softball-with-Zionism In between fielding ground balls and shagging flies with other top college softball players, 23-year-old Pennsylvania resident Jane Stein also took time out to make sure she turned in the appropriate paperwork and documentation to become a citizen of Israel. One by one, all 36 American players who'd gathered at the Hit Doctor Academy - an indoor sports facility in Cherry Hill, N.J. -turned in their paperwork, and so were officially ready to join the Israeli Olympic softball team. Jared Shelly Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1933/1/Israeli-field-of-dreams More than 60 self-styled athletic studs hoping to play professional baseball in Israel came out on November 10 to participate in the first such tryouts ever held in Israel. The job of Dan Duquette, who ran the tryouts, was to separate the contenders from the pretenders. Most of the hopefuls were either American born, having moved to Israel as children; native Israelis who learned the game from their American fathers and played on Israeli teams; or Americans who had moved here at a later age, after having played in the U.S. Most of them did not have a realistic shot at making the cut, and they knew it before they arrived at the Sportek athletic facility in Petah Tikva. The tryouts were run very professionally by Duquette, which is no surprise: As one-time director of player development for the Montreal Expos, he drafted future stars such as Marquis Grissom, Charles Johnson, and Rondell White. Later, as general manager for the Expos, he acquired elite pitcher Pedro Martinez in a brilliant trade; and as general manager of the Boston Red Sox, Duquette's shrewd deals - nabbing Martinez again from the Expos, trading for pitcher Derek Lowe and catcher Jason Varitek, and signing free agents Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon - is credited with building the Red Sox into what ultimately led to the team's 2004 championship. Elli Wohlgelernter Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1802/1/Cyberchess-champ-has-Israeli-accent IBM's supercomputer Deep Blue has nothing on the Israeli reigning world champion in computer chess, affectionately called Deep Junior. The program has won five world computer chess championships, beginning in 1997. "The program is distinctive from other chess programs in its search strategies and evaluation," proudly explains one of the creators, Shay Bushinsky. Mutual friends introduced chess lovers Bushinsky and Amir Ban in 1993. By 1995, the pair - who designed Deep Junior in their spare time - shared third place in a computer chess competition with IBM's Deep Blue. Laura Goldman Sun, 05 Nov 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1772/1/2006-wasn%92t-bad-for-Jewish-players One of the ways rabid baseball fans get through end-of-the-season withdrawal pains is by immersing themselves in player stats and award announcements. It's time to do the same for Jewish players. There were 13 Jewish major leaguers this season: six pitchers, two catchers, three outfielders and two infielders. None of them, alas, came close to making a serious run at any major award, but we'll remedy that situation by handing out awards for the top Jewish players. First the stats. Starting pitchers: • Jason Marquis of the St. Louis Cardinals recorded his third consecutive double-digit win season, but it was not a particularly successful year, since he went 14-16 with a 6.02 ERA. • Jason Hirsh made his major-league debut with Houston on Aug. 12 and finished the season at 3-4, with an ERA of 6.04. Martin Abramowitz Thu, 26 Oct 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1742/1/First%2C-Olympic-gold%3B-now%2C-a-Jewish-journey If you watched the U.S. women's gymnastics team during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, you remember Kerri Strug - or you remember the vault.  Despite a badly injured ankle, Strug nailed her crucial final vault on one leg, clinching the first team gold medal in women's gymnastics for the Americans. Her coach, the legendary Bela Karolyi, carried Strug to the podium to join her teammates, crowned the Magnificent Seven, to collect her medal. Suzanne Kurtz Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1542/1/Koufax-legacy-still-helping-the-Jews Ken Thimmel of All American Collectibles in Fair Lawn holds a baseball signed by famed pitcher Sandy Koufax. In 1965, Dodgers great Sandy Koufax picked Yom Kippur as the one day on which he would not pitch a baseball game. And - since his retirement at age 30 the following year - the pitcher has made a habit of picking just one day a year to sign autographs. Fiercely private, with little regard for fame, Koufax has turned down multimillion-dollar book deals and speaking engagements with as much determination as he used to strike out 2,396 batters in his 11-year career. This year's lucky beneficiary of Koufax's once-a-year autograph signing is Franklin Lakes resident Ken Thimmel, whose Fair-Lawn based All American Collectibles purchased a bounty of Koufax-autographed baseballs, bats, jerseys, and photographs. Thimmel's 16-year-old business has a long history of donating memorabilia to charity events -"over 500 a year," said Thimmel - and it is that philanthropic spirit, he said, that helped convince Koufax to sign for his company. "Sandy does one signing a year, at best. There are about 1,000 dealers that want to do a signing, and about 30 that have the financial wherewithal," said Thimmel. "Only [we] and [trading-card company] Upper Deck got a deal this year. They got signed baseball cards, and we got some limited edition items, including some exclusive photos that have never been seen before." Those interested in obtaining some rare Koufax autographs can log on to allamericancollectibles.com or call Thimmel at 1-800-WOODY-64. It may be the last chance for a while: Thimmel heard that Koufax turned down a huge book deal a few years ago, insisting that he had "nothing to say." "Sandy is the nicest guy in the world," said Thimmel, who sat with Koufax during the signing. "He just doesn't like the stardom. He hasn't done a public appearance in years. I know that Yogi Berra got him to do something, and they're good friends - and Yogi is the greatest living Yankee - but it still took Yogi three years to get Sandy to do it. But it's no disrespect to anybody." Joseph Leichman Fri, 08 Sep 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1461/1/A-bit-of-Maccabi-respite One might assume that the last several weeks have provided a bit of respite for Tamir Cohen. The Nahariya municipal worker, fresh off the plane from Israel, seemingly comfortably bided his time in Teaneck while chaperoning two 15-year-old swimmers from the rocket-ravaged city in northern Israel. Cohen took Kobi Berko and Morina Korektor to the JCC on the Palisades for swim practice and ushered them about town during their down time, while Kobi and Morina wait to participate in next week's Maccabi Games this week in Stamford, Conn. But Cohen, whose wife and two children remained in Israel during his two-week trip, faced an unprecedented challenge on a Tuesday afternoon last week: trying to find his car in the Garden State Plaza shopping center. "The mall is really, really big. I think my wife would like it more than me," said Cohen in heavily accented English. "It's also very complicated. You can lose yourself, and it's not easy to find the car." Before he came to the States, Cohen's biggest worry was finding his car - or any car -on Nahariya's streets. He said that the city, usually teeming, was a "ghost city" when Hezbollah rockets were falling unpredictably. After the first attacks, Cohen brought his two young children to stay with his parents in a safer location, while he and his wife remained in Nahariya to work. Having already committed to chaperone Kobi and Morina to the Maccabi Games, Cohen left with the two youngsters, and his fair share of reservations, early on Sunday morning. "I didn't want to leave my family during this war, but we scheduled to come to the Games before [the war started], and I didn't want to disappoint Kobi and Maorina," said Cohen. "I'm having a good time here, but my heart is there." Kobi, who has been swimming for four years, was happy to be in America for the first time, and especially to be competing in Connecticut. "On the one hand, I want to be in America, because it's safer, but, on the other hand I want to be with my family," he said in Hebrew. Kobi added that he talks with family every day. When asked last week how things would unfold, Kobi answered - without specifying if he was referring to his hometown's plight or his swimming - with just one word: "Nitgaber," we will overcome. Perhaps he meant that, after his next trip to the mall, he would find the car. Joseph Leichman Thu, 17 Aug 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1402/1/Golf-%97-the-new-generation If golf was once considered an "old man's sport," it certainly shed that label in 2002, when 9-year-old Luke Edelman first began to swing a 9 iron. Now 12, the Franklin Lakes resident is the No. 1- ranked golfer in his age group in Bergen County, and has won six tournaments. Like most golfers - and kids - his age, Luke's favorite player is Tiger Woods. But Luke wasn't a golf fan in 2000, when Tiger won the U.S. Open with a 12-under-par 272, and beat the rest of the field by a stunning 15 strokes. "Golf was an old man's sport then," said Luke, who attends Saddle River Day School. Joseph Leichman Thu, 03 Aug 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1375/1/Shut-up-and-play-poker On April 4, Jamie Adler took a day off and decided to spend it playing poker. He paid the $5 buy-in, and kept on winning until a 28-player field whittled to Adler and just one other player. Adler "popped two pair, went all in," he related, and won himself a seat at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Adler, who lives in Tenafly, started playing poker in college. A casino denizen since high school - "We had the worst-looking fake ID's ever, and we'd go down to Atlantic City and play blackjack and roulette" - Adler didn't dabble in Texas hold-'em until much later. Once he started playing, though, he started picking up how to read the other players, even over the Internet. "Real-life poker is a lot different from Internet poker, but not completely different," said Adler, 24. "Even though you can't see a player's face [on the Internet], you get a lot of reads on their betting patterns." Joseph Leichman Thu, 27 Jul 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1348/1/A-fish-out-of-water Matthew Konigsberg did not swim in the Hudson River in the New York City Triathlon, but his mother is not at all pleased. Konigsberg, who was featured in this space on June 2 ("A fish in dirty water"), suffered a spinal compression fracture and fractured his right ankle while training just outside of Safed, when he fell down a 40-foot ravine in northern Israel. While he suffered no permanent damage, and will be fully recovered in a couple of months, Konigsberg is still on the mend, and was nowhere near ready for the July 16 Triathlon. Konigsberg, a Rutgers University law student who lives in Hoboken, said, "My parents weren't happy about the Hudson River situation, but I don't think they are happy about what happened either. Of course, this entire ordeal was traumatic for them too. My parents have been the best nurses, driving me back and forth to doctor's appointments and such. They were very upset that I fell and am injured." Joseph Leichman Thu, 20 Jul 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1321/1/Triple-threat Aliza and some of her fellow hockey players. When Aliza Hiller was first featured in this column, her three-sport stardom at Teaneck's Ma'aynot Yeshiva High School for Girls was almost overshadowed by her preternatural obsession with her number 62 jersey. One year later, Aliza is a Ma'ayanot graduate, and headed to study in Jerusalem for a year before starting Queens College. Fittingly, when Hiller got her diploma, she took her number with her: Ma'ayanot retired "62" - the only number retirement in the school's history. Joseph Leichman Thu, 13 Jul 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1290/1/Diamond-on-the-diamond As of Wednesday, July 5, MySpace.com. the uber-popular online community, had roughly 90,738,401 members. Josh Feit was not one of them. As of the same date, there were hundreds of thousands of high-school kids either filing papers in offices for summer internships or sitting in the basement playing PS2. Again, Josh Feit was not one of them. The rising senior at Pascack Hills High School is a real life "gamer." Seven days a week, Feit plays baseball, auditioning his skills for college scouts and prepping for his last season at Pascack Hills. So he doesn't have time for MySpace, or for pushing papers. He's way too busy on the baseball diamond. Joseph Leichman Thu, 06 Jul 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1262/1/Local-teams-live-up-to-their-names In Fair Lawn's B'nai Brith adult softball league, most teams take after their moniker. In the Hank Greenberg division, the first-place Sea Dogs are the top dogs. The Tailgaters look like they showed up early, with heady play that puts them just behind the Dogs. And the Noshers, at a stellar 4-1, are eating up the competition. This year - for the first time in a decade - the "Rambammers" are still around at mid-season. At 4-3, Jerry Schranz's club has a dozen games left to try to clinch their first playoff berth since Michael Jordan was playing baseball. Schranz, the team's coach, captain, and pitcher, took over the moribund 'Bammers in 2001. The once-illustrious franchise finished last season with an even 8-8, and are hoping for better in '06. And just like its fellow teams, Schranz's group takes after its nickname. "The Rambam (Maimonides) was a very religious fellow, with unorthodox practices - kind of like us," said Schranz, 31, who grew up in Spring Valley, N.Y., and moved to Fair Lawn in 2000. Such behaviors include practicing in the dead of winter, recruiting talent on TeaneckShuls and local eateries, and hosting team-building weekends. "The league is-a great [way] to strengthen the ties between Jewish adults, and it provides a networking environment and relaxing atmosphere for guys anywhere from 18 to 50 years old," said Schranz. "We bring out the families to the games, play to win, and have fun." Fans can check the standings for both divisions -Greenberg and Sandy Koufax - at www.rgmathletic. com/softball. Those who do will see that there is at least one team with a misleading name: at 1-6 (and that one win coming via forfeit), the Mavens have been anything but softball experts. But Schranz isn't shedding any tears for the Mavens: Many of them are breakaway Rambammers. "Some of the Mavens used to be Rambammers who decided to start their own team," said Schranz. "They've only been around for two years and haven't quite 'gotten there' yet. They're actually our arch-rivals, even though they have a worse record." That, however, is the extent of the acrimony in the B'nai Brith league. Some of the players are Orthodox, while others are Conservative, Reform, or unaffiliated. "Playing on a team gives the players a lot to look forward to on Sunday morning," said Schranz. "It's great being a Rambammer." Joseph Leichman Thu, 29 Jun 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1231/1/Ma%92ayanot-kicks-down-Frisch%92s-door It's hard to say whether the Ma'ayanot soccer team or its coach is a more interesting story. This much is certain, though: Without Michael Sce, there would be no yeshiva girls' indoor soccer league. And without Ma'ayanot's squad, there wouldn't be one of the more remarkable turnaround stories in yeshiva league history. The Teaneck girls' high school beat The Frisch School last week 8-3 in the league's championship game, snapping the Frisch Cougars' run of six straight championships. Frisch had actually won every title in the league's history and had lost only one regular season game during that stretch. But the challenge was more than welcomed by Ma'ayanot - which co-founded the league along with Frisch and which, for the first two years of league play, didn't win a single game. Call them the anti-Frisch, but Sce says a changing of the guard was in order. "We feel that we're getting better every year," said Sce, whose team was 6-2 during the regular season, "and we've beaten all 11 teams in this league except for Frisch. Maybe it's time for Frisch to step down." Sce is no stranger to competitive sports. A Jewish convert now living in Teaneck, Sce grew up immersed in athletics. He played football at Long Island's St. Francis Prep - Vince Lombardi's alma mater - and played football and rugby in college. Six years ago, when his daughter Estee wanted to start a soccer team, she knew exactly where to go. "Estee told me, 'We need a coach, and it's going to be you,'" said Sce. So Sce, along with organizers at Frisch, put the girls' yeshiva soccer league together. And despite the machismo associated with being an ex-high school football star, Sce has deep convictions about women's athletics. "I believe girls learn a lot about themselves through sports," he said. "The statistics prove [that girls who play sports] have lower [teen] pregnancy rates, lower risks of cancer, and an increased likelihood of finishing college." The biggest challenge, though, was teaching his players to act a little more like the boys. "They say men should get in touch with their feminine side, but girls in indoor soccer need to get in touch with their masculine side," laughed Sce. "Most of my players are mild-mannered girls. In the beginning, other schools were much more physical than we were, and we had girls that would come away bruised and in tears." Joseph Leichman Thu, 22 Jun 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1198/1/Soccer-fever Walther Bensemann, above, is considered the founding father of German soccer. This 1887 photo will be in an exhibit to be shown in Berlin at the Centrum Judaicum. CENTRUM JUDAICUM BERLIN - Jewish museums have caught the soccer fever sweeping through Germany, which is hosting this year's World Cup. Two exhibits have opened on the theme of Jews in German soccer history and will be open throughout the World Cup, which runs through early July, and a third is planned for the fall. "Kick it Like Kissinger" - yes, former German schoolboy Henry Kissinger - is an exhibit with two venues: the Frankfurt Jewish Museum and the Jewish Museum of Franken, in Furth - the city where President Nixon's Jewish secretary of state grew up. It will run in both places through September. Toby Axelrod Thu, 15 Jun 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1168/1/Fair-Lawn%92s-Red-Army Just like in the real estate game, doubles tennis is all about location, location, location. Even a great singles player can get lost in the doubles game, since where you hit the ball matters more than how hard you can hit it, says Fair Lawn High School tennis player Lenny Goldenberg. Think of it as placement over power. Then again, the Fair Lawn junior's tennis career is a lesson in geography. Seven of coach Matt Markman's tennis players call themselves the "Red Army," since they are all Russian. They are also all Jewish, and they are all starters. And they're all pretty good. "It is a nice thing that we're all Russian, since we're all alike in some way," said Goldenberg, who was born in America to Russian parents and grew up in Fair Lawn. "If we want to talk to each other privately when other people are around, we talk in Russian." Fair Lawn's recent tennis success, though, is no secret. At the season-ending Bergen County tournament, their first (best) and second singles players, as well as their second doubles team, got to the tournament's quarterfinals. Meanwhile, their third singles player reached the semifinals. Goldenberg didn't fare quite as well, as his first doubles team, which was seeded fourth in the tournament, lost to Ramapo in the second round. Goldenberg was still encouraged by his progress. "I felt that, compared to last year, I did a lot better," he said. "I improved a lot this year, and fortunately, so did my partner." The "Red Army" - Goldenberg, Leo Garber, Leon Kapulsky, Freddie Rozenshteyn, Danny Khaylo, Eugene Mirsky and Mark Shapovalov - reflect tennis' growing popularity in Russia. Long considered a country rich in hockey and poor in just about everything else, Russia is becoming a hotbed for well-trained tennis talent. "If you watch the U.S. Open or the French Open which is going on now, a lot of young Russian girls are coming in at 16, 17 years old," said Goldenberg on Tuesday from Markman's office. "Take Maria Sharapova, who came in to her first grand slam (Wimbledon 2004) as an underdog and won. The training in Russia is just harder than it is here." Goldenberg plans to attend a college where he can continue playing tennis. But he also has more academic things on his mind, like studying chemistry and business law, and finding a good job. After all, placement is everything. Joseph Leichman Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1141/1/A-fish-in-dirty-water It's a pretty safe bet to say that the idea of swimming in the Hudson River is repulsive to most of us - but not to Matthew Konigsberg, a 26-year-old Rutgers University law student, who will do just that July 16, when he competes in the New York City Triathlon. A triathlon is a race that features three sports - swimming, cycling, and running - and the participants in New York City's contest will start their day with a 1500-meter (or, roughly 66-lap) dip in Sir Henry's pool. And while Kongisberg is worried about his competition, his parents, even though they are proud that he is raising money for Israel by competing, they are a little worried about his choice in aqua. Joseph Leichman Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1115/1/Hockey-player-mixes-study-with-sports Michael Kaufer knows you think hockey players are cool. He also knows you think they're not very smart. Kaufer also knows biology, history, and math. In fact, the Paramus High School senior is equally adept in the classroom and on the ice - and the New Jersey Devils have taken notice. The New Jersey Devils' Alumni Association awarded Kaufer a $2,500 college scholarship at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association luncheon on Sunday, May 21, in Edison. The award goes annually to four college-bound New Jersey hockey players who maintain a respectable GPA and devote considerable time to community service. Joseph Leichman Fri, 26 May 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1064/1/Fouls-no-trouble-in-Frisch-win There is one thing in the world that basketball coaches hate more than disrespect, laziness, and selfishness: foul trouble. When a key player collects too many fouls too early in a game, he/she usually has to ride the bench for long stretches to avoid "fouling out" (in high school and college, five fouls earn a disqualification; in the NBA, the number is six). So what's a coach to do when four of her five starters are each one foul away from fouling out in the final quarter of the championship game? Play on - and, in Frisch's case, win. The Frisch School of Paramus celebrated its first JV girls' Metropolitan Yeshiva League basketball championship in 10 years with this year's high-scoring 66-56 win over North Shore Academy. Entering the fourth quarter of the game, with the score 48-45 in Frisch's favor, co-coaches Stephanie and Assi Amos - a husband-and-wife coaching duo - had four of their five starters one foul away from leaving the game. Joseph Leichman Fri, 19 May 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1049/1/One-Krayzelburg-summer Lenny K.Lenny Krayzelburg does things in pairs. He swam in a pair of Olympics, won two pairs of gold medals, and has a pair of eight-month-old twins back home in Los Angeles. And the Odessa-born Krayzelburg recently opened swim camps at a couple of JCCs in LA. Here on the East coast, Krayzelburg - working with the New Jersey Y camps - will expand his patented one-week swim program to an eight-week, swimming-heavy, sleep-away experience. And he will make two extended appearances at the camps, during one he will run the program for an entire week in August. Joseph Leichman Thu, 11 May 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/1021/1/Moriah-finds-its-hoops-mojo Champs Attention Lawrence Frank, Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, et al.: Coach Van thinks you have what it takes to win it all. And he should know - after all, the coach of the Moriah School's seventh-grade basketball team has brought 14 titles to the North Jersey yeshiva elementary school in his 22 years at the school. And his team just notched another with a two-point victory over HAFTR in this season's championship. "I like the Nets in this year's playoffs," said Coach Van (His full last name is VanBenschopen) from his office at Moriah on the eve of game five of the Nets' playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, "as long as Vince Carter is on." Joseph Leichman Thu, 04 May 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/988/1/Yavneh-wins-%91cholent%92-cup When an NHL team wins the Stanley Cup, its players usually drink or eat something - like champagne or cereal - out of the trophy. When Yaniv Besterman's Yavneh hockey team won the elementary school yeshiva league championship last month, his friends in synagogue were thinking along the same lines - although Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux probably never filled the Cup with cholent. "When they announced at [Teaneck's Congregation] Keter Torah that we'd won, there wasn't really any ovation or applause," said Besterman, whose team won the championship in its first year of league play. "A bunch of people sitting near me just yelled, 'Kiddush, Kiddush.'" Joseph Leichman Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/962/1/%91Slam-Jam%92-raises-%24-for-Arava Winners Even though parks all over New Jersey are filled on Shabbat with kids playing basketball, there are few opportunities for youth from different counties to compete in non-organized, five-on-five settings. On April 2, the Bergen County YJCC in Washington Township and Young Judaea gave teams of three just that chance, as a team from West Orange and Parsipanny beat out an all-Teaneck squad to place first in a fund-raiser for the Arava Institute. Richard Kallus (West Orange), Steven Hoffer (West Orange), and Yoni Tammam (Parsippany) won the day's top prize and helped raise more than $900 for Arava (www.arava.org), which brings together Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian students as well as students from other countries in the Middle East to study environmental sciences. Joseph Leichman Fri, 21 Apr 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/932/1/William-Paterson-coach-named-co-coach-of-Israeli-National-Softball-Team Hallie Cohen, the head softball coach at William Paterson University in Wayne and one of the most successful coaches in NCAA Division III history, has been named the co-coach of the Israeli National Softball Team, which will play its first games this summer. The Israeli Baseball League chose Cohen after a nationwide search of college coaches. She will work with co-coach Adriana Luchansky. The goal of the Israel Baseball League, according to Larry Baras, the organization's president, is to develop a softball team that will qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. This will be the first Israeli National Softball Team in the prestigious competition. Jewish Standard Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/927/1/Remembering-a-fighter The Boxer My father was a professional boxer - but while his career in the ring is an interesting bit of trivia (a trump card in the "my dad can beat your dad" debates of my youth), it did not define him. He was a boxer, but that's not all he was. During preparation for a recent stress test, a nurse advised me that the longer one lasts on the treadmill, the more accurate the diagnosis. With this in mind, I apparently persisted a longer time than the average. As she helped me off the machine, the nurse whispered, "You're a fighter." My immediate reaction was an intense wave of pride, which, in truth, surprised me. I wondered why this comment so resonated with me and whether I deserved it. My thoughts quickly turned to my father. My father was a fighter. He didn't have a lot of choice. When life is a fight, you have to choose between being a fighter or a victim. Jeffrey Zonenshine Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/903/1/US-hoopster-plays-Israel Hoopsters With her first AAU tournament now over, Marisa Gobuty sounded "electric" over her cell phone. The 16-year-old prep basketball star - who spends half the year in Israel and half in Sarasota, Fla. - had good reason to be elated. Her team, the Finest Basketball Club, had just won the California Classic, the season's opening tournament for elite high school players. Marisa, as she has since the sixth grade, continues to ascend to higher levels of competition in America and Israel. However, she's decided that she'd rather spend her college years on the western side of the Atlantic. Joseph Leichman Thu, 06 Apr 2006 00:00:00 MDT http://www.jstandard.com/articles/871/1/Winner%26%2339%3Bs-circle Sports The smell of banners is in the air, as the yeshiva sports season is coming to a close with a furious series of championship matches. This Sunday saw three headlining trophy bouts, as basketball bragging rights were won in the boys' varsity, boys' junior varsity, and girls' varsity leagues. The day's greatest prize went to Brooklyn's Magen David Yeshiva High School, whose boys' varsity team beat the top-seeded Frisch Cougars in overtime, 51-48. In a rematch of 2004's junior varsity championship game - which Magen David also won - guard Sammy Fallas took home MVP honors with 24 points, six three-point field goals, and five assists. Frisch, which led 29-23 at the half, was doomed in the extra session by missed free throws and a failed three-point attempt at the buzzer. Joseph Leichman Thu, 30 Mar 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/836/1/If-you-build-it%85 Baseball in Israel There is joke that went around Israel a couple of years ago: Whenever a group of Israelis would pass by a dilapidated field, an abandoned dirt patch, or a rocky expanse on the side of the highway, they would say, "This must be Israel's new baseball field." While Israel is a country rich in soccer, basketball, and swimming, it never adopted baseball. But change is on the way, as the Jewish National Fund and the Israel Baseball League are partnering to bring baseball fields to several Israeli cities, including Netanya, Tel-Aviv, and Be'er Sheva. Joseph Leichman Thu, 23 Mar 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/798/1/A-swimming-good-time Frank Petracco, TylerBurchell, and Peter Kutyla were members of the 4x100 free medley relay that took 6th place overall. Paulo Madeira graduated from Montclair State University with a computer science degree and a math minor. Not bad for the start of a resumé. So, Madeira entered the job pool - literally - and never got out. Madeira, who moved to America from Portugal when he was 17, is finishing his first year as the aquatics director and swim coach at the YM-YWHA of North Jersey in Wayne. The Y just completed its first winning season in the JCC swim league, and is sending six swimmers to the United States Swimming League New Jersey state championships at Rutgers University from March 17-19. Joseph Leichman Thu, 16 Mar 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/757/1/Read-all-about-it%2C-from-a-fresh-perspective Fourteen-year-olds train five hours a day for the Olympics. High school sophomores get recruited by the National Basketball Association. Even pre-teen Little Leaguers hold press conferences in Williamsport, Pa. What do American teenagers think about all this? The answer is off the wall. Well, Off the Wall, actually. A new publication started by two students at Torah Academy of Bergen County in Teaneck, Off the Wall offers sports news from a high school perspective. Joseph Leichman Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/725/1/Walton-on-UJA-NNJ%92s-bill WaltonThese days, Bill Walton is known more for what he says as a National Basketball Association commentator for ABC than for what he did as a player on the court, where he won three straight college player of the year awards for UCLA in the early 1970s. During his 13-year-pro-career, Walton did enough to be named one of the NBA's 50 greatest players, be elected into the NBA's Hall of Fame, and win two championships, and be named league MVP once. At 6'11", he might also be the tallest Deadhead around. Walton will give a clinic at the Meadowlands on March 21 and speak about his experiences and why people should get involved in charity projects for UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey, so we figured we'd ask him a few questions... Jacob Berkman Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/712/1/Local-Sport Tell anyone on the basketball team at the Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls that Eileen Schwartz used to coach their games, and they will hardly reward you for your grasp of the obvious. After all, Schwartz has coached basketball and other sports at the Teaneck school for nine years, and is a fixture in its physical education department. But see what happens when you mention that Schwartz used to coach the players even when she wasn't coaching the team. "When I took a year off from coaching basketball a couple of years ago, I'd go to the games and coach the kids from the sidelines," said Schwartz, who lives in Fair Lawn. "Once a coach, always a coach," said Schwartz, "and it's in the blood. You always have something to say." The only time Schwartz may be at a loss for words is this Saturday night, when she will be honored at the annual Ma'ayanot dinner with the "teacher of the year" award. Schwartz, in addition to coaching, teaches health, phys. ed., and a senior elective on health, fitness, and nutrition. But don't think that she'll tell the crowd all about it. "I will only speak very briefly, maybe for five minutes" at the dinner, she said, explaining that "nobody wants to listen to speeches anyway. Nobody's interested." Schwartz's honor comes at a time of growth for Ma'ayanot athletics. The school's volleyball team - which Schwartz began coaching midway through this season - will participate in its league's playoffs for the first time, and its basketball team was in a 3-way tie as of Sunday for a playoff spot. Meanwhile, the newly created swim team is navigating a slew of meets, and the softball and hockey teams are regularly excellent. Schwartz was born in Fair Lawn, and attended the Yavneh Academy in Paramus for elementary school. That was before Yavneh had a girls' basketball team, so, along with one other girl, she played for the boys' club. She went on to play basketball at Bruriah High School for Girls in Elizabeth before making - but not joining, because of Shabbat restrictions - the tennis and softball teams at William Patterson University. Since coming to Ma'aynot, Schwartz has learned how to use her words to inspire her players. "I think the kids that I have coached know that it's all about playing with your heart," said Schwartz. "You do your best, work hard, try hard, and enjoy it." Joseph Leichman Thu, 02 Mar 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/672/1/Schechter%92s-ski-lift The Schechter Regional High School in Teaneck takes a student-first approach to sports. Students are free to organize and implement any athletic program they want and have ended up with teams for fencing and baseball, among other yeshiva anomalies, in its sports offerings. So no one should be surprised that the school's ski trip, which was held on January 22 at Jimminy Peak in Massachusetts, put students on full display. Joseph Leichman Thu, 23 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/630/1/A-swimming-idea Eileen Schwartz thinks yeshiva sports are all wet, or at least they should be. "I've been trying to start a swim league for quite a few years," said Schwartz, the athletic director at Teaneck's Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls. "So far, only The Frisch School in Paramus and Bruriah High School for Girls participate with us, but I want to start a league…. Swimming is a great sport, because if you're not an athlete with a ball, it's a way to be athletic." Although Ma'ayanot is not a member of a swim league, it does boast a deep pool of sporting options. Schwartz said that when she first came to the school nine years ago, it only had a basketball team. Now, the 10-year-old institution fields teams in nine sports including track, volleyball, hockey, soccer, and others. "New teams have been established by the girls coming over to me and wanting to start them," said Schwartz, who coaches, and teaches health and phys-ed and a health fitness and nutrition class at Ma'ayanot. "Recently," she continued, "girls have wanted to start football and fencing teams. I tell them, if you can get enough girls, you can do it." Last year, three Ma'ayanot teams - hockey, soccer, and softball - made it to the championship game, with the hockey team taking home the crown. "Hockey has always been the most popular [sport at Ma'ayanot] because in five seasons they've won three or four championships, and they've made the championship game every year," said Schwartz. This year, the Teaneck school is hoping to send its basketball and volleyball teams to championships, as both are nearing the end of their respective seasons and are in contention for playoff spots. "We always hope to go for the gold," said Schwartz, "but we'll take it one game at a time." As for the phantom swim team, Schwartz said that while some schools have expressed interest, it remains difficult to garner the type of participation that is needed in a bona fide league. "Finding funding and a pool is an issue," said Schwartz, but "eventually something will happen. It is an expensive sport, but the kids can chip in, and it can happen." And as for the Ma'ayanot's big three - hockey, soccer, and softball - Schwartz sees them swimming once again towards the championship game. "It's absolutely doable," said Schwartz. "G-D willing, it will happen."- Joseph Leichman Thu, 16 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/587/1/Big-takedown Ron Simchi is aptly named. In English, the Hebrew word simcha means happiness or a festive occasion. Simchi's last name is derived from that Hebrew word. And on Feb. 2, the Frisch School of Paramus wrestler gave the entire yeshiva Battling Bergen Catholic High School's Chris Battaglia - ranked first in Bergen County and seventh in New Jersey in his weight class - Ron scored a takedown with under 10 seconds left to secure a 7-6 victory. When the final buzzer sounded, Frisch co-coach Eric Samson just had to celebrate. "I don't know what anybody else was looking like when Ron won, because I was freaking out," said Samson, who mans the helm at Frisch along with co-coaches Josh Bernheim and David Siegel. "Ron was unbelievably excited and our whole team was on their toes." As for Ron, the junior from Fair Lawn was excited about the victory, but has his eyes on much more. "Next year, I can't enter the county competition because it's on Shabbos," Ron said. "But I want to enter the BCCA holiday tournament, which is the equivalent of county finals. I want to place first in it." Ron also has his sights set on a third straight championship in the Henry Wittenberg Yeshiva High School Wrestling Tournament. His older brother Ari was the first wrestler to win the tournament in four consecutive years, and Ron intends on extending the family legacy. Ron said that he became confident in the match against Battaglia, Bergen Catholic's captain, during the second of three periods, after he tied the score at 2-all with a reversal (a move in which the player being held in the bottom position reverses positions and ends up on top). "After that reversal, I saw that I could pull it off (the victory) because I knew that if I already got away from him once, I could do it again," said Ron, who is eyeing Yeshiva University after high school. With just over 30 seconds left in the final period, Battaglia was in the lead at 6-5. Needing a takedown - worth two points - for the victory, Ron "got in there fast and got Battaglia's legs, and Ron came out on top," said Samson. "It was technical and clean, and Ron held him down for the last five seconds," said Samson. The two points gave Ron a 7-6 victory. Ron's reaction? "I was really happy." Joseph Leichman Thu, 09 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/522/1/Jewish-hockey-star NEW YORK - Mathieu Schneider's father calls him "the Wandering Jew." And while, historically speaking, most Jews haven't done their wandering on ice skates, it's not difficult to see how the term applies to Schneider: Over the course of his 17-year National Hockey League career, he's played in six different cities. Chanan Tigay Thu, 02 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/517/1/Israel%92s-Olympic-hopefuls-have-New-Jersey-connection Israeli ice dancers Galit Chait, left, and Sergei Sakhnovski. photo by Mik Galit Chait left Israel with her family as an infant and grew up in Paramus, where she attended Stony Elementary School and Westbrook Middle School. Sergei Sakhnovski grew up in Russia and immigrated to the Jewish state at the age of 19. In a few weeks, the ice-dancing duo, both Israeli citizens, will be the best hope for Israel's first-ever medal in the Winter Olympic Games, which will take place in Turin, Italy, from Feb. 10 to 26. It's a responsibility they're reminded of whenever they're in Israel, where they've put ice skating on the map. Peter Ephross Thu, 02 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/487/1/THE-SUPER-BOWL-WITH-SHAMMAI-AND-SHMULEY shmuely We usually let Rabbis Shmuley Boteach and Shammai Engelmayer sound off on the political and moral issues of the day. More often than not, Shammai ends up on the left, and Shmuley on the right. So, we figured we'd see what would happen when we asked them for their picks in the Super Bowl between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks in Detroit next week. "I definitely want the Pittsburgh Steelers to win," said Boteach. "I've always been a big Steelers fan, and, of course, a Terry Bradshaw fan - especially in the 1970s, when he won four Super Bowls. My thinking was, if you're going to root for a team, you may as well root for one that's winning. But the reason I want them to win now is Ben Roethlisberger. The young quarterback of the Steelers, last year after the tsunami, gave up his salary for one of his football games, something like $35,000, to give to the victims of the tsunami. At the time some people ridiculed him for grandstanding, but I thought it was an incredible gesture and that he was a great man. I'm always happy to see people with big hearts succeed and prosper, so I am hoping he will win, God willing." shammai"The Steelers are in the Super Bowl?" asked Engelmayer when told of Boteach's pick. "And what the heck are the Seahawks? I don't even know who's playing in the Super Bowl. I just don't have time for it, and I just don't have patience for it. Between having to prepare for classes and trying to live a life, and 10 grandchildren, who's got time for football? I don't even have time for baseball and I like baseball." But the rabbi wasn't simply riding on a high moral horse. "I know what the rabbanim like to say about studying all the time and doing nothing else, but I don't believe that, and I don't believe God believes that either. I do think that people spend too much time on sports, but there is a lot of Yiddishkeit in sports, especially about how you should treat people." -Jacob Berkman Jacob Berkman Thu, 26 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/483/1/Hockey-at-the-halfway-point Yeshiva league sports did not ease into winter break. December saw blowouts, battles, and movement in the standings, and when school resumes in February, so will the fierce jockeying for basketball and hockey playoff positioning. Most schools end their intersessions on Monday, Jan. 30, and play will resume shortly thereafter. The story of the first half of the hockey season was the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway. The Flames, a perennial powerhouse, compiled a 9-0 record, and are the only team in the league with nine wins. Just how good are the Flames? Their 6-3 victory over Ramaz last month marked the first time HAFTR had surrendered more than two goals in a game. Two points behind HAFTR in the eastern conference is DRS HALB Yeshiva High School for Boys, and those two teams should - if the first half of the season is any indication - continue to dominate the conference's two top spots. Teaneck's Torah Academy of Bergen County is perched in the western conference's top spot with an 8-0-2 record; their most convincing victory coming via a 12-0 trouncing of the Moshe Aaron Yeshiva High School (South River). The Hillel Yeshiva High School is in second place at 8-2-0. Meanwhile, the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy is three points ahead of Riverdale's SAR High School. While the hockey league saw its powerhouses go undefeated, the yeshiva high school basketball league saw its top dog go down. Brooklyn's Magen David Yeshiva High School, considered by many the championship favorite, dropped to 8-1 after losing a 52-44 decision to Yeshivat Shaare Torah. Magen David, outscored 16-5 in the fourth quarter of its loss, is just one-half game ahead of 7-1 Ramaz in the central division standings. The Frisch Academy of Paramus, which also came into the season with championship expectations, leads the western division with a 9-0 record, narrowly keeping ahead of 8-1 Hillel. There is a tie for first place in the eastern conference between Long Island's North Shore Hebrew Academy High School and DRS. The most intriguing postseason possibility is a Frisch-Magen David rematch championship. Frisch is looking to avenge last year's loss. With both teams heading their respective conferences, it would not be surprising to see that grudge match come to fruition. Joseph Leichman Thu, 26 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/445/1/TABC%92s-Coach-K Sports have become big business. In particular, basketball - The game that gave us Air Jordan sneakers, bad-boy Dennis Rodman's autobiography, and "The LeBrons" commercials - is half Park Avenue and half parquet. And on March 25, Torah Academy of Bergen County in Teaneck will honor the man who has literally come to embody the business end of basketball at its school, its varsity and junior varsity basketball coach, "Bobby" Kaplan, who also happens to teach a senior-year elective business class. Joseph Leichman Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/394/1/Moriah-going-to-extra-innings On September, this column highlighted the Teaneck Baseball Organization ("Not on Shabbos," 9/23), a little league that does not play baseball on Friday nights or Saturday afternoons. In that story, Dr. Eric Rosen, a TBO coach, noted that observant kids often quit baseball when they turn 12 because there is no Sabbath-observant baseball outlet after little league ends. But this year, The Moriah School of Englewood has pushed the end-of-baseball age to 13 and even 14. Starting in May, the school will field a seventh- and eighth-grade boys' baseball team, as well as a seventh- and eighth-grade girls' softball team. The first yeshiva elementary school to compete in either sport, Moriah will compete against a full schedule of non-yeshiva opponents, including public schools and town recreation leagues. "At this age (12 and 13), most of these kids would be finishing up their careers in little league," said Moriah's Coach Pete Tasca, who will coach the baseball team. "This will extend their careers past little league. Their only other option is to play on club teams," said Tasca, "and those usually play on Saturdays, so the kids can't play on those." Tasca, who has coached six Englewood Little League championship teams, added that Moriah's players will, for the first time, compete on a regulation-sized baseball field. The distance between the pitcher's mound and home plate will be 60 feet and six inches, up from 40 feet in little league, and the distance between the bases will be 90 feet, a steep increase from 60 feet in the junior circuit. "My hope is that we at least reach .500 (an equal number of wins as losses), because many kids have never played on this size of a field," said Tasca. "There will also be leading, pickoff plays, and stealing. It's full regulation baseball." Opening day for the baseball team will be at Midland Park on May 2. The season will continue with two matches each against Garfield, Leonia, Hackensack, Fairview, Bogota, and Elmwood Park. Moriah's softballers will compete in a recreation league with Englewood Cliffs Girls Softball, Englewood Girls Softball, and Leonia Girls Softball. Moriah will play all of its home games will be hosted at Englewood's Mackay Park. Tasca said that he is currently seeking a team sponsor, as well two assistant parent-coaches for the baseball team. He is also interviewing head coaching candidates for the softball team. He can be reached in his office at (201) 567-0208, ext. 489. Joseph Leichman Thu, 12 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.jstandard.com/articles/338/1/Jewish-baseball-cards-stacked-with-trivia There's a funny story about the time the Philadelphia A's first baseman Lou Limmer stepped up to the plate against the Detroit Tigers' Saul Rogovin while Myron Ginsberg caught. The umpire laughed and said, "Well, well, three Heebs. Wonder who'll prevail?" (This was the early 1950s and you could still make jokes like that.) Limmer smacked a home run and that answered that. That anecdote and many others are included in a new set of Jewish major-leaguers baseball cards, released Nov. 28. The collection of Semitic sluggers is the latest release from Martin Abramowitz, who came out with his initial set of Jewish major-leaguer cards in 2003. The new 55-piece set contains cards for the six Jews who have broken into the big leagues since then, six old-time Jewish ballplayers Abramowitz has since unearthed, and four women who played in the wartime girls' baseball league. The success of Abramowitz's first set coupled with the relative ease of tracking him down (when he's not poring over baseball records he's the vice president of planning and agency relations at Boston's Combined Jewish Philanthropies) lead to dozens of people calling him every week and pitching their uncles, fathers or grandfathers as card-worthy. About 99 percent of these calls end up being exercises in diplomacy for Abramowitz, as he has to politely insist that a card set of Jewish major leaguers includes only players who actually played major league baseball. But a caller named Joe Weinert mentioned his father, "Lefty" Weinert, who didn't let his children know he was Jewish until they were teenagers. Not only did "Lefty" Weinert pitch in the big leagues, he won a spot in a book entitled "The Worst Baseball Pitchers of All Time." Former pitcher Jose Bautista is also new to Abramowitz's set. More than any other player, Bautista qualifies for the "Funny, you don't look Jewish" cliche - he's a black Dominican. But his mother was a Jew, and he has always been candid about his Jewish identity. In fact, he once told the Village Voice newspaper, "My family and I go to synagogue when we can and we pray every Friday. We fast on Yom Kippur and not only do I not pitch, I don't even go to the ball game." The set features a card for each of the 13 current Jewish major leaguers and memorial cards for the former players who have died since the first set. The $36 collection is printed by Upper Deck and can be ordered at www.ajhs.org or at (866) 740-8013. JTA Joe Eskenazi Fri, 06 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST