http://www.jstandard.com/content/item/ en _JStandard@js.com Copyright 2011 2011-12-16T07:43:48+00:00 /content/item/21283 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/tko_in_3rd_for_ex-day_schooler/#When:07:43:48Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – In many ways, Carolina Raquel Duer is a typical middle-class Jewish kid from Buenos Aires. She attended a Jewish day school, spent time working and traveling in Israel, and celebrated becoming a bat mitzvah at a Conservative synagogue. When she stepped into the ring Nov. 12 at Club Atletico Lanus, however, she showcased a set of talents not commonly associated with the Jewish women of Buenos Aires. Duer, 33, is the World Boxing Organization’s super flyweight champion. Making the third defense of her title, Duer defeated Maria Jose Nunez by a technical knockout in the third round. Duer knocked down her Uruguyan opponent with a left cross, but Nunez scrambled to her feet before her cornerman — also her husband — threw in the towel to stop the fight.BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – In many ways, Carolina Raquel Duer is a typical middle-class Jewish kid from Buenos Aires. She attended a Jewish day school, spent time working and traveling in Israel, and celebrated becoming a bat mitzvah at a Conservative synagogue. When she stepped into the ring Nov. 12 at Club Atletico Lanus, however, she showcased a set of talents not commonly associated with the Jewish women of Buenos Aires. Duer, 33, is the World Boxing Organization’s super flyweight champion. Making the third defense of her title, Duer defeated Maria Jose Nunez by a technical knockout in the third round. Duer knocked down her Uruguyan opponent with a left cross, but Nunez scrambled to her feet before her cornerman — also her husband — threw in the towel to stop the fight. A crowd of 2,400 was on hand to watch the bout, including the vice governor of the Buenos Aires province and world middleweight champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez. Argentina’s National Public Television aired the fight live. Known by her nickname, “The Turk,” Duer is the daughter of Syrian immigrants to Argentina. She attended the capital’s Jaim Najman Bialik Primary School and spent more than a month in Israel in her younger years working on a kibbutz and touring the country. On weekends, she went to the local Maccabi club and attended Jewish summer camp. It was there that her feisty personality was first evident. “I liked the social activities of the Jewish community, but sometimes I got in trouble because I stood up for some disadvantaged kid,” Duer told JTA. “Injustice has always bothered me.” Last year, Duer hit a thief who tried to steal her purse on the street. “The ambulance came,” she recalled. “I don´t think that guy would dare steal from a girl again.” Her becoming a bat mitzvah was celebrated at the Iona Hebrew Center. “It moves me when I go to the temple,” Duer said. “Last time I went for a tragic situation, and I was there with my family. It’s very touching for me. I’m very Jewish in many ways.” One of those ways is through food. Duer was the producer of a television show about Sephardic food, and she worked as a waitress and bartender in her family´s restaurant. “Hummus, lajmashin, kibbeh, falafel — I love them, and I know how to cook them, but usually I can eat very little because of my profession,” Duer said. “I’m always training and trying to reach the right weight for the fights.” Duer’s life changed forever in 2002 when she accompanied a friend who was trying to lose weight to a gym. There, she was approached by the legendary Antonio Zacarias, a well-known local trainer, who asked if she had ever boxed before. Zacarias wanted to train her, and Duer loved the idea. As an amateur she won 19 of 20 fights. In 2007, she turned pro. Three years later, she won the WBO title by defeating Lorena Pedazza by decision. She has a professional record of nine wins and three losses. Like her ancestors — Syrian immigrants were renowned as traders — Duer has an entrepreneurial spirit, which she brings to her boxing. She actively seeks sponsors and carefully manages the business of fighting. Asked how much she expects to earn from the Nov. 12 matchup, Duer declined to answer. “I won’t tell,” she said, “because I will be envied.” Duer is the eighth Argentinian woman to hold a WBO boxing championship and the first Jewish one. She is hardly the country’s first Jewish fighter. As in the United States, decades ago Jews were leading figures in the Latin American boxing world. In 1940, Argentina’s Jaime Averboch won the welterweight title, but died the same year without defending his belt. Recently retired Mariano Plotinsky (“The Demolisher”), who fought with a Star of David on his shorts, held the OMB Intercontinental title, but lost his bid for a heavyweight class world title in 2010. In the future, Duer hopes to live in New York and train at the legendary Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, home to another celebrated Jewish fighter, Yuri Foreman. She also hopes to get more involved in educational activities. “I would like to teach kids the difference between boxing and fighting,” she said. “My family were always very good people. I think this is a characteristic that comes from Jewish education.” JTA Wire Service general 2011-12-16T07:43:48+00:00 /content/item/6273 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/local_teen_makes_maccabiah_squad/#When:03:21:32Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 David Frankl can run rings around most other kids his age. In fact, the teenage gymnast is so accomplished on the rings — his favorite gymnastics competition — that he’s earned a trip to the World Maccabiah Games, to be held in Israel from July 13 to 23. That’s quite an accomplishment for a 15-year-old high school freshman who loves the Yankees and the Jets, listening to rap, and playing classical music on his violin.David Frankl preps for the Maccabiah Games.David Frankl can run rings around most other kids his age. In fact, the teenage gymnast is so accomplished on the rings — his favorite gymnastics competition — that he’s earned a trip to the World Maccabiah Games, to be held in Israel from July 13 to 23. That’s quite an accomplishment for a 15-year-old high school freshman who loves the Yankees and the Jets, listening to rap, and playing classical music on his violin. The 18th games, which start in Tel Aviv and end in Jerusalem, are expected to attract 9,000 athletes from more than 60 countries. David will show his expertise not only on the rings but also in other gymnastics events, including the parallel bars, high bar, and pommel horse. For him, it’s second nature: He’s been doing it since he was 4. “My older sister was into it and I thought it would be cool if I did it too,” said David, a Franklin Lakes resident who attends Montclair Kimberly Academy. Jessica Frankl, now 17, has given up the sport but David has no plans to follow suit. He trains 25 hours per week and competes in meets all over the country. He’s already made two appearances at the Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships and hopes to qualify for the May 2009 event in Cincinnati. His accomplishments include finishing second in the all-around, vault, and parallel bars and third in the high bar competitions in the State of New Jersey and making the semi-finals in the pommel horse event at the Nationals. He also won a medal for his parallel bars performance in Dallas and finished sixth in the Maccabiah Gymnastics Trials, held in Oklahoma City. That showing won him a spot on the U.S. Junior Boys Gymnastics Team with five juniors. In the past year, he also became a Level 10 performer. Asked about his training regimen, David has a ready response. “Training is difficult,” he said. “You have to be pretty dedicated to gymnastics. I try to come home, relax, go to the gym, and do my homework.” He also finds time for weekly violin lessons and practice sessions with his school orchestra (75 minutes every other day). Proving that practice pays off, the Montclair Kimberly orchestra has performed at Carnegie Hall. That appearance helped allay any fear of crowds David might have had. He chose gymnastics, he said, because it represented a chance for self-improvement. “I think gymnastics is the hardest sport I’ve ever encountered, so it’s the most interesting for me,” he explained. “I like the team sports I played [baseball and soccer], but it’s good to have personal responsibility for everything that happens.” Winning an invite to Israel has been his top thrill thus far. David had been there before, most recently for his bar mitzvah in Ein Gedi, at the site of an ancient Dead Sea temple. His coach, Genadi Shub, and his father, Andy, converse in Hebrew — a language his dad suggests he will speak by the time he returns from his coming summer trip. According to his father, head of the New York-based Ibex Construction, “David is very smart — in advanced classes at school — and can do all these things because he pushes himself, schedules his own time, and is very disciplined.” So is the coach, a champion gymnast in his native Ukraine before becoming the coach of Israel’s Olympic gymnastics team. He’s been working with David for the last five years. “He improved a lot last year,” said the coach of his star protégé. “He grew up a lot. It takes time to learn the right techniques, and he’s still very young. But I think he’s on the way to the regional team this year and then maybe he’ll make the finals in the national championships.” Shub is going to Israel with David; he’s been chosen to coach the American gymnastics team in the Maccabiah Games. The coach won’t predict whether David might be a future Olympian, but he thinks his future is bright. “I think David has a future in gymnastics,” Shub said. “He’s very close to making the junior national team. If he works hard, he will make it.” One potential obstacle is the fact that the 5-feet-8-inch, 160-pound David is still growing. “When gymnasts grow up, they sometimes lose technique,” Andy Frankl explained. “When you grow up and do gymnastics moves, your body knows your hand is 30 centimeters from your shoulder. When you grow, all of a sudden, it’s 33 centimeters away. So you have to relearn everything.” That shouldn’t be hard for a kid who likes a challenge. “Let me put it this way,” his dad said. “David will not allow us to go on vacation anymore. He is really challenged by gymnastics.” David, Jessica, and parents Dawn and Andy are members of Barnert Temple in Franklin Lakes. general 2009-01-17T03:21:32+00:00 /content/item/3220 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/Jews_in_China_roll_out_red_carpet_for_tourists_athletes/#When:01:01:01Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 Dini's kosher restaurant in Beijing plans to be open '4 hours a day, seven days a week, during the '008 Olympic Games. Alison Klayman BEIJING – Gold medalists won't be the only ones climbing podiums in Beijing once the '008 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 '008 Olympic Games, which begin Aug. 8. BEIJING – Gold medalists won't be the only ones climbing podiums in Beijing once the '008 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 '008 Olympic Games, which begin Aug. 8. While most visitors probably don't even realize there is a local Jewish community in Beijing, the resident Jews of China's capital are getting ready to welcome anyone who seeks them out. Dini's kosher restaurant in Beijing plans to be open '4 hours a day, seven days a week, during the '008 Olympic Games. Alison Klayman The Shapiro family was already planning a trip to Shanghai and then to the Olympics, motivated by Isaac's love of sports and his older sister Chloe's previous career as a competitive gymnast. When Isaac's bar mitzvah tutor in Chicago, a photographer for the Games, suggested he have his bar mitzvah in Beijing, it all clicked. Isaac's father, Sam, said the family didn't feel the need for a "big American bar mitzvah." Sam Shapiro offered many reasons for the off-beat choice of his son's bar mitzvah location. "It will give Isaac a wonderful sense for the Jewish diaspora," he told JTA. "We also wanted to give our kids a better understanding of China since it is rapidly becoming one of the most important countries in the world." While the bar mitzvah will make the second Shabbat during the Olympics an especially lively affair (the Chinese word would be "renao," festive) at the Chabad House, the local rabbi expects a big crowd the prior Shabbat as well. Rabbi Shimon Freundlich of Chabad Beijing said he expects a packed house in the already squeezed villa living room of the main Chabad House, which is converted into a shul with a mechitza separating men and women every week. He said he has been approached by tourists from all over the world, including Australia, Israel, the United States, and Europe, and even by some athletes directly. Without naming names, Freundlich did divulge that "there will be athletes at services." "It will be packed wall to wall, no question," he said, noting they couldn't find a larger hall because everything else was booked. Chabad will offer services three times a day every day during the games, Freundlich said, at both the main Chabad house and the Central Business District location. The main Chabad house will also display a special Sino-Judaic exhibit of artifacts belonging to Jews around China in the last '00 years, including books, photographs, and religious items like a Chanukiah from Shanghai. While the Chabad community will be bustling, all signs indicate that the egalitarian, lay-led Kehillat Beijing minyan will have its share of visitors. Almost one-fifth of the total 18,000 hits on the Kehillat Website (http://www.sinogogue.org) came during the month of July alone. Kehillat will meet only on the Friday nights of Aug. 15 and ''. The minyan decided to cancel its Shabbat services the night of the opening ceremony, figuring that Olympic guests might plan to attend the show-stopping event. Even Kehillat regulars might find it hard to travel that night or might simply opt to watch the event on television. Kehillat Beijing does not have regular Saturday morning services. Athletes and tourists alike will be taken care of when it comes to kosher food, thanks to months of preparation leading up to the Beijing Summer Games. There will be a place inside the Olympic Village for those seeking kosher food and prayer services. There are five places in the Village that will host religious activities for Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, and Jews. In the city itself, Dini's Restaurant, mainland China's only kosher eatery that is not part of a Chabad House, will be open to customers '4 hours a day, seven days a week. On Shabbat, meals are served after services. Over a period of several months, Dini's was visited by South African shochet Rabbi Chaim Klein, who prepared more than seven and a half tons of beef and nine tons of chicken. "Everything is slaughtered and in the freezer," Freundlich, the Chabad rabbi, told JTA. Five rabbinical students from Australia, South Africa, and the United States will come to Beijing for the games to help at the restaurant, as well as perform tasks like delivering food or greeting people at the airport. As a special Olympics precaution, the restaurant has hired a '4/7 security guard. In addition, Dini's will make deliveries to hotels all around the city. Available for sale at both Dini's and Chabad locations will be a 65-page English-Chinese travel booklet made by Chabad, with helpful tips especially for Jewish tourists. The Israeli Embassy in Beijing is preparing an informational letter of its own for Israeli tourists, with a guide to the city and useful embassy information, according to the embassy's press officer, Guy Kivetz. The embassy will provide support not only for Israeli tourists but also for the more than '0 journalists expected from Israel. Israel is bringing its largest delegation ever to the Olympics, with 4' athletes. Of course, security is always a concern. "To host an Olympics is not easy security-wise," Kivetz said, "but we are confident in the measures that China is taking, and Beijing compared to other places is considered to be safe." The Israeli Embassy will also host an event Aug. 18 with the dual purpose of commemorating the 11 athletes killed at the 197' Munich Games and welcoming the Israeli Olympic delegation. general 2008-08-01T01:01:01+00:00 /content/item/3219 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/Rhythmic_gymnasts_go_to_the_mat_with_approach_born_in_FSU/#When:01:01:01Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 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 '', 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. 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. Irina Risenzon, a Ukrainian immigrant to Israel, practices her routine in preparation for the rhythmic gymnastics competition at the Beijing Olympics. Brian Hendler It's late afternoon and the young women, ranging in age from 17 to '', 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. "There are harder workouts and easier ones," says Risenzon, '0, her auburn hair pulled into a bun. She sits on a wooden bench on the edge of the gym, watching the team begin its routine. The gymnasts practice about 10 hours per day. "But you know why you are here," she says. "For me it's my goal: the Olympics." Like every Olympian, her ultimate goal is the gold. "That's the dream," Risenzon says, breaking into a smile, a marked contrast from the grimace she's been wearing for the past two hours while trying to perfect her leaps and pivots before her hard-driving coach, Ira Vigdorchik. Risenzon has been training with Vigdorchik since she was 9, the same year she and her family immigrated to Israel from Ukraine. The language in the hall is predominately Russian; six of the eight rhythmic gymnasts are emigrants from the former Soviet Union. The two Israel natives are the daughters of immigrants: Rachel Vigdorchik, who tutors Risenzon, and Neta Rivkin, who at 17 is the youngest member of the Israeli Olympic team. This large contingent of rhythmic gymnasts is why the Israeli squad has nearly as many women as men this year in its 39-member delegation for the Olympics in China. The sport combines ballet, theatrical dance, and gymnastics and is divided into individual, pair, and team event categories. Ropes, hoops, balls, clubs, and ribbons are used in the routines. About 3,000 girls are training in gyms across the country, according to Rachel Vigdorchik. She oversees 300 of them at the gym she runs in Holon and at another branch in Jaffa for Arab girls. Vigdorchick, who moved to Israel in 1979, was scheduled to perform in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, her hometown, but she stayed home when the Israeli team boycotted the games, along with other countries, in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Looking around the gym at the team members she has coached, most of them since they were little girls, Vigdorchick says they're like family. She says this year's Olympics Games are "closing a circle." Vigdorchik says she's proud that rhythmic gymnastics, a sport brought to Israel by Russian immigrants in the early 1970s, has caught on. "It's very popular, but we need more government investment and more sponsors," she says, echoing a common complaint of Israel's sporting community. For those who grew up in the Soviet system, where cultivating sports and athletes was a national priority, the contrast in Israel can be jarring. Ela Samotalov, the coach for the team event, came in 1991 from Minsk, where she helped coach the Belarus national team. She says she is still getting accustomed to Israel's more spartan sports culture. "There is no status to being a coach here in Israel," she complains. The Soviet-style training, with its strict discipline and demands, can seem off-putting to native-born Israelis, Samotalov says. This is part of what unites the Russian-born gymnasts — a shared understanding of the dedication needed to excel that comes from growing up in families versed in a more intense approach to sports. "But the sabras are learning well; it will just take time," Samotalov says of the Israelis. "Sports is not a miracle. It's hard work." Samotalov is encouraged by the homegrown talent of one of her longtime charges, Rivkin, 17, who has improved consistently at competitions this year. "My goal is to do the best I can," Rivkin says of Beijing. "It's so special, going out there in front of that huge audience." Not far away, Risenzon laughs as she recalls her introduction to the sport when she was a little girl living near Kiev. "I was considered sickly, always getting the flu," she recalls. "So my parents were told that to strengthen my body I should do sports, and the closest gym to our house was for rhythmic gymnastics." When she was 4, Risenzon's Olympic career was nearly derailed by coaches who deemed her too pudgy to excel in the sport. Her baby fat long gone, she finished seventh last September in the World Championships. Risenzon talks about the deep concentration she tries to maintain during her routines — tuning out the clapping crowds, the cameras, and the competition. Relief and satisfaction come only after a successful routine is completed. "Then I think about everything," she says. "In the midst of it all I'm focused on the next move." "But I love to perform," Risenzon says, her deep brown eyes shining as she describes her Olympic routines, which include a playful number set to Indian music and another with a samba tune. Despite her immigrant origins, she has no identity dilemmas, she says. "I've felt deeply connected here," Risenzon says, "and when I see the Israeli flag flying I get goose bumps." general 2008-08-01T01:01:01+00:00 /content/item/3218 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/Swimmers_lead_US_contingent_of_Jewish_athletes_in_Beijing/#When:01:01:01Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 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 '008 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. 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 '008 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. 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 "We joke about going to the Maccabiah Games and setting a world record," Lezak tells JTA, referring to what is known as "the Jewish Olympics." Toss in 41-year-old Dara Torres, another Jewish swimmer and sprinter who will be competing in her fifth Games, and the possibilities rise even higher. The swimmers are among the seven Jewish athletes believed to compose the American Jewish contingent headed to China. They are a mix of veterans and newcomers, all with a realistic chance of acquiring medals at the games, which begin with the opening ceremony Aug. 8. Already, Wildman-Tobriner and Weber-Gale have their nickname: the "hyphenated Jew crew." That makes for some good-natured fun around the pool, Wildman-Tobriner says, adding that he is proud to represent his heritage — along with the United States — in China. Another Jewish athlete eyeing water-related success for the Americans is kayaker Rami Zur, who is in his second Olympics for the United States after representing Israel in the '000 games. Some Jewish landlubbers also will wear the red, white, and blue in Beijing: fencer Sara Jacobson and marathoner Deena Kastor. Both won bronze medals in '04 in Athens. Lezak is competing in his third Olympics and has garnered four medals on relay teams, including a gold in the 4x100 medley in '04. At 3', he is the oldest male to qualify for an Olympic swim team. "That's an accomplishment in itself," says Lezak, of Irvine, Calif. At the recent U.S. Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb., the 6-foot-4, '15-pounder broke the American record in the 100-meter freestyle with a semifinal time of 47.58, setting himself up as the probable anchor on that relay team. "Winning medals in the relays is such an amazing feeling, being a part of a team," Lezak says, speaking to JTA by telephone. In part, it was his disappointment as an individual competitor in Athens that spurred Lezak to keep his Olympic dreams. He failed to qualify for the finals in the 100-meter freestyle, though Lezak says he had a "great opportunity" to win an individual medal. "I took the preliminaries too lightly," he admits. "I was thinking about how many races I had to swim and I saved too much energy. "I learned a horrible lesson, but it kind of got me going another four years. I kind of felt like I had unfinished business." Now Lezak, who will be competing in relays and in the 100-meter race, wants to mount the podium by himself. "I'm a team-type player," he says, "but to do something on your own feels pretty good. I have a lot to prove to myself. I know I'm capable, I just haven't done it yet." He'll have plenty of competition from Weber-Gale, of Milwaukee, and Wildman-Tobriner, a fellow Californian. Weber-Gale, '', edged Lezak in the 100-meter finals in the trials. Weber-Gale, who won the World Championships in '005 and '007, will be making his Olympics debut after narrowly missing a spot four years ago. He expects to compete in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle and on the 4x100 freestyle and medley teams. The University of Texas All-American predicts an outstanding Olympics for the U.S. squad. "I think this is the best Olympic swim team ever assembled," Weber-Gale told the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. "There are several events where we could get multiple medals, and we could win all three relays." Wildman-Tobriner, '3, also is making his Olympic debut. The Stanford University All-American will compete in the 50-meter freestyle and the relay. "To finally be able to participate is going to be really exciting," he told the j., the Jewish news weekly of Northern California. "It still hasn't really sunk in yet." Lezak, who has been coaching the last two years, says he met his younger Jewish colleagues at the '05 World Championships. "They were in a different stage of their lives," he says. "They were in college, and the international scene was more important to me." Lezak says they mostly talk to each other about their common Jewish identity. "You don't see that too often," he says of three Jewish Olympians in the same events. "They're both nice guys and we all get along." The younger pair haven't yet picked the brain of their more seasoned colleague, Lezak says. "Once you start getting to the games, to the Olympic village, people are more curious about the type of things to expect, more questions come up," he says. They can all learn from Torres, a member of the Jewish International Sports Hall of Fame. Despite having a '-year-old daughter, the Los Angeles native who now works out in southern Florida qualified in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle, though she will compete in only the former in Beijing. Torres, who graces the cover of Time magazine's Olympics preview, which touts "Dana Torres & 99 More Athletes To Watch," is a nine-time Olympic medalist, including four golds. She established an American record at the trials finals in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of '4.'5; Torres broke her own mark set in the semis. "That she's doing her best times is phenomenal," Lezak says. "She's pretty inspiring to all the athletes out there." Her success at an advanced age for athletes has brought suspicions of doping, but Torres has passed every drug test. "I've gone beyond the call of duty to prove I'm clean, but you are guilty until proven innocent in this day and age, so what else can I do?" she told Time. "It's a real bummer." Zur, the kayaker, is seeking his first medal in his third Olympics. He has failed to reach the finals as an individual in the 500-meter event or in the two-man 500- and 1,000-meter events. The 5-foot-9, 160-pounder is considered a contender as he vies solo in the 500, despite a severe spinal injury that jeopardized his career. "I want to go there and come back with some hardware," Zur, 31, told the California Jewish newspaper. The native of Berkeley, Calif., was adopted as an infant by a kibbutz couple near the Sea of Galilee. His proximity to the sea helped develop his love of water sports. "Kayaking was the first sport where I could go wherever I wanted to," he says. The Israeli Olympic Committee cut back on funding for his training following the Sydney Games and he left the Jewish state for the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., where he lived for free. Zur says the Israelis were understanding about his choice to wear U.S. colors. Kastor, 35, is another Jewish Californian bound for Beijing. A two-time Olympian, she holds the American records in the marathon and half-marathon. In April, Kastor won the U.S. Olympic trials in Boston with a time of ':'9:35. Her bronze in Athens was the first medal for an American marathoner in two decades. Jacobson, '5, of Dunwoody, Ga., brings a No. 1 world ranking in sabre to China. Her sister Emily was on the '04 Olympics fencing team; her father, David, was a member of the '74 national squad. Jacobson, who attends Yale University, is a two-time winner of the U.S. women's sabre championship. general 2008-07-31T01:01:01+00:00 /content/item/3217 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/An_Orthodox_marathon_man/#When:01:01:01Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 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 '6-mile, 385-yard run with kosher snacks and drinks. And though 3'-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:'4 and with enough time to get to afternoon services.PASSAIC – He started his morning at the so-called Marathon Minyan on Staten Island, along with about five dozen other hopefuls. He fueled his '6-mile, 385-yard run with kosher snacks and drinks. And though 3'-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:'4 and with enough time to get to afternoon services. Martin Bodek approaches the finish line. Brightroom Event Photography Bodek, an information technology manager for a Manhattan law firm and a 10-time NYC marathoner, estimates that he was one of about '0 Orthodox participants this year. He says has never found his religious observance in any way compromised by the requirements of the race. "Some [fervently Orthodox men] might have an issue with how the women runners are dressed, but that's completely not a problem for me," says the married father of two preschoolers. He even put a uniquely Jewish spin on the event. At Shabbat services at Cong. Tifereth Israel the day before the race, Bodek had it announced that he would be running in memory of a good friend. And since all serious runners build a day of rest into their training regimen, this also presented no religious dilemma for Bodek. He simply took Saturdays off. "Certainly, it's a matter of pride that you can stick to your principles," he says. For example, he never runs without wearing the garment with fringes — tzitzit — that is required of observant men during daylight hours if they walk more than a distance of about six feet ("daled amos" in Hebrew). "I asked my rabbi about it years ago, when I lived in Brooklyn, because I was trying to get out of it," Bodek admits with a laugh, "but he said yes, I have to wear them. I'm definitely walking more than daled amos." His concession to practicality is safety-pinning his tzitzis securely to the underside of his shirt "so they don't shuffle around." And this is not just any shirt; it's a Superman T with "Martin" pinned above the S symbol. On his head, also securely pinned, is a black velvet yarmulke. With his "race" thus obvious during the race, Bodek experienced two incidents he found disturbing. One was a "wallop" on the back from a fellow contestant who then yelled "Greetings from Germany" as he passed Bodek wearing what the Jewish runner thought was a "funny look." Then, as he hit mile '5.4 at the corner of Central Park West, three kids screamed "Go Superman!" and a beat later one added, "Hey! He's a [expletive deleted] Jew!" Bodek — who drank nothing but water during the 30 days prior to the marathon except for grape juice at kiddush — says he is nevertheless proud of running as a Jew and of maintaining a kosher diet during the run. "Sometimes I have to get picky," he says. "Some people along the route hand out fruit and that's great, but others hand out candy." Tempting as that may be, Bodek declines any treat unless he knows it's certified kosher. This year, a bystander in Williamsburg held out Twizzlers with a sign saying "kosher" in Hebrew. Bodek was happy to take some — in part because it was the first junk food he'd allowed himself in months. But he also planned in advance. From experience, he knew that the sports drink Gatorade is proffered at every mile, so he arranged for family members to be stationed along the way with a kosher-certified alternative, PowerAde. "My mom was at mile 4.7, my dad at mile 10, my brother-in-law at mile 17.7, and my wife, Naomi, and our kids at mile ''.5," he recalls with perfect precision. Yet he does not remember which flavor of PowerAde he guzzled. "The taste of anything doesn't matter at a marathon," he explains. "If it's in front of you, you will eat it. You see things only as potential energy." His mother took her duty a step further, as he reported in a post-race e-mail to friends: "My mom hands me an orange, peeled and wedged, and a sesame bagel with salt on it. She had asked the bagel shop if they had salt bagels. They didn't. So she asked them to pluck a sesame one from the batch about to go into the oven and dump some salt on it. They obliged. Is that a yiddishe mama or what?" Post-race, the Bodek family indulged in a meal at midtown's Kosher Delight. Bodek downed two burgers, onion rings, fries, and a Snapple. "It was my unhealthiest meal in a year!" he exclaims. general 2007-11-23T01:01:01+00:00 /content/item/3216 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/With_the_glove_and_the_bat_Jews_sparkled_on_the_diamond/#When:01:01:01Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 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, 1'8-1'6. "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. 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, 1'8-1'6. Ryan Braun, at bat, was just named "Rookie of the Year." Courtesy of the Milwaukee Brewers "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. Called up from the minor leagues in May, Braun batted .3'4 with 34 home runs and 97 runs batted in while leading the league with a slugging percentage of .634. Braun, who turns '4 on Saturday, is the son of an Israeli father and a Christian mother. Although he wasn't raised Jewish, the California native spoke this spring of the pride he takes in his Jewish heritage. While Braun made history, he wasn't the only Jewish ballplayer to distinguish himself on the diamond this season. Last week, Boston Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis was selected by his peers as a Gold Glove winner for his defensive excellence in just his second year at the position. Youkilis, who played 145 games, mostly at first base, played error-free while eclipsing the Red Sox and American League records for most consecutive errorless games and chances at first base. With a streak of 190 errorless games at first base, he will need just four more to snap the major league mark of 193 set by Steve Garvey. Youkilis fared well at the plate as well, batting .'88 with 16 homers and 83 RBI. He was at his best in the A.L. Championship Series, going 14 for '8 in the seven games against Cleveland. He joins catchers Brad Ausmus and Mike Lieberthal as active Jewish Gold Glove winners. Ausmus is a three-time winner. Two other Jewish ballplayers reached milestones in '07. Shawn Green, the New York Mets' outfielder/first baseman, collected his ',000th career hit in September. Buddy Myer, a Washington Senators' infielder in the 19'0s and '30s, was the first Jewish player to accomplish the feat. Green's 10 homers left him three shy of Greenberg's career mark of 331. Jason Marquis, a Chicago Cubs right-hander, in pitching to a record of 1'-9, became only the sixth Jewish pitcher to notch at least 10 victories in four consecutive seasons. The others are Koufax, Ken Holtzman, Steve Stone, Dave Roberts, and Barney Pelty. With the passing of Mickey Rutner, a New Yorker who played for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics in 1947, Al Rosen became the oldest living Jewish major leaguer. Rosen, 83, enjoyed a solid career as a third baseman for the Cleveland Indians. His rookie season in 1950 was among his best: a .'87 batting average with 37 home runs and 116 RBI. But Boston Red Sox first baseman Walt Dropo beat out Rosen for Rookie of the Year. It took until '007 for a Jewish player to earn that distinction. Martin Abramowitz produces Jewish baseball cards and lectures on Jews in baseball. His Website is http://www.jewishmajorleaguers.org. general 2007-11-16T01:01:01+00:00 /content/item/3214 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/Israeli_tennis_stars_unveil_plan_for_US_Jewish_athletes/#When:01:01:01Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 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.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. The Jewish Sports Foundation would award grants based on financial need, athletic acumen, positive character traits and community service. Israeli tennis players Jonathan Erlich, left, and Andy Ram are launching a foundation to help American Jewish athletes. Ram, '7, and Erlich, 30, in New York this week for the U.S. Open, told JTA they wanted to give back to American Jews who have financially supported athletic training programs in Israel and opened their homes to them. Their goal is to create a greater avenue for cultivating athletes in the Jewish community, which typically focuses more on academic and cultural pursuits. "The foundation is a pretty new idea," Erlich said. "You don't see too many Jewish athletes around. We think this will give American Jews a way to find athletes and to give them something different." Not that Jews shouldn't be doctors and lawyers, the athletes said, but both fare well monetarily on the tennis court rather than in the courtroom. Each won nearly $'50,000 in '006 and boast more than $1 million in career earnings. Plus there is potential income from endorsements in Israel: Ram and Erlich say they cannot walk the streets without being recognized. Longtime friends, they became doubles partners in '001. Ram sat out '00' with back and knee injuries, but they have been Israel's most successful sports duo since they reunited. In '005, they reached the Wimbledon semifinals. The pair have won 10 titles together; this month they won the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati. Ram has achieved success without Erlich, too. He became Israel's first grand slam champion when he captured the Wimbledon mixed doubles title last year with Vera Zvonareva, a Russian. This year he paired with a French player, Nathalie Dechy, to take the French Open mixed doubles crown. Noting the support they receive from the American Jewish community, Ram and Erlich say they rarely stay in hotels while playing eight to nine months a year in the United States. Rather they spend most of their time with host families. "We just want to give back to the American Jews," Ram said. Their foundation is inspired in part by the Israel Tennis Centers, a network of 14 not-for-profit facilities that teaches tennis and life lessons through the game. Some 350,000 Israeli children, including Ram, have passed through the centers since they opened in 1976. The centers are funded primarily by American donors — the direction that charity dollars typically flow between Israel and American Jews. Ram and Erlich are attempting to change the course. Their foundation is in its early stages, according to Leslie Bernstein, a political and public relations strategist who is doing most of the legwork in starting the operation, including trying to attain 501(c)3 status. The tennis pros plan on approaching several prominent American Jewish athletes for funding. The Israelis say they want to challenge two stereotypes: that all Jews are wealthy and no Jews are athletes. "When you talk to a lot of Americans and ask about Jewish athletes, the only name you really hear is Sandy Koufax — and that was 40 years ago," Bernstein said. JTA general 2007-08-31T01:01:01+00:00 /content/item/3213 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/Rookie_could_make_history_151_but_will_he_cut_Yom_Kippur/#When:01:01:01Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 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, '5, 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.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, '5, 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. After 83 games he was batting .333 with '5 home runs and 66 runs batted in. If Braun, the son of an Israeli who immigrated to the United States at the age of 7, is selected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America as the N.L.'s top rookie, it would mark a first for Jewish players in Major League Baseball history. Jewish Hall of Famers Hank Greenberg and Lou Boudreau played before the award was instituted in 1947. Koufax wasn't even close in 1955. Nor were the nine current Jewish major leaguers: Shawn Green, Brad Ausmus, Mike Lieberthal, Jason Marquis, Kevin Youkilis, Scott Schoeneweis, and John Grabow, along with promising second-year players Ian Kinsler and Jason Hirsh. The closest any Jewish player came to winning Rookie of the Year was another slugging third baseman, Al Rosen of the Cleveland Indians. In 1950 he led the American League with 37 home runs, but lost out in the balloting to Red Sox first baseman Walt Dropo, who batted .3'' and was the RBI leader with 144. Rosen went on to become the American League MVP in 1953, while Dropo never came close to matching his rookie totals. Over the years, as the baseball season has wound down toward the playoffs, observers of Jews in baseball traditionally wonder what the prominent Jewish players will do on Yom Kippur, play or pray. In earlier decades, Greenberg and Koufax made the American Jewish community proud with their decisions to sit out on the holy day -- Greenberg attended services; Koufax did not. Boudreau publicly denied his Jewishness until the last years of his life. Green, the premier Jewish ballplayer of this era, has played and prayed depending on the year and the situation of his team. Why believe Braun will take off on Yom Kippur? Perhaps it's his connection to Greenberg: Braun lived for a time with his maternal grandfather in a house that once belonged to the legendary Detroit Tigers' slugger. Then there is the interview Braun gave to the Milwaukee Jewish Sentinel. "Being Jewish is something I take great pride in," he told the paper. "There aren't too many Jewish athletes who have achieved success at the highest level, so it's something I'm very proud of." Of course, there is at least one good reason to believe he will play: Milwaukee is in the thick of a tight three-team race for the Central Division title and would hate to lose his bat, even for one night. The Brewers aren't providing any clues; they haven't returned calls on the issue. So fans will just have to wait until Sept. '1 to find out if Braun will be wearing a uniform or a kippah. JTA general 2007-08-31T01:01:01+00:00 /content/item/3212 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/Team_wins_injunction_against_harassers/#When:01:01:01Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 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.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. Beyond the question of anti-Semitism among teams and fans in lower leagues, the issue is a matter of German sport etiquette: For the first time, a team — Makkabi — has gone outside the sports court to resolve a dispute; and, on Aug. 10, the Berlin district court issued a temporary injunction in their favor. It all started in September '006, when home-team fans of Altglienicke II chanted "Death to the Jews," "synagogues must burn," and "we're building a subway line to Auschwitz!" during a game against its 8th division B-level opponents, Makkabi TuS, a Jewish team founded decades prior to the rise of the Nazis. No one made an attempt to stop the anti-Semitic catcalls, according to media reports. Makkabi captain Vernen Liebermann was ejected after he criticized the referee for not intervening; Lieberman then pulled his team off the field, in the 78th minute. The game was suspended. Makkabi board president Tuvia Schlesinger called it the "worst thing that has happened to a Jewish club since the Hitler dictatorship in Germany," and then turned to the local sport court. That sport court reprimanded the Altglienicke team and its directors, required the players to attend an anti-racism seminar, and ordered a replay of the game on neutral ground. The rematch took place in March '007. During the game, Altglienicke bent the rules and inserted members of its own top team into the ranks of its junior team. Again, Makkabi turned to the sports court. In April, Makkabi was awarded extra points and advanced to the next highest amateur league — the A league — leaving Altglienicke in the dirt, and mad. Altglienicke then appealed, pointing to a loophole that allowed the insertion of top team members into the lower level team. In July, the sports court found in favor of Altglienicke, reversing the bonus points for Makkabi. As a result, Makkabi would merely advance within the B league. Schlesinger called this an "absurdity." And thus Makkabi became the first sports club to go outside the sports court for a resolution. On Aug. 10 the Berlin District Court issued a temporary injunction, allowing the Makkabi team to advance to the A level. Schlesinger said that the sports court had made so many procedural errors, that he had no choice but to go around it. "Are we being treated this way," he said, "because we are an association with Jewish roots?" general 2007-08-24T01:01:01+00:00