GUY SASSON of Israel competes with doubles partner Koji Sugeno of Japan during their first-round match at the US Open Quads event in Queens, New York. (photo credit: USTA/COURTESY)

Original Article On The Jerusalem Post

The 43-year-old Sasson shared the very emotional experience of playing on such a big stage as equals with such tennis greats as US Open finalists Djokovic and Danil Medvedev.

On the same day that tennis greats Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic were battling it out against opponents in Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open, other tennis greats, including Alfie Hewitt, Diede De Groot, Niels Vink, David Wagner and Israeli Guy Sasson were competing fiercely on Courts 4, 5 and 6.

These lesser-known, but similarly talented and determined, athletes competed in the expanded wheelchairs tennis events at this year’s US Open Tennis Championships. Many tennis fans and sports fans in general are unfamiliar with this highly competitive event.

Wheelchair tennis has been a part of all four Grand Slams since 2007, and at the Summer Paralympics. There are two divisions – open and quads. Quads is for players who use wheelchairs and also have loss of function in at least one upper limb.

Israel’s only tennis player in any main draw event at this year’s US Open, Guy Sasson, was recently reclassified and participated in the mens’ singles and doubles quads division. Sasson spoke with The Jerusalem Post in the media garden at the US Open following what appeared to be an easy 55-minute first-round win where defeated Tomas Masaryk of Slovakia 6-1, 6-2.

The 43-year-old Sasson shared the very emotional experience of playing on such a big stage as equals with such tennis greats as US Open finalists Djokovic and Danil Medvedev.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a forehand against Daniil Medvedev of Russia (not pictured) in the men’s singles final on day fourteen of the 2021 US Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, in Flushing, New York, on September 12, 2021. (credit: DANIELLE PARHIZKARAN-USA TODAY SPORTS)

“It may have looked easy but it wasn’t! This is the biggest tournament I’ve ever been in. This tournament is different since we are involved with able-bodied tennis players and they treat us as equals with the able-bodied players. We are in the same locker room. You sit in the locker room and Djokovic is coming your way and says, ‘hi, how are you doing? How did you do today?’ Or Medvedev says, ‘sorry I am in your way. Or [Frances] Tiafoe – I almost ran over Tiafoe with my wheelchair.”

Sasson was also impressed with the organization of the tournament and stressed the incredible feeling of being included as equals with world-class pros.  

“The chance to do it altogether with the able-bodied – keeping in mind that there are 50,000 people inside watching – even if they are not here to watch me – is incredible.”

A long journey

It has been a long journey for Sasson who grew up non-disabled and became a reluctant wheelchair tennis player. Sasson grew up in Ramat Gan, served in the IDF, traveled after his army service and attended the University of Michigan for college. While in the US, Sasson started and sold several businesses. He returned to Israel, married Aya Mohr, and founded a real estate company.

In 2015, the father of two young children at the time, went snowboarding in France.

“I didn’t see the cliff. I fell off the cliff and hurt my spine,” Sasson recounts. “They flew me to Tel Hashomer Hospital in Israel, I had a big surgery on my spine and hand, and the doctors told me I won’t walk again. It didn’t sound real. Of course I will — I’ll be out of here in two weeks. It turns out, I was in a rehab hospital at Tel Hashomer for one year and did walk out – with braces and canes.

Sasson knew he would need to find something to keep physically active.

“I promised my kids I would get out of the chair,” said Sasson. His initial choice was swimming.

When Sasson viewed tennis, he met a new Israeli coach, Ofri Lankri, an Israeli professional tennis player who played on Israel’s 2014 Fed Cup team. Sasson began to quietly consider it.

The two hit it off and Sasson’s love for wheelchair tennis began to blossom.

“At first, I didn’t tell anyone – not even my wife. No one! When I started to get better, I had to tell my wife!”

Lakri, who coached Sasson during all of his US Open matches, feels similarly connected to Sasson. She is proud of his progress and has high hopes for his future.

“Guy always loved individual sports and tennis was a good fit for him. He got good quickly.  He is super serious and loves the mentality of tennis”

Sasson began competing in 2007 and aspired to participate in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games (which were rescheduled to 2021 due to COVID-19).

He reports that he began to experience some changes in his upper body and was recently reclassified for the quads wheelchair division.

Sasson is currently ranked No. 7 in the world for quads singles and 40th for doubles.

Sasson got off to a good start with his first-round win at the US Open.  A few fans and family members of both players cheered on the players. Sasson’s four children – ages 13, 11, 7 and 5 – were in the first row waving mini Israel flags and calling for their “Abba.” Sasson’s parents were also there cheering.

Sasson’s wife and children did not have to make the long flight from Israel as they are spending several years in Houston Aya’s medical fellowship.

One day after his singles victory, Sasson played doubles with partner Koji Sugeno. The match was against top-seeded Sam Schroder and Niels Vink, and Sasson and Sugeno lost 3-6, 6-1, 10-6.

One day later, Sasson had one more opportunity to advance in quads singles. He lost to the world’s No. 2 seed, Schroder of the Netherlands, 7-5, 6-2.

For now, Sasson and family will return to Houston. The children are back to school, Aya is back to her fellowship and Guy will be up at 3 a.m. each morning to work with his real estate team in Israel.

From October 9-13, Sasson will have a chance to play in front of friends, family and Israeli fans at the Israel Open in Ramat Hasharon.

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VALERIE GLOZMAN – the daughter of a Ukrainian Jewish father and a Taiwanese mother – has played in the qualifying events of both women and junior events at the US Open for the past two years. (photo credit: HOWARD BLAS)

Original Article On The Jerusalem Post

Glozman’s successful year continued when the then No. 2 ranked player in the country won the prestigious FILA Easter Bowl tournament.

For most American high school students, the end of August means back-to-school shopping for clothes and supplies. For 16-year-old Valerie Glozman, it also means navigating the many aspects of playing in the US Open Tennis Championships.

The articulate, good-natured tennis player from Bellevue, Washington, had the rare distinction of playing in the women’s qualifying draw and the junior’s draw – for two years in a row. And without a coach or parents with her for much of the time, Glozman has a lot to figure out on her own. Fortunately, the sensible, smiley teen is very resourceful.

“I love to play here; It is so great for my learning. I don’t get so many experiences at such a high level”

Valerie Glozman

“I love being independent,” Glozman reported in the media garden at the US Open following a tough second round loss in the juniors tournament.

“You learn how to take care of yourself. You learn a lot when you have to take care of things on your own because you make some mistakes here and there – for example, I have to find a good time to go to sleep, to get up, and to take the shuttle [bus from the hotel in Manhattan to the tennis center in Queens, NY]. And you learn from your matches if you give yourself enough time [to sleep]. I am really looking forward to college in that sense.”

Glozman will play tennis at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. First, Glozman needs to finish high school.

ISRAELI TEEN Liam Oved both won their first matches at US Open juniors qualifying before bowing out in second round. (credit: LEO STOLCK)

Celebrities of tomorrow are unknown today

Glozman is one of the dozens of tennis players at the US Open who remain virtually unknown to most outside of a small group of fans who follow junior tennis. She and many other young players may represent the future of professional tennis, though it is a long road from the juniors to earning a living on the professional tennis circuit. Glozman may get there one day.

Last year, the then 15-year-old received a wild card when she was runner up at the US National Junior Hard Court Championships. At last year’s US Open, she lost in the second round of the women’s qualifiers and in the second round of the juniors’ tournament. Two months later, Glozman helped the US win the junior Billie Jean King Cup championship over the Czech Republic.

Glozman’s successful year continued when the then No. 2 ranked player in the country won the prestigious FILA Easter Bowl tournament. She was seeded No. 1 and captured the title for the second year in a row.

Still, Glozman was not guaranteed a slot in this year’s US Open womens’ qualifying draw. She was encouraged to apply for a wildcard given her recent successes.

“I was so grateful when I found out I got in, I started to cry!” Glozman told The Jerusalem Post. “I love to play here; It is so great for my learning. I don’t get so many experiences at such a high level.”

At this year’s US Open women’s qualifying tournament, Glozman won her first-round match against Olga Govortsova of Belarus. She then lost her second-round match against 32nd seed Marina Bassols Ribera of Spain, 6-7 6-3 6-1.

In the junior’s tournament, Glozman won her first two rounds in straight sets before losing her third round match in three sets to 11th seed Anastasiia Gureva, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 under the blazing heat.

Her match with Gureva took place in the 93-degree heat. Down 5-4 in the final set, she began to feel sick and she was given electrolytes.

“I felt quite nauseous.  I never played in this weather. I am used to playing indoors in Seattle!”

Glozman has learned a great deal from her trips to the US Open.

“I learned that I need to improve my serve and return of serve,” she notes. “My serve is a big separator [from those with big serves].

She noted that she felt even with Gureva in rallies.

“But she has an amazing serve!”

Glozman has also learned an important lesson from 21-year-old University of North Carolina tennis player Fiona Crowley, who won three matches in the women’s qualifiers to gain a spot in the main draw.

“We became friends in the qualifiers. She is so positive and bubbly and just enjoys competing out there.  She gets further that way and just has a good time.“  

She always pays tribute to her family.

“My mom is here at the US Open and is so supportive. My dad [who has been her longtime coach] follows the scores on his laptop.”  

“I know I am causing them a little stress out there, but I am really grateful to my parents who are super invested in me,” she laughed.  

Her sister, Vivian, 23, played college tennis at the University of California and at the University of Virginia.

“She currently plays pickleball full time” noted Valerie, “I have obviously learned a lot from her.”

Glozman, the daughter of a Ukrainian Jewish father and a Taiwanese mother, has only one slight critique of her parents. When asked if she will be home to celebrate the upcoming Jewish holidays, she shared: “I have actually always wanted to be part of that, but my family is not super big into holidays. They have nothing against it but they are just a little lazy with that stuff. I love cultural holidays and I do spend time with my friends enjoying all types of cultures.”

Perhaps will have opportunities to explore both her Jewish and Taiwanese heritages when she embarks on her Stanford career next year. 

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Magshimim and Tikvah 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘻𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘩 (play), ההופעה הכי טובה (The Greatest Showman)! ⁣at Camp Ramah in Canada

Original Article On The Jewish Disability Inclusion News

Every time I visit a Jewish summer camp which includes campers with disabilities (many do and they do it seamlessly!), I feel obligated to offer the staff a history lesson. Once upon a time, it wasn’t a given that children with disabilities would be welcomed to participate in Jewish camping. In fact, inclusion of campers with disabilities happened because of the determination of two special education teachers from Long Island, New York in the late 1960s!

Herb and Barbara Greenberg, two special education teachers from Long Island, NY, wondered why children with disabilities were not able to participate in Jewish overnight camps.  As the Greenbergs recount, people worried that “normal” campers would leave Ramah, the level of Hebrew—and the camps finances—would decline, and the overall structure of camp would suffer.  Luckily, one director, Danny Adelman z’l, realized that including people with disabilities was very much in line with Ramah and Judaism’s values.  The Tikvah Program was born in 1970 at Camp Ramah in Glen Spey, NY and soon moved to Camp Ramah in New England in Palmer, MA.  

At the Taste of Tikvah program at Ramah Canada

At the Taste of Tikvah program at Ramah Canada

I was lucky enough to begin my tenure with Tikvah and the Greenbergs in 1984.  I have essentially never left. After decades working as a counselor, Rosh Edah and Tikvah director at Ramah New England, I have been privileged to direct our National Ramah Tikvah Network. In that capacity, I convene our Tikvah directors to share best practices and support each other. I also visit many camps (Ramah and sometimes-non Ramah campers) each summer to see inclusion in action.

The Ramah camping movement and nearly every Jewish summer camp–including movement camps, JCC camps, day camps and overnight camps– have all seen the benefits to everyone of including people with disabilities.  Of course there are also challenges including staffing, costs, staff training, challenging behaviors, physical accommodations and more.  

‘Yedibean’ coffee shop in action at Ramah Poconos

‘Yedibean’ coffee shop in action at Ramah Poconos

But inclusion of people with disabilities continues to grow and evolve.  I am proud of our own Ramah movement where each of our 10 overnight camps and 5 day camps in the US and Canada support campers with a range of support needs. We provide a range of options from full in bunk inclusion to support in separate Tikvah bunks.  Regardless of dorm options, campers in disabilities support programs spend significant parts of the day with peers in other divisions. Campers perform in plays together, visit such places as Six Flags amusement park together, pray together and interact in various activities, at meals, on ballfields and along the walkways of camp.

Graduates of camping programs often participate in vocational training programs where they work in camp and sometimes in the local community. They work in food services, mail and package sorting and delivery; they work in childcare, in the guesthouse, snack bar, at the coffee shop and in such local businesses as grocery stores, pharmacies and coffee shops.  Some return as salaried staff members where they often remain part of the camp community for many years.

Participants in the ‘atzmayim’ program at work at Trigg's grocery story in Eagle River, Wisconsin

Participants in the ‘atzmayim’ program at work at Trigg’s grocery story in Eagle River, Wisconsin

We have learned the importance of recognizing that disabilities inclusion camping and vocational training is not “one size fits all.”   They require honest conversations with participants and families, and a realistic assessment of what can be provided. They also require a “can do” attitude and flexibility.  

We at Ramah are proud of how many people with and without disabilities over these 73 years have benefitted through the inclusion of people with disabilities!

National Ramah Tikvah network director Howard Blas, visits newest Tikvah program at Ramah Berkshires.

National Ramah Tikvah network director Howard Blas, visits newest Tikvah program at Ramah Berkshires.

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ISRAELI TEEN Liam Oved both won their first matches at US Open juniors qualifying before bowing out in the second round (photo credit: LEO STOLCK)

Original Article On The Jerusalem Post

As the men’s and women’s singles and doubles draws of the US Open proceed at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, a very different US Open is taking place at the Cary Leeds Tennis Center in Corona Park in the Bronx.

A determined group of teenagers is waiting for their matches to get under way in the US Open Juniors Championships Qualifying Competition.

Two Israel players – Mika Buchnik, 16, and Liam Oved, 18 – need to win two matches to advance to the juniors main draw, which will be played at the actual US Open.

The Israelis wait patiently indoors. Oved, icing an elevated leg, appears deep in thought, though she periodically looks up at her coach, Tom Baten, out to the courts and back to her phone to the US Open app so she will have an idea of when she will begin to play.

At a nearby table, Buchnik sits next to her coach, former Israeli tennis great Dudi Sela. She stares out the window watching a match in progress – until Sela gets her up to begin stretching and warming up for her match, the third on Court 8.

ISRAELI TEENS Mika Buchnik (left) and Liam Oved both won their first matches at US Open juniors qualifying before bowing out in the second round (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

ISRAELI TEENS Mika Buchnik (left) and Liam Oved both won their first matches at US Open juniors qualifying before bowing out in second round (credit: HOWARD BLAS)

Except for Guy Sasson, scheduled to compete in the quads wheelchair tournament, Liam and Mika are Israel’s only hope for representation in this year’s US Open. If the girls can win two matches in two days, they would enter the juniors’ main draw.

Buchnik, the tournament’s second seed, is currently No. 44 in the world. She grew up playing atIsrael Tennis and Education Centers (ITEC) in Israel and has been working with Sela and Yoav Ben Tzvi at the Dudi Sela Tennis Academy for a year. It has been a busy, successful year of playing tournaments around the world.

In January, Buchnik reached the finals at a junior’s tournament in San Jose, Costa Rica and reached the quarterfinals at a tournament in Ecuador one week later. She has also played in tournaments in Thailand, Great Britain and Germany including the Wimbledon qualifying draw.

In July, Buchnik lost in the finals at a tournament in Durban, South Africa, and made the quarterfinals at another Durban tournament one week later. She made it to the third round of a tournament in College Park, Maryland before arriving in New York.

Buchnik describes her own playing style as “mostly aggressive and staying back (at the baseline.”

She attends the Lady Davis School in Tel Aviv which she notes can be difficult given her tennis schedule.

“It is hard but my teachers help me.”

Oved, the No. 9 seed, has followed a very different tennis route from Buchnik. Oved is currently ranked 75th in the world, though she has reached as high as 61.

In many ways, Oved is fairly unknown, even among Israeli tennis fans. This may be attributed to her modest nature, to the fact that she left Israel several years ago to train in Belgium, to the fact that she has never been part of Israel’s formal tennis player development system.

Her Belgian coach Baten, refers to her as a “late bloomer,” noting that she continues to grow and develop mentally and physically and that her game continues to improve.

Baten, who has coached such players as Belgian Greet Minnen (who defeated Venus Williams in Round 1 of this year’s US Open), enjoys working with Oved.

“She is passionate, she has fire, she is a warrior and a competitor on the court. She is also respectful, knows her values and is very open. I want her to be a complete player.”

While Baten has never been to Israel, he is looking forward to working with her in Israel for two weeks this fall.

The good natured, well-spoken Oved is in many ways an “accidental tennis player.” She grew up in Kfar Shmaryahu near Herzliya with her sights on gymnastics and dance.

“When I was eight years old, a friend’s mother was starting a tennis program near our house and didn’t have enough players. She asked the whole class if we want to play and told us we could play for free,” recounts Oved.

Oved began playing tennis and enjoying it, though she adds laughing – “I didn’t know who Shahar Peer or Serena Williams were, and I didn’t even know how to count score.”

As she began to show promise, her parents asked her if she wished to devote more time to tennis – even if it meant cutting back or even giving up dancing and gymnastics. She worked with a series of coaches and the rest is history.

Oved’s tennis journey includes working with coach Oded Yatzkan.

“It was me and seven boys at Kfar Saba Yeruka. I had the best time.The level was so high. I was like a princess!”

She began playing tournaments in Israel and in Europe.

“It was not enough. I needed more. We realized I was 14 and needed more than Israel could offer. I felt limited in Israel. I love Israel. It is my country and my people. I thought about going to an academy alone in Canada, but it was unrealistic. I was 14 and it was the other side of the world.”

As the family considered options, they thought of Belgium.

Liam and her sisters moved to Belgium and her father remained in Israel.

At one point, her family returned to Israel for a month and she was forced to take her bike 40 minutes each way – twice a day – for tennis practice.

“My legs got so big, I couldn’t move on the court!”

When her mother returned to Belgium, Oved got more settled. She began playing at the Justine Henin Tennis Academy.

“From the first practice, I knew this was my place!”

After training at Henin for a year and a half, she moved on.

“I was 18 and started traveling on my own. It was the best decision I ever made.”

Oved, like Buchnik, has had a busy and successful year competing in tournaments around the world. She reached the second round in tournaments in San Jose and Ecuador and reached the quarterfinals at a tournament in Baranquilla, Colombia, in February.

Oved played additional tournaments in Egypt, Italy, Bulgaria, German, Belgium and England and Switzerland. Oved lost in the second round of the Wimbledon qualifying tournament.

Oved and Buchnik’s parents did not come to New York for the US Open qualifying tournament. They were able to follow each point live on the US Open app.

Both young women took to the courts for their first-round matches late afternoon last Thursday.

Few parents were in attendance. Coaches were permitted on court, and more than 50 college tennis coaches wandered the grounds watching prospective recruits in action.

Buchnik defeated Japan’s Nao Nishino 7-6, 4-6 and 10-6 in a super tiebreaker in her first-round match. A top college tennis coach, speaking on condition of anonymity, watched the whole match and noted: “Mika has a beautiful game. Her topspin groundstrokes are efficient with long hitting zones. It’s nice to see a young player with good fundamentals.”

Coach Dudi Sela was pleased.

“She is a very hard worker and very disciplined. Now, we will work on being more aggressive and on return of serve.”

Sela noted that players currently play fewer tournaments per year than he and his peers did when they were Mika’s age.

“We will put in effort in improving – I see her doing what I tell her to do and she is improving all the time!”

Oved defeated Anastasiia Firman of the Ukraine 7-6, 6-0 in the first round of the US Open qualifying tournament.

“I hope to keep going! I need to be aggressive, have a good first serve and most of all, have the right mindset!” Oved reported on court after her first match.

Sadly, Buchnik and Oved lost in their second-round matches – Jessica Bernales of the USA defeated Buchnik 7-6, 6-4, while Olivia Center of the USA defeated Oved 7-6, 6-2.

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