Sports

THE WRITER (left) runs into retired Israel tennis legend Andy Ram (right) grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York this week. (photo credit: HOWARD BLAS)

Original Article On The Jerusalem Post

What do you do post retirement when your job WAS playing in the US Open?

When tennis lovers retire from their jobs, they often choose to play more tennis to help overcome the inevitable boredom and isolation which often comes from no longer being surrounded by fellow workers.

They may even travel to some bucket-list tournaments such as the Australian Open, Wimbledon, the French Open or the US Open. But what do you do post retirement when your job WAS playing in the US Open?

For Israeli professional tennis players who spent many hot August days and late nights playing under the lights in Queens in front of large, raucous, Israeli flag waving crowds, the famed tournament still holds an important place – and they think about the tournament each August.

Shlomo Glickstein, now 65, was Israel’s most accomplished tennis player in the 1980s. He reached a career high ranking of 22 in singles (1982) and was No. 28 in doubles (1986). While he beat some of the world’s greats, including No. 1 Ivan Lendl and such top 10 players as Harold Solomon and Eliot Teltscher, he will never forget a US Open match in 1985 that he considers to be one of the most important matches of his life.

“One match could have changed my whole career,” Glickstein reported. “I played McEnroe in the first round in 1985. I wasn’t meant to come. My wife was due with our first baby. I was at a German league match and found out I was playing in the US Open!” He noted that he came to the US on a Saturday, and that it rained Sunday and Monday. “I played Tuesday with no practice. It was an unbelievable match. I lost in five to McEnroe – I was up 2 sets to 1. It was my most exciting and most important match ever. It could have gotten me back in the top 100.” Glickstein still recalls the match vividly 38 years later.

Andy Ram at US Open practice 2009 (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Andy Ram at US Open practice 2009 (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

In an August 28, 1985 New York Times article entitled, “McEnroe Barely Survives First-Round Match,” writer Peter Alfano writes of the four-hour match between the defending US Open champion and No. 175 ranked Glickstein: “With crowd behind him chanting ‘Shlomo, Shlomo, Shlomo,’ Glickstein nearly pulled off what would have been one of the most spectacular upsets in Open history. McEnroe would go on to lose in the finals to Ivan Lendl.”

Glickstein retired from tennis in 1988 and served as CEO of the Israel Tennis Association.

“For the first few years after retiring 35 years ago, I used to be into the US Open. It is still in my blood and nice to remember playing on the biggest stage. I went a few times and met a few friends.”

Glickstein reports that he worked at a New Jersey Y camp in the US for several years and he worked for the ITA (Israel Tennis Association) for 12 years. He served as CEO from 2007-2012 and was professional director during his last year there. He is now working privately in the tennis world and is coaching a few players.

Shahar Peer, 36, who played in the US Open for over a decade as both a junior and a professional, actually went to the US Open last year as a spectator, with her husband.

“I am pretty casual about it when the US Open comes,” said Peer, who currently lives with her husband, who is completing a medical fellowship, and two young children. “I don’t miss it. I had enough of tennis, I guess – the pressure, the commitment, everything around it! And I really enjoy my life now. All is good.”

Peer reached the US Open Juniors semifinals in 2004, and played her first US Open womens’ qualifiers that same year, where she advanced to the second round. She played in the US Open every year from 2005-2015, reaching the quarterfinals in 2007. Peer reached her best singles ranking of No. 11, the highest of any Israeli tennis player in history, in January 2011. She achieve a doubles ranking of No. 14 in 2008.

In contrast to Peer, fellow Israeli women’s player, Julia Glushko acknowledged: “I do miss it – a lot! I don’t feel sad at all – I’m very thankful for everything tennis gave me and for the opportunity to play the best game in the world.”

Glushko participated in every US Open from 2011 through 2019, with the exception of 2017. She played in the qualifiers for four years and played in the main draw four times. Glushko’s biggest success at the US Open was in 2014 when she reached the third round before losing to Daniela Hantuchova in a third set tiebreaker.

Glushko, who retired in 2019, that she does “miss competition though and funny enough, when I think of tennis, I think of the US Open most of the time. It is my favorite Slam and I’ve always done well there.”

Glusko playfully noted that when she “saw that Caroline [Wozniacki] was coming back to playing, it made me think that maybe I can do the same? I don’t think I will, but it definitely gets you thinking.”

Glushko will attend the 2023 to support her good friend Australian Pricilla Hon, No. 207, who is in the qualifying tournament.

While Amir Hadad, 45, may not be as well known as other Israeli tennis players, a single act one summer at the US Open lives on in tennis history.

“I still remember that famous summer of 2002 like it was yesterday. It was the one-year anniversary of 9/11,” Hadad recounts, referring to the time he teamed up at the US Open to play doubles with Pakistani Muslim player Aisam al Quershi.

The doubles team made it to the third round, where it lost to Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett, both of Zimbabwe. Hadad also advanced to the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles, which he played with Petra Mandula of Hungary. That year, Hadad also advanced to the final round of the singles qualifiers.

“I love New York and the US Open. It is always great to be there to play. The last experience was a very big one. There was a lot of buzz around us. There was some good tennis and it was a special one for sure!”

While Hadad last played professionally in 2010, he continues to be in touch with friends from his playing days, including Indian doubles player Rohan Bopanna, 43, who is still competing professionally. He is also “still interested and very much involved in tennis.”

The father of two teaches and coaches in Tel Aviv and “watches all of the US Open – singles, doubles, all!”

Dudi Sela, a long time US Open favorite of Jewish and Israeli fans due to his good nature and stunning late-night battles on court, gives himself mixed reviews for his performance here, but praises the fans.

“I miss a lot playing the Grand Slams – the pressure and the excitement before the match, and of course the feeling of winning a match. Although I didn’t have much success in New York, I have a lot of friends in the city. I love the atmosphere on the courts and the Jewish people coming out to support the Israelis. I am lucky I found something that I like doing and I am still in tennis coaching.”

Sela will be on hand at the Open coaching Israeli junior Mika Buchnik, the 43rd-ranked junior in the world. The 16-year-old phenom trains at the Dudi Sela Tennis Academy and will be competing in the girls’ qualifying tournament. “I really want to help the younger generation in Israel to fulfill their potential and be much better players,” Sela adds.

Israeli tennis star ‘doesn’t miss’ travel and work of competitions

Andy Ram, half of the beloved Israeli doubles team of Ram and [Yoni] Erlich, hopes to spend some time at this year’s US Open.

“The US Open is a nice place to come. It is the biggest event in the tennis world. I am always excited to come as a spectator and to remember I was part of it. But I don’t miss the travel, the efforts. Watching it on TV and enjoying it and thinking I was part of it in the past is a nice feeling,” Ram noted. The 43-year-old retired from professional tennis in 2014.

Ram has kept busy since retiring. He spends time with his three children – ages 12, 8 and 4 – he owns three (soon to be six!) ice cream stores throughout Israel, he is a public speaker, and he works with an Israeli businessman as a consultant.

Ram continues to be involved in tennis as well.

“I am still close with Yoni. We talk every day and I am helping him with ITEC [Israel Tennis and Education Centers]. While he is not competing professionally, the US Open is on his mind. Ram jokes: “I still have a chance to win it – it is the only Slam I did not win!”

Ram’s Grand Slam accomplishments are far too numerous to mention. He won the Australian Open in doubles in 2008 with Erlich, and he won the mixed doubles at both Wimbledon (2006, with Vera Zvonareva) and the French Open (2007 with Nathalie Dechy). Ram and partner, Max Mirinyi, lost in the 2009 semifinals in Flushing Meadows.

Jonathan “Yoni” Ehrlich, 45, the other half of the Ram/Ehrlich team, recently retired from a decade’s long and distinguished tennis career. In addition to winning the 2008 Australian Open with life-long friend, Ram, he won 22 tournaments and attained a world doubles ranking of No. 5 in 2008. He also represented Israel at the Davis Cup and in the Olympics on many occasions.

While Erlich is not planning to attend this year’s US Open, he may be in a good position to assure Israelis will soon make it to the big stage. He recently joined Israel Tennis & Education Centers as Director of the High-Performance Program. He acknowledges: “We had had no great Israeli players in the last 20-25 years,” and says, “My focus these past six months has been on how to rebuild – coaches, players and the program.”

“My biggest challenge is to help create the next generation of Israeli professional tennis players.”

When Erlich is successful, we look forward to see him cheering on Israeli juniors and pros – from the coaches’ box at the US Open.

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Original Article On The Jerusalem Post

Fans flock to Flushing Meadows for last Grand Slam of the year • No Israeli players in main draw

The grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, are surprisingly bustling and alive a full week before the US Open Tennis Championships even gets under way.

Fans are taking selfies with players and getting autographs from the likes of Russian-Israeli Atslan Karatsev, and they are watching some of the world’s almost-best players in action including Eugenie Bouchard, Kevin Anderson and Sara Errani.

True tennis fans and thousands of curious New Yorkers looking for a way to entertain their children in the final weeks of the summer know an important US Open secret – that the pre-tournament week of August 22-27 is exciting, family friendly and perhaps most importantly free to attend (though there is plenty of items on which to spend money)!

Welcome to the US Open Qualifying Tournament and Fan Week! Both kicked off on Tuesday and provide a glimpse of the players, food and venue which will keep fans entertained for nearly three weeks.

The US Open main draw, which officially kicks off August 28 and runs until September 10, is the final Grand Slam tennis event of the year following the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon.

Madison Brengle of the United States hits a shot against Ons Jabeur of Tunisia on day one of the 2022 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. (credit: JERRY LAI-USA TODAY SPORTS VIA REUTERS)

Fan Week and the qualies

Fan Week kicked off on Tuesday with the first round of the qualifying tournament. A hungry cast of 128 men and women who didn’t quite make the cut for the main draw of the US Open battle it out for 32 spots in the main draw (16 men, 16 women). All they need to do is win three matches and remain standing on Friday.

During the week, fans can move between 13 courts and check out play while taking needed breaks to sample often pricey food and drinks (beer: $14.50; sparkling wine: $19; coffee: $7.25) and load up on similarly expensive merchandise (hats: starting at $38; t-shirts: $38 or $48). They can also interact with stilts walkers, learn to dance salsa with Ballet Hispanico, and spin the wheel for fabulous prizes from Emirates and other vendors.

The tennis and non-tennis activities extend into the evening. On Tuesday night, a free exhibition showcased tennis greats from days past, including Kim Cjisters, Tommy Haas, Caroline Wozniacki and James Blake.

On Wednesday, “Stars of the Open” featured exhibition matches with current top players in support of the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. Top-ranked American Jessica Pegula, 2022 semifinalist Francis Tiafoe, Christopher Eubanks, Matteo Berretini and defending US Open champ Carlos Alcaraz joined Ukraine’s best known player, Elina Svitolina, for a special evening – all for a nominal cost of $25 to $50 with proceeds going to Ukraine relief efforts.

Foodies can pay $183 to benefit the USTA foundation and sample dozens of food and drink options, including caprese from Eataly, classic New England lobster roll from Josh Capon’s Fly Fish, Greek salad and lamb gyro from King Souvlaki and toasted Cuban sandwiches from David Burke’s Mojito. They can also sample the tournament signature drink, a “Honey Deuce” cocktail.

On Friday night, a free concert with Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and bilingual composer Sebastián Yatra will take place, followed by Saturday’s Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, where children get to sample tennis through games, activities and entertainment, including pop duo Crash Adams and K-pop artist AleXa, as well as Disney Channel’s Issac Ryan Brown and Danielle Jalade.

For those who came to see tennis, the practice courts are packed with pros preparing for the tournament. Practice times are posted and some high profile players including Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcarez, Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton making appearances.

What’s new and exciting this year?

The US Open officially kicks off on Monday with the first round of the men’s and women’s main draw. The current favorites to win the US Open singles championships are Alcaraz and Swiatek, though the return of the always-colorful and often controversial Novak Djokovic is drawing attention.

At a recent pre-tournament media session with USTA Chairman of the Board and President Brian Hainline (who also serves as the chief medical officer for the NCAA), Lew Sherr, chief executive officer and executive director of the USTA, and Stacey Allaster, chief of professional tennis the US Open tournament director, the three captured the uniqueness of the US Open.

“I can’t wait for Novak being back here on Arthur Ashe Stadium<’ exclaimed Allaster. “We’ve missed him. His fans have missed him. Novak, his record is speaking for itself. He’s chasing every record in the book. We’ll have this amazing opportunity to watch history unfold as he performs on court.”

The tournament will feature three American men and women in the top 15 including Taylor Fritz, Tiafoe and Tommy Paul. On women’s side, Pegula is No. 3, Gauff is No. 7 and Madison Keys is No. 15. Other top-ranked players with names which may still be unfamiliar to casual fans, include Caspar Ruud of Norway (#7) and Holger Rune of Denmark (#5)

Hainline explained what, in addition to top players, makes the tournament special.

“First and foremost, the US Open takes place in the great city of New York, where we have the best fans, the most passionate fans, and the most energy of any sporting event in the entire world. The US Open also takes place in the borough of Queens, right here in Flushing Meadows. The borough of Queens is where there are more languages spoken than anywhere else in the world, and if you’re a foodie, there are more choices for different kinds of food than anywhere else on this planet.”

The three noted that this year marks 50 years where the US Open was the first sport in the world to offer equal prize money to men and women. In addition, The US Open is the first Grand Slam to hold wheelchair tennis as a competitive event.

“Last year we were the first Grand Slam to host junior wheelchair tennis. This year we’re the first Grand Slam to double the size of the quad wheelchair draw, so quad wheelchair tennis and open wheelchair tennis are on a par with each other,” Hainline added.

Where are the Israelis?

It is no secret that Israel has been underrepresented on the big stages of tennis in recent years.Long in the past are days when Shahar Peer, Julia Glushko, Dudi Sela, Andy Ram, Yoni Erlich represented Israel at Grand Slam tennis events. Not too many years ago, Israeli juniors like Yshai Oliel, Or Ram Harel, Leria Patiuk and Bar Botzer similarly represented Israel at Grand Slam events. Developing players at the top levels of tennis is costly and requires funding and dedication.

Many Israeli juniors have chosen to play college tennis in the United States. This list includes such players as Jonathan Baron (UNC Wilmington), Shavit Kimchi (Duke), Yair Sarouk (University of Alabama), Ran Amar (University of the Pacific), Nicole Khirin (University of Texas), Guy Finkelstein (University of Southern Indiana), and Itay Feigin (New Mexico State University).

Israeli tennis legend, Erlich, remains optimistic about the future of Israel tennis. He joined Israel Tennis & Education Centers (ITEC) six months ago as Director of the High-Performance Program where he is responsible for identifying talent from the entire country and for developing competitive tennis players from all backgrounds.

While Erlich proudly notes that the junior scene in Israel is “on the rise” and adds, “I believe that within five to seven years, Israel will produce a world champion-caliber player and attain results on par with that,” he acknowledges that “we are not there yet.”

“I have found my biggest challenge is to make the next generation of professional players – starting with age six or seven. In the last few months, my focus has been on how to rebuild – coaches, players and the program.

It is very good and challenging. We have had no great players in the last 20-25 years – I need to acknowledge that we have not top players while focusing on rebuilding.

“I am working to build the next generation so that by the time the 6-to-10-year-olds are 13 to 16 they will be super competitive and Israel will have a good base.”  

Erlich’s old friend and doubles partner, Ram, reports that he too is “very involved” with ITEC, he speaks with Erlich every day and is “helping Yoni with the future of Israel tennis.”

Last summer, prior to the US Open, Eyal Taoz, director of Strategy and Projects at Israel Tennis and Education Centers, said: “No one made it this year to the US Open but we have juniors ranked around 200 in the world or so. They are making nice progress and getting results.”

He was particularly excited about the prospects of Ron Ellouck, Ofek Simanov, Volvo Basilevsky, Mika Buchnik and Karin Altori.

This year, two Israeli juniors, including one who Taoz mentioned, will participate in the girls’ qualifying tournament.Buchnik, 16, is currently the 43rd ranked junior in the world. Liam Oved, 18, who currently lives and trains in Belgium, will represent Israel at the US Open girls qualifiers. She is currently No. 75 in the world.

Ram, who hopes to visit the US Open this year, has known Buchnik since she was four years old.

Other former Israeli professional tennis players scheduled to attend the US Open include Sela, who will be accompanying Buchnik, and Glushko, a long time friend and part of the coaching team of Australian Priscilla Hon.A diverse delegation of ITEC ambassadors – perhaps destined to represent Israel on the world stage in the future –recently participated in tennis exhibitions across the US. The ambassadors include a Ukrainian immigrant, an Israeli Arab, a player who is hearing impaired and a member of the girls’ empowerment program. The delegation recently returned from the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, where they participated in Building Bridges Through Tennis Program, a multicultural experience between ITEC and TeamFame Youth Development Program.

Other Jewish players

Some lucky Jewish players, scheduled to play in the “qualies” moved right into the main draw when others, including Israel-born Denis Shapovalov had to withdraw. They include Diego Schwartzman, No. 116, of Argentina, who made his first trip to Israel last September to play in the Tel Aviv Watergen Open and Madeline Brengle, #97.

Karatsev, ranked 76th, lived in Israel as a child and speaks Hebrew; he currently plays for Russia. Sixteen-year-old Valerie Glozman, the daughter of a Ukrainian Jewish father and a Taiwanese mother, is in the womens’ qualifiers for the second year in a row.

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Original Article Published On The JNS

“We love baseball, and we love Israel. What better way to spend time than cheering on Jewish sports,” Jeff Goldstein of Toronto, who went to see the players with his whole family, told JNS.

Much ink has spilled on the players and officials who make up Israel’s baseball team, which finished 1-3 at the World Baseball Classic in Miami. Israel competed often in front of crowds that were overwhelmingly rooting for—and drumming and trumpeting vuvuzelas on behalf of—Israel’s rivals. But those who made the trek to Florida to cheer Team Israel on are as die-hard fans as they come.

When Jewish baseball fans heard Team Israel would play in the World Baseball Classic, many rearranged their schedules to make the pilgrimage from Chicago, Toronto, Hartford, San Antonio and Atlanta. Some came from relatively “nearby” Jacksonville—five or six hours south down I-95 or I-75, depending on traffic.

Some brought their kids, others their parents. Some ditched their wives and kids to continue a 30-year tradition that predated their marriage. One clergy member bought tickets for any congregant willing to meet him in Miami and join him for dinner at Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant & Caterers.

Brian Yancelson, a recent college graduate, and his mother Melody came to Miami from San Antonio, Alamo City, to create different sorts of memories. 

The baseball-obsessed pair—who have visited all 30 MLB stadiums and 29 minor league stadiums, and have been to a 2017 World Baseball Classic game in San Diego, Field of Dreams and the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown—is already planning a baseball trip to the Dominican Republic.

Brian Yancelson and his mother, Melody, from San Antonio. Photo by Howard Blas.

Originally from Mexico City, the Yancelson mother-and-son duo felt like it fit in with both the Jewish and Latino fans. Israel was in a pool with Venezuela (4-0), Dominican Republic (2-1), Puerto Rico (2-1) and Nicaragua (0-4).

“It is really cool for Israel and Jewish people to see you don’t have to be in a little lane; you do everything at the highest level and represent the Jewish people, even if you are not so religious,” Brian, a play-by-play broadcaster and reporter, told JNS. “Being Jewish can be a lot of things for a lot of people.”  

Brother-and-sister Andrew and Jennifer Small hail from Connecticut. He now lives in Manchester and she in Hamden. They have both followed Team Israel from the start. Although both of their parents are Jewish, they joke about coming from a “mixed” marriage between a Yankees fan and a Mets fan.

Andrew, who proudly sported an orange shirt with “Tigers” written in Hebrew, allowed that it could be confused for the Detroit Tigers, though he intended it to boost 44-year-old Shlomo Lipetz, who pitched for the Netanya Tigers in the 2007 season.

“I’ve been rooting for Team Israel since the World Baseball Classic qualifiers in 2017 when they captured my imagination and interest,” he said.

He went to a pre-Olympics exhibition game in Hartford and recounted, “I can’t describe how emotional it is just hearing ‘Hatikvah’ every time.”

When Israel played in the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, Andrew stayed up late every night to watch them. “Seeing them win the Nicaragua game on Sunday was amazing,” he said.

Jennifer is glad Israel automatically qualifies for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

“It means so much as American Jews to see us on the international stage and to see legit Jews like [Jacob] Steinmetz,” Andrew said of the Orthodox pitcher.

Brother and sister Andrew and Jennifer Small of Connecticut. Photo by Howard Blas.

‘We are all Zionists’

Jared Green and a half-dozen friends have a 30-year tradition of visiting ballparks that dates back to when they were fellow staffers at Camp Ramah in Canada.

The lead organizer is Mark “Liebs” Lieberman. “Please be advised that I will be out of the office participating in the 30th Annual Baseball Road Trip commencing on Friday, March 10, 2023, until Wednesday, March 15, 2023,” the Toronto law partner’s out-of-office message reads.

“Our trip is ultimately about friendships,” he told JNS. “For this year, our 30th annual baseball road, seeing Israel play made it extra-special.”

“While there wasn’t much to cheer about during the game itself, just being there together to witness Israel participating in the event itself was a great way to culminate our annual trip,” added Lieberman. “It will certainly be an experience we will all remember.”

Green, a Toronto native who lives with his family in Chicago, told JNS that the group goes to a different city each year. “We have been to every city with an MLB team,” he said. “We went to Oakland last year and went to Buffalo the COVID summer when the Blue Jays didn’t play in Toronto.”

Jeff Goldstein of Toronto come to Miami with his wife and three sons: Michael, 11; Alex, 8; and Brayden, 4. Photo by Howard Blas.

Coming to Miami made sense since one member of the crew—hailing from Toronto, Hamilton (Canada), Chicago and Jacksonville—has a daughter who celebrated her bat mitzvah in Jacksonville. The group got to attend those festivities and catch Team Israel.

“We are all Zionists. We thought it would be fun to cheer on Team Israel,” said Green.

Not only did Jeff Goldstein of Toronto come to Miami with his wife and three sons (Michael, 11; Alex, 8; and Brayden, 4), he brought his parents as well.

A kidney specialist, Goldstein took a break from his medical practice, figuring that it would be an important part of his children’s education, even though they missed a few days of school.

“We love baseball, and we love Israel. What better way to spend time than cheering on Jewish sports,” he told JNS.

Draped in Israeli flags and singing ‘Hatikvah’

Jesse Holzer, a cantor in Jacksonville, recalls staying up late to check Team Israel’s scores when it competed in Asia. He was pretty sure he was the only person in the 29,000-seat stadium wearing a Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp kippah. That may sound like an unkosher oxymoron, but the Jumbo Shrimp are a Jacksonville Minor League team. (Team Israel catcher Ryan Lavarnway played for the Shrimp in 2022.)

Holzer also donned a blue-and-white Israel soccer jersey with “Hazzan” (“cantor”) emblazoned on the back. He had hoped to wear a Team Israel jersey, but it didn’t arrive on time for the World Baseball Classic, so he had to improvise. The team has become so popular that he can no longer find game-worn Team Israel jerseys on eBay, as he used to be able to.

Cantor Jesse Holzer of Jacksonville, Fla. Photo by Howard Blas.

“They are nowhere to be found,” he stated.

Watching batting practice before the March 13 game against Puerto Rico on the field, Holzer could hardly contain his excitement. “To be here, to experience the moment of Jews draped in Israeli flags and singing ‘Hatikvah’ in this country, post-COVID,” he said. “To be here to support Team Israel is bashert” (the Yiddish word for “soulmate”).

At the synagogue where Holzer works, they joke that the rabbi, a Yankees fan, stands on one side of the bimah while Holzer, a Red Sox fan, is on the other. He also brings sports, which he calls “my second love,” into his work. For example, if people ask him whether it is a day to receive tachanun—a sobering prayer that is skipped on certain festive days—Holzer answers that depends on whether the day’s sports news is good or bad.

Team Israel being in town—just a five- or six-hour drive from Jacksonville—brought out the cantor’s generosity. He bought 18 tickets (a lucky Jewish number and a chai in Hebrew, meaning “life”) and offered to subsidize any congregant willing to come to Miami.

“It is mostly retirees—people who love baseball and kosher food,” he said. Holzer enjoyed dining with fellow congregants at Ben’s Deli, and, in line with stadium policy, was able to bring one deli sandwich into the game.

A Jewish cardinal (fan)

Robyn Faintich of Atlanta is a lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. An education consultant, she uses baseball and Judaism in her work, and thinks that Jewish educators can find teaching fodder in Israel’s participation in the World Baseball Classic.

When Israel played Puerto Rico, she had a dilemma, as the latter’s manager is former Cardinals legend Yadier Molina. Her love of Israel prevailed, she told JNS.

Having watched two films about Team Israel’s World Baseball Classic and Olympics runs, Faintich was drawn to the way players were connecting for the first time with their Jewish identities.

“They guys had to trace their lineage, which they had never considered. They were discovering and figuring out their heritage and relationship to Israel—and all of a sudden were making aliyah,” she said.

“This part of the story is a major piece for kids without a major connection. They can see all of these players on MLB teams as a case in point,” she added.

When Kevin Youkilis, a Team Israel coach, took off his cap during the Israeli national anthem to reveal a Team Israel kippah, Faintich saw a teachable moment. 

“It tells the story of taking Jewish heritage and turning it into an expression of Jewish identity,” she said. “These players are good role models for Jews who may be disconnected.”

Robyn Faintich of Atlanta. Photo by Howard Blas.

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Original Article Published On The JNS

The go-ahead runs came in the eighth inning in a game that was supposed to be easier for Israel.

Team Israel’s first game of the 2023 World Baseball Classic against Nicaragua on Sunday was supposed to be its easy game before playing powerhouse teams Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Venezuela. But it took a come-from-behind win to put the Nicaragua team away.

Playing before a crowd of nearly 20,000 at Miami’s LoanDepot Park, Dean Kremer—the first Israeli pitcher drafted by an MLB team and a current Baltimore Orioles starter—threw an impressive four shutout innings. Nicaragua’s only run came on a double in the fifth inning.

Israel trailed 1-0 through eight. After Matt Mervis grounded out, Alex Dickerson singled, advancing to second after Ryan Lavarnway was hit by a pitch. Spencer Horwitz lined a single, scoring Jakob Goldfarb (pinch running). Several batters later, Garrett Stubbs, a Triple-A catcher and outfielder for the Phillies and Team Israel’s third baseman, smacked a two-run, ground-rule double to left field.

Horwitz and Noah Mendlinger crossing the plate were all that Israel needed to win 3-1, as the team’s reliever Robert Stock retired three batters in a row in the top of the ninth. The win belonged to Red Sox lefty Richard Bleier, who struck out two in relief in the eighth.

Israel sends lefty Colton Gordon of the Houston Astros farm system to the mound Monday against Puerto Rico at 7 p.m.

Dean Kremer of Team Israel pitches against Nicaragua at the World Baseball Classic on March 12, 2023. Credit: Courtesy of Major League Baseball.
Joc Pederson (left) of Team Israel congratulates teammates after beating Nicaragua in a come-from-behind win at the World Baseball Classic on March 12, 2023. Credit: Courtesy of Major League Baseball.
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