Sports & Competitions

Herb Kohl, former U.S. Senator and Milwaukee Bucks Owner, Dead at 88

While Kohls Department Store co-owner Herb Kohl served in the U.S. Senate for four terms, a sign on his door read “The Bucks Stop Here” – a pun on Harry Truman’s old saying that combined the Jewish senator’s political career with another great love.  Kohl also was the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. [SDJW staff]

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Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy, Sports & Competitions, USA

Dan Engel’s Miracles: Surviving Stage-Four Melanoma and Developing a Baseball League for Children with Disabilities

Scoring doesn’t matter in the Miracle League’s two-inning games in which every player per side gets to hit and circle the bases at least once per inning. At the end of the game, the score is always tied, and every player has had the thrill of crossing home plate at least twice to the cheers of their families, friends, and their game “buddies.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions

JNF-USA’s Spectacular Athletic Center Takes Shape in Sha’ar HaNegev

By Tania Shalom Michaelian SHA’AR HANEGEV, Israel — From judo to gymnastics, sailing to soccer, Israel continues to punch above its weight in the global sporting arena. And now, thanks to a significant philanthropic investment in Israel’s south, future generations of Israeli athletes will be inspired to go for gold. This summer, a ground-breaking ceremony

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Israel, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

Jewish Board Member Fred Schenk Says Care of Animals Part of Fair Board’s Mission

Schenk noted that, “There is a small but vocal community opposing the animals on the property and having livestock on the property and the sale of livestock. Our mission statement is about making the fairgrounds an agricultural environment. We are part of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. So, those who would take exception to our mission statement are the ones who would say, ‘well you know, you shouldn’t have young people selling their livestock.’ Well they are the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and members of 4-H and that is the world in which they want to spend their career, or their hobbies, and that is what their circle of life is all about – animal husbandry…” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, California, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Travel and Food

World’s Largest Organized Jewish Youth Sports Event Continues with Opportunities for Inclusion, Volunteer Service

(Press Release) Following the historic JCC Maccabi Games in Israel, the world’s largest Jewish youth sports event continues with JCC Association of North America’s 41st JCC Maccabi Games® and Access events in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, August 6-11, hosted by the David Posnack JCC. The opening ceremony will kick off at the FLA Live Arena on Monday, August 7,

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International, Israel, Sports & Competitions, USA

At San Diego Event, Borussia Dortmund Players Memorialize Children Killed in the Holocaust

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — The World Jewish Congress, as part of its work with Borussia Dortmund to fight antisemitism and promote Jewish life, praised the team for participating last Friday in a project at the San Diego Jewish Academy that memorializes children killed in the Holocaust. The German soccer club had trained for much

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International, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions

Israeli Gardener Wins Gold at Special Olympics in Berlin

JERUSALEM (Press Release) — More than 7,000 athletes from 126 countries competed in the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, Germany, but Israeli athlete Mir Segel made himself known by bringing home a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle swimming competition. An avid swimmer and hardworking gardener with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Segel

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Israel, Sports & Competitions

Guilt-Edged Good Deeds

Koufax, a Jewish kid from Brooklyn, an outstanding major-league pitcher, was slated to play a leading role. Specifically, he was scheduled to pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Minnesota Twins in the first game of the best-of-seven series for the World Championship.  But due to an accident (?) of fate or faith (religious observance), that was also the day on which Yom Kippur fell that year.  [Joel H. Cohen]

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Jewish History, Joel H. Cohen, Sports & Competitions, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Holocaust Survivor Ben Midler to Hurl First Pitch at June 25 Padres Game

Just two days before his 95th birthday, Holocaust survivor Ben Midler will throw out the ceremonial first pitch Sunday, June 25th, at a day game between the San Diego Padres and the Washington Nationals. Involving the Jewish Federation of San Diego and a range of synagogues and Jewish institutions throughout the county, the day has been designated by the Padres as “Jewish Community Day at Petco Park.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Fred Kropveld, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions

Judges and Visitors Acclaim Leah Horstman’s Photography at San Diego County Fair

On the second floor of the Grandstand East building at the San Diego County Fair, where the entries in the photography contest are displayed, visitors will see in a prominent position “Partners,” a photo made by Leah Horstman that received the most votes from fair goers last year as their favorite photo of all. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Lifestyles, Music and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Travel and Food, USA

Popular Instructor Says Judaism and Yoga are Complementary

When an acquaintance suggested that she try yoga, Gadd was skeptical at first. “How can that help me?” she asked. “Just come and see,” counseled the acquaintance. Moving her body in specific ways, according to the directions of her yoga instructor, “led to clarity of thought,” she said.  Mindfulness helped her “dissipate the stress, the mental shpilkes, something like giving your dog exercise so it can calm down,” Gadd recalled. She found that she left the yoga sessions feeling better, without need for medications. “Deep breathing and so forth can create physiological changes,” she explained. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Fred Kropveld, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions

The Jewish Eye: Immigration Surge; Sanders Promotes ‘Nakba’ Day

U.S. Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego) offered these thoughts on surging immigration: “The Biden-Harris Administration has prepared for the end of Title 42, but no amount of planning can make up for the fact that Congress has abdicated its responsibility to pass comprehensive and inclusive immigration reform for decades. [Donald H. Harrison}

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California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

The Jewish Eye: Transgender Rights; Fighting Antisemitism; Israel-Palestinian Conflict in California Senate Race

Current and former San Diego County Rabbis Nadav Caine (formerly Cong. Ner Tamid), Mark Hurvitz (formerly Etz Chaim), Dana Magat (formerly Beth Israel), Jason Nevarez (Beth Israel), Yaffa-Shira Sultan (formerly Dor Hadash) and Nicole Nevarez, national director of Ta’amod Stand Up, are among 1,885 Americans so far who have signed an open letter from the Keshet organization in support of LGBTQ+ rights that calls upon Jewish leaders to embrace transgender Jews and to “use your voice and your platform to speak out for our kids and our community. Follow the lead of the Central Conference for Reform Rabbis, who issued a powerful resolution defending transgender people.  Demand that your elected officials take action for trans rights and LGBTQ+ equality.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Technology, USA