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Good afternoon! Gymnastics legend Simone Biles returned to competitors final weekend for the primary time since she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics — and he or she carried out to Israeli pop star Noa Kirel’s “Unicorn,” a music that got here in third place on this yr’s Eurovision contest.
“She made historical past and he or she’s wonderful and it’s so shifting to me as a result of she actually exemplifies the values that this music represents,” Kirel mentioned in a Hebrew video message to Israeli media. “This is without doubt one of the wildest issues that has ever occurred to me.”
Arizona and Kansas State’s males’s basketball groups are touring Israel proper now
The College of Arizona males’s basketball crew at a tour of the Metropolis of David in Jerusalem. (Courtesy of Athletes for Israel)
Two of the nation’s prime collegiate basketball groups, Arizona and Kansas State, have launched into a 10-day journey to Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Organized by the nonprofit Athletes for Israel, this system is an enlargement of the “Birthright for School Basketball” journey that Auburn gamers skilled final summer season. Including the UAE to the itinerary was a step towards realizing the organizers’ dream of making a visit modeled after the Abraham Accords, the sequence of normalization agreements between Israel and neighboring Arab nations.
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl, who was concerned in planning this summer season’s journey, is accompanying the groups on their flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi, to “really feel very a lot part of the Abraham Accords,” he informed me. Pearl mentioned his aim is to create a full “Abraham Accords Cup” with groups from the US, Israel and Arab nations.
Whereas in Israel, the groups will play an Israeli Choose Workforce that can embrace NBA G Leaguer Ryan Turell (extra on him under).
Learn extra concerning the groups’ Center East tour proper right here.
Halftime report
HISTORY IN GERMANY. Makkabi Berlin, a sports activities membership based by Holocaust survivors, is about to turn into the primary Jewish crew to compete within the German Cup, the annual event that includes 64 of Germany’s prime soccer groups. They face the Bundesliga’s Wolfsburg on Sunday.
PEDAL TO THE METAL. Israeli-Canadian billionaire and philanthropist Sylvan Adams gained the world championship within the 65-69 age group on the 2023 UCI Biking World Championships in Scotland final weekend. He has been a key supporter of biking in Israel.
THAT’S AMAR’E. The Phoenix Suns are retiring the variety of former star Amar’e Stoudemire, who transformed to Judaism and performed professionally in Israel.
BIG DILL. A pair weeks in the past, we reported on the rising reputation of pickleball at Jewish summer season camp. America’s fastest-growing sport can be an enormous hit at JCCs throughout the nation — and this Sunday in Park Metropolis, Utah, there’s even a “Kosher Dills” Jewish pickleball event.
HANK READ-BERG. A brand new child’s e book about Jewish baseball legend Hank Greenberg, referred to as “Hank on First!: How Hank Inexperiencedberg Turned a Star On and Off the Discipline,” tells the story of the Corridor of Famer’s braveness as he overcame antisemitism to turn into among the best hitters in baseball historical past.
Ryan Turell’s story hits the massive display
Ryan Turell, the Jewish basketball participant who wears a kippah on the courtroom, dribbles in a scene in “Vacation spot NBA: A G League Odyssey.” (Courtesy of Prime Video)
Ryan Turell, the previous Yeshiva College standout who’s now taking part in within the NBA’s G League, is prominently featured in a brand new documentary that debuted on Amazon Prime this week.
“Vacation spot NBA: A G League Odyssey,” produced by The Ringer and the Tom Brady-cofounded sports activities documentary outfit referred to as, apropos for Turell, Faith of Sports activities, follows numerous G League gamers who’re at varied phases of their basketball careers.
Turell is proven within the movie saying the Hanukkah blessings, signing kippahs for followers and describing one specific basketball transfer as “The Spinning Dreidel.”
“I wish to be a Jewish hero,” Turell says at one level within the documentary.
Learn extra concerning the new sports activities doc right here.
Jews in sports activities to look at this weekend
⚾️ IN BASEBALL…
Oakland Athletics rookie Zack Gelof has been on fireplace since his callup — in his first 22 MLB video games, the Workforce Israel alum has 21 hits, 15 runs scored and 6 homers. The A’s face the Washington Nationals this weekend. Alex Bregman, who has 18 homers on the yr, and the Houston Astros host the Los Angeles Angels in an AL West showdown.
⚽️ IN SOCCER…
The brand new English Premier League season kicks off this weekend. Catch Israeli star Manor Solomon together with his new membership Tottenham on Sunday at 9 a.m. ET in opposition to Brentford. U.S. males’s nationwide crew goalie Matt Turner has joined Nottingham Forest after a stint as Arsenal’s backup. Turner is predicted to see extra taking part in time together with his new membership and will probably win the beginning function. These two groups face off Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET.
⛳️ IN GOLF…
Max Homa is in Memphis this weekend for the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Ben Silverman, who’s at present tied for second within the PGA’s Korn Ferry Tour, is on the Pinnacle Financial institution Championship in Omaha.
The JCC Maccabi Video games wrap up a summer season of competitors in Israel and Florida
(Courtesy of JCC Affiliation of North America)
The JCC Maccabi Video games, which have been held this summer season in each Israel and Florida, introduced collectively 1000’s of Jewish teen athletes, together with a delegation from Ukraine, proven right here on the opening ceremony in Fort Lauderdale. (Courtesy of JCC Affiliation of North America)
“At present’s JCC Maccabi athletes are tomorrow’s Jewish leaders, and throughout the summer season of 2023, we targeted on constructing a real sense of belonging, understanding, and connection to Israel and the Jewish individuals for 1000’s of teenage athletes,” mentioned Samantha Cohen, the senior vp for program and expertise on the JCC Affiliation and the top of JCC Maccabi.
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