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Chicago Cubs slugger Matt Mervis sells Hebrew merch to ‘help grow’ baseball in Israel
(JTA) — Chicago Cubs first baseman Matt Mervis is selling T-shirts and hats emblazoned with his nickname spelled in Hebrew to raise money for the Israel Association of Baseball.
“It’s a great cause to help grow the game in Israel,” Mervis told MLB.com on Thursday, “and try to build some fields over there.”
Mervis, who is Jewish and a hotly anticipated addition to the Cubs this year, played for Team Israel at the World Baseball Classic in March. He is nicknamed “Mash” because of his home-run hitting power, a moniker that some fans and retailers spell out with asterisks, the way the 1970s Korean War sitcom of the same name was stylized.
That nickname, spelled in Hebrew — asterisks included — along with his last name (in sum, M*A*S*H Mervis) is found on the new merchandise Mervis is selling in tandem with the Israeli baseball association. He tweeted out images of the design on men’s and women’s shirts and caps.
Proceeds go towards building fields in Israel! Show some support for the ball players over there and help grow the game https://t.co/NjFkYheOsk
— Matt Mervis (@mmervis12) June 8, 2023
Baseball has not been a popular sport in Israel, which has only a few baseball fields. But Team Israel leaders and many on its roster of mostly American Jewish players have in recent years become invested in boosting the sport there. A surprising Cinderella run at the 2017 World Baseball Classic gave the team’s profile a lift, too, helping it attract higher-profile MLB players, such as Joc Pederson and Dean Kremer.
The team’s recent manager, former Jewish MLB All-Star Ian Kinsler, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency last year that he wants to build more “buzz” around baseball in Israel.
Mervis told MLB.com that his grandmother lived in the Israeli city of Givatayim, adjacent to Tel Aviv, before immigrating to the United States.
“I learned a lot,” he said about his experience on Team Israel. “Just talking to everybody and learning more about the culture and life in Israel and things that my grandmother grew up with.”
Mervis, 25, has had a rocky start to his rookie season in the big leagues, batting just .165 with three home runs through 25 games.
He’s filling big shoes, that of beloved Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo who played for the team from 2012 to 2021 and made the out that clinched the team’s first World Series win in 108 years. Rizzo’s legacy has earned Mervis another nickname, this one Jewish: At least one writer has dubbed him “Bris-zo.”
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The post Chicago Cubs slugger Matt Mervis sells Hebrew merch to ‘help grow’ baseball in Israel appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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US Strikes More Than 90 Iranian Military Targets on Kharg Island, CENTCOM Says
A satellite image shows an oil terminal at Kharg Island, Iran, February 25, 2026. Photo: 2026 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS
United States forces executed a large-scale precision strike on Kharg Island in Iran on Friday night, the US Central Command said on Saturday.
“US forces successfully struck more than 90 Iranian military targets on Kharg Island, while preserving the oil infrastructure,” CENTCOM said.
The strike destroyed naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers, and multiple other military sites, the US military said in a post on X.
President Donald Trump threatened on Friday to strike the oil infrastructure of Iran’s Kharg Island hub, unless Tehran stopped attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
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North Korea Fires Ten Ballistic Missiles Toward the Sea of Japan
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and wife Ri Sol Ju inspect an honour guard before leaving Pyongyang for a visit to China, this January 7, 2019 photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang January 8, 2019. Photo: KCNA via REUTERS.
i24 News – North Korea fired roughly ten ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan on Saturday, the South Korean military reported, marking a new act of defiance amid Seoul and Washington’s annual joint military exercises.
The launches, originating from the Sunan area near Pyongyang, were detected around 1:20 p.m. local time, according to a statement from the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The missiles were directed toward the East Sea—the Korean name for the Sea of Japan—though details on their range or trajectory were not immediately available. Earlier, the South Korean Ministry of Defense had already confirmed the launch of at least one unidentified projectile in the same area.
The Japanese Ministry of Defense also verified the incident, noting that a suspected ballistic missile had been launched from North Korea.
The launches come amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Since Monday, the United States and South Korea have been conducting their annual joint exercises, which will continue through March 19 and involve approximately 18,000 South Korean troops alongside an unspecified number of U.S. forces.
Pyongyang has sharply criticized the drills, calling them a rehearsal for invasion. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, warned this week that the exercises could trigger “terrible and unimaginable consequences.”
The missile tests also coincide with fading prospects for inter-Korean dialogue. Kim Jong-un recently dismissed outreach efforts from South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, labeling Seoul “the most hostile enemy.”
The show of force occurred just hours after South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, during a visit to the United States, mentioned a potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un—a meeting Washington still considers possible.
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Dutch Authorities Investigate Explosion at Jewish School Claimed by Extremist Group
Police outside a Jewish school following an explosion that caused minor damages, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, March 14, 2026. Photo: REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
i24 News – An explosion struck a Jewish school on Zeelandstraat in Amsterdam-Buitenveldert during the night between Friday and Saturday, Dutch authorities confirmed. Emergency responders, including police and firefighters, acted swiftly, and officials reported that the building suffered only limited damage. No injuries have been reported.
Mayor Femke Halsema described the incident as a deliberate attack against the Jewish community in the city, emphasizing that the authorities are treating the case “very seriously.” Security camera footage showing the individual who detonated the device is under investigation.
In an unverified online video, previously little-known group identifying itself as Ashab Al Yamim later claimed responsibility for the blast. The group released online footage appearing to show the small explosion followed by a fire outside the school. Its logo was also seen in videos related to an attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam earlier this week.
Dutch investigators are coordinating with the judiciary to determine the full circumstances of the attack and whether additional suspects were involved. Authorities noted that the organization had not been previously known to security services.
The explosion comes amid rising security concerns for Jewish institutions across Europe, following heightened tensions in the Middle East. The group behind the claim has also alleged responsibility for previous incidents targeting Jewish sites in Europe, including attacks in Liège, Belgium, and Rotterdam, though these claims remain unverified.
Jewish schools, synagogues, and community centers across the continent have stepped up security measures in recent weeks amid fears of potential threats to Jewish communities.