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The Jewish Sport Report: Into ‘WrestleMania’? Then ‘Mitzvah Mania’ is for you.
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Good afternoon, sports fans!
This Opening Day was the first since 1968 to feature every MLB team playing on the same date.
According to Jewish Baseball News, there were six Jewish players in the league in 1968 — how many can you name? Send your answer to sports@jta.org! (And hey, no cheating!)
A Jewish wrestling show heads to temple
A wrestling event at Temple of Aaron Synagogue in St. Paul, Minn. (Darin Kamnetz/F1rst Wrestling)
Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles is a large Conservative synagogue with a full calendar of events — things like Shabbat dinners, text study and adult education programs.
This weekend, there’s something a little different on the docket: a Jewish wrestling show.
“Mitzvah Mania” — timed to coincide with WWE’s “WrestleMania,” which is also in L.A. this weekend — will feature Jewish professional wrestlers like Colt Cabana, Lisa Marie Varon, Chris Adonis and others.
It’s the passion project of Rabbi Jeremy Fine, a Chicago-area rabbi who puts on shows with his own wrestling company, 2econd Wrestling.
Fine says the overlap between Jews and wrestling extends beyond the ring, arguing that the connection is biblical — from Jacob wrestling with an angel in Genesis to rabbis intellectually wrestling in the Talmud.
“If we just take that and put it into the context of wrestling, we at our core, are storytellers,” Fine said.
Halftime report
RED CARD. Indonesia was removed as the host of the upcoming Under-20 FIFA World Cup after it objected to Israel’s participation in the tournament. Israel had qualified for the first time.
COMING SOON. A new HBO series will tell the story behind the new women’s soccer team in Los Angeles, Angel City FC. Academy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman played a crucial role in bringing the NWSL squad to L.A., and now she’s producing the docuseries on it, too.
STAND UP. You may have seen the viral post urging people to “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” with a blue square hashtag. The tweet has 6.5 million views and has been shared by celebrities, athletes and sports teams alike. It’s the work of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s organization, the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.
Antisemitism is not just the Jewish community’s issue. It’s everybody’s. Retweet this video with # to show your support. #StandUpToJewishHate pic.twitter.com/fJrSRFtguW
— Stand Up to Jewish Hate # (@StandUp2JewHate) March 27, 2023
CHAMPIONS. Valley Torah, the L.A. day school where Ryan Turell played, won the 2023 Sarachek Tournament at Yeshiva University, an annual basketball competition for Jewish schools. Valley Torah beat New York’s SAR. Turell served as a coach for his alma mater.
ICYMI. When a Tel Aviv-based rugby team was disinvited from an international tournament in South Africa, major U.S. Jewish groups urged the American team that replaced it to withdraw. Here’s the story.
Jews in sports to watch this weekend
IN BASEBALL…
Atlanta Braves top prospect Jared Shuster will make his MLB debut Sunday at 1:35 p.m. ET against the Washington Nationals. His teammate Max Fried, who made his third consecutive Opening Day start Thursday, left the game early with a hamstring injury and may spend some time on the injured list. Team Israel pitcher Dean Kremer takes the mound for his Baltimore Orioles Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET against the Boston Red Sox and Israel teammate Richard Bleier.
IN BASKETBALL…
It’s Final Four weekend in the men’s March Madness tournament, and the University of Connecticut features Israeli player Yarin Hasson, who hasn’t seen much playing time on the streaking Huskies. Over in the NBA, Deni Avdija and the Washington Wizards host the Orlando Magic tonight at 7 p.m. ET and face the New York Knicks Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.
IN HOCKEY…
Buffalo Sabres goalie Devon Levi makes his NHL debut tonight at 7 p.m. ET against Adam Fox and the New York Rangers. Tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET, Jason Zucker, Mark Friedman and the Pittsburgh Penguins host the league-leading Boston Bruins.
IN SOCCER…
Rising Israeli star Manor Solomon and his Premier League club Fulham face Bournemouth Saturday at 10 a.m. ET. Solomon may be playing in Europe, but back home in Israel, he’s a superstar.
You have to watch this
The sweetest video of the week goes to Michael Rubin, the CEO of sports memorabilia giant Fanatics. When Rubin saw a young basketball fan with a stack of cards for her favorite NBA player, Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, Rubin surprised her by FaceTiming Booker. Her reaction is worth watching.
The Jewish Sport Report is taking a break next week for the Passover holiday — have a great holiday and we’ll see you soon.
—
The post The Jewish Sport Report: Into ‘WrestleMania’? Then ‘Mitzvah Mania’ is for you. appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Hamas Delegation Meets Egypt Spy Chief, Says Israeli ‘Breaches’ Threaten Ceasefire
Palestinian women look out of a window near the site of Saturday’s Israeli strike in the Central Gaza Strip, November 23, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa/File Photo
A senior Hamas delegation met Egypt’s intelligence chief in Cairo on Sunday to discuss the ceasefire agreement and the situation in Gaza, the group said, as both Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group continue to trade accusations of truce violations.
Egypt, Qatar and the US have been mediating between Hamas and Israel, securing the ceasefire that came into effect last month.
In a statement, the group said it reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in its meeting with Egypt’s intelligence chief, but accused Israel of “continued violations” that it said threatened to undermine the deal.
Hamas, whose delegation included its exiled Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya, called for a “clear and defined mechanism” under the supervision of mediators to document and halt any breaches of the deal.
The movement said it also discussed with Egypt ways to urgently resolve the issue of Hamas members in Rafah tunnels, adding that communication with them had been cut off.
Reuters reported earlier this month that mediators were trying to address the fate of a group of Hamas fighters holed up in tunnel networks in Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said the country’s military killed five senior Hamas members on Saturday after a fighter was sent into Israeli-controlled Gaza territory to attack Israeli soldiers there.
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Report Alleges Qatar Invested Billions in US Schools to Promote Islamist Ideologies
The clock tower at Cornell University. Photo: Clarice Oliveira.
i24 News – An explosive report from the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), cited by the New York Post, claims that Qatar has invested roughly $20 billion in American schools and universities as part of a strategy to promote Islamist ideologies.
ISGAP says the funding aligns with the objectives of the Muslim Brotherhood and represents a deliberate influence campaign on U.S. campuses.
According to Dr. Charles Asher Small, executive director of ISGAP, the Qatari ruling family maintains close ideological ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and leverages its financial resources to promote their worldview.
The report notes that much of this support flows through the Qatar Foundation, which funds universities, schools, and cultural institutions across the United States.
Cornell University is highlighted as a major recipient, reportedly receiving nearly $10 billion. The institution has recently faced controversy over its handling of antisemitic incidents following the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, including the arrest of a student for making death threats against Jews and the suspension of a history professor who described the Hamas attack as “exhilarating” during an anti-Israel rally.
In November, Cornell announced an agreement with the Trump administration to retain over $250 million in federal funding, effectively ending several investigations into allegations of racial discrimination and antisemitism.
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Netanyahu Praises IDF After Killing Top Hezbollah Leader
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to the press on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC, July 8, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
i24 News – Just hours after the killing of Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s number two and a key commander of the Radwan Force, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation Sunday evening in a firm, resolute statement.
Netanyahu described Tabatabai as “one of the most dangerous strategists” within the Lebanese Shiite terrorist group, alleging that he had intended to “invade Galilee and massacre Israeli citizens.”
The Prime Minister also noted that the senior official had been actively working to “rebuild and rearm” Hezbollah following strikes that destroyed much of its missile arsenal and after the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah.
Praising the IDF and Israeli security services for their “professional, precise, and successful” operation, Netanyahu vowed: “Under my leadership, Israel will not allow Hezbollah to rebuild its strength. We will not let this organization once again become a threat to the State of Israel.”
He further urged the Lebanese government to “honor its commitment to disarm Hezbollah,” calling this the only path toward “a better Lebanon” and “secure, neighborly relations between Israel and Lebanon.”
In closing, Netanyahu congratulated former US President Donald Trump for declaring the Muslim Brotherhood illegal, describing it as a movement “that destabilizes the Middle East and beyond” and reiterating that Israel has long classified the organization as terrorist.
