Connect with us

Uncategorized

The Jewish Sport Report: Israel is having a thrilling run at the FIFA U-20 World Cup

This article was sent as a newsletter. Sign up for our weekly Jewish sports newsletter here

Good afternoon, Jewish Sport Report readers!

It’s officially June, which means we are one-third of the way through the MLB season — and it’s time for All-Star voting.

There are four Jewish players on the ballot: Rowdy Tellez (first base), Alex Bregman (third base), Harrison Bader (outfield) and Joc Pederson (designated hitter). Pitchers and All-Star reserves are selected via player ballots and by the commissioner’s office.

Voting runs through June 22, and you can vote up to five times per day. What are you waiting for?

“This is incredible!”: Israel advances to the U-20 World Cup quarterfinals

Bekhruzbek Askarov, left, of Uzbekistan battles for the ball with Tay Abed of Israel during the FIFA U-20 World Cup, May 30, 2023 in Mendoza, Argentina. (Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Israel’s men’s soccer team has made a statement in its first-ever appearance in the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

After back-to-back thrilling victories this week, the team is headed to the quarterfinals, in which they will face powerhouse Brazil.

Israeli-Arab forward Anan Khalaili scored the winning goal over Uzbekistan in the penultimate 97th minute on Tuesday. The 1-0 victory followed Israel’s similarly dramatic win over Japan last weekend — which they pulled off despite being a man down after an ejection. Israel manager Ofir Haim called the Japan game “the biggest win in the history of Israeli soccer.” An English announcer called it “incredible.”

“It’s a dream for us to be here,” midfielder El Yam Kancepolsky told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency prior to the tournament. “I’m very proud to represent Israel in a World Cup, it is a huge dream.”

Israel and Brazil play tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Halftime report

PITCH PERFECT. Holocaust survivor Leo Ullman threw out the first pitch at yesterday’s New York Mets game. At 83, Ullman is one of the youngest survivors, and he’s got quite a story — including 145 triathlons and a Nolan Ryan collection of 15,000 pieces.

ON OFFENSE. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and his “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” campaign were featured on ESPN’s “Outside The Lines” program this week. Kraft launched the initiative with a $25 million commitment earlier this year, through his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.

FAMILY TREE. Speaking of Boston sports executives, the Boston Globe did a deep-dive on Chaim Bloom’s ancestry, tracing his Boston roots, starting with his great-grandparents Harry and Sadie, who fled persecution in Odessa.

MAKING MOVES. A pair of Team Israel alumni are excelling in the minor leagues this season. Orthodox prospect Jacob Steinmetz, who was recently promoted to Single-A and added to the Arizona Diamondbacks top 30 prospects list, has been pitching well for the Visalia Rawhide. Over in Double-A, St. Louis Cardinals prospect Noah Mendlinger was named the Texas Player of the Week after hitting .444 with 5 RBIs and an impressive 1.246 OPS.

CRUISING ALONG. The NBA Finals began last night, with the Denver Nuggets beating the Miami Heat in Game 1. Heat owner Micky Arison was born in Tel Aviv and has been a longtime executive at Carnival Corporation, the largest cruise operator in the world, which his father founded. The Heat have won three titles since Arison bought the team in 1995. More on the Israeli-American billionaire here.

Checking in on the French Open

Elina Svitolina in action in her first round match of the French Open on May 29, 2023 in Paris, France (Robert Prange/Getty Images)

With the French Open progressing into the third round, let’s check in on how the Jewish (and Jewish-adjacent) players are faring.

Madison Brengle lost in the first round.
Camila Giorgi lost in an injury-shortened second round match on Wednesday.
Aslan Karatsev lost in the second round on Thursday to No. 12 Frances Tiafoe.
*Diego Schwartzman will face No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round today.
*Denis Shapovalov advanced to the third round, where he will face No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz today.
Elina Svitolina plays Daria Kasatkina in the fourth round Sunday.

(*matches in progress at time of publication)

Jews in sports to watch this weekend

IN SOCCER…

Israel faces Brazil in the U-20 World Cup quarterfinals Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET. Jewish midfielder Daniel Edelman and the U.S. team take on Uruguay Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. The Premier League season is over — we’ll miss you, AFC Richmond — and Fulham F.C.’s Manor Solomon (a rising Israeli star who is over 20) could be on the move to Tottenham.

IN BASEBALL…

Dean Kremer is on the mound for his resurgent Baltimore Orioles tonight at 10:15 p.m. against manager Gabe Kapler and the San Francisco Giants (Joc Pederson is injured). Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros host the Los Angeles Angels in an AL West showdown.

IN RACING…

The Formula One Spanish Grand Prix is this Sunday at 9 a.m. ET. Lance Stroll will aim for a better result after not completing last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

#Proud

Deni Avdija joined fellow NBA player Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s podcast, where he spoke about what it means to represent Israel, and Jews in general, in the league. Take a listen.

Having a whole country behind you is DIFFERENT pic.twitter.com/TqqsxAJUpN

— T. Antetokounmpo (@Thanasis_ante43) May 30, 2023


The post The Jewish Sport Report: Israel is having a thrilling run at the FIFA U-20 World Cup appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Jailed Iranian Peace Laureate Mohammadi Moved to Hospital in Tehran

A picture of Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi on the wall of the Grand Hotel in central Oslo before the Nobel banquet, in connection with the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize 2023, in Oslo, Norway, Dec. 10, 2023. Photo: NTB/Javad Parsa via REUTERS

Iran’s imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi has been moved to a hospital in the capital, Tehran, and has been granted a suspension of her sentence on heavy bail, a foundation run by her family said on Sunday.

Mohammadi, 54, won the ‌prize in 2023 while in prison for a campaign to advance women’s rights and abolish the death penalty. She suffered a heart attack two weeks ago.

Her family had called for her to be transferred from Zanjan, northwest of Tehran, where she was serving her sentence and where she had been initially taken to a hospital, so that she could receive better medical care.

She is now at Tehran Pars Hospital for treatment by her own medical team after being transferred by ambulance, the Narges Mohammadi Foundation said ⁠in a statement.

Mohammadi was sentenced to a new prison term of 7-1/2 ​years, the foundation said in February, weeks ​before the ⁠US and Israel launched their war against Iran. The Nobel committee at the time called on Tehran to free her immediately.

She ⁠had been arrested in ​December after denouncing the death ​of a lawyer, Khosrow Alikordi. A prosecutor told reporters that she had ​made provocative remarks at Alikordi’s memorial ceremony.

The foundation gave no details of the bail arrangements or suspension of her sentence.

“However, a suspension is not enough,” it said. “Narges Mohammadi requires permanent, specialized care. We must ensure she never returns to prison.”

Iran shut down most of the internet in the country in January as authorities suppressed mass protests triggered by economic unease. Rights groups have reported ongoing ⁠executions of ​people involved in the unrest.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Israel’s Attorney General Calls to Cancel Netanyahu’s Mossad Chief Appointment

Israeli Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara. Photo: Twitter

i24 News –  Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara told the High Court of Justice on Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to appoint Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman as the next Mossad chief must be canceled.

Baharav-Miara filed her position ahead of a Tuesday hearing on petitions challenging the appointment, telling the court that “substantial flaws” had been found both in the process conducted by the advisory committee and in the conclusions it drew. She said Netanyahu’s decision suffered from “extreme and blatant unreasonableness” and could not stand legally.

At the center of the dispute is the case of Ori Elmakayes, who was a 17-year-old minor when he was activated in 2022 by Division 210, without going through authorized intelligence channels. At the time, the division was commanded by Gofman. Elmakayes was arrested in May 2022 under espionage charges after two officers sent him classified information and told him to post it online as part of an “influence campaign,” despite not being authorized to do so. Gofman initiated this operation. Elmakayes was then held in full detention until July, spending an extended period under electronic monitoring and house arrest before the indictment against him was canceled in late 2023.

Baharav-Miara says Gofman’s involvement in leaking the classified information to the minor, “casts a heavy shadow on Gofman’s integrity and thus on his appointment to head the Mossad.” The attorney general also identified serious procedural failings in the advisory committee’s work. She notes that the majority members signed their opinion before committee chairman and former Supreme Court president Asher Grunis had written his dissent and before two members had reviewed several classified documents significant to the full picture. Grunis concluded that integrity flaws had been found and that it was not appropriate to appoint Gofman as Mossad chief.

The attorney general also says the committee failed to hear directly from Elmakayes or from a relevant senior military intelligence officer, instead relying in part on media interviews.

Netanyahu, who appointed Gofman to head the Mossad starting in early June, for a five-year term, submitted his own response to the court on this past Friday, arguing that the decision fell within his executive authority. The Prime Minister also said that his assessment of the matter was “dozens of times superior” to that of the court, adding that Gofman’s integrity was “found pure,” and describing him as the most qualified candidate.

Other coalition figures responded to the attorney general with sharp criticism, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Ben-Gvir accused Baharav-Miara of fighting the state, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said her position was “one step too far” and vowed to advance legislation splitting the attorney general’s role in the Knesset’s summer session.

Continue Reading

Uncategorized

Kuwait’s Army Says It Has Intercepted Hostile Drones Over Airspace

A drone is seen at an underground site at an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on May 28, 2022. Iranian Army/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS

Kuwait’s army said it had detected and dealt with several hostile drones in the country’s airspace at dawn on Sunday, the latest incident following similar cross‑border drone activity linked to the Iran conflict.

On April 25, Kuwait’s army said two drones launched from ​Iraq had targeted ​two northern border posts, causing ​damage.

Its air defenses also dealt with a wave of Iranian drones on April 8 that targeted vital infrastructure.

While hostilities during the conflict have largely been scaled down since a ceasefire came into effect in April, drones have been launched from Iraq towards Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Continue Reading

Copyright © 2017 - 2023 Jewish Post & News