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The Jewish Sport Report: Israel is having a thrilling run at the FIFA U-20 World Cup
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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
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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.
Phyllis Pollock died at home Sunday September 3, 2023 in Winnipeg, after a courageous lifetime battle with cancer.
Phyllis was a mother of four: Gary (Laura), daughter Randi, Steven (deceased in 2010) (Karen), and Robert. Phyllis also had two grandchildren: Lauren and Quinn.
Born in Fort Frances, Ontario on February 7, 1939, Phyllis was an only child to Ruby and Alex Lerman. After graduating high school, Phyllis moved to Winnipeg where she married and later divorced Danny Pollock, the father of her children. She moved to Beverly Hills in 1971, where she raised her children.
Phyllis had a busy social life and lucrative real estate career that spanned over 50 years, including new home sales with CoastCo. Phyllis was the original sales agent for three buildings in Santa Monica, oceanfront: Sea Colony I, Sea Colony II, and Sea Colony. She was known as the Sea Colony Queen. She worked side by side with her daughter Randi for about 25 years – handling over 600 transactions, including sales and leases within the three phases of Sea Colony alone.
Phyllis had more energy than most people half her age. She loved entertaining, working in the real estate field, meeting new and interesting people everyday no matter where she went, and thrived on making new lifelong friends. Phyllis eventually moved to the Sea Colony in Santa Monica where she lived for many years before moving to Palm Desert, then Winnipeg.
After battling breast cancer four times in approximately 20 years, she developed metastatic Stage 4 lung cancer. Her long-time domestic partner of 27 years, Joseph Wilder, K.C., was the love of her life. They were never far apart. They traveled the world and went on many adventures during their relationship. During her treatment, Phyllis would say how much she missed work and seeing her clients. Joey demonstrated amazing strength, love, care, and compassion for Phyllis as her condition progressed. He was her rock and was by her side 24/7, making sure she had the best possible care. Joey’s son David was always there to support Phyllis and to make her smile. Joey’s other children, Sheri, Kenny, Joshua and wife Davina, were also a part of her life. His kids would Facetime Phyllis and include her during any of their important functions. Phyllis loved Joey’s children as if they were her own.
Thank you to all of her friends and family who were there to support her during these difficult times. Phyllis is now, finally, pain free and in a better place. She was loved dearly and will be greatly missed. Interment took place in Los Angeles.
By BERNIE BELLAN Over 100 individuals gathered at the Gwen Secter Centre on Tuesday evening, July 18 – under the big top that serves as the venue for the summer series of outdoor concerts that is now in its third year at the centre.
The occasion was the celebration of the Gwen Secter Centre’s 35th anniversary. It was also an opportunity to honour the memory of Sophie Shinewald, who passed away at the age of 106 in 2019, but who, as recently as 2018, was still a regular attendee at the Gwen Secter Centre.
As Gwen Secter Executive Director Becky Chisick noted in her remarks to the audience, Sophie had been volunteering at the Gwen Secter Centre for years – answering the phone among other duties. Becky remarked that Sophie’s son, Ed Shinewald, had the phone number for the Gwen Secter Centre stored in his phone as “Mum’s work.”
Remarks were also delivered by Raquel Dancho, Member of Parliament for Kildonan-St. Paul, who was the only representative of any level of government in attendance. (How times have changed: I remember well the steadfast support the former Member of the Legislature for St. John’s, Gord Mackintosh, showed the Gwen Secter Centre when it was perilously close to being closed down. And, of course, for years, the area in which the Gwen Secter Centre is situated was represented by the late Saul Cherniack.)
Sophie Shinewald’s granddaughter, Alix (who flew in from Chicago), represented the Shinewald family at the event. (Her brother, Benjamin, who lives in Ottawa, wasn’t able to attend, but he sent a pre-recorded audio message that was played for the audience.)
Musical entertainment for the evening was provided by a group of talented singers, led by Julia Kroft. Following the concert, attendees headed inside to partake of a sumptuous assortment of pastries, all prepared by the Gwen Secter culinary staff. (And, despite my asking whether I could take a doggy bag home, I was turned down.)
This is a developing story.
(JTA) — Palestinian gunmen killed four people and wounded four in a terror attack at a gas station near the West Bank settlement of Eli, the Israeli army reported.
An Israeli civilian returning fire at the scene of the attack on Tuesday killed one of the attackers, who emerged from a vehicle, and two others fled.
Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster, said one of those wounded was in serious condition. The gunmen, while in the vehicle, shot at a guard post at the entry to the settlement, and then continued to the gas station which is also the site of a snack bar. A nearby yeshiva went into lockdown.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced plans to convene a briefing with top security officials within hours of the attack. Kan reported that there were celebrations of the killing in major West Bank cities and in the Gaza Strip, initiated by terrorist groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Hamas said the shooting attack Tuesday was triggered by the Jenin raid.
The shooting comes as tensions intensify in the West Bank. A day earlier, Israeli troops raiding the city of Jenin to arrest accused terrorists killed five people.
The Biden administration spoke out over the weekend against Israel’s plans to build 4,000 new housing units for Jewish settlers in the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also finalized plans to transfer West Bank building decisions to Bezalel Smotrich, the extremist who is the finance minister. Smotrich has said he wants to limit Palestinian building and expand settlement building.
Kan reported that the dead terrorist was a resident of a village, Urif, close to Huwara, the Palestinian town where terrorists killed two Israeli brothers driving through in February. Settlers retaliated by raiding the village and burning cars and buildings.
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The post Palestinian gunmen kill 4 Israelis in West Bank gas station appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
