New York City – Upon confirming that ESPN will reschedule the September 27th game between the Yankees and Red Sox to not conflict with Yom Kippur, Representative Anthony Weiner (D – Brooklyn and Queens) issued the following statement:
“As a Mets fan, it’s hard for me to celebrate any victory for the Yankees, but ESPN and the Commissioner of Major League Baseball did the right thing. New York is home to the largest Jewish population in the country and practicing your religion shouldn’t conflict with rooting for your home team. I’m pleased with ESPN’s decision to move the game to a time when Jews can attend and watch.”
The September 27th game between the Yankees and the Red Sox was originally scheduled to take place at 1 p.m., but was moved to 8 p.m. at the request of ESPN, who planned on broadcasting the game during Sunday Night Baseball. By rescheduling the game to take place after sundown, observant Jews who purchased tickets would not have been able to attend the game or watch it on television. New York City is home to the country’s largest Jewish population and Yom Kippur is one of the holiest days on the Jewish calendar.
Earlier today, Congressman Weiner wrote a letter to Baseball Commissioner Selig and ESPN President Bodenheimer requesting that the New York Jewish community not be punished for a last minute scheduling swap by returning the game to its originally scheduled time. He also asked that they show greater sensitivity when making scheduling decisions in the future.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
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18 Responses
what time is kol nidrai this year?
Halevai, this should be our absolute worst problem!!!
That’s nice
Maybe now he can cancel his relationship with the fiance.
Good idea, why put an obstacle in front of a blind person?
Wow! Now I can Daven Kol Nidrei with real Kavvana!
To us is might seem insignificant as we are busy davening for our very lives and begging Hashem for Mechilla. However, to the non-frum person would turn on their TV sets to watch and because of this he will not do so, maybe it isn’t so bad after all.
Guys you really have to proof read your article! “The September 27th game between the Yankees and the Red Sox was originally scheduled to take place at 1 p.m., but was moved to 8 p.m. at the request of ESPN, who planned on broadcasting the game during Sunday Night Baseball.” I think it should read “The September 27th game between the Yankees and the Red Sox was originally scheduled to take place at 8 p.m., but was moved to 1 p.m. at the request of ESPN, who planned on broadcasting the game during Sunday Night Baseball.” Yom Kipper is the night of the 27th so your statement makes no sense.
As for attending, I’d home this change doesn’t affect the frum community, but it does affect the not yet frum ones. They currently just show up at night but don’t have anything signification to do earlier in the day.
What happens if they go to extra innings?
Can Weiner arrange for Pas Yisroel Hot dog buns for the kosher wieners during aseres yemei teshuva?
Most important, I think that on Shabbos and Jewish Holidays they must have a Kohein leading off, I mean some sensitivity is in order!
Thanks weiner… Now I have what to do on erev yom kipor
Go BoSox!!
Wow, the Jewish community has made it in the goyishe world, what will be next, writing Happy Chanukah on Christmas trees? What about having a long seventh-inning stretch with mincha over the loudspeakers? How about a Sukkah during the World Series and having no chametz in the stadium during Pesach, or even tekiat shofar on a Rosh Hashana game, and yizkor when relevant. Unbelievable, the goyim finally love us, our troubles are over.
Bugnot your wrong…
Justanobady – very funny… Where did the umpire go for yeshivah? Is there a michytza in the bleachers?
Did he say that YOM KIPPUR is ONE of the holiest day? Isnt it THE holiest day? Maybe he knows of a holier one, can some1 come up w a holier one?
This is a funny article. It’s a nice convenience for those with tickets who follow the game. It is not exactly the heroics of a Sandy Koufax (and please dont degrade Koufax – he was not a yeshiva bochur and for him to do what he did was a big thing and meant a lot to other such Jews….let Hashem decide).
Everything happens for a reason and whether some of you like it or not, this is a good thing. Fact is, any of us may have thoughts that stray while we are davening. Some people WOULD be talking in shul about the outcome of the game, I am sorry to say.
We are in an area where the Jewish population is dense. The same area happens to have a great baseball team that people follow, especially since they are doing very well.
Whatever else Mr. Weiner does with his life is not for me to judge. But I believe for each person who will now NOT mention, in shul, even if they try to hold back, particularly younger bochurim who have a slight interest in baseball stats, that they are wondering about who is winning the Yanks BoSox game, it is to Mr. Weiner’s merit; even great merit.
My undertsnading is that the game was originally slated for 1pm EST but changed to 8pm EST to accomodate ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. When this occurred ESPN and MLB changed the game back to it’s original start time to accomodate the Jewish religious observence of Yom Kippur.
All this notwithstanding, I have never heard of any non-Jewish religious observence being accomodated in this way, or any way for that matter. To avoid the loss of the price of a baseball ticket two major organizations, top heavy with Jewish executives, changed the schedule of a major sporting event which will be viewed by millions (the vast majority of whom are non-Jewish), who, unlike Jews, will be forced to change their activities if they wish to watch this game.
…and who says Jews don’t run things?
Follow-up:
Just a thought…
If Jews who were “put out” by this 8pm start time are truly devout they would “suffer” the loss of a ticket price and show their true devotion to their faith. Undoubtedly, non-Jews have done the same countless times in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Arguments for this change have focused on what is best for the Jews, not baseball fans.
Read Bud Selig’s, Commissioner of MLB, comments on how it is “the right thing to do”. Selig, by the by, is a Jew, or how New York has the largest Jewish population in the U.S. (though still a minority in the city itself), or how Yom Kippur is the “holiest” Jewish religion, as if other religions holy days don’t quite match up. And, of course, don’t let the fact that both owners of the teams playing (Theo Epstein – Boston Red Sox and George Steinbrenner – New York Yankees, are Jews), convince you that this accomodation wasn’t too difficult to agree upon.
…Jews, what a tragedy.