Just yesterday, YWN reported a story (HERE) about a Jewish school in Denver – which is choosing Shabbos over the opportunity to participate in a playoff game. Much attention is being given to this story – and the following article appeared on the CNN homepage today.
NOTE: In the previous YWN article on this topic, a reader submitted the following comment: “The Oilam should know that this is a school that is just a step above the many non-Jewish schools. Although they are proud of their Yiddishkeit, they have VERY minimal knowledge of a lot of the basics.
It would therefore be of tremendous Toyeles if the Chevra would e-mail the school stating how proud we are of their standing on a basic tenet of Yiddishkeit when they could have easily let it be done without caring what the repercussions would be. The e-mail address of the President of the school is (Avi Halzel) [email protected]
CNN: State senators have taken up the cause of a Jewish boys basketball team whose playoff run may be halted because its players can’t play on the Jewish Sabbath.
The Herzl/Rocky Mountain Hebrew Academy team could be headed for a regional championship on Saturday, March 8, if it wins one more game. But the Denver team’s religious beliefs prohibit students from playing on the Jewish Sabbath between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday.
If Herzl/RMHA makes it to the regional championship and refuses to play a Saturday game, another school would be chosen to take its place, CHSAA commissioner Bill Reader said.
Earlier this month, the Colorado High School Activities Association, which governs sports and other high school activities, rejected the team’s request for a schedule change.
At the end of morning debate in the state Senate on Wednesday, Majority Leader Ken Gordon, D-Denver, called on the CHSAA to be more flexible.
Senate President Peter Groff, D-Denver, said the CHSAA’s decision was ironic because it has a rule barring games from being played on Sunday for religious reasons.
Sen. Tom Wiens, R-Sedalia, said there must be a way for the CHSAA to accommodate the team.
“It just seems like the bureaucracy has run amok here,” Wiens said.
Bruce H. DeBoskey, mountain states regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, said the group was disappointed by CHSAA’s decision.
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
(Source: CNN)
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7 Responses
wow a kiddus hashem!! we support them!!
Isn’t it from Sports Illustrated, just ported on CNN front page, not CNN?
To Mr. Feif Un, on comment #2, what was the purpose of that comment?
As a former Colorado resident, I find it interesting that state legislators from communities without any Jews at all are leading the fight to help this little Jewish school.
I don’t want to burst anybody’s bubble, but that school out in Denver has 90% of families who are not frum, do not eat kosher, AND DO NOT KEEP SHABBES. That “yeshiva” disassociated themselves from any frumkeit, declaring that they are REFORM!!!
So their upstand to the commitees should IYH last week after week not to do any sort of Avodah on Shabbes; not just to gt the front page on various papers.
#7: afilla raykunim shluch mlayim mitzvos krimon!
The issue has become moot. The Jewish team lost a preliminary match this weekend and was knocked out of the tournament. Maybe next year there will be contingency plans should they be more successful.