The following is a WCBSTV article:
A local Jewish university is making history in the NCAA tennis tournament.
As CBS 2′s Emily Smith reported, the Yeshiva University men’s tennis team made school history without even having a tennis court on campus.
The Maccabees travel to New Jersey every night, practicing as late as 11 p.m.
But a schedule conflict almost kept the Division III school out of the tournament. All three rounds were slated to include Saturday afternoon matches, which coincides with the Jewish sabbath.
“We know what we stand for the Jewish people. We’re not allowed to play on Saturday,” team captain Jeremy Seftel told Smith.
Yeshiva University put in a request to the NCAA early in the season saying its team won’t suit up on a Saturday under any circumstances.
“All indications so far are that they understand how firm and strict we are about the rule,” said coach Iran Miller.
Yeshiva University has won trophies in the past, but this is the first time in its 128-year history a team has advanced to the NCAA tournament, Smith reported.
If the team is unable to compete in the tournament, school officials said it would be heartbreaking for the athletes. But the school said there will be no compromise on the school’s behalf.
“That would be really unfortunate if all of their hard work and all their sacrifice and they couldn’t play,” Yeshiva Athletic Director Joe Bednarsh told Smith.
As long as the Maccabees are winning, all teams will have to follow the no Saturday rule. NCAA spokeswoman Meghan Durham said religion is taken seriously and is going to be accommodated.
“The NCAA adjusts for schools that do not play on Sundays. Yeshiva is the first case, as far as we know, that we’ve adjusted for a Saturday,” she said in a statement.
The Maccabees received their tournament schedule early Monday evening. They’ll play Skidmore College Thursday afternoon instead of Saturday, which is when it was originally scheduled.
If they advance, the Maccabees would play their second-round match on Friday afternoon.
The Maccabees beat Mount Saint Mary’s College 5-1 to earn a berth in the national tournament.
(Source: WCBSTV)
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9 Responses
Wow! What masmidim!! Until 11 o’clock every evening! I thought “Yeshiva” students spent time in the Bais haMedrash learning until late at night. I bet many readers will read this article and think “what a Kiddush haShem”. Unfortunately, the truth is the exact opposite.
This sydrome is called Nihye k’chol hagoyim. Will they also refuse to play if female players are wearing tennis dresses?
PS I was so amazed to learn that Satuday afternoon ‘coincides’ with the Jewish Sabbath. Live & learn.
I am so proud that they stood up for shabbos instead of bowing out of the competition. many deserving young people have missed out of great opportunities because competition organizers refused to change the day of competition; such as Moot Court for law schools.
Let’s hope this trend continues.
rotzeh,
just remember- kol haposeil, b’mumoh poseil
Rotzeh- or maybe it’s because they like tennis? I’m not sure why you automatically assume the worst.
rotzehbilumshmo – indeed what a close minded ignoramus you are. It’s your stifling restrictive approach to yiddishkeit that rachmana litzlan provokes budding bone I torah to go off the derech. Tennis is a innocent healthy recreational activity. These Talmidim do indee learn late at night and a long morning Seder beig moser necessary to juggle that with a need to excel in their academics to eventually bring home a parnasa. Indeed by taking out time for healthy outdoor exercise, they are being mischazek themselves to be able to function at te super level of efficiency that a yeshiva university curriculum demands of its fine students while Thursday night you are “hacking in the back of the base” with the excuse that you learn plenty and are feelig a little burned out. Please stop criticizing others especially when’s it is so grossly and ironically unwarranted. Kol haposel Bimumo posel. Shkoyach.
Activism is a positive action to allow Shomet Shabbos individuals to function & participate in a fuller life.
Yaasher Koach!
It is nice to see a team sticking up for their yiddishkeit.
This reminds me when a few years ago a jewish school from Texas made it to the state championship game, but also refused to play on shabbos. In the end, they were accommodated and they made a huge kiddush Hashem.
To all who took offence at my comment please let me explain. Tennis is not the issue hewre. Neither is excersize. These MO players have a burning desire to be part of a culture which is not in accordance with Torah Judaism. Play tennis for exersize and play with other Yeshiva boys. Why do we have to make waves in the goyims face. Yaakov Avinu tought his children (us) Lama sisrau, don’t be in their faces. WE don’t belong in the NCAA to begin with and when they say you have to play on Shabbos, we should bow out. THAT would be a Kidush haShem!!
Wow that’s great for the boys and for them to realize and be kind to give them room to not play on Shabbat