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Sports
Green's Jewish homer
All-star baseball player will not play on Yom Kippur.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
Shawn Green is a mentsh. Mark it down as a victory for all the Jews in the.Diaspora who struggle to explain the importance of their traditions to their non-Jewish friends.
Just a few weeks before the most holy day of the Jewish calendar, Green, an all-star outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, announced to his team and the rest of the world that ho would not be catching any fly balls or hitting any home runs on Yom Kippur.
With his team in the thick of a fight to make the playoffs for the first time since 1988, Green's decision has attracted a lot of attention across North America.
Green, who is having a career year as far as statistics are concerned, will be missing the Dodgers' final home game and the third last game of the season in order to ask God for forgiveness.
Several articles about Green's decision were published in the Los Angeles Times, and even Vancouver's Province newspaper mentioned it.
Internationally acclaimed sports analyst Jim Rome, who has a network radio show called 77m; Jungle and a nationally televised show called 77m; Last Word, discussed Green's decision on both of his programs.
While Rome supported and respected Green's decision, he did suggest that some people may not feel the same. After all, the baseball star recently signed an $84 million contract and, for some fans, sports is their religion.
However, in interviews published around the world. Green said his passion for Judaism was more important than his passion for baseball.
"It's something I feel is an important thing to do, partly as a representative of the Jewish community," Green said in the Los Angeles Times. "Tliere aren't too many Jewish players, and to go out there and play would be disrespectful. It's kind of ironic that it happens when we're in the middle of the pennant race."
As of press time, Green had hit more than 40 home runs and held a batting average of close to .300.
Ho is also the current iron man of Major League baseball, as his
LA Dodger Shawn Green won't be swinging any bats on Yom Kippur.
400-plus consecutive-games-played streak is longer tlian any other active player can boast. That streak will obviously end when the sun goes down on erev Yom Kippur.
Dodgers team manager Jim Tracy said he respects Green's decision because there are more important things in life than a baseball game.
"This is about a guy's beliefs and his religion, and I'm not one to stand in the way of something like that," he told the Times. "If this, in any way shape or form, would even be perceived as selfish in nature, I would be very disappointed in that."
The last time a Major League Jewish athlete made headlines for missing a game for religious reasons was when legendary pitcher Sandy Koufax missed Game 1 of the 1967 World Series, also for Yom Kippur. He also played for the Dodgers.
"That story has since become a big part of I&ufax's legend. Although the team did lose that first game, the Dodgers ended up winning the World Series that year.
Considered to be one of the Dogers' best players. Green could be jeopardizing lus team's chance to make the playofis. Tliis is almost never done by millionaire athletes who are looked up to by thousands of young fans.
So it doesn't matter if Green is just doing what millions of Diaspora Jews will be doing Sept. 26. It doesn't matter if people think no one person should be commended just for attending Yom Kippur services. Shawn Green is a well-known, well-liked, all-star Major League baseball player who has announced to the world that he is Jewish and that that is more important than $84 million. Shawn Green is a mentsh! □
Western
Jewish
Bulletin
You are invited to attend
Voices:
CONTINUITY & COMMUNITY Gala Opening Concert
of the
Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture Saturday, October 6 8:00 p.m.
PERETZ CENTRE 6184 Ash Street at 45th Ave. Tickets $25.00 Call (604) 325-1812 or (604) 322-6077 Tickets also available at Kaplan's Star Deli at 41st and Oak.
Featuring:
Claire Klein Osipov Grace Chan Marcus Mosely Stephen Aberle
Produced by WRS Productions
Artistic Director:
Wendy B. Stuart
With
The Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir Mike Braverman Katherine Headrick The Saul Berson Quartet
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CM
CM
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