Iran removes national team players after they competed against an Israeli team

August 10, 2017

(JTA) — Iran reportedly has removed two players from its national soccer team after they competed against an Israeli team. Haji Safi and Masoud Shojaei play for the Greek soccer club Panionios, which last week competed against Israel’s Maccabi Tel...

Matisyahu shown pushing teen fans offstage at JCC Maccabi Games opening

August 04, 2017

(JTA) — Jewish reggae star Matisyahu is seen in a video pushing two teenage athletes off the stage at a concert in Alabama during the opening ceremony of the JCC Maccabi Games.

The incident took place Sunday night at the...

Philadelphia 76ers draft pick to play for Maccabi Tel Aviv

July 24, 2017

(JTA) — Jonah Bolden, a second-round pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2017 NBA draft, will play in Israel for Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Bolden, 21, a 6-foot-10 forward, made the announcement Friday that he had signed a three-year deal...

Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field going kosher

July 18, 2017

(JTA) — Kosher hot dogs are coming to Wrigley Field, the home of the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs.

A kosher food stand will open up at the 103-year-old ballpark on Friday featuring Romanian hot dogs, Romanian Polish sausages,...

Omri Casspi, first Israeli to play in NBA, signs with champion Golden State Warriors

July 06, 2017

(JTA) — Omri Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the National Basketball Association, signed a one-year contract with the 2017 champion Golden State Warriors.

Casspi, 29, and the Warriors agreed to the contract early Wednesday morning, according to reports....

Amar’e Stoudemire unsure if he will play basketball again in Israel next year

June 22, 2017

(JTA) — Amar’e Stoudemire returned to Miami from Israel but does not know if he will be back to play basketball despite applying for citizenship.

Stoudemire and his Hapoel Jerusalem club won the Israel Premier League championship last week.

“It...

Jewish pitcher Brad Goldberg makes his White Sox debut

June 08, 2017

(JTA) — Relief pitcher Brad Goldberg, who is Jewish, made his Major League Baseball debut with the Chicago White Sox.

Goldberg, 27, was called up from the minors, the Triple-A Charlotte Knights, over the weekend, after pitcher Michael Ynoa was...

Omri Casspi signs with NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves

March 21, 2017

(JTA) — Omri Casspi, the first Israeli to play in the National Basketball Association, was signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Timberwolves, his third team in the last month and fifth since joining the NBA in 2009.

Casspi...

Campaign to build baseball stadium in Israel takes off after World Baseball Classic

March 21, 2017

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Plans to build the first regulation baseball stadium in Israel have gathered steam in the wake of Team Israel’s surprisingly strong performance in the World Baseball Classic.

Members of Team Israel participated in the groundbreaking for the...

Israel’s surprising World Baseball Classic run ends with loss to Japan

March 15, 2017

(JTA) — Team Israel saw its Cinderella run at the World Baseball Classic end with a loss to Japan in Tokyo.

Japan snapped a scoreless tie with five runs in the sixth inning on the way to an 8-3 victory...