Cleveland Cavaliers fire David Blatt as coach

January 22, 2016

(CLEVELAND) — The Cleveland Cavaliers have fired Israeli David Blatt after only a year and a half into his contract with the team, according to sources.

The firing comes only a few days following a lopsided 132-98 bashing at...

Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft pays shiva call to family of Ezra Schwartz

November 26, 2015

(JTA) — Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, paid a shiva visit to the family of slain American yeshiva student Ezra Schwartz.

Kraft visited the family on Tuesday, a day after his National Football League team held a...

Meet Joc Pederson, the Jewish rookie powering L.A. Dodgers’ run to playoffs

September 11, 2015

By HILLEL KUTTLER

WASHINGTON (JTA) – Ask Los Angeles Dodgers’ rookie outfielder Joc Pederson how his season is going, and he’ll talk about the team.

“We’re playing great baseball, and that’s something we’re looking to continue to do,” a shy and...

Why Sandy Koufax sitting out a World Series game still matters 50 years later

September 08, 2015

By HILLEL KUTTLER

WASHINGTON (JTA) – Jesse Agler was pretty talented as a catcher and pitcher in Little League, yet his parents benched him regularly.

That’s because the Aglers had a no-baseball-on-Shabbat rule, one cloaked in sports royalty.

“It was...

NHL lawyer excels for league and family – can she make history?

September 04, 2015

By HILLEL KUTTLER

(JTA) – Several years ago, Jessica Berman and her husband, Brad, bumped into her high school boyfriend.

“If you aren’t working as a lawyer in hockey, I’d be amazed,” Berman recalled him saying.

The ex had her...

Curt Shilling compares Muslims to Nazis and gets suspended from ESPN

August 31, 2015

By GABE FRIEDMAN

(JTA) — As a top pitcher in Major League Baseball for nearly 20 years, Curt Schilling didn’t make many errors. On Aug. 25, however, he acknowledged that he made a costly one.

On that morning, the three-time...

Israel’s football team playing Spain in first international game

August 25, 2015

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s national football team will compete in Spain in its first official international game.

The Israelis will play the Spanish national team on Sunday in a bid to qualify for the International Federation of American Football’s B-Group...

Beth Israel captures SSL championship

August 24, 2015

Beth Israel Synagogue won the 2015  New Orleans Synagogue Softball League (SSL) Championship on August 2, defeating defending champs  Congregation Gates of Prayer in the championship game  7-6 at Wally Pontiff Playground.

The championship reflected an impressive turnaround for...

Israeli youth soccer team suffers food poisoning in Bulgaria

August 23, 2015

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Members of an Israeli youth soccer team suffered food poisoning at a hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Maccabi Petah Tikva youth soccer team fell ill over the weekend in Sofia, where they were attending a training camp....

In first, Israeli team competes in America’s top bike race

August 21, 2015

By HILLEL KUTTLER

(JTA) – As Israeli bicyclist Yoav Bear sped through the end of Stage 2 of the U.S.A. Pro Challenge race at nearly 11,000 feet of elevation in the Colorado Rockies, he thrust his water bottle into the...