Jewish NFL players. (Getty Images\/Design by Mollie Suss)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Good afternoon, and happy football season! The NFL kicked off last night with a thrilling 21-20 victory by the Detroit Lions over the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. Check out all the Jewish players to watch here, and read on for their Week 1 schedule below.<\/p>\n
How Jewish values inspire Jessica Berman in the effort to grow women\u2019s soccer<\/p>\n
Jessica Berman has as impressive a resume as anybody in sports.<\/p>\n
The Jewish Brooklyn native is now the commissioner of the National Women\u2019s Soccer League after stints in leadership roles with the National Lacrosse League (where she made history as a woman executive in a men\u2019s league) and the NHL. As a labor lawyer, she also worked with the NFL, MLB and NBA.<\/p>\n
As she works to grow women\u2019s soccer, Berman told me she is inspired by her Jewish upbringing \u2014 which included several years at Jewish day school.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this role in particular, I\u2019ve never felt more aligned with the values that were instilled in me as a child, which include empowering others and ensuring that there is an equal playing field, that marginalized and underrepresented groups have to support each other and work together,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Check out our profile of the trailblazer right here.<\/p>\n
Halftime report<\/p>\n
GOLDEN BOYS. The Israeli under-17 men\u2019s flag football team won its first-ever gold medal at the 2023 European Junior Flag Football Championships last weekend in Italy \u2014 even after forfeiting a game that fell on Shabbat.<\/p>\n
HISTORY. A new film that just debuted at the Venice International Film Festival is based on Iran\u2019s policy of boycotting Israeli athletes. \u201cTatami\u201d was filmed in secret and is being billed as the first-ever film co-directed by an Israeli and an Iranian.<\/p>\n
YER OUTTA HERE. A fan was ejected from a U.S. Open match earlier this week after allegedly chanting a Nazi anthem at German star player Alexander Zverev. The No. 12 seed stopped the match and told the umpire, \u201cHe just said the most famous Hitler phrase there is in this world. It\u2019s not acceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n
GO COCO. Speaking of the U.S. Open, American star Coco Gauff \u2014 who just became the youngest American to reach the finals since Serena Williams in 1999 \u2014 has received support and inspiration from a number of Jewish sources. Gauff is being advised by Brad Gilbert, a former star player who now coaches and works as a TV analyst, and she got a custom-made bag from Jewish designer Susan Alexandra.<\/p>\n
CURRY WITH THE ASSIST. The Israeli cybersecurity startup Upwind just raised $50 million, raising its value to $300 million total. Retired Israeli NBA player Omri Caspi and his former Golden State Warriors teammate Stephen Curry are among the company\u2019s many investors.<\/p>\n
Jews in sports to watch this weekend<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfc8 IN FOOTBALL\u2026<\/p>\n
It\u2019s Week 1 in the NFL, do you know where your Jewish players are? Here\u2019s the schedule:<\/p>\n
Sunday at 1 p.m. ET: Greg Joseph and the Minnesota Vikings host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Michael Dunn and the Cleveland Browns face the Cincinnati Bengals.<\/p>\n
Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET: A.J. Dillon and the Green Bay Packers play the Chicago Bears, and Jake Curhan and the Seattle Seahawks take on the Los Angeles Rams.<\/p>\n
\u26be\ufe0f IN BASEBALL\u2026<\/p>\n
Last month\u2019s American League Rookie of the Month Zack Gelof \u2014 who clobbered eight doubles, seven home runs and 15 RBI in 27 August games \u2014 plays the Texas Rangers this weekend with his Oakland Athletics, while fellow Team Israel alum Spencer Horwitz and the Toronto Blue Jays match up against the Kansas City Royals. Jewish relievers Eli Morgan and Kenny Rosenberg will be in opposing bullpens this weekend as their Cleveland Guardians and Los Angeles Angels face off.<\/p>\n
\u26bd\ufe0f IN SOCCER\u2026<\/p>\n
Captain Steve Birnbaum and his D.C. United play the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The 32-year-old California native won a silver medal with the U.S. team at the 2012 Pan American Maccabi Games in Brazil.<\/p>\n
Matzah ballin\u2019<\/p>\n
In case you missed it, the New York Mets celebrated Jewish Heritage Night last weekend. The festivities included a ceremonial first pitch thrown by Tsach Saar, the acting consul general of Israel in New York, and a performance from Jewish rapper Matisyahu, who also threw out a first pitch of sorts\u2026<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Cwz3f0dLA1G\/<\/p>\n
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