Category Archives: Blog

Ossie Schectman – The original Jordan Farmar

When you think of basketball, Jews are not the first thing to come to mind. Not for alte-kakers that have been around from the start of the sport. They’ve witnessed Ossie Schectman score the very first basket in the history of the NBA. Mr. Schectman died July 30th 2013 at the age of 94.

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The Patriot-News:

In 1956, a Jewish player named Ossie Schectman scored the first basket in the first game of what would become the National Basketball Association.

In fact, Jewish links to basketball are deeply rooted, according to David Vyorst, who chronicled that history in his new documentary film, “The First Basket.”

“Until I started doing research for the film, I didn’t really know the profound impact that Jewish players had on the game, or the profound impact the game had on the Jewish community,” Vyorst said.

ESPN:

Benjamin “Ossie” Schectman, the man who scored the first basket in NBA history, for theNew York Knicks, has died, the team announced.

Schectman was 94.

He played for the Knicks in 1946-47, averaging 8.1 points and two assists per game, though he is widely known for his layup on Nov. 1, 1946, against the Toronto Huskies.

Schectman, a 6-foot guard, scored the opening basket of the Huskies’ game against the Knicks, which was the first in NBA history.

In a 2003 interview with ESPN, Schectman recalled the basket as a layup on a give-and-go.

“I scored on a two-handed underhand layup, which was the standard chippy shot back then,” he said in the interview. “I also remember being on the receiving end of a give-and-go, but I can’t remember who I received the pass from.”

Schectman was born in Queens and grew up in Manhattan. He played college basketball at Long Island University. He helped LIU win the NIT championship in 1939 and 1941.

David Draiman's Jewbellish Score Just Went Up

Disturbed heavy metal front man David Draiman took a stand against Roger Waters today. After much analysis, our counsel has determined that his JEWBELLISH SCORE has been raised 3 POINTS today.

Below is his ALL CAPS tweet against Roger Waters followed by his gracious tweet responding to his 3-point Jewbellish Score rise.

 

 

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Are Kate Middleton and her Royal Baby Jewish?

According to Alan Dershowitz the Royal Baby’s Jewbellish Score is pretty high:

– His great bubby and zaidy were Ronald & Dorothy Goldsmith. – 3 points
– His father is already starting to go bald like a Brooklyn accountant. – 1/2 point
– There is a street in Israel called ‘King George’. – 1/2 point
– His bubby from his father’s side, Princess Diana, is the biological daughter of Sir James Goldschmidt. – 2 points
– If little George has a Mohel perform a ‘royal cut’ – 3 points
TOTAL JEWBELLISH SCORE FOR THE ROYAL BABY: 6 POINTS (or 9 POINTS W/ CHOP)

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As reported in the Algemeiner by Simcha Weinstein

Mazel Tov! After much anticipation, at 4:24 p.m. in London on July 22, the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth. The Royal bundle is an 8lbs. 6oz. son, future King — and perhaps a real Jewish Prince.

For those of you who haven’t heard, according to lawyer Alan Dershowitz, Kate’s mother, Carol, is the daughter of Ronald and Dorothy Goldsmith (whose parents, he claims, were also Jews).  The Jewish line may thicken with hubby Wills. It’s been speculated that the late Princess Diana’s mother, Frances Shand Kydd, was born a Rothschild. If that weren’t enough, the London Daily Mail reported that Diana is actually the biological daughter of Sir James Goldschmidt, also a Jew.

Royal ancestry-mavens consider all this hearsay, but between William and Kate, chances are some Jewish blood runs through the bluish.

In fact, the new heir was born in a “Jewish” wing of St. Mary’s hospital. A Sephardic Jew, Frank Charles Lindo, paid for the wing in 1937!  He must be shepping some nakhes!

From the day it was announced that the royal couple was expecting, reporters, photographers, and people on the street went wild! How ironic, I thought. In an atmosphere of zero or low population growth, where having more than 1.5 (I’m not a statistician) children are often met with frowns from those who count carbon footprints, this arrival was met with a fervor rivaling the coming of the Messiah.

True, the babe will insure the family business continues for at least the next few generations and, according to Jewish Law, this is critical. In Jewish tradition, we have tremendous respect for government and authority. In the Talmud, Rabbi Chanina teaches: “Pray for the security of the government, for were it not for the fear of its authority, a man would swallow his neighbor alive.” As a child growing up in England, I can still recall special blessings for the royal family, for to have the utmost respect for royalty allows one to recognize the ultimate kingship in this world.

And the people are feeling it. One man who waited outside St. Mary’s hospital for 12 days, said: “We’ve got a lovely married couple and baby will make three — and they will be a family.”

King Solomon, who was called “the wisest of all men” for a reason, used the analogy of a threefold cord: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” He reminds us that a one-strand cord is weak by itself, a two-strand cord is stronger, and a three-strand rope is stronger than either. Children, create a threefold cord.

True, unlike most newlyweds today, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge don’t have to worry about finances, debts, child care, or university. Ever since Kate, who stems from the tiny village of Bucklebury, became the new fairy tale Duchess, she’s become the “IT” girl of the century, and she’s a “hit.” Modern, educated, and hands-on, everything about her becomes “trendy.” So, let’s watch the birth rate!

The national and international mood is soaring at this mind-blowing and mind-changing event and I can hope that the royal blessed event will make having children a “hit” once again.

Each and every child born has the power to replenishment spirit, soul, and humanity. Each and every child is a King.

Rabbi Simcha Weinstein is a best-selling author who recently was voted “New York’s Hippest Rabbi” by Channel 13 in New York. He chairs the religious affairs committee at Pratt Institute, and recently published the book, “The Case for Children: Why Parenthood Makes Your World Better.”

Natalie Portman to Film in Israel

Natalie Portman’s Jewbellish Score just went up a point. Even after her Academy Awards and A-List star power in the United States, she still remembers her roots. She’s going to film in Israel. As with most Israeli productions, Natalie will be doing everything. She’s writing, acting and directing in a film adaptation of Amos Oz’s memoir, ‘A Tale of Love and Darkness.’ She’ll probably put up all the imported talent at several relatives homes instead of hotels. That would make it a true Israeli production.

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Her last ‘very Jewish’ film had some major production set-backs.

As reported by JPost.com:

Natalie Portman just received a grant for NIS 2,550,000 from the Jerusalem Film Fund to direct, write and star in a film adaptation of Amos Oz’s memoir, A Tale of Love and Darkness.

The book tells the story of the author’s mother’s mental illness and his father’s attempts to help her. It takes place in the Forties.

Portman has been speaking in interviews for years about wanting to direct and act in a film version of this work. Filming is tentatively scheduled to start in January, with Portman playing Oz’s mother.

The actress, who was born in Israel, won an Oscar for her performance in the film, Black Swan, in 2011. She has directed and written one short film and a segment of the omnibus film, New York, I Love You.

She is fluent in Hebrew and has acted in an Israeli film, Amos Gitai’s Free Zone in 2005. After she graduated from Harvard, she spent several months studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

She is married to Benjamin Millepied, the choreographer she worked with on Black Swan, and has a son named Aleph.

The Jerusalem Film Fund awarded grants totaling nearly NIS 6 million to 11 new projects, out of 114 that were submitted. The Jerusalem Film Fund was founded in 2008 to support films that are set in Jerusalem.

Natalie Portman’s Hebrew Interview: “I’m a big fan of Amos Oz”.

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