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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: FULL METAL JACKET on February 27, 2008, 11:41:10 PM

Title: Jewish basketball team may forfeit title over Sabbath
Post by: FULL METAL JACKET on February 27, 2008, 11:41:10 PM
DENVER (AP) -- State senators have taken up the cause of a Jewish boys basketball team whose playoff run may be halted because its players can't play on the Jewish Sabbath.

The Herzl/Rocky Mountain Hebrew Academy team could be headed for a regional championship on Saturday, March 8, if it wins one more game. But the Denver team's religious beliefs prohibit students from playing on the Jewish Sabbath between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday.

If Herzl/RMHA makes it to the regional championship and refuses to play a Saturday game, another school would be chosen to take its place, CHSAA commissioner Bill Reader said.

Earlier this month, the Colorado High School Activities Association, which governs sports and other high school activities, rejected the team's request for a schedule change.

At the end of morning debate in the state Senate on Wednesday, Majority Leader Ken Gordon, D-Denver, called on the CHSAA to be more flexible.

Senate President Peter Groff, D-Denver, said the CHSAA's decision was ironic because it has a rule barring games from being played on Sunday for religious reasons.

Sen. Tom Wiens, R-Sedalia, said there must be a way for the CHSAA to accommodate the team.

"It just seems like the bureaucracy has run amok here," Wiens said.

Bruce H. DeBoskey, mountain states regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, said the group was disappointed by CHSAA's decision.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/more/02/27/sabbath.colorado.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

So unfair! Especially since Christians can get accommodations on Sundays.
Title: Re: Jewish basketball team may forfeit title over Sabbath
Post by: Rubystars on February 27, 2008, 11:57:04 PM
It is unfair. I think if they fight this one they can win legally though.
Title: Re: Jewish basketball team may forfeit title over Sabbath
Post by: Ari on February 27, 2008, 11:59:49 PM
Yes, I saw this story.  You beat me to posting it.  Hopefully they can work around the schedule.
Title: Re: Jewish basketball team may forfeit title over Sabbath
Post by: JTFFan on February 27, 2008, 11:59:57 PM
Quote from: Rubystars on February 27, 2008, 11:57:04 PM
It is unfair. I think if they fight this one they can win legally though.

yes, if they try hard enough probably.
Title: Re: Jewish basketball team may forfeit title over Sabbath
Post by: briann on February 28, 2008, 02:24:40 AM
They shoulda had the title game on Kwanzaa!!
Title: Re: Jewish basketball team may forfeit title over Sabbath
Post by: Tzvi Ben Roshel1 on February 28, 2008, 05:25:59 PM
They shouldn't play for sure, even if hey wont and dont end up being champs because of it, its to their credit they will make a Kiddush Hashe-m.
Title: Re: Jewish basketball team may forfeit title over Sabbath
Post by: Lubab on February 28, 2008, 08:46:32 PM
Quote from: Tzvi Ben Roshel on February 28, 2008, 05:25:59 PM
They shouldn't play for sure, even if hey wont and dont end up being champs because of it, its to their credit they will make a Kiddush Hashem.

Right!

Don't sell your soul to the devil for a championship.
They won't really be the winners if they do that.
Title: Re: Jewish basketball team may forfeit title over Sabbath
Post by: Eliezer Ben Avraham on February 28, 2008, 11:22:01 PM
Quote from: Tzvi Ben Roshel on February 28, 2008, 05:25:59 PM
They shouldn't play for sure, even if hey wont and dont end up being champs because of it, its to their credit they will make a Kiddush Hashem.
Yea, this is somewhat similar to that Canadian hockey player who had the same problem, but his Rabbi said he could walk to the game and play