TEL AVIV - Two legendary basketball players and a redhead who knows more than a little about the game are working to promote a program to use basketball to link Jewish teenagers in the United States with Judaism, Zionism, and basketball.
Former Maccabi Tel Aviv stars Tal Brody and Olsi Perry, together with current player Tamir Goodman, once known as the "Jewish Jordan", have created a program called Hoops Israel, aimed at bringing Jewish basketball players to the Holy Land for a training camp.
The trio hopes the combination of high-level basketball training, Judaism, and Israel will be an attractive one for Jewish high schoolers.
Broad support expected
Perry and Goodman are currently in New York for discussions with Israel's consul General, Aryeh Makel, about how to attract Jewish organizations to support the project.
Makel hooked the trio up with an unlikely address: Rabbi Jerome Epstein, Executive Vice-President of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
Epstein immediately seized on the opportunity to add Hoops Israel to the list of the Conservative Movement's summer programming, as long as the program does not violate the Movement's basic values.
Other Jewish organizations, including religious and youth groups, are expected to support the project as well.
Hoops Israel’s first program will be held at Givat Washington, near Gedera, from July 7-28.