- Tonight’s Phillies’ playoffs game-Kol Nidre conflict has inspired a lot of commentary, a few jokes, and I am guessing a few dvr’s ready to record. I hope the schedule conflict dilemma has deepened Jewish identity! Our member Glenn Kutler just shared this beautiful story:
- As a junior at Central High School, I tried out for the offensive line on the varsity football team. I was cautiously optimistic about making the team until I realized that the final practices were scheduled for Rosh Hashannah and that the final team roster would be established based on those practices.
- I wrestled with this dilemma and decided to answer the call of the Shofar. At peace with my decision, I steeled myself to go to the coach’s office and let him know. He was a giant of a man in many ways – we all called him Zeus – and seemingly just as unapproachable. I could only imagine the retribution he might deliver upon me for walking out on the team. Many years later I learned that he was a devout Catholic and that – believe it or not – he was an avid member of his church choir. Regardless, I mustered up the courage and said what I had to say. Walking back into school after the holidays one of my fellow – non-Jewish – rookies came breathlessly running up to me and nearly tackled me right there in the hallway. “We made it !…… We made the team !!” Coach never said a word to me about this. The rest of course, is history.