The Israeli judo fighter Yarden Gerbi made worldwide headlines after she won bronze in the under-63 kilogram weight category in Rio on Tuesday and secured the country’s first Olympic medal since 2008. While Gerbi celebrates her victory over France’s Clarisse Agbegnenou, here are five other interesting facts that you (probably) didn’t know about this 27-year-old…
As American Jews (and their media) are fawning over Olympian gymnast Aly Raisman, fewer know about her teammate Gabrielle Douglas’ complex religious background — a mixture of Christianity and Judaism. “I used to be Jewish,” she wrote in her 2012 memoir. “Well not exactly Jewish — but my family practiced some of the Jewish traditions.”…
As someone who lacks all athletic talent, I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I have little to no interest in watching the Olympics. I always feel badly about myself when watching these super-fit gymnasts jump 10 feet into the air while I give myself a pat on the back just for getting up and…
9 things to know about the Jews of Brazil:
This year, the Rio Olympics marks 20 years since Palestinians first participated in the international games in Atlanta. With six athletes competing in swimming, running, dressage (horse training), and judo (a martial art) this is the largest Palestinian delegation ever. Just two of the Palestinian contestants — XXX — actually qualified for their events at…
Yarden Gerbi became the first Israeli to medal at the Rio Olympics, bringing home a bronze in the women’s 63-kg judo competition. Gerbi defeated Miku Tashiro of Japan on Tuesday for Israel’s first Olympic medal since the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. “The medal is for all of Israel, for everyone who supported me and cheered…
Here’s something dictatorships, economics and the Olympics all have in common: each projects the notion that strength, agility, and efficiency define human worth. There’s a corollary to that shared vision, too. In each of these systems, the less strong are automatically second class. After Gold, there’s just Silver, Bronze, spectator, and pariah. There’s nowhere to…
NETANYA, Israel (JTA) – Andrea Murez steps on the diving board, adjusts her goggles, swings her long arms and propels herself into the water at the Wingate Institute athletic complex here. Murez is training with a dozen other swimmers. She is the one preparing for the Summer Olympics a few weeks later. The 24-year-old Los…
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