By FAYGIE HOLT (JNS) – For two days in mid-August, 575 men left their jobs, families and hometowns to cycle some 180 miles across three states as part of the Bike4Chai annual fund-raiser to benefit Chai Lifeline, an organization dedicated to helping children with cancer and other life-altering illnesses, and their families. This year’s cyclists came from Mexico and Maryland, […]

By SHIRYN GHERMEZIAN (JNS) – The 15th European Maccabi Games, which some have likened to the Jewish Olympics, concluded on Aug. 7 in Budapest, Hungary, with team USA taking home a total of 155 medals, more than any other country. American athletes claimed 75 gold, 43 silver and 37 bronze medals in categories including basketball, fencing and soccer. The Games took […]

ALBANY–The Albany Jewish Community Center (AJCC), 340 Whitehall Rd., Albany, will hold its annual Dunkin’ Run on Sunday, Sept. 15. The 2019 Dunkin’ Run is a certified 5K and 10K USATF road race. A 5K, 10K, 10K Masters Division and 15K race for men and women and a ½ mile Munchkin run for 12 and under will be offered. The […]

By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ BUDAPEST (JTA)  – More than 2,000 Jewish athletes from 42 countries and thousands of spectators gathered at a stadium in the Hungarian capital for the opening of the 15th European Maccabi Games. Delegations With 180 athletes, Israel sent its largest ever delegation to opening ceremony, Tuesday July 30, which is the 15th edition of a tournament that […]

Recently, (Saturday night, July 13,) Michael Neuman, 26, a psychotherapist living on Miami Beach, Fla., became the first and only Orthodox Jew to defeat a pro athlete on CBS’ Million Dollar Mile (https://youtu.be/gRPlZL9Apc0), a program  produced by Lebron James. He wore his yarmulke proudly as he always does when competing and winning at obstacle course racing competitions. The show gives […]

By MARCY OSTER JERUSALEM (JTA) — An Israeli team will compete in equestrian show jumping for the first time at the Olympics. Israel’s four-rider squad, including a woman from New York and a man who twice represented his native Colombia, have qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Games, narrowly defeating Poland during the Olympic qualifier in Moscow. Along with Poland and […]

The Albany and Schenectady Jewish Community Centers, a part of the Detroit Michigan JCC Maccabi Games and Artsfest, currently have 12 athletes and two artists, from five local communities. The Games are open to Jewish youth between the ages of 13 and 16, and the Artsfest is for those ages 12 to 17. The Games and Artsfest begin Sunday, Aug. […]

SCHENECTADY– The Schenectady and Albany Jewish Community Centers teamed up to send 20 athletes, coaches and delegation heads to participate in at the Mid-Atlantic Mini and Junior Maccabi Games in Philadelphia on May 5 at the Kaiserman JCC. Athletes ages 9-12 years old tested their skills in swimming, soccer and basketball at the one-day Olympic-style sporting competition. Overall, 925 athletes […]

By GABE FRIEDMAN NEW YORK CITY (JTA) – Alex Bregman has agreed to a six-year, $100 million contract with the Houston Astros — one of the largest deals ever for a professional Jewish athlete. Bregman, who  recently turned 25 has established himself as one of Major League Baseball’s top players. Last year he finished fifth in the American League’s Most Valuable Player […]

By EMILY BURACK NEW YORK CITY (JTA) – Blair Braverman wasn’t the first Jewish woman to finish the Iditarod sled dog race, as was mistakenly reported by JTA and later as a result of that report in The Jewish World newspaper. That title goes to Susan Cantor, who completed the race in 1992. Twenty-seven years before Braverman crossed the finish […]