Sports Features

Never thought you'd hear about baseball in the Holy Land? Check out this review of the first professional baseball game in the history of Israel.

Remember Scrabble, the game your family probably pulled out of hiding at holiday gatherings? Read about Joey, a teen prodigy who's taking the competitive Scrabble world by storm. Yes, you heard us correctly—competitive Scrabble.

The game was neck-and-neck, but the Israeli women's flag-football team pulled through for the victory against Austria. Read about the game here!

Don't miss the special extended interview with sports author John Feinstein, straight from our September/October issue!  

These broadcasters-in-training are learning all the tricks of the trade from the pros. If you missed the story in our Summer issue, check it out here!

She's young, she's pro, and she's Jewish. Don't miss the story of Emily Friedman, a pro softball player who is making her mark.

This Jewish cheerleader knows how to stand up for her rights (and for a touchdown)! See how Elizabeth rose to the top.

In this exclusive interview, Chava sits down with up-and-coming football player Matt Bernstein. We think he might just hold the record for a football player's dedication to Judaism.

Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh Meat winner Aviv Melmed tells all, from her time in the Israeli Air Force to being on MTV. You've got to check it out.

Twins Meredith and Jared have a knack for water sports and now they're headed for college. Jump into this article from our latest print issue.

Move over, Shaq! There's a new all-star game in town. Learn about how seventh-grader Zach from New York organized a tournament for peace.

This season, freshman Jesse Krasna led his team to the playoffs. Check out his story here.

Who can resist Jewish athletes? Straight from our March/April issue, read about the Jewish basketball team in California that's proving height isn't everything.

Jewish baseball players rock the major league. Let's hope matzah will keep ‘em sluggin' homers cause the 2007 season is starting up on Passover.

Where are all the WNBA stars going? They're moonlighting in Israel!

So the Lakers have a new UCLA recruit, but did you know he's Jewish? Read about the basketball player people are calling "the Jewish Jordan."

Surfing came naturally for Israel’s Mor Meluka. See how he translated his favorite hobby into a professional career.

Being blind didn’t stop Orli Tal from riding a bike. Tandem bikes were the answer to experiencing her favorite outdoor sport, and now she’s helping blind people all over Israel ride.

Students at Queens College decided to help Israel by jumping out of planes. Yeah, it sounds crazy to us too. See how they pulled it off.

We all know how Americans do basketball—but just how do Israelis run the court? Learn the rules from David Lasday who spent a semester at Ben Gurion University.

This pro athlete makes no bones about his dedication to helping Jewish causes. Find out how the New England Patriots' punter Josh Miller's kicks are worth more than his salary.

Professional baseball... in Israel? You bet. Of course most of those trying out are American, but still, we've finally exported something worthwhile to the Holy Land!

Back in 1996, Kerri Strug was the brave gymnast who got us the gold even with an injury. Now, she's all grown up and has a newfound appreciation for her Jewish heritage, even though no one can seem to believe she's Jewish.

Carly heads to tennis camp and expects her game to be the only thing up for scrutiny. Find out why her Judaism comes into question and how she deals with it.

Even though her volleyball team lost to Israel, Stephanie of Atlanta, Ga. enjoyed every second of this year's JCC Maccabi Games in Phoenix.

Rowing 100 miles across Lake Michigan seems exhausting, but these guys had a blast. Find out why Daniel and Jeremy Fruchter from Michigan spent their summer kayaking to raise money for an orphanage in Israel.

After catching his captivating performance, senior editor Lindsey Silken chatted with renowned Israeli chorographer and dancer Emanuel Gat. Read what he has to say about dancing in Israel and starting his own dance troupe.

The world cup is now over, but check out the Jewish coach and captain who helped Argentina’s team make it to the quarter-finals.

Afik Nissim may not be the tallest player on his Ukranian basketball team, but he's one of the best athletes. See how he's making his way to the top in This Jewish Guy's Got Game.

There aren't exactly that many Jewish professional Jewish baseball players. But Shawn Green's been around the field, and is making a comeback this summer with the Arizona Diamondbacks. See why you should root for the other team when Shawn plays in your hometown.

When Meredith Bilski found out that Ethiopian-Israeli girls her age did not have the opportunity to play soccer, her sense of philanthropy kicked into high gear. Read on to see how she's raised thousands of dollars for a new soccer program.

Meet Matt Flesher. He's ranked 2nd nationally for ski jumping. Yes, he's one of those dudes who pulls crazy moves in the air... on skis. Read on to see why he likes to "mess with gravity."

Straight from the pages of the new May/June issue of JVibe, find out why Morgan Pressel is going down in our sports hall of fame.

Alex Steitz thinks it’s about time Jews made a comeback as real athletes.

With baseball season starting, Josh Eagle tells us what Judaism has to say about major league players’ steroid use.

Matheiu Shneider's a hockey player on the Detroit Red Wings, who recently competed in Turino. We don't think he always takes the best approach to combating anti-Semitism, but we are happy with what he has to say about religion.

Missed Sasha Cohen and Emily Hughes competing in figure skating last month? Don't worry–you can cover up by reading what we thought of their performances, and find out who our favorite athlete is!

See how 23 year old Orthodox Dmitriy Salita is throwing punches all the way to the world boxing title.

See who's hitting the ice in this month's winter Olympics. Matt has the details of the women of Torino 2006.

As the leaves turn, and the air gets a bit chillier, some of us turn our attention to winter sports. But what do Jews do in places where it never really gets that cold? Simple: They pick up sticks and skates and play hockey anyway! While it may come as a surprise to some, Israeli junior hockey is no joke. Read all about it in Israelis on Ice.

Is it possible that Israel's most successful ambassador's aren't even politicians? You bet! Find out how Andy Ram and Yoni Ehrlich are winning fans across the globe in Building Pride in the Jewish State at the Net.

Find out what happens when Adam Greenberg from the Cubs AA affiliate gets called up to the big leagues in 'It's a dream come true.' Professional baseball can be a brutal world, especially when you first hit the majors, as Greenberg learned.

To play or not to play, that is often the question posed to Jewish major-league ballplayers during the Jewish holidays. See what Red Sox rookie Kevin Youkilis has to say on this topic and much more in our exclusive interview.

Most movies need a good guy (who the audience can cheer for) and a bad guy, who deserves only boos from the moviegoers. But in "Cinderella Man," the bad guy (Max Baer) may have been made to look meaner than he truly was in real life. Learn the facts about the man who knocked out Hitler's best boxer in The Baer Truth?: Jewish fighter given short shrift in "Cinderella Man".

In Not Your Average Summer Camp , you'll meet two basketball stars who have created the ultimate sports camp in Israel for hoops fans. The summer camp, Basketball for Stars, is located near Netanya–and is attracting kids from around the globe.

If you're anything like us, you could always use an idea or two about what to do with the left-over matzoh balls from your Seder. How 'bout a rousing game of matzoh-wiffle ball? Maybe a matzoh ball snowman? Check out these kookie ideas and more in Matzoh Ball Madness.

Meet Gal Fridman, Israel's first-ever Olympic gold medalist. Find out what it took to take home the gold in Windsurfing and what's up next for this Jewish hero in Summer Breeze Leads to Gold.

As a proud Jew from Boston, Josh Eagle had plenty to cheer about when his Red Sox finally won a world series. And when he got to thinking about it, he couldn't help but see some links between the BoSox and the players in the Hanukkah story. Are the Red Sox the Modern-Day Macabees?

There's a new voice in Israeli basketball, maybe we should call him the Jewish Dicky V. Renowned for his "colorful English and southern-accented Hebrew," Eliezer "Lay Z" Gordon is making games more entertaining for the average listener.

Ever play the "Who's-A-Jew?" game with your friends? Well, recently, a panel came together in Cooperstown, New York to engage in that same discussion about Jewish Major League baseball players. You might be surprised to see what some had to say. Find out more, in "A Holy Alliance?"

It took 52 years, but the wait was well worth it. Israel claimed it's first-ever Gold medal at this summer's Olympics in Athens, Greece . Read all about it in "Doing the Wave."

Discover how hundreds of Jews will attempt to get into the Guinness Book of World Records this August in "The Great Shofar Blowout." You too can take part in the extravaganza.

While the Israeli farmers celebrated the first fruits of the season during Shavuot, teen Stephanie H. paid tribute to one of her special firsts--her pink Treasure Bike. Read her story in "The Holy Grail of Bikes."

How well do you know your Jewish trivia when it comes to college basketball? Time to put your knowledge to the test with Scott Granowitz's "College Basketball Trivia."

In "A True Tribe Survivor," TV writer David Rosenberg interviews Ethan Zohn, the only Jewish winner of Survivor--and a professional mensch. Learn about the inspirational act Ethan did with his $1 million win.

Jonathan Mayo reveals who you should know about when it comes to Jewish sports team owners, commissioners, and a few other key figures in "Influential Jews in the Sports World."

In "Krazy for Krayzelburg," meet the Jewish Olympic Champion who was recently voted one of the "Fifty Most Beautiful People." And wait til you hear his swim times.

The New England Patriots' owner is backing a football team of Jewish women--many of them Orthodox--in Israel. Find out why in "Israeli Women Throw Around the Pigskin."

Want to know why Colorado Rockies outfielder Gabe Kapler is fielding requests for Bar Mitvah and Shabbat invitations? Jonathan Mayo tells all in Your Everyday Bodybuilding Jewish Outfielder.

If you've been watching movies under bundles of blankets this winter, we can't blame you. But it's time to take off the bulky sweaters and get your heart pumpin'. We'll give you tips on how to start with Movin' in March.

The JCC Maccabi Games® are an annual, week-long, sports competition uniting Jewish teens since 1982. Find out seven cool things you should know about the event--including where and when they take place this year--in Let the Games Begin.

Looking to build your savings? There's a brand new camp for teens, a co-ed program that teaches participants how to invest while staying in tune with Judaism's value system about socially responsible investing. Welcome to Camp Wall Street.

Stressed out about all your holiday shopping? Take a minute and read the hilarious (and, yes, fictional) article that lifted our spirits at JVibe.

Most of us know Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg. However, a lot of Jewish baseball players get overlooked–and so do their numerous accomplishments in the game. Find out what the President of Jewish Major Leaguers has to say about all this in Beyond Koufax and Greenberg.

When it came to playing hoops, Ilana loved the sport but had a hard time being herself when playing on all-boy teams. Find out how she beat her fears and learned to go all out in Getting Game.

Alex Averbukh broke the world pole-vaulting record this summer by jumping over 19–feet high. Find out what else you should know about this Russian-turned-Israeli athlete in Meet the World's Best Pole Vaulter.

The TV star of the '90s teen sitcom "Blossom" dons her boot-camp fatigues and learns the daily struggles of the Israeli army. Read all about her adventure in Mayim Goes Military.

Who ever thought kickball would be so hard to explain? Well, for Daniel Weintraub, it was no walk in the park. Check out his story from his days with Project Otzma in Israel and find out why even the most basic instructions are hard to impart in a foreign tongue.

This young woman's experience as a basketball player at camp sends a clear message to guys and gals alike. When a chic's got game she represents a cool force on the court and off.

Becky reviews a documentary about a unique seder last year in Greece, when the Israeli basketball team's successful season culminated during Passover at the European League's Final Four Championship!

Looking for Jewish baseball beyond Shawn Green and Gabe Kapler? Ken shares with us the stories and stats of 5 other Jewish baseball heroes.

The New York Times recently reported that semitic sports star Shawn Green of the Toronto Blue Jays may be celebrating his Bar Mitzvah once the baseball season is over. In the meantime, Shawn is doing plenty to help out his community as his fan club keeps on growing. Read all about it in JVibe Gametime. By Mordecai Specktor

Grab some peanuts and crackerjacks and go on a virtual outing to a Major League baseball game with the JVibe team as they watch Jewish All-Star Sean Green and the Toronto Blue Jays take on the World Champion New York Yankees.