Religious Liberty, the Sabbath, and Basketball

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

An admirable Jewish high school basketball team is forfeiting their State Championship dreams...because they are refusing to compromise their beliefs in keeping the Sabbath..

Quote:

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

Jewish Jordan, NBA coach & Mayor Parker all rail against making Jewish hoops team forfeit; officials not budging

BY CHRIS BALDWIN

02.29.12 | 05:08 pm

The Orthodox Jewish high school basketball team from Houston that is being forced to forfeit its state championship dreams to avoid playing on the Sabbath is gaining some powerful allies. But the Texas association that controls its fate refuses to budge, reiterating that the games will not be rescheduled to accommodate the school's religious beliefs.

Tamir Goodman — the Orthodox Jewish player who Sports Illustrated famously dubbed "The Jewish Jordan" when he verbally committed to Maryland, former Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy and Mayor Annise Parker are all standing behind the Robert M. Beren Academy in its fight to get its 2A state semifinal game moved from Friday night to Friday afternoon.

These are a bunch of hoops-loving kids from a tiny school (67 total high school students) living a real-life Hoosiers story as they compete against bigger programs.

Goodman has been tweeting about the situation and trying to raise awareness. During his career, Goodman also refused to play on the Sabbath, with many believing that led to Maryland backing off on its scholarship offer.

Parker sent a letter to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) urging the association to reverse its decision. Parker notes in the letter that TAPPS prohibits the playing of any games on Sundays, the Christian day of worship that the overwhelming majority of its members observe. (This point was first revealed by CultureMap.)

Van Gundy also called the TAPPS offices to urge officials to reconsider.

"I called because when you’re the head of an association like this, the only thing you should worry about is doing right by the kids," Van Gundy told the New York Times. "This decision has nothing to do with the kids. I feel like they made a mistake and they don’t have a vice president of common sense who will tell them that this is silly and it’s OK to change your mind."

The Anti-Defamation League is also urging TAPPS to reschedule, saying in a statement, "We call on TAPPS to change its policy, which seems inherently unfair to those who observe the Sabbath on Saturday."

One Beren Academy parent half joked and half seriously told CultureMap that the school expects the team "to make The Ellen DeGeneres Show next." That's not where the players on coach Chris Cole's 23-5 team want to be though. The attention's not what this is about.

These are a bunch of hoops-loving kids from a tiny school (67 total high school students) living a real-life Hoosiers story as they compete against bigger programs. They just want the chance to try and finish that dream on the basketball court.

During his career, Goodman also refused to play on the Sabbath, with many believing that led to Maryland backing off on its scholarship offer.

Instead, a team they beat by 27 points in the quarterfinals is being told it will play in Beren's place in Friday night's semifinal.

TAAPs executive board voted 8-0 against changing the final four weekend schedule so Beren would not be forced to forfeit to avoid violating its religious beliefs and playing on the Sabbath (from sundown Fridays to sundown Saturdays). Even with Beren parents offering to pay for any additional costs a schedule switch would bring.

"When TAPPS was organized in the late 1970s, the member schools at that time all recognized Sunday as the day of worship," TAPPs said in a statement released on its website Wednesday. "The By-Laws were written to state that 'TAPPS would not schedule any competition or activities on Sunday.'

"At that time, there were no member schools that observed their Sabbath on Saturday.

"During the early days of TAPPS, state semi-finals and finals for team sports were scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays. Occasionally, due to the sites available, some games were also scheduled on Thursdays. Every effort was made to schedule finals on Saturday, since many parents did not work on Saturday and could attend their children’s games. The TAPPS Executive Board, which is the final authority of the association, continues to follow the Constitution and By-Laws."

What do you think? Should the games be rescheduled to allow Beren to play?

article

[Kountzer]

I read that the TAAPs officials changed their minds. The game was played earlier on Friday, and the Jewish school team won. This is a local story here. Berens is a local private school. I had never heard of them until this story broke out. There are lots of small private schools similar to them in this area.

I know of lots of adventist student athletes who deal with simlar issues concerning the sabbath, on a regular basis. I am glad that this issue has gotten some exposure in the media.

[phkrause]

Great article Pam. I had read that somewhere, but don't recall.

[phkrause]

I read that the TAAPs officials changed their minds. The game was played earlier on Friday, and the Jewish school team won. This is a local story here. Berens is a local private school. I had never heard of them until this story broke out. There are lots of small private schools similar to them in this area.

I know of lots of adventist student athletes who deal with simlar issues concerning the sabbath, on a regular basis. I am glad that this issue has gotten some exposure in the media.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe I have read something in the AR about an adventist academy team, in Washington or Oregon, not positive, that had won all there playoff games and than the big game was gonna be on the Sabbath. But the town changed the game to Sunday. Also in most areas all the playoff games are on Saturdays, but this particular state changed the games to be on other days so that the Adventist Academy could play. Not sure where that was, but I think that was also in the AR. Wasn't there a guy who competed in the Olympics, was able to run all his heats and than the final race was going to be on Sabbath so he decided not to run, so they changed the day?

[Gordon1]

Chariots of Fire?

[Kountzer]

He wouldn't run on Sunday.

[Gordon1]

Hollywood and the Sunday Law

[Kountzer]

This issue got so much attention because this is a jewish school that observes sabbath. Many people think the sabbath is a particularly jewish ritual, like wearing the yamaka, or something else.

[Gordon1]

The coach was interviewed by the CBC last week - his attitude was hopeful for a schedule change, but it was not do or die. He and the team would not play on Sabbath, but neither would they push for 'rights'. A good and accepting spirit. He wouldn't compromise Jewish faith nor would he fight for 'equality. Others seemed to take up the cause on their behalf.

He also mentioned Seventh-day Adventist school teams.

[doug yowell]

The coach was interviewed by the CBC last week - his attitude was hopeful for a schedule change, but it was not do or die. He and the team would not play on Sabbath, but neither would they push for 'rights'. A good and accepting spirit. He wouldn't compromise Jewish faith nor would he fight for 'equality. Others seemed to take up the cause on their behalf.

He also mentioned Seventh-day Adventist school teams.

I respect that approach better. Why not work for a compromise like scheduling the game on Saturday night a couple of hours after sundown? That way Tapps sticks to it's religiously based Sunday only and Sabbath observers get to join in the madness? Have em give me a call and we'll solve this thing in no time!

[phkrause]

The coach was interviewed by the CBC last week - his attitude was hopeful for a schedule change, but it was not do or die. He and the team would not play on Sabbath, but neither would they push for 'rights'. A good and accepting spirit. He wouldn't compromise Jewish faith nor would he fight for 'equality. Others seemed to take up the cause on their behalf.

He also mentioned Seventh-day Adventist school teams.

That sounds about right. In most cases the Jews would rather be accepted for who they are not about what they are. Many seem to think or even believe that they are legalistic in there approach to there religion, but there religion is a part of there life. Not sure if I'm expressing the thought correctly.

[Scion]

If I understand Ellen White's writings correctly, we really ought not to put much if any focus on sports at all. That was true over a hundred years ago...

I can appreciate a stand for the Sabbath, of course But our similarity with the Jewish people about that day really ends at the "thou shalt not work" clause. As we've always taught, observance of the day is more than just not working, buying or selling. It is about drawing closer to the Father and His Son (something tragically missing from the Jewish experience).

I read somewhere that there is still a work for Adventists to do among the Jews. I wonder if matter such as this should not be seen as opportunities to reach out and explain the meaning (not just the observance) of the Sabbath for those to whom it has become merely a formal ritual.