The Front Page Cover
"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened"
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Featuring:
Yom Kippur: Sandy Koufax's '
Sermon on the Mound'
Michael Freund
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"Know who you are standing with"
"Show me your friends and I'll show you your future"
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Sanders smashes Hilly’s crowd count - WaPo: “When Clinton appeared on [University of New Hampshire’s] campus…two days earlier, about 600 people came to see her at a forum about college affordability…Sanders’s event, which his campaign said drew more than 3,000 people, was held at a time more convenient for students.” -Fox News 
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ACID TEST FOR backstabber BOEHNER, MCCON-NELL
WaPo: “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McCon-nell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker backstabber John Boehner (R-Ohio) both say the government won’t shut down. But with fewer than five working days before the fiscal year ends, neither has explained how they intend to stop that from happening. Instead, Republicans have made precious little progress in managing a political revolt within their own party that threatens both backstabber Boehner’s leadership and the GOP’s ability to keep the government open. Congressional staff and lawmakers speculate that the only way to avoid a shutdown will be for the House to vote in the final hours of Sept. 30, the deadline for a spending deal.”
[You don’t know me - backstabber Boehner tells Politico Republican donors understand what the conservative group after his head doesn’t: he’s a conservative but not a miracle worker. “‘[T]he idea that I’m the establishment, that I’m some RINO, is just laughable.’” backstabber Boehner said.] -Fox News
WaPo: “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McCon-nell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker backstabber John Boehner (R-Ohio) both say the government won’t shut down. But with fewer than five working days before the fiscal year ends, neither has explained how they intend to stop that from happening. Instead, Republicans have made precious little progress in managing a political revolt within their own party that threatens both backstabber Boehner’s leadership and the GOP’s ability to keep the government open. Congressional staff and lawmakers speculate that the only way to avoid a shutdown will be for the House to vote in the final hours of Sept. 30, the deadline for a spending deal.”
[You don’t know me - backstabber Boehner tells Politico Republican donors understand what the conservative group after his head doesn’t: he’s a conservative but not a miracle worker. “‘[T]he idea that I’m the establishment, that I’m some RINO, is just laughable.’” backstabber Boehner said.] -Fox News
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No coup plan… yet - Susan Ferrechio writes: “Even some of the staunchest anti-establishment Tea Party Republicans in the House admit they don't have a viable plan to unseat House Speaker backstabber John Boehner. And despite an increase in Capitol Hill hallway chatter about a shake up,… conservatives admit they aren't planning to call for such a vote and will likely leave backstabber Boehner alone, even if the spending legislation ends up including Planned Parenthood funding…. House Republicans appear instead to be shifting their anger to the Senate and its majority leader, Mitch McCon-nell, R-Ky., who has been unable to pass key GOP legislation send from the House. House Republicans are urging McCon-nell to change the filibuster rules in the Senate so that legislation can pass with 51 votes instead of 60.” -Fox News
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LIKE, HOW BIG OF A SPIDER ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
Goshen [Indiana] News: A 9-year-old boy suffered minor head injuries when the car he was in collided with a school bus Friday afternoon. And according to police, the crash was caused, at least in part, by a spider. Kosciusko County Deputies and officers with the Syracuse Police Department arrived on the scene at 4:18 p.m. and located a 9-year-old boy lying outside a Dodge Avenger that had collided with the school bus. Initial investigation from the scene, indicates that the boy's mother,Angela K. Kipp, 35, had been backing the vehicle from her driveway. Kipp told authorities had jumped from the vehicle after discovering a spider on her shoulder as the vehicle was still in reverse. The 9 year old then climbed from the rear seat to the front driver's seat and attempted to activate the brake pedal but instead depressed the throttle. … Officers also stated that there were no children aboard the school bus.” -Fox News
Goshen [Indiana] News: A 9-year-old boy suffered minor head injuries when the car he was in collided with a school bus Friday afternoon. And according to police, the crash was caused, at least in part, by a spider. Kosciusko County Deputies and officers with the Syracuse Police Department arrived on the scene at 4:18 p.m. and located a 9-year-old boy lying outside a Dodge Avenger that had collided with the school bus. Initial investigation from the scene, indicates that the boy's mother,Angela K. Kipp, 35, had been backing the vehicle from her driveway. Kipp told authorities had jumped from the vehicle after discovering a spider on her shoulder as the vehicle was still in reverse. The 9 year old then climbed from the rear seat to the front driver's seat and attempted to activate the brake pedal but instead depressed the throttle. … Officers also stated that there were no children aboard the school bus.” -Fox News
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Senator Sessions Urges Restraint, Caution As To Import Terrorist
{rickwells.us} ~ Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) is the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest. There’s arguably nobody in a better position to speak with authority and legitimacy than he about the Syrian refugee debacle... and the invasion that is being imposed upon the American people by the illegitimate nObama “government.” On Monday Sessions issued a statement in response to the announcement by Secretary of State hanoi John Kerry that the U.S would be flooded with non-assimilating Muslim imports from parts unknown, to the tune of nearly 200,000. He answered the question of how this would impact the numbers of imported third peasants from other regions with what was essentially an easily anticipated “not in the slightest.” These numbers will be in excess of those generous regime entry policies regarding annual resettlement of asylees, illegal border-crossers, foreign workers, and global green card recipients. Senator Sessions wrote and published on his Senate website: http://rickwells.us/senator-jeff-sessions-urges-restraint-caution-as-kerry-obama-conspire-to-import-potential-terrorist-army/.
Clinton Cover Up Expands To...
{rickwells.us} ~ Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was angered by the refusal of the FBI to provide information as to the status of their investigation into former Secretary of State Clinton’s secret personal email system... A month ago U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan instructed the State Department to contact the FBI for assistance with a Freedom of Information Act request from Judicial Watch regarding the employment arrangement of Hilly Clinton’s top aide Huma Abedin. He also requested the State Department to report on the arrangements which were made for information sharing regarding the ongoing investigation. The FBI replied by letter on Monday, that there would be no information forthcoming, refusing to follow the Judge’s orders, and citing a policy of not revealing details of an ongoing investigation as the basis for their decision. http://rickwells.us/clinton-cover-up-expands-to-include-fbi-obstruction-refusal-to-obey-district-judges-request-for-transparency/.
{Paul E. Vallely (MG US Army, Ret.) and Scott W. Winchell} ~ Five Hundred Million Dollars for how many trained rebels? Four, five, or six?... How could you not know exactly how many were trained at less than ten? Because that too is a lie: a half billion dollar set of lies and failures. This is not just colossal ineptitude that borders on criminal negligence, it is much worse. What if General Austin’s testimony is masking an even larger, more embarrassing failure, that if revealed would expose the true intentions of the nObama Administration regarding Syria? Yes, it is!
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Let’s Give The Average-Joe A Hand
{Merrill McCarthy} ~ Recently, hanoi John Kerry announced the U.S. is adding an additional 15,000 refugees in 2016 and another 15,000 in 2017 to an already bloated Refugee Resettlement program which currently settles 70,000 a year in the U.S... So, that means by 2017, we will be placing 100,000 refugees in communities across the country. It is up to Congress to approve the appropriations to pay for this new program. Now may be the time for citizens to wake up and deliver a clear message that they do not want Congress to approve. How about starting with: It is doubtful that anyone in authority really appreciates the level of outrage that is building every day. People do not want the unvetted horde of “Syrians” to enter without proper security clearance. It seems like the average Joe watching the nightly news has a better understanding of an enemy threat and the way to deal with it than our State Department. Watching the news, he sees thousands of fighting age men storming through Europe..
Don't let Hilly shift blame for nObamacare's failure
{Phil Kerpen} ~ Health insurance premiums are rising because of nObamacare. And there is still one year left of the assorted reinsurance programs designed to mask premium increases, suggesting next year’s jumps will be even more eye-popping... That’s a political and logistical disaster for the Democrats who wrote the law and tied their political fortunes to its success. But rather than admit their law is too restrictive and come to the table to negotiate bipartisan reforms, Democrats and their insurance industry allies have decided on a cynical strategy: scapegoating drug companies. Mrs. Clinton promptly tweeted the conveniently timed Times article, adding: “Price gouging like this in the specialty drug market is outrageous. Tomorrow I'll lay out a plan to take it on.” Of course, the plan is to call for price controls, while ignoring and downplaying the real nObamacare-created causes of rising insurance costs. http://www.americancommitment.org/content/dont-let-hillary-shift-blame-obamacares-failures
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Boosted by nuke deal, Iran ups funding to Hizb’Allah, Hamas
{Pamela Geller} ~ More of the poison fruit of nObama’s nuke deal, and a stunning indictment of his presidency as a whole... nObama is directly responsible for this increased funding of these bloodthirsty jihad terror groups. Since the deal was signed, Iran has significantly increased its financial support for two of the largest terror groups in the region that have become political players, Hamas and Hezbollah. In the years before the deal was signed, the crippling sanctions limited this support, which had significantly diminished along with Iran’s economy. But Tehran’s belief that tens, or hundreds, of billions of dollars will flow into the country in the coming years as a result of sanctions relief has led to a decision to boost the cash flow to these terror organizations. This support, for example, has enabled Hezbollah to obtain highly developed new armaments, including advanced technologies that many militaries around the world would envy..
Iran's self-inspections at Parchin are Meaningless
{Jeff Dunetz} ~ On Monday the Associated Press (AP) reported that air, soil, and dust samples have been taken from the Parchin nuclear site, but it was Iranian nuclear experts with no IAEA staff present, who took the collection... IAEA chief Yukiya Amano claims that the collection was done according to the IAEA guidelines, because everything was observed buy the UN nuclear agency on TV monitors. Access is needed needs to clarify the nature and scope of Iran’s past nuclear weapons work. What were the possible military dimensions (PMDs) of Iran’s atomic program? They need to establish what the Iranians did and how far they got, which are the prerequisites to setting up a a baseline for an inspection regime against future violations. The nObama administration had promised lawmakers that IAEA inspectors would be able to inspect Parchin and resolve all PMD issues before any final deal was inked. But that didn’t happen; instead they allowed Iran to sign a secret side deal with the IAEA permitting the Iranians to self-inspect the facility rather than grant IAEA inspector robust access..
Not Waiting For Nuke Deal Cash, Iran Upping Terrorist Money...
{Jeff Dunetz} ~ One of the worries about the crap-sandwich known as the P5+1 deal with Iran is that the rogue regime will take the $150 billion dollars of cash it will get as part of the deal and give most of it to its terrorist puppets... Well that fear should be erased because the terrorist-supporting regime isn’t waiting to get the cash bonus, it is already upping its funding of terrorist groups. In anticipation of the nObama concession windfall, since the deal was signed Iran has greatly upped its military contributions to Hamas and Hezbollah. According to the Times Of Israel: With the new cash, Hezbollah which already has 150,000 rockets pointed at Israel, has been able to secure advanced technology weapons:.
50 New Pages of Top Clinton Aide Emails Released
{Kemberlee Kaye} ~ Monday Judicial Watch released 50 new pages of emails from top Hilly Clinton aide, Huma Abedin... Released as a result a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit instigated by Judicial Watch, the emails are from the clintonemail.com server and were penned during Former Secretary Clinton’s tenure at the Department of State. To be clear, the emails are not part of the FBI’s investigation into Hilly Clinton’s home-brewed email server. They were found in the Department of State’s records, but contain an address on the clintonemail.com domain. Judicial Watch asserts the State Department is intentionally delaying release of emails recently submitted by Abedin. As Judicial Watch notes, the emails show Clinton was not the only one using her non-secured server. http://legalinsurrection.com/2015/09/50-new-pages-top-clinton-aide-emails-released/.
Refugee Crisis Demands Coherent Foreign Policy
{Pete Hoekstra} ~ Perplexed Washington establishment politicians fail to grasp the West's need to develop an effective foreign policy in the Middle East to address the current refugee crisis... The U.S., largely through neglect, allows Islamists to inflict unspeakable genocide against innocent men, women, and children. The largely hands-off approach has resulted in hundreds of thousands of families fleeing Syria, as well hundreds of thousands more internally displaced persons in Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, and Yemen, to seek freedom in Europe and elsewhere. Under a misguided veneer of humanitarianism, some legislators are now rallying to accept more of those seeking refuge without first addressing the delusional policy that created the problem in the first place. Continuing down such a path will only exacerbate the situation, as we will find when Iran becomes an accepted player in world affairs. http://www.investigativeproject.org/4980/refugee-crisis-demands-coherent-foreign-policy.
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Yom Kippur: Sandy Koufax's '
Sermon on the Mound'
Michael Freund
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{jewishworldreview.com} ~ This Yom Kippur marks the 50th anniversary of one of the most seminal moments in post-war American Jewish life, an event that occurred — or, to be more precise, one that didn't — which had a profound impact on how US Jewry came to feel about itself and its place in society..
In 1965, the Day of Atonement coincided with October 6, the date on which the Los Angeles Dodgers were going up against the Minnesota Twins in the first game of baseball's World Series.
In 1965, the Day of Atonement coincided with October 6, the date on which the Los Angeles Dodgers were going up against the Minnesota Twins in the first game of baseball's World Series.
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The Dodgers' best pitcher, Sandy Koufax, was expected to lead the charge for the team. With a dazzling overhand curveball that seemed to defy gravity and a blazing fastball that was virtually unhittable, it is no wonder that Koufax was dubbed by Hall of Famer Ernie Banks as "the greatest pitcher I ever saw". Or, as Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci once wrote, "Koufax was so good, he once taped a post game radio show with Vin Scully before the game."
The Dodgers' best pitcher, Sandy Koufax, was expected to lead the charge for the team. With a dazzling overhand curveball that seemed to defy gravity and a blazing fastball that was virtually unhittable, it is no wonder that Koufax was dubbed by Hall of Famer Ernie Banks as "the greatest pitcher I ever saw". Or, as Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci once wrote, "Koufax was so good, he once taped a post game radio show with Vin Scully before the game."
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But Koufax wasn't just a baseball superstar. He was also a Jew from Brooklyn and a proud one at that. And although he was completely secular, he found himself facing a dilemma: stand by his teammates and play or respect the sanctity of the day.
But Koufax wasn't just a baseball superstar. He was also a Jew from Brooklyn and a proud one at that. And although he was completely secular, he found himself facing a dilemma: stand by his teammates and play or respect the sanctity of the day.
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Koufax chose the latter, sitting out the first game (which the Dodgers went on to lose). His choice caused a sensation among an entire generation of American Jews, from the most observant to the least active. It underlined that Jews need not feel discomfort about their identity while taking part in American public life.
Koufax chose the latter, sitting out the first game (which the Dodgers went on to lose). His choice caused a sensation among an entire generation of American Jews, from the most observant to the least active. It underlined that Jews need not feel discomfort about their identity while taking part in American public life.
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After all, if young Sandy Koufax could place fidelity to tradition ahead of pitching in the World Series without fear of a backlash, then clearly America was a place where Jews could assert their identity more securely than previously thought.
After all, if young Sandy Koufax could place fidelity to tradition ahead of pitching in the World Series without fear of a backlash, then clearly America was a place where Jews could assert their identity more securely than previously thought.
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In an interview, Jane Leavy, author of the New York Times bestselling book "Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy", told me that, "Sandy's decision not to pitch had a tremendous impact on the American Jewish community, on G0D knows how many Bar Mitzvah boys whose rabbis always summoned Koufax as an example of why they should be in shul (synagogue) not on a baseball field on the High Holidays, on those rabbis who have sermonized at length on Koufax's impact on the American Jewish community, and on countless Jews—practicing and cultural—who saw in Koufax an exemplar of Jewishness, refuting negative stereotypes in his actions and his being."
In an interview, Jane Leavy, author of the New York Times bestselling book "Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy", told me that, "Sandy's decision not to pitch had a tremendous impact on the American Jewish community, on G0D knows how many Bar Mitzvah boys whose rabbis always summoned Koufax as an example of why they should be in shul (synagogue) not on a baseball field on the High Holidays, on those rabbis who have sermonized at length on Koufax's impact on the American Jewish community, and on countless Jews—practicing and cultural—who saw in Koufax an exemplar of Jewishness, refuting negative stereotypes in his actions and his being."
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Don't forget: Koufax's decision came just twenty years after the Holocaust and at a time when many American Jews were still subject to discrimination in hiring and housing and fearful of being identified as "too Jewish".
Don't forget: Koufax's decision came just twenty years after the Holocaust and at a time when many American Jews were still subject to discrimination in hiring and housing and fearful of being identified as "too Jewish".
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Suddenly, their fears seemed to be a thing of the past.
Suddenly, their fears seemed to be a thing of the past.
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As historian Rabbi Berel Wein told the New York Jewish Week last year, "When Sandy Koufax stated that he would not pitch on Yom Kippur, many Jews in America stood a little taller and had a better sense of self-worth and Jewish pride. That was as true in the Orthodox observant community as it was in the general Jewish community."
As historian Rabbi Berel Wein told the New York Jewish Week last year, "When Sandy Koufax stated that he would not pitch on Yom Kippur, many Jews in America stood a little taller and had a better sense of self-worth and Jewish pride. That was as true in the Orthodox observant community as it was in the general Jewish community."
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Koufax's decision "influenced that generation of American Jews to become more publicly assertive and to be less ashamed of their Jewishness. The decision of Koufax to do the Jewish thing so publicly and in such a quintessential American setting as the World Series pumped a new confidence into that generation of American Jews."
Koufax's decision "influenced that generation of American Jews to become more publicly assertive and to be less ashamed of their Jewishness. The decision of Koufax to do the Jewish thing so publicly and in such a quintessential American setting as the World Series pumped a new confidence into that generation of American Jews."
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Koufax also helped to shatter the common stereotype that Jews and sports did not mix, or that the People of the Book could not excel on the playing field. In that sense, he paved the way for greater acceptance of Jews in American society.
Koufax also helped to shatter the common stereotype that Jews and sports did not mix, or that the People of the Book could not excel on the playing field. In that sense, he paved the way for greater acceptance of Jews in American society.
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Despite the renown which followed his decision not to pitch, to this day it remains unclear what Koufax's reasons were, or what he did on that fateful Yom Kippur.
Despite the renown which followed his decision not to pitch, to this day it remains unclear what Koufax's reasons were, or what he did on that fateful Yom Kippur.
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Leavy told me, "I believe that it was a reflexive, dutiful decision for him. He did it out of respect for his parents, then alive, his community, his sense of right and wrong."
Leavy told me, "I believe that it was a reflexive, dutiful decision for him. He did it out of respect for his parents, then alive, his community, his sense of right and wrong."
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"From his point of view," she said, "it was no big deal because after all, the Dodgers had Don Drysdale to start in his place and so they flip-flopped in the starting rotation. I think he was surprised by the response of the Jewish community and a bit embarrassed by his elevation to the ranks of a New American Patriarch."
"From his point of view," she said, "it was no big deal because after all, the Dodgers had Don Drysdale to start in his place and so they flip-flopped in the starting rotation. I think he was surprised by the response of the Jewish community and a bit embarrassed by his elevation to the ranks of a New American Patriarch."
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Drysdale did indeed start the game, but he gave up seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. When Dodger manager Walter Alston made his way to the mound to take Drysdale out of the game, the pitcher handed him the ball, smiled and said, "I bet right now you wish I was Jewish, too."
Drysdale did indeed start the game, but he gave up seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. When Dodger manager Walter Alston made his way to the mound to take Drysdale out of the game, the pitcher handed him the ball, smiled and said, "I bet right now you wish I was Jewish, too."
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Koufax returned for the next game, which he lost, but rebounded in Game 5 of the series, when he pitched a complete game shutout. After just two days rest, he started the decisive seventh game, throwing a three-hit shutout to win the championship for the Dodgers, as well as his second World Series Most Valuable Player award.
Koufax returned for the next game, which he lost, but rebounded in Game 5 of the series, when he pitched a complete game shutout. After just two days rest, he started the decisive seventh game, throwing a three-hit shutout to win the championship for the Dodgers, as well as his second World Series Most Valuable Player award.
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Koufax, who is an extremely private person, has shied away from publicity, especially since his retirement due to an arthritic arm in 1966, and has rarely spoken in public about his decision not to pitch on Yom Kippur. Nor has he chosen to clear up the mystery of how he spent the day.
Koufax, who is an extremely private person, has shied away from publicity, especially since his retirement due to an arthritic arm in 1966, and has rarely spoken in public about his decision not to pitch on Yom Kippur. Nor has he chosen to clear up the mystery of how he spent the day.
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According to an article that appeared in a local St. Paul, Minnesota, newspaper prior to the start of the 1965 World Series, Koufax had left the team's hotel in order to attend Yom Kippur services and said that he wouldn't watch or listen to the game on the holy day.
According to an article that appeared in a local St. Paul, Minnesota, newspaper prior to the start of the 1965 World Series, Koufax had left the team's hotel in order to attend Yom Kippur services and said that he wouldn't watch or listen to the game on the holy day.
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And on the afternoon of Yom Kippur, Rabbi Bernard Raskas of Temple Aaron in St. Paul told his congregants that Koufax had attended services with them that morning but that he hadn't wanted to violate the ballplayer's privacy by singling him out in front of everyone.
And on the afternoon of Yom Kippur, Rabbi Bernard Raskas of Temple Aaron in St. Paul told his congregants that Koufax had attended services with them that morning but that he hadn't wanted to violate the ballplayer's privacy by singling him out in front of everyone.
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Leavy, however, is adamant. "I do not believe he went to shul. As I stated in my book, I believe he stayed at the team hotel and spent the day alone."
Leavy, however, is adamant. "I do not believe he went to shul. As I stated in my book, I believe he stayed at the team hotel and spent the day alone."
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Whatever may have happened that day, by refusing to play on Yom Kippur, Sandy Koufax inadvertently entered American Jewry's record books as a national figure, a courageous and confident Jew who did not let his professional success overwhelm his tribal loyalty.
Whatever may have happened that day, by refusing to play on Yom Kippur, Sandy Koufax inadvertently entered American Jewry's record books as a national figure, a courageous and confident Jew who did not let his professional success overwhelm his tribal loyalty.
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His demurral despite the high stakes involved amounted to a "Sermon on the Pitcher's Mound", a timeless lesson in maintaining a sense of perspective on what is truly important in life.
His demurral despite the high stakes involved amounted to a "Sermon on the Pitcher's Mound", a timeless lesson in maintaining a sense of perspective on what is truly important in life.
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Despite his career ending after just 12 seasons, Koufax later became the youngest player inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame, and many consider him to be one of the greatest left-handed pitchers in the game's history.
Despite his career ending after just 12 seasons, Koufax later became the youngest player inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame, and many consider him to be one of the greatest left-handed pitchers in the game's history.
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But for many American Jews who were struggling to decide which part of their identity took precedence, Sandy Koufax will be remembered not so much for the pitches he threw as for the ones he chose not to.
But for many American Jews who were struggling to decide which part of their identity took precedence, Sandy Koufax will be remembered not so much for the pitches he threw as for the ones he chose not to.
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