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JEWISH INTEREST September 2020 35

10 moments...continued from previous page
English soccer team Chelsea F.C. frequent visits to the U.S. Holocaust penalties for hate speech. During the with Jackie Robinson when he became
starts a campaign to educate people Memorial Museum in Washington, 1935 World Series with the Detroit the first African American to play in
th
nine Israeli hostages were killed along about anti-Semitism D.C., and his education there fueled a Tigers, Greenberg recalled members Major League Baseball in the 20 cen-
with five terrorists and one West Ger- Since the 1970s, the London-based full-on passion project. Now, he leads of the opposing Chicago Cubs loudly tury. In 1947, their careers overlapped
man police officer. The Olympics were Premier League Chelsea Football Club by example: encouraging those close called him “Jew this and Jew that.” An for a year, when Greenberg played his
suspended for 24 hours, but then con- has struggled to combat anti-Semitism to him, and anyone who will listen, to umpire attempted to get the players to final season for the Pirates and Robin-
tinued largely unabated. from some of its supporters. In Janu- learn about the Holocaust through his stop and “cleared the Chicago Cubs son debuted for the Dodgers. Days be-
Forty years later, after Olympic of- ary 2018, Chelsea Football Club an- dedication to the cause. bench.” A few weeks after the event, fore they met on the field, according to
ficials refused to mark the anniversary nounced their new campaign, “Say No President Barack Obama appoint- the baseball commissioner fined the the Journal of Sport History, Robinson
of the slaughter during the opening cer- to Anti-Semitism,” to raise awareness ed Allen to the United States Holo- umpire as well as three Cubs players and his family had received threats on
emony of the 2012 Summer Olympics of and educate players, staff, fans and caust Memorial Council in 2016. “I am for using “vile, unprintable language.” his life and that his infant son Jackie
in London, American Jewish gymnast the wider community about anti-Sem- proud to serve in this role and to con- Although outraged that the umpire had Jr. would be kidnapped. Members of
Aly Raisman honored the slain Israeli itism in soccer. In January 2020, co- tinue to share the important messages also been fined, Greenberg endorsed opposing teams sat in their dugouts
athletes by competing in the floor exer- inciding with International Holocaust and lessons we all need to remember the sanction. When Greenberg retired pointing baseball bats at him – simu-
cise to the melody of “Hava Nagilah,” Remembrance Day, the club unveiled from the Holocaust,” Allen said in a from baseball in 1947, he knew he had lating machine gun noises. The hotel
an event in which she won gold. “The a mural which paid tribute to the mem- statement. “I want to inspire people to become a symbol of how Jews were in which the Dodgers stayed refused
fact it was on the 40 anniversary is ory of Julius Hirsch and Árpád Weisz, break down stereotypes, and treat one moving into the American mainstream. to admit Robinson. During the game,
th
special, and winning the gold means a two Jewish soccer players who died at another – regardless of race, religion or “Every home run I hit,” he once said, Greenberg told Robinson, “Don’t pay
lot to me,” said Raisman, who then ac- Auschwitz. The 40-by-23-foot piece anything else – like family. It’s more “was a home run against Hitler.” any attention to these guys who are
cepted an invitation from Israel Dias- by British Israeli artist Solomon Souza, important now than ever.” On April Because he had been subjected to trying to make it hard for you. Stick
pora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein to whose grandmother escaped the Na- 30, 2017, he visited Auschwitz and has anti-Semitic insults throughout his ca- in there. You’re doing fine. Keep your
make her first visit to Israel along with zis in 1939, hung at the stadium until made a point of talking about his ex- reer, Hank Greenberg was committed to chin up.” Robinson was deeply moved
her family. the close of the soccer season in May. perience and educating people who did social justice and formed a strong bond continued on next page
Pittsburgh Steelers honoring Chelsea also announced it would adopt not understand why he was taking this
Tree of Life victims the International Holocaust Remem- trip and learning about the Holocaust.
On October 27, 2018, 11 people at- brance Alliance’s Working Definition 1930s baseball player Hank
tending Shabbat services at the Tree of Anti-Semitism, saying it was the Greenberg’s triumph over
of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh were first sports team in the world to do so. hate speech
murdered by an anti-Semitic gunman. The players and staff will be educated On a central Illinois baseball field in
The day after the shooting, the Pitts- on the subject and the definition will 1931, Hank Greenberg was heckled
burgh Steelers football team held a mo- appear in match-day programs. by the opposing team’s third base-
ment of silence to honor the victims. A AJC was involved in the original man with anti-Semitic insults. When
year later, they did it again and also al- drafting of the definition 14 years ago Greenberg could no longer stand the
tered their team logo to include a Star and continues to urge European gov- provocations, which were echoed by
of David and the words “Stronger than ernments to adopt it. an angry, roaring crowd, he confronted
Hate.” The team then donated $70,000 Former NBA player Ray Allen’s the third baseman and was rushed out
to the victims of the shooting and Art passion for teaching others about of the park by local police for protec-
Rooney II, the Steelers’ President, the Holocaust tion. “Every ballpark I went to, there’d
posted a heartfelt message of solidarity Ray Allen, 10-time NBA All-Star, be somebody in the stands who spent
on the team’s Twitter account. went to the United States Holocaust the whole afternoon just calling me
Similarly, the Pittsburgh Penguins Memorial Museum with Milwaukee names,” Greenberg recalled in a 1980
hockey team said, ‘‘Hatred and dis- Bucks team owner Herb Kohl in 1998. interview for the American Jewish
crimination have no place in Pittsburgh His visit had a tremendous impact on Committee’s oral history project. “If
or anywhere else,’’ and the Pittsburgh him to the point that he encouraged you’re having a good day,” he said,
Pirates baseball team echoed that sen- his teammates to join him on tours of “you don’t give a damn. But if you’re
timent, saying the memory of the vic- the museum whenever they were in having a bad day, why, pretty soon it
tims ‘‘will always be a reminder that D.C. When he was traded to the Seattle gets you hot under the collar.”
hatred has no place in our world.’’ Supersonics, and later to the Boston Greenberg participated in at least
Celtics, he continued the tradition. His one early foreshadowing of modern

A CONVERSATION WITH
Norman THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Weinberg WISH YOU & YOUR FAMILY
AND STAFF OF AJC

A SWEET YEAR OF HEALTH,

ON COMMANDMENT HAPPINESS, AND TRUE PEACE.

Part science-fiction and part L’SHANA TOVA TIKATEVU
historical, Commandment is a
novel exploring the consequences
to humanity of a devastating MAY YOU BE INSCRIBED
plague brought by a microbe for IN THE BOOK OF LIFE.
disobeying the Commandment.
Almost prescient, Dr. Norman
Weinberg, an accomplished
Anne Virag
Brian Lipton
scientist, began writing this book four years before AJC Regional Director AJC Regional President
the Covid-19 pandemic appeared with
its devastating and deadly effects.

Thursday, September 10

11:00am – 12:00pm sarasota@ajc.org
Via Zoom AJC.org
941.365.4955

MODERATED BY
Rabbi Anat Moskowitz

To register, visit jfedsrq.org/events

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