Hank Greenberg, Aviva Kempner, Yom Kippur, Good Friday and opening day http://blogs.jta.org/ENTRY_PERMALINK_HERE/hank-greenberg-aviva-kempner-good-friday-and-opening-day/ Aviva Kempner clears up the record on Hank Greenberg and Yom Kippur—and (inadvertently) proves why Koufax is king. (Update: Kempner says Hank is still king.) en-us aeden@jta.org Copyright 2009 2009-04-02T;17:17:00-05:00 Comment by stuart goldbarg sgoldbarg@msn.com The hated Milwaukee brewers are owned by Yids.  In fact, by the commissioner’s family, so why shouldn’t Braun take Yom Kippur off ?  If they made him play, every observant Jew in the nation would revile the Brewers and the Seligs. The hated Milwaukee brewers are owned by Yids.  In fact, by the commissioner’s family, so why shouldn’t Braun take Yom Kippur off ?  If they made him play, every observant Jew in the nation would revile the Brewers and the Seligs.

]]> 2012-02-09T;19:12:00-05:00 Comment by Ron Kaplan ronk23@aol.com With Shawn Green now retired, I wonder if any of the current group of Jewish Major Leaguers would take such a stand? This year Yom Kippur falls on a Sunday night / Monday during the last week of September, so it’s conceivable that some teams would still be in the thick of a pennant race. Can anyone imagine the Red Sox’ Kevin Youkilis or Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun skipping such a game? Times certainly have changed and any such decisions wouldn’t carry the import that it did for previous generations. With Shawn Green now retired, I wonder if any of the current group of Jewish Major Leaguers would take such a stand? This year Yom Kippur falls on a Sunday night / Monday during the last week of September, so it’s conceivable that some teams would still be in the thick of a pennant race. Can anyone imagine the Red Sox’ Kevin Youkilis or Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun skipping such a game? Times certainly have changed and any such decisions wouldn’t carry the import that it did for previous generations.

]]> 2012-02-09T;19:12:00-05:00 Comment by Jonathan jonathon.ament@gmail.com Greenberg did, however, play on Rosh HaShana during the 1934 season.  Kempner is correct--Greenberg lived in a different era and played in a far more hostile milieu than did Koufax.  America was also in the midst of the Great Depression.  Many Jews were still trying to “make it” out of the immigrant ghettos; their status was far from secure. Greenberg did, however, play on Rosh HaShana during the 1934 season. 

Kempner is correct--Greenberg lived in a different era and played in a far more hostile milieu than did Koufax.  America was also in the midst of the Great Depression.  Many Jews were still trying to “make it” out of the immigrant ghettos; their status was far from secure.

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