Podcasts about team israel

Garrison filmmakers examine the question The team behind Ironbound Films leans into its religious roots. "We met at a Jewish sleepaway camp as kids - it's such a part of our identity," says Jeremy Newberger, one of three director/producers at the documentary film and commercial video office located at Garrison's Landing. "Part of the crisis du jour is that the far right and the far left are united in their hatred of Jews. We were taught to embrace our Judaism and love for Israel." Ironbound's most recent film, released this year, is Fiddler on the Moon, about Jewish astronauts. According to their cheeky marketing copy, which Newberger says was inspired by Mel Brooks' Spaceballs, the film "finally answers the question that has plagued scientists, theologians and comedians for millennia: Will Judaism survive in space?" Many cities, small and large, host Jewish film festivals; over the summer, the crew will screen the 30-minute documentary in Dayton, Ohio; Toronto; Rochester; Berkshire, Massachusetts; and Tampa. They also screen films for Jewish organizations, camps and foundations. At first, the trio, which includes Seth Kramer and Daniel Miller, tackled secular topics like climate change (The Anthropologist), talk show host Morton Downey Jr. (Evocateur) and dying languages (The Linguist), but a friend who worked for Major League Baseball suggested they cover the Israeli national baseball team, made up mostly of American Jews. Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel led to a second film about the club's experience at the 2021 Olympics, Israel Swings for Gold. After completing Yung Punx, a doc about a band of 8- to 12-year-olds who headlined at the Warped Tour, Ironbound produced Blind Spot, an examination of antisemitism on college campuses. "We're all in our 50s, and there comes a time when you realize that you got away from your faith," says Newberger. "Doing the baseball film got us reconnected to the values and religion we grew up with. It hit us. We identified." Ironbound has filmed on nearly every continent (including on the Pacific Ocean island of Kiribati). Funding comes from business clients, angel investors and grants from the National Science Foundation. Now in production is a documentary about David "Mickey" Marcus, the only person buried at West Point who fought for a foreign country. David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, handpicked Marcus to establish the nascent nation's army in 1948 during the war for independence. Killed by friendly fire, Marcus was the last fatality of the conflict before the United Nations implemented a truce between Israel and its neighbors. "When you think you've heard it all, you come across Mickey Marcus, who is an incredible but little-known figure," says Kramer. "On its own, the story is a winner: Before he went to Israel, he helped put mobster Lucky Luciano away, drafted surrender papers for Italy used for all the other Axis powers and helped define the term war crime for the Nuremberg trials." The film will investigate why Marcus' name recognition is limited and how the 1966 Hollywood biopic, Cast a Giant Shadow, starring Kirk Douglas, John Wayne and Frank Sinatra, flopped at the box office. For more information, see ironboundfilms.com.

Nate Fish, CEO of Israel Baseball America and manager of Team Israel, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about his Jewish journey, his Israel journey, and his journey, and how he has combined all three passions to bring Team Israel to the Olympics.

Ryan Lavarnway is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for eight MLB teams across 10 years, winning a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2013. A Yale University graduate, he set NCAA records in batting and later represented Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics. Beyond baseball, Ryan is a leadership coach, keynote speaker, and author focusing on mindset, resilience, and teamwork. Through his company Turn Left, he inspires others by sharing lessons from his journey in sports and personal growth. In this episode… Mindset and resilience are crucial in navigating the unpredictable world of professional sports. Adaptability, preparation, and maintaining confidence through setbacks are key elements of a good sportsman. So, how can professionals and business owners apply these lessons to overcome challenges and thrive? As a World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox, Ryan Lavarnway experienced firsthand how strong leadership and a winning team culture drive success. He recalls how veteran players set the tone for the team's resilience, especially after the Boston Marathon bombing. He also reflects on his time with Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics, where an underdog mindset and team unity helped them defy expectations. These experiences reinforced his belief in the power of teamwork, accountability, and a shared vision. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Ryan Lavarnway, a former Major League Baseball catcher, about his journey from the MLB to leadership coaching and speaking. Ryan explores the mindset shifts that helped him excel, leadership lessons from his time in the big leagues, and how businesses can apply these principles to improve teamwork and adaptability.

On Jan. 21, the Prosserman JCC in Toronto will host the Canadian premiere of Israel Swings for Gold, the documentary sequel to the sleeper hit Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel, which followed the team's assembly and Cinderella run at the 2017 World Baseball Classic. Reunited for the Tokyo Olympics, the Israeli baseball team—a hodgepodge of Jewish American rookies, former MLB players and native-born Israelis—wound up disappointing Jewish fans worldwide with an early loss to the Dominican Republic. But the story of the team's coming together, educating Israelis about a sport that Diaspora Jews have excelled at for decades, makes the thrust of this new documentary worthwhile. To chat about the film and the important of bringing it to Canada, The CJN's sports podcasters invited on Alex Voihanski, chairperson of Unity Through Sport, which is sponsoring the premiere, and communications consultant Alan Hudes. Credits Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver Producer: Michael Fraiman Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing") Support The CJN Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

This week I talk to Andi Murez, a psychiatry resident at Mayo Clinic and the flag-bearer for Team Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics. We talk about participating in her third Olympics, what it was like representing Israel in first games after Oct. 7, and the transition to moving to Rochester, on this week's Who The Folk? Podcast. Sponsored this week by Hennepin Arts, presenting Parade at the Orpheum Theatre Jan. 21-26. 

On Dec. 10, news broke that the Toronto Blue Jays were trading Jewish first baseman Spencer Horwitz to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for second baseman Andrés Giménez and right-handed reliever Nick Sandlin. The CJN's sports podcasters, the Menschwarmers, have some mixed feelings about that: on the one hand, Giménez is an elite middle infielder; on the other hand, it's never easy to see your hometown Jewish player leave town. Horwitz—who came on this podcast in March 2023, in between suiting up for Team Israel and his breakout debut with the Jays—started making a name for himself in Toronto, with a .265/.357/.433 slash line, 12 home runs and 40 RBIs in 97 games played during the 2024 season. He was drafted in 2019 but only recently began making a name for himself on the field. And while we recorded today's podcast episode mere hours after Horwitz was traded to Cleveland, it would be another couple hours until Cleveland turned around and traded the Baltimore native to the Pittsburgh Penguins. So you won't hear any reference to that subsequent trade in this episode. But you will hear the Menschwarmers discuss other major Jewish-adjacent deals in the MLB, Timothée Chalamet's surprise appearance on College GameDay, and the Israelis who've secretly raced in the infamous Dakar Rally. Credits Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver Producer: Michael Fraiman Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, "Organ Grinder Swing") Support The CJN Follow the podcast on Twitter @menschwarmers Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to Menschwarmers (Not sure how? Click here)

Ryan Lavarnway, World Series Champion of the Boston Red Sox, Team Israel Olympian, and author of new children's book, “Baseball and Belonging,” speaks with Rabbi Sherman about his upcoming visit to Sinai temple and Sinai Akiba Academy. How did his connection to Team Israel transform his Jewish journey and how has that allowed Ryan to represent the State of Israel through his sports career.

The Mets are North of the Boarder and that means it's a family reunion of sorts for Mets legend Jay and "Grandson" Spencer Horwitz and Pat McCarthy sat down with the Blue Jays infielder to discuss that faux connection along with his very real connection to Team Israel and his goals to help grow the game.

On today's Quick Start podcast: NEWS: Is Iran Backing Down? Trump Holds Presser as Harris Finally Breaks Media Silence, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone FOCUS: Christian Olympian Represents Team Israel MAIN THING: Alex and Stephen Kenrick Talk 'The Forge' LAST THING: 1 Corinthians 16 SHOW LINKS 2024: https://www2.cbn.com/news/us/campaign-notebook-after-trump-nh-win-fat-lady-singing NEWSMAKERS POD: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/newsmakers/id1724061454 DC DEBRIEF POD: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/d-c-debrief/id1691121630 CBN News YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CBNnewsonline CBN News https://www2.cbn.com/news Faithwire https://www.faithwire.com/ Email us! QuickStartPodcast@cbn.org

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian, US bureau chief Jacob Magid and Olympics correspondent Amy Spiro join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode. Fabian updates us on what he knows about the IDF's preparations for a multitude of scenarios for a retaliatory strike from Iran and its proxies over the assassinations of Hamas head Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah chief of staff Fuad Shukr last week. He speaks about the Homefront Command's new system to send location-based public warning messages, following successful trials. Seven reservists were wounded, including four seriously, during fighting in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday morning. Also yesterday, an Israeli truck driver was lightly injured by a rocket impact near Kibbutz Re'ím, as terrorists in the Gaza Strip launched a barrage at southern Israel. Fabian debriefs on the current fighting in Gaza. Early this morning, an anti-tank missile hit the backyard of a home in the evacuated northern community of Avivim, without causing casualties. But, as Fabian describes, just yesterday there were attacks that left IDF soldiers wounded. We hear how the IDF retaliated. IMAGE: Sharon Kantor of Israel celebrates her women's iQFOiL windsurfing class silver medal win among the waves during the 2024 Summer Olympics, August 3, 2024, in Marseille, France. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Magid reports on his way to the US from Doha about what he heard in Qatar about the hostage release negotiations. Spiro fills us in on all the excitement surrounding a so-far unprecedented six medals garnered by Team Israel at the Olympics and we hear what else may be in store. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: At command center, Gallant says IAF preparing for ‘quick transition to offense' IDF can now send location-based alerts to phones in case of large-scale attacks 7 IDF reservists wounded, 4 of them seriously, in blast in southern Gaza CNN: Hamas central Gaza battalions still effective, may hold hostages; IDF denies claims Two IDF soldiers moderately wounded in Hezbollah drone attack on north Hostage talks on hold until after Iran response, replacement of Haniyeh — officials Double medalist Dolgopyat wants to inspire young athletes to ‘believe in themselves' Judo Olympic medalists return home: ‘Our goal was to raise the flag of Israel high' Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid and Olympics correspondent Amy Spiro join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in our Jerusalem offices on today's episode. Far-right activists on Monday evening broke into a military base where soldiers detained on suspicion of abusing a Palestinian detainee were taken for questioning, hours after a separate base was stormed by a right-wing mob fuming over the arrests. Magid discusses who were among the mob and its affects on the IDF. Yesterday, a diplomatic Israeli source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that “the estimation is that the response will not lead to an all-out war… That would not be in our interest at this point.” We hear what the US is doing to try to clamp down a regional war. Hamas accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday of preventing a ceasefire in Gaza by adding new conditions and demands to a US-backed Israeli truce proposal, charges the prime minister later denied. Magid weighs in. Yesterday, the third day of sporting competitions at the Paris Olympics, saw weather-related frustrations for Israel's windsurfers, a disappointment in swimming, and an achievement in surfing thousands of miles away in Tahiti. Spiro dives in on this and other sports that Team Israel is competing in and shares what we should look out for in the near future. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: ‘Bordering on anarchy': IDF chief sounds alarm after right-wing mob overruns 2nd base Military Police raid IDF detention facility, 9 held, over ‘serious abuse of a detainee' As diplomats scramble, Israel says response to Hezbollah to be ‘harsh' but contained Hamas, Israel accuse each other of stalling hostage deal with new demands Sailing frustrations, surfing triumphs and tough judo battles for Israel in Paris In the pool, on the mat and in the river, Israeli Olympians seek gold and national pride Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.  IMAGE: Far-right activists protest against the detention of nine Israeli reserve soldiers suspected of assaulting a Hamas terrorist, at the Sde Teiman military base near Beersheba, July 29, 2024. (Dudu Greenspan/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Head of ToI's Those We Have Lost project Amy Spiro joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode. The XXXIII Olympics opened officially in Paris last night and Team Israel is well represented with 88 athletes this year. Since the October 7 massacre, The Times of Israel has published hundreds of memorial posts about the Hamas victims and fallen soldiers. In the course of the project, we noted a trend of serious athletes among those killed. On this Olympics weekend, we share nine of their stories. Discussed articles include: Lt. Yonatan Goutin, 20: Star judoka who chose combat in IDF Cpt. Eden Nimri, 22: Professional swimmer, led all-female IDF team Roni Petrovski, 24: Youth soccer coach with a ‘heart of gold' Lior Asulin, 43: Ex-soccer player killed celebrating his birthday Kobi Paryante, 43: Dedicated family man and accomplished athlete Naomi Shitrit Azulay, 52: Personal trainer and one of 10 siblings Lior Waitzman, 32: Netflix soundman was training for Ironman Mor Cohen, 24: Talented athlete was a pioneer in Israel's lacrosse scene Haim Bennaim, 55: Landscape architect and avid cyclist Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.  IMAGE: Top row, left-to-right: Naomi Shitrit Azulay, Mor Cohen, Lior Waitzman; Middle: Roni Petrovski, Haim Bennaim, Lt. Yonatan Goutin; Bottom: Lior Asulin, Kobi Paryante, Cpt. Eden Nimri. (courtesy)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring one key issue currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, hosted by deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan, speaking with ToI senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur. Israel's national anthem, "Hativkah," was loudly jeered before its soccer team kicked off play at the Paris Olympics against Mali on Wednesday night. To the relief of all, the game passed without major security incidents as the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Since the 1972 Munich Games, Team Israel has been closely protected by the Israeli Security Agency. However, as rhetoric and activism against Israel heats up during the ongoing war with Hamas, it is the only national team with an extra round-the-clock security detail provided by the host country France. As Israel is increasingly battered on the global stage and called a "pariah state," could protests turn violent? Rettig Gur discusses how to maintain a true north concerning the Gaza war and indifference to world opinion, while still holding vast empathy for the suffering in the Strip. So this week, we ask Haviv Rettig Gur, what matters now. What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WE APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU! If you wouldn't mind please go leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Thanks!! Welcome back to Episode 318 of On the Spot Sports and in today's episode we have a very special guest, former semi professional hockey goaltender, Aaron Shields! Aaron and I talk about his last season playing semi pro with the Nor-Cal Hitmen and Team Israel Selects Team from the IEHL. We also talk about dive learned throughout Shieldsy's career, what his future plans are, reminiscing on his semi pro hockey career and so much more! We hope you guys enjoy this episode!! Thank you Shieldsy for coming on the show! I had a blast!! Follow us on Instagram @on_the_spot_sports and take a listen on YouTube, Spotify and Apple/Google Podcasts @ On The Spot Sports Get $25 off our guy Jamie Phillips Nutrition book for Hockey Players with the discount code "ONTHESPOT" on victoremnutrition.com Living Sisu link: ⁠⁠https://livingsisu.com/app/devenirmem.... BECOME A MEMBER TODAY

It's Monday, April 22nd, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Bible-tweet case to be heard at Finnish Supreme Court Päivi Räsänen, Finland's former Minister of Interior and a sitting Finnish parliamentarian, will stand trial for a third time for her Bible-verse tweet, as confirmed by the Supreme Court of Finland, reports Alliance Defending Freedom.   Despite the Christian grandmother of 11 being acquitted unanimously of “hate speech” charges before both the Helsinki District Court, and the Court of Appeal, the State prosecutor appealed the case. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear that appeal on a date to be set in the future. Räsänen stands criminally charged for sharing her Biblically-based views on marriage and sexual ethics, in a 2019 tweet, and in a 2004 pamphlet which she wrote for her church, cantered on Genesis 1:27 which explains that God created men and women.  Commenting on the Supreme Court's decision, Räsänen said, “This was not just about my opinions, but about everyone's freedom of expression.” Paul Coleman, Executive Director of ADF International, is supporting Räsänen's legal defense. He said, “This is a watershed case in the story of Europe's creeping censorship. In a democratic Western nation in 2024, nobody should be on trial for their faith – yet throughout the prosecution of Päivi Räsänen and Bishop [Juhana] Pohjola, we have seen something akin to a ‘heresy' trial, where Christians are dragged through court for holding beliefs that differ from the approved orthodoxy of the day.  “The state's insistence on continuing this prosecution after almost five long years, despite such clear and unanimous rulings from the lower courts, is alarming. The process is the punishment in such instances, resulting in a chill on free speech for all citizens observing.”  House Passes $95 Billion Foreign Aid Package On Saturday, the House of Representatives passed legislation that would give financial assistance to American partners in the Indo-Pacific, Ukraine, and Israel, reports The Epoch Times. This comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) faces growing discontent among conservatives, particularly over the billions in funding for Ukraine and its lack of border security measures. The House passed the $61 billion aid package for Ukraine in a 311–112 vote. The $8 billion measure providing for Indo-Pacific and Taiwanese security passed in a 385–34 vote. Another bill funding $26 billion for Israel passed 366–58. JOHNSON: “The world is destabilized and it's a tinderbox. It's a dangerous time. Three of our primary adversaries -- Russia and Iran and China -- are working together and they're being aggressors around the globe. They're a global threat to our prosperity and our security. Their advance threatens the free world and it demands American leadership. If we turn our backs right now, the consequences could be devastating.” Now that it's been passed by the House, the legislation will go to the Senate as a single package, where it's expected to easily pass. Former Congresswoman: American Democrats have joined Team Hamas & Iran In an interview on “Understanding the Times with Jan Markell,” former Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann bemoaned the fact that President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and others in American political leadership, have seemingly abandoned Team Israel and joined Team Hamas. BACHMANN: “Now, we're seeing a shift with the White House, with the President and the Vice President, with the leading Jew in the United States, which would be Chuck Schumer, the head of the United States Senate, with our Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with Nancy Pelosi, who is essentially the head of the House of Representatives, as far as the Democrats are concerned. “They all came out one after another, just in this last two weeks, and they've come one by one to condemn Israel, and to tell Israel, ‘You're going to lose this war. You're going to pull back.' They've gone so far as to embrace and move from Team Israel to Team Hamas. And, what's worse, the Democrat Party has embraced Team Iran!” Congresswoman Bachmann elaborated on Iran's goal. BACHMANN: “And the goal of Iran is very clear. The Ayatollah – [Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei] -- made it very clear himself when he wrote his book in 2015. He said, ‘If Muslims and Palestinians unite and fight, the Zionist regime will not be in existence in 25 years.'  He wrote that, and he means it. Benjamin Netanyahu said, ‘I believe the sincerity of the Ayatollah,' knowing that no statement has changed that. “We just saw they were screaming ‘Death to America! Death to Israel!' They're following Islamic law. They believe that within a very short period of time they will realize their dream of killing every Jew in Israel and taking over the land.” Members of Kennedy Family endorse Biden over Kennedy Some members of the Kennedy family are backing President Joe Biden re-election bid even as their own relative, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., runs as an independent presidential candidate, reports The Blaze. RFK Jr.'s brother, Chris Kennedy, has gone as far as describing Biden as "the RFK of his generation." CHRIS KENNEDY: “When I think of modern politicians in our country in this century, I think Joe Biden is the RFK of his generation.” And Rory Kennedy, a sister of RFK, Jr, described Biden this way. RORY KENNEDY: “This is a president who embodies the Kennedy legacy.” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has 10 siblings, is the son of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968. In response to his siblings' endorsements of Joe Biden for president, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. tweeted, “I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today. I am pleased they are politically active — it's a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other. ... My campaign, which many of my family members are working on and supportive of, is about healing America.” Australian bishop forgives his Muslim stabber And finally, the Australian bishop, who was stabbed in the middle of a sermon during a church service on Monday and is recovering in the hospital, has forgiven his alleged attacker, reports the Christian Post. Bishop Mari Emmanuel, age 53, has been in the hospital since he was stabbed by a 15-year-old male while in the middle of a livestreamed service at the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley. A 39-year-old priest was also allegedly stabbed after attempting to intervene. Other churchgoers were hurt in the scuffle as well. All are expected to make full recoveries. The bishop is now asking his supporters to emulate Jesus, through "Christlike" behavior, rather than engaging in vengeful words or actions following the attack. In Luke 6:27-28, Jesus said, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Close And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Monday, April 22nd in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

On this episope we have former Rays RHP Andrew Gross... Andrew comes on the show to chat about his college career, arm slot story, sidearm pitching, playing in WBC, playing winter ball, starting Sidearm Specialist Thank you everyone for listening! Geoff Freeborn

We are sliding into the journey of Ben Wanger, who represented Team Israel in baseball at the Tokyo Olympics. Ben shares his unique path, which is marked by dedication, resilience, and adaptability. With a journey spanning three different colleges, each specializing in baseball, Ben's story unfolds amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. He provides insights into the sacrifices and triumphs that shaped his Olympic dream, offering a glimpse into the intensity and camaraderie of competing at the highest level of sports. But the story doesn't end on the field. Ben takes us through his transition from professional baseball, illuminating the complexities of forging a new path. Now a part of the LA28 planning team, Ben shares how his experiences as an athlete continue to influence his work in planning the next Olympic Games. Join us as we explore the intersections of sports, perseverance, and legacy with Ben Wanger on "The Other 3 Years." Check out Ben Wanger on Instagram. Keep up with Kristi's Podcast - The Other 3 Years Get live updates on Kristi's Instagram! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retired Major League Baseball catcher and baseball Olympian, Ryan Lavarnway played for eight MLB teams over his 10-year career, winning a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2013. Beyond the diamond, Ryan has transitioned into diverse roles, serving as a television broadcaster, leadership consultant and motivational speaker. He recently launched an inspirational podcast, “Finding the Way” and wrote a children's book, “Baseball and Belonging.”  Ryan has emerged as a sought-after motivational speaker where his speeches draw from a wealth of personal and professional experiences and offer a high-performance mindset to help audiences unlock their untapped potential.  His narrative is not just about baseball; it's a compelling story of resilience, success and the universal pursuit of greatness. Ryan and Lou round the bases on Thrive LouD as they cover playing for Team Israel, finding his own place in the world off the field and how his message resonates with so many across the globe.   ***CONNECT WITH LOU DIAMOND & THRIVE LOUD***

In Game 6 of the Major League Baseball World Series in November 2021, in the bottom of the second inning, the Houston Astros' two-time All-Star Alex Bregman stepped up to bat. He faced off against the Atlanta Braves' Max Fried, slammed the ball high into the right field, and found himself out of luck when outfielder Joc Pederson caught the ball. Jewish baseball fans recognized the significance of this swift moment, in which all three players in this high-stakes game were themselves Jewish. It has since been called the most Jewish play in any MLB matchup, let alone a World Series. But Bregman himself didn't think about it until later—he has since joked about it in his group chat with other Jewish MLB players, in between pipedream chats about joining up to play for Team Israel at the World Baseball Classic. He tells these stories and more on the latest episode of Menschwarmers, The CJN's Jewish sports podcast. Will he suit up for Team Israel in 2026? What was it like when he finally met Sandy Koufax? What was the reception like after he wore a Star of David on the field in the aftermath of Oct. 7? Listen and subscribe to find out. Credits Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow the Menschwarmers on Twitter @menschwarmers or TikTok @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

In 1 Samuel 10, 11, and 12, our story has a back-and-forth feel like a game...a chess game.Each team now has a king. Team Israel has a king – Saul. Team God has a king – God and a voice -- Samuel.Let's study the rise of King Saul together.Thank you for being part of the club.BlogBible TimelineContact Bible Book ClubLike, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan's Facebook or InstagramLeave us an Apple reviewContact us through our website formThanks for listening and happy podcasting!

In this episode Brandon Caputo and Cam Halbert provide an post-game breakdown for Game 38 of the Niagara IceDogs season following a tight 2-1 defeat at the hands of Central Division rival Mississauga Steelheads on Rankin Cancer Run night at the Meridian Centre.Postgame with IceDogs Head Coach Ben Boudreau and forward Mike Levin as he departs for the World U-20's for Team Israel.The Dog Pound Podcast is brought to you by Global Pet Foods and their four great locations across the Niagara Region.*Audio goal highlights courtesy of YourTV - catch the IceDogs at home and on the road on YourTV Niagara, exclusively on Cogeco.

A baseball podcast - (Filmed on January 9th, 2024) #Coaches #Israel #Baseball - Episode 49: Coach Bodzin and Coach Aaron give some life updates, discuss the ABCA, working with Israel Baseball Academy and putting in the work. - Support Champions Adjust: Merchandise: https://champsadjust.com/collections/all Podcast: https://bit.ly/3OD6u7v Athlete Mindset Program: https://bit.ly/3OIfXKY - Follow Champions Adjust on socials: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ChampionsAdjust/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Champs_Adjust FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ChampsAdjust --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/championsadjust/support

Welcome to a new episode of The Dad Up Podcast. I'm excited to share this amazing guest with you. Ryan Lavarnway is much more than just a former MLB championship baseball player. Today, his identity is husband and father. Ryan and his wife Jamie recently had a daughter, Blake. In their free time they enjoy family time together, traveling, trying new restaurants and getting involved in their local community. Ryan Lavarnway is a retired professional baseball player. He was originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 6th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft as a catcher. Since making his Major League Baseball debut on August 18, 2011, Ryan has played in parts of 10 Major League Baseball seasons. Ryan has also been a member of the Israeli national baseball team at multiple points in his career. Ryan first played for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, and was named Pool A MVP, after hitting .555 with a home run, 3 RBIs and 4 walks. Not only is Ryan a 2013 World Series Champion, but he is the first Cincinnati Reds player ever to have more than three RBI in a team debut. He also led all of college baseball in batting average (.467) and slugging percentage (.873) in 2007. In college, Ryan set the Yale baseball single-season records in batting average (.467), slugging percentage (.873), home runs (14) and runs batted in (55) and set the Ivy League record with 33 home runs during his time at Yale. In this episode, Ryan shares his reasoning for leaving the sport game he grew up playing so that he can devote his time being the husband and father he knew he needed to be. Make sure you check out Ryan's links below to see what he is up too. As always, please make sure you are subscribed to my show so you don't miss any of my awesome guests. Dad Up! Dad Up Instagram: https://instagram.com/daduppodcast Dad Up YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/DadUpPodcast Dad Up Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dad-up-podcast/id1486764562 Dad Up LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/Daduptribe Ryan Lavarnway Instagram: https://instagram.com/rlavarnway Ryan Lavarnway Website: https://ryanlavarnway.com/ Ryan's New Children's Book: https://a.co/d/4e06nVw Ryan Lavarnway Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryan.lavarnway Ryan Lavarnway TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rlavarnway Ryan Lavarnway X: https://x.com/ryanlavarnway Ryan Lavarnway Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-the-way-with-ryan-lavarnway/id1654389848 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/daduppodcast/support

In this episode, they are joined by Ryan Lavarnway, a former MLB player with an incredible career including winning a World Series with the Boston Red Sox and representing Team Israel at the 2020 Olympics. Ryan shares his incredible journey getting to the big leagues - notably, where he was sent up and down from the big leagues 26 times.  Ryan's mindset was shaped by the use of interrogative self-talk. Specifically he eloquently explains how four questions were the key to his success:  Why not me?  Why not more?  Why not us?  Why not now? This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration and insights into the mental game of a professional athlete. Ryan Lavarnway's engaging story and the valuable lessons shared make this episode a powerful exploration of mindset in sports. For more information about Ryan & his Keynote Speech checkout his website at: https://ryanlavarnway.com/  Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated on future episodes. Join the conversation as we continue to go "Beyond the X's and O's."

Ryan Lavarnway is a former Major League Baseball catcher, currently working as a keynote speaker and leadership coach. Over his fifteen-year career, Ryan represented eight different teams in the Major Leagues, including the 2013 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. He also proudly represented Israel internationally in both the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics, which earned him recognition in the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.Ryan began his journey to the majors as a standout at Yale University. In 2007, he became the NCAA batting champion by hitting an impressive .467 and set a new Ivy League record with a 25-game hitting streak. He also holds the Ivy League all-time career home run record with 34.Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2008, Ryan quickly established himself as a powerful hitter, being named to multiple minor league All-Star teams and earning Minor League Offensive Player of the Year twice.After his big-league debut in 2011, Ryan continued to excel on the field, setting multiple MLB and franchise records. Internationally he earned MVP recognition for his play in the World Baseball Classic and was named to be the first ever captain of Team Israel ahead of the 2023 European Championships.Ryan Lavarnway is a dynamic coach and speaker with a wealth of experience to draw upon. He brings a unique perspective to his work, combining his passion for baseball with his personal journey and experiences. He is an engaging and entertaining speaker who connects with his audience on a personal level, leaving a lasting impact on all who hear him speak.

From Ivy Leagues to the Big Leagues, we're joined by MLB Veteran, World Series Champion, and Team Israel Catcher - Ryan Lavarnway! We discuss his career from college through the majors. His time in Boston, bouncing around, representing Israel in the WBC's, and the lessons he learned along the way. And finally, we dive into his broadcasting, public speaking, and writing career.  This episode is brought to you by DraftKings. The DraftKings Sportsbook – Boston's hometown Sportsbook is LIVE right here in Mass! Bet on all your favorite sports from the comfort of your own home. Don't bet with some out-of-town sportsbook, BET LOCAL with DraftKings! Plus, ALL new customers who sign up for DraftKings Sportsbook TODAY using code BBB will receive up to ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS bets! Soon you'll be able to bet on money lines, spreads, props, and more with one of America's top-rated Sportsbooks – DraftKings Sportsbook!Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app NOW! Sign up with code BBB to get up to ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS bets to use once mobile sports betting hits Massachusetts. Only at DraftKings Sportsbook with code BBB!  We're proud to present Manscaped as our partner! What guy wouldn't want The Right Tools for The Job?! Head over to manscaped.com/house, or use the code HOUSE at checkout for 20% off AND free shipping on your order. Thanks for listening! Remember to hit the follow button on Spotify, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram. Check out house-enterprise.com for all of our content. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/beersbusinessandballs/support

Kevin Youkilis doesn't crave attention. But in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, the Jewish MLB All Star and World Series champion has become especially vocal, taking to social media to talk about resiliance and Jewish pride in the face of antisemitism. It's a mission that began when he started playing for Team Israel Baseball, which made him realize how important representation is on a global stage. He explains these thoughts in a new article in the Boston Herald written by Gabrielle Starr, the paper's Red Sox reporter. Starr joins the Menschwarmers to break down her hour-long conversation with Youkilis, key takeaways and the new appointment of Craig Breslow as the new Jewish chief baseball officer of the Red Sox. Plus, we recap what's new in Jewish sports, including Alysha Clark's WNBA championship, the three Jews playing in the NBA's season openers, and how this year breaks a possibly record-setting streak of consecutive baseball World Series featuring Jewish players. Credits Menschwarmers is hosted by James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver, and produced and edited by Michael Fraiman. Our intro music is by Coby Lipovitch, and our outro music is "Organ Grinder Swing" by chēēZ π. This show is a member of The CJN Podcast Network. Follow us on Twitter @menschwarmers. Support the show by subscribing to this podcast or donating to The CJN.

-Winning Gold with Team Israel playing for the men's and coaching the U18's and memories that last a lifetime -Coaching and raising the puppies of Düsseldorf, Germany with a bunch of German hockey legends -The different level of fulfillment coaching can bring that playing can not -Hanging up the wheels for the national team to become Head Coach and also coaching the U20 and U18's for Team Israel -Coaching and winning Bronze medals with Team Europe and travelling the world with the game you love

Miguel talks with freelance journalist and comrade Abraham Marquez. They discuss using pro-sports for Zionist propaganda. We also discuss our overall feelings and thoughts on Israel committing war crimes against the Palestinian people. Free Palestine! You can follow Abraham on X/Twitter @abemarquez3 and read some of his work here. Note: The links below include examples of Zionist propaganda in pro-sports and examples of athletes/sportswriters/fans supporting Palestine.    Links:  NFL's condemnation of Hamas terrorism is important in fight against hate (Yahoo Sports) The NFL Prays for Israel and Ignores Palestine (The Nation/Dave Zirin) Israel-Palestine war: US sports stars ignore Palestinians in pro-Israel posts, face fan backlash (Middle East Eye/ Zainab Iqbal) Arsenal Supporters Pro-Palestine Official Statement (Twitter/X)Gaza Fights for Freedom (Film by Abby Martin) Ian Kinsler threw out the first pitch tonight in a Team Israel jersey (@MLBONFOX) Jewish Major Leaguers come together against antisemitism and to show their support of Israel (@ILBaseball) Angel City FC supporters' group responds after club restricts non-game-related flags amid Israel-Hamas war (The Athletic/Elias Burke)Champion Abdel Rahman Sameh refuses to celebrate the gold medal at the World Cup in Swimming and reveals that he has been subjected to threats because of his support (Video/@RassdNewsN) Liverpool FC's Mo Salah speaks in support for Palestine (Video/@MoSalah) Miguel Garcia produced this episode. The Sports As A Weapon Podcast is part of the @Anticonquista Media Collective. Subscribe to the ANTICONQUISTA Patreon and follow ANTICONQUISTA on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok!Also, listen/subscribe to the Sports As A Weapon Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Deezer, or wherever you get your podcasts.Follow us on:Twitter: @sportsasaweaponFacebook: fb.com/sportsasaweaponpodcastInstagram: @sportsasaweaponpodcastTik Tok: @SportsAsAWeaponBlueSky: @sportsasaweapon.bsky.socialPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/sportsasaweaponpodcast (If you want)Visit our website: www.sportsasaweapon.com

On the latest episode of ‘From Phenom to the Farm' Ryan Lavarnway discusses his journey from the Ivy League to the big leagues. He talks finding motivation from coaching, working to stick behind the plate as a professional, and the joys of playing for Team Israel.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/from-phenom-to-the-farm/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

With the recent attacks against Israel by Hamas, it feels as if something is shifting on the world stage. Hamas, obviously with direct ties to Iran, is going to war with Israel while Russia continue their war with Ukraine. Then you have China continually threatening war with Taiwan, all the while having alliances with Russia and Iran. What the heck is going on? Then you have how our media and political elite are handling the coverage, and it ends up being pure chaos and propaganda. The same people who have ragged on Israel and defended Hamas for years are all of a sudden Team Israel and anti-Hamas. They just pretend that they haven't been hypocrites on this issue. To break it all down, Kristi Leigh joins this episode of The Jeff Dornik Show. Kristi Leigh is an award winning news anchor who quit her job over the Mainstream Media's lies and now hosts her own podcast called Counter Narrative which is designed to be the news show that you should be watching. We took a deep dive into how the Mainstream is manipulating us all by instilling fear. They know that fear will drive many to give up their constitutional rights in the name of freedom. We see this tactic over and over. We are witnessing it right now in regards to covid-19, January 6th, Donald Trump, Russia and now what's going on in the Middle East. We saw what this can do when we witnessed the implementation of the Patriot Act, which violated so many of our Constitutional Rights. We see this in their calls to abolish the Second Amendment after every shooting. We see this in the justification of censorship when supposed misinformation is spread. How to beat this? Stop being afraid. The Bible tells us repeatedly to not be afraid. It's time to take that to heart. The powers-that-be only have power over us when we live in fear. If we are confident and unafraid, they hold no power over us. Make sure you follow Kristi Leigh on X at @KristiLeighTV and check out her website for all of her updates and shows at https://kristileightv.com. Subscribe to The Jeff Dornik Show on Rumble, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Why have a Cup of Sleepy Joe when you can have a Cup of Freedom? Freedom First Coffee is 100% organic and fire-roasted on Main Street USA… and it tastes like FREEDOM! Use code JEFF for a huge discount when you order today. https://freedomfirstcoffee.com There's only one pillow American Patriots rest their head on at night, and that's MyPillow. Use code FFN for up to 66% off of everything in their store. Click here to order. https://mypillow.com Sign up for pickax, the social media platform that protects free speech, is not beholden to Big Tech, has algorithms that amplify your voice and provides monetization opportunities for content creators. https://pickax.com Subscribe to The Jeff Dornik Show on Substack to get all of Jeff's shows, interviews and articles directly to your email inbox. Become a paid subscribe to get access to his weekly exclusive show for paid subscribers only. Subscribe at https://jeffdornik.substack.com.

On the 246th episode of You Know I'm Right, Nick Durst and Joe Calabrese are joined by former MLB Catcher turned author and motivational speaker, Ryan Lavarnway for an exclusive interview to discuss: - When in little league or high school did he decide to be a catcher? - Attending Yale University, studying Philosophy - Winning the NCAA batting title (.467) in 2007. Setting the Ivy League hitting streak (25) record and all time home run record (33) - When did he realize he could be drafted? - Challenges of being the minor leagues - Making his MLB debut for the Red Sox in 2011 - Winning the World Series in 2013 - Bouncing around from team to team - Clubhouse with the best food. Pre and postgame eating routine - Playing for Team Israel in the Olympics and World Baseball Classic - Decision to retire - Life post baseball working as an on-air analyst and a motivational speaker - Writing his book, Baseball and Belonging - You Know I'm Right moment

Celia Gold is a 71kg weightlifter competing for Team Israel. She is working for a shot to compete in the 2024 Olympics. Celia | Angelo | Pod | Substack

This May, AJC is proud to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month and the countless contributions that Jewish Americans have made as patriotic citizens, creative artists, brilliant scientists, and star athletes. To kick things off, we're joined by AJC CEO Ted Deutch to hear his reflections on his first several months at AJC, what he's looking forward to at AJC Global Forum 2023 in Tel Aviv, and how he's marking Jewish American Heritage Month.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  ___ Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Ted Deutch ___ Show Notes: Learn more at: AJC.org/JewishAmericanHeritageMonth Join us in Tel Aviv at AJC Global Forum 2023: AJC.org/GlobalForum Sign up for AJC CEO Ted Deutch's Video Newsletter: Receive "Ten from Ted," the biweekly video newsletter from AJC CEO Ted Deutch where he'll share ten major highlights in the work he and American Jewish Committee (AJC) are doing to make this world safer for the Jewish people and Israel.  Take our quiz: Jewish American Heritage Month Quiz: Test your knowledge of the rich culture and heritage of the Jewish people and their many contributions to our nation! Start now. Listen: Israel at 75: 7 Things You Should Know About Israel: Listen to these seven episodes of AJC's People of the Pod featuring leading Israeli and American scholars, experts, and influencers that will help you learn more about the complexities, triumphs, and challenges facing Israel today. How Playing Baseball With Team Israel Transformed Ryan Lavarnway's Life: In celebration of Israel's 75th birthday, guest host Dov Wilker, AJC's Atlanta director, sits down with retired Major League Baseball catcher Ryan Lavarnway, who played for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics. Lavarnway reflected on the Jewish pride he felt representing Israel on the international stage, how he has dealt with the antisemitism in his career, and the importance of building connections between the Jewish state and the Diaspora. Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, tag us on social media with #PeopleofthePod, and hop onto Apple Podcasts to rate us and write a review, to help more listeners find us. __ Transcript of Interview with Ted Deutch: Manya Brachear Pashman: This May, AJC is proud to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month and the countless contributions that Jewish Americans have made as patriotic citizens, creative artists, brilliant scientists, lightning fast athletes, one of whom we heard from last week. Returning to the studio to help us kick off the celebration is AJC's CEO, Ted Deutch. Ted, welcome back to People of the Pod.    Ted Deutch: It's great to be back. Thanks, Manya.   Manya Brachear Pashman: So I want to start with a progress report. You have been CEO now for I'm going to count on my fingers here October, November, December -seven months, now?    Ted Deutch: Now, you've got to get onto your second hand.   Manya Brachear Pashman: Which means this time last year, you were still a congressman. So what's remarkably different about your life now, your mission and your day to day approach to that mission?   Ted Deutch: Well, the day to day work is very different. And I'd start with the most obvious: I came from a place that was, by definition, political, everything about it was driven by politics. I worked really hard to focus on the issues that mattered to me and my community. But there were always political considerations. Now, as the CEO of American Jewish Committee, I have the incredible honor of spending everyday working with a supremely talented team here at AJC, remarkable volunteers and lay leaders with one mission, and that's to think about how we can do more to enhance the well being of the Jewish people and Israel and advance democratic values. And every issue I work on, I'm passionate about, and it matters to me, it matters to my core. It affects who I am, and my family and my community. And that's a big difference. And it's just a big privilege to be able to spend my days this way now.   Manya Brachear Pashman: So what have some of the milestones been so far?   Ted Deutch: AJC as the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people has been doing incredible work in the United States and all around the world for more than a century. But to bring those two things together, as we did in our advocacy, with the Biden administration, to urge them to create a national action plan to combat antisemitism, seeing them move forward, and announce that plan and then bringing to the White House special envoys to combat antisemitism from around the world that we had helped create. And as we worked in other countries, as they prepared their own action plans to confront anti semitism and foster Jewish life, this was an opportunity to bring their experiences together so that they could share their insight into what's worked and what hasn't in their own countries. So that our own administration can come up with something meaningful as we seek to strike back against antisemitism. That is something that I'm really proud of. And being able to travel around the country and around the world as I have to meet with Jewish communities, in all parts of America and all corners of the world and to be reminded of just how much we have in common.  It sounds obvious and probably silly to say, but when you're when you're speaking with university students in Paris and you realize that the things that they're focused on, the challenges they face and antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment that they deal with is not unlike what our campus leaders in America are dealing with and, and knowing that we can bring them together as we will at our Global Forum. Or spending time with communities from across Latin America. And when we all got together in Mexico City, to talk about the ways to ensure a strong future for the Jewish community. And meeting LFT students, our high school program, Leaders for Tomorrow, the high school students that we're helping to train to be the leaders of the next generation, and be inspired by by what they've already taken from this program, whether it's in Atlanta in Chicago, or any of the other places that I've had the opportunity to travel. There's a lot that we've done, there's a lot that I'm really excited about. And as you point out, just barely been seven months.   Manya Brachear Pashman: Shortly after you began, there was kind of a torrent of antisemitic incidents, rhetoric that was on social media, in the celebrity world. And I'm curious if that kind of took you aback because it happened right after you started your position. And do you feel like you've made some progress in that sphere, as well, in terms of educating celebrities, creative artists, and the like?   Ted Deutch: It happened immediately after almost as if it were planned to happen right when I started. But, I've been clear about this, as horrific as that was- there was a national conversation that started that I don't remember seeing before and to have the chance to talk about the Jewish community and antisemitism and the issues that AJC works on, on national television on a regular basis, and help elevate the importance of these issues for the broader community was an important moment for me and for AJC, and for the Jewish community to really focus on what we do, and the fact that our call to action against antisemitism is a document that the rest of the country can look to Jews and non-Jews alike for ways that they can be involved to combat antisemitism.  And since all of this happened, and since we've found ourselves in the middle of this conversation, there has been a real interest in looking at all the ways that government and education and law enforcement and corporate America and social media can all play their part. And yes, there's a special opportunity for the creative community.  I was in Los Angeles recently with Doug Emhoff, with the second gentleman, and we did a program for executives and agents and music and studio executives, to talk about antisemitism, the things that that they can do, all with the understanding that content really drives so much of what we think about in our country, and we want people to be aware of this rising antisemitism and make sure that there's an understanding as well of what the Jewish community is and what the Jewish community isn't, and to be careful not to advance antisemitic tropes and to reflect the diversity of the Jewish community and to acknowledge the great diversity within Israel. These are, these are conversations that are taking place there, they're taking place with media, I've met with a number of media outlets, again, just to make sure that some of these issues that we know are so challenging and sometimes complicated, deserve a full airing, and we need to start with what is true about our community and about the things we care about. We've worked hard to accomplish that.   Manya Brachear Pashman: And I just just want to remind listeners that it's Kanye West. It was the comments from Kanye West that just kept coming. And yeah, you're right. It was days after you started your job that we were addressing that.  It was Congress that named the month of May Jewish American Heritage Month or JAHM, as we affectionately call it around here. How did you celebrate it on Capitol Hill?   Ted Deutch: Well, there were receptions and we usually made a statement in Congress. We looked for opportunities to help elevate the issue. This is an important opportunity for the community. It happens every May. Most people I'm not embarrassed to say–although I will be next year if this is still the case. But I'm not embarrassed to say that most people didn't know that May was Jewish American Heritage Month. They're obviously familiar with the steps Congress took to create Black History Month and Women's History Month and so many others. But here we are at this moment. And Congress, when I was a member of Congress, we tried to, to remind people what was happening. But there's so much more and this year, in particular, in light of what the community has been facing, the timing of Jewish American Heritage Month is really important. And it's something that we're really trying to take advantage of, frankly.   Manya Brachear Pashman: So now how do you celebrate it as you lead a non Jewish nonprofit? Is that very different, what you're experiencing this year?   Ted Deutch: Well, it is. And again, it means I get to spend a lot of my time thinking about all of the ways that we can draw people's attention to this month. It gives me a chance to think about the prominent Jewish Americans who contribute to our country and in so many ways, that helps strengthen it. And for us here at AJC, we've worked really hard, focusing specifically at the outset of this month, on elected officials, state, local, and federal, and business leaders just to come in and acknowledge Jewish American Heritage Month and look for their own ways to recognize the contributions that Jewish Americans have made to our country. And we have a resource to do that. It's AJC.org/JewishAmericanHeritageMonth, of all things, which helps elected officials know what this is and how they can be involved and tells business leaders how they can acknowledge this month and it's so important this year, especially when so much of the conversation has been about antisemitism, and about hatred. And about that really a debate that's being, a conversation is being driven by those who want to divide the country and to spread false stereotypes of conspiracy theories about Jews and the Jewish community. Here is the perfect opportunity for us to set the record straight.   Manya Brachear Pashman: So you raise an important point that the people who should be driving the conversation about Jewish American Heritage, or driving the conversation in our community should not be the antisemites, it should be the Jewish community itself. So is this month a rare opportunity, or a platform to move the needle when it comes to awareness of antisemitism? Or is that not what this month is necessarily about? I mean, why is it on the calendar?   Ted Deutch: It is not a month about antisemitism any more than Black History Month is a month about racism. These are important milestones for our two communities to celebrate the contributions of our communities to the American story, that's what Jewish American Heritage Month is. The best way to push back against the antisemites is to marginalize them, and to give more people the opportunity to actually get to know the Jewish community–who we are, the diversity within the Jewish community. The fact that the Jewish community is not just a religion, but a people, and a culture and, and a group that has contributed so much throughout our nation's history. That's what this is really about. And by the way, it's going to have the added benefit of reducing antisemitism, because antisemitism preys on false narrative conspiracy theories, and providing facts and helping to educate people about who we really are, is the great opportunity that we have in front of us.   Manya Brachear Pashman: So I'm curious, you talked about traveling the world and spending time with Jewish communities around the globe, celebrating many Shabbats abroad. Have you encountered comparable commemorations, and time set aside for Jewish heritage in those countries? Or any heritage for that matter? I mean, Arab Americans in France or Asian Pacific Islanders in Germany.   Ted Deutch: First, I would note that May is also AAPI Heritage Month here in the United States. And AJC is working with partners in the API community, in a number of our regions to do joint programming, because again, important contributions to American history from both of our communities. Around the world, I don't know of anything, specifically comparable. I know, in Europe, there's a Europe-wide day to acknowledge the contribution of the Jewish community. There's a Jewish culture festival in Krakow that has become fairly popular. I was in Mexico City, just recently, and I know that in Mexico and in Argentina, there are opportunities to celebrate the Jewish community. But I don't know anything quite like this. But I know that in Europe, a lot of the plans that were created to combat antisemitism also includes specific ways to foster Jewish life. And one of the ways to do that is to highlight the history of the Jewish community in each of those countries.   Manya Brachear Pashman: So why does America devote an entire month to all the many diverse heritages, ethnicities, that make up our country? Why is this an American concept?   Ted Deutch: Well Manya, I don't know what the thinking was in moving forward with these designations. But it is, in many ways, the most American idea. This is what America is, it's who we are. It's this great collection of all different groups and faiths and nationalities, all contributing to create this remarkable country that we're so privileged to live in, a country with challenges that we can only overcome by working together. Antisemitism, by the way, one of those challenges, that it doesn't just affect the Jewish community, it affects everyone. But having specific times to pause to think about the contributions from each of those communities. When you add them all up, suddenly, you've got a year's worth of contributions from the great diversity within our country to celebrate. And I think that's the way we need to think about it. This isn't about May. This is, as you point out, about this collection of months throughout the year where we can celebrate the contributions from individual groups, which overall, reflect and contribute to the great diversity and the great successes that we've had.   Manya Brachear Pashman: I want to switch gears, switch countries, and talk a little bit about Israel. Israel has been going through a pretty difficult few months between its internal political debate over judicial review and the ongoing threats of terrorism, just this week more rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip. What would be your message to American Jews who are concerned about what they're seeing here?   Ted Deutch: Well, I understand the concern. Obviously, this most recent barrage of rockets is a reminder that while we're focused, and there's so much attention here in our country, to the politics in Israel, to the protests to the workings of the Knesset and the government and, whether there's going to be some sort of judicial reform, or what it looks like, to protect civil liberties and minority rights and checks and balances…while all of those conversations are taking place, 100+ rockets reminds us that we have a whole lot to be vigilant about. And Israel's security is not something that we can ever take for granted. And that it's important to note that all of those protesters in Israel, whether they're protesting, on Saturday nights, on a regular basis against judicial reform, or they were part of the big protest of people who turned out in Jerusalem to support judicial reform, all of them understand the threats that the country faces externally. And I understand concerns, I just think it's important to remember that it's, standing together in support of the country, doesn't mean that we don't have specific opinions about things that happen within the country. It doesn't mean that everyone comes at their connection to Israel the same way. But it does remind us that, being united, as rockets fall, as Israel confronts these threats is really important, not only for Israel, but I think for diaspora Jewry, as well.   Manya Brachear Pashman: We are holding our first Global Forum under your leadership in Tel Aviv next month, on the occasion of Israel's 75th birthday. So what are you hoping participants take away from that event, especially in light of what we just discussed – the difficulties and the many, many tensions that have to be managed there?   Ted Deutch: Well, the one thing that I know people will take away is the importance of being there. The fact that at this moment when history is being made the opportunity to be in Israel not only to focus on judicial reform and the political challenges and the security threats, but to also be in this incredibly vibrant, and diverse, and beautiful country, and to be reminded of the important place that Israel plays in the world in technology and innovation, and in humanitarian circles, and in combating climate change, and all of the ways and we go on and on, that this tiny little country is doing such remarkable things. And then all of that is continuing, even as hundreds of 1000s of people are marching in the streets.  That's what people will take away from this. You want to be there when history is being written. You want to be part of the history that's being written now and showing up in Israel and coming together at AJC Global Forum is well, for me, clearly, it's the best way to do that.   Manya Brachear Pashman: In other words, people should be excited about the democracy swirling all around them while they're experiencing Israel.   Ted Deutch: I've had friends reach out to invite us to come to the protests, I've had other friends reach out to tell me that they're looking forward to talking about the challenges of the Supreme Court as it currently exists. I've told them AJC's views on the importance of where this is going and, and the importance of shared democracy between the United States and Israel. And the response, again, from everyone on whatever, wherever they are on the political spectrum in Israel is, okay, well, it's just important that you're coming. We may agree with you completely. We may disagree with you, but as American Jews, your voice matters, and this is the opportunity to share it.  And it's the opportunity to hear directly from Israeli leaders and from global leaders who will be joining us literally from around the world, because they share in our commitment to safeguard Israel's place in the world. And it's those diplomatic efforts that help us do our work around the world, but at this moment, will allow all of us to focus on all that's happening in Israel.   Manya Brachear Pashman: Ted, thank you so much for joining us for the party, for coming to JAHM with us. And I look forward to more celebrating in Tel Aviv. Thank you so much.   Ted Deutch: Manya, I look forward to it as well, to celebrate with you and everyone who's listening. It's going to be a remarkable trip. But remember, we still have all of JAHM ahead of us.   Manya Brachear Pashman: May has only just begun.   Ted Deutch: All right, happy, JAHM.    Manya Brachear Pashman: Thank you so much.  

In celebration of Israel's 75th birthday, guest host Dov Wilker, AJC's Atlanta director, sits down with retired Major League Baseball catcher Ryan Lavarnway, who played for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics. Lavarnway reflected on the Jewish pride he felt representing Israel on the international stage, how he has dealt with the antisemitism in his career, and the importance of building connections between the Jewish state and the Diaspora. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  __ Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Ryan Lavarnway ___ Show Notes: Watch: Catch the full video conversation with Ryan Lavarnway, recorded live on Yom Ha'atzmaut as part of AJC's Advocacy Anywhere  Test your knowledge: Quiz: How much do you really know about Israel? When was Israel founded? Who was the first Israeli to win a Nobel Prize? Which country was the first to recognize the State of Israel? Start the quiz! Listen: Israel at 75: 7 Things You Should Know About Israel: Listen to these seven episodes of AJC's People of the Pod featuring leading Israeli and American scholars, experts, and influencers that will help you learn more about the complexities, triumphs, and challenges facing Israel today. Julianna Margulies on Holocaust Education and Fighting Antisemitism: Emmy Award-winning actress Julianna Margulies recently partnered with the New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, to help create the Holocaust Educator School Partnership. To date, the partnership has trained two university fellows to teach the history of the Holocaust to 1,700 middle and high school students in New York City Public Schools. In a poignant interview, Margulies shares her motivations for expanding the program, personal experiences of how antisemitism has affected her family, and reflections on her first visit to Israel and Yad Vashem. Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've enjoyed this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, tag us on social media with #PeopleofthePod, and hop onto Apple Podcasts to rate us and write a review, to help more listeners find us. __ Transcript of Interview with Ryan Lavarnway: Manya Brachear Pashman: Sometimes it just makes more sense for my AJC colleagues to guest host. When it comes to sports, I always try to hand the mic to AJC Atlanta Director Dov Wilker. This week, in honor of Israel's 75th birthday, Dov sat down for a live conversation in front of a virtual audience with Major League Baseball Catcher Ryan Lavarnway, who played for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics. Ryan talked to Dov about the pride he felt representing Israel on the international stage and the importance of building connections between the Jewish state and the Diaspora. I might not know a lot about baseball, but as someone about to visit Israel for the first time, Ryan's recollections and reflections brought tears to my eyes. Here's an instant replay.  Dov Wilker: Let's get it started in the beginning, Ryan, how did you get into baseball? And does your Judaism intertwine with that, or is that a separate story? Ryan Lavarnway: So, I started playing baseball when I was five years old. And my dad always played baseball, he was always doing pickup games on the weekends playing high-pitch softball, but the story of why I got started was my kindergarten teacher told my parents that I was not good at sharing, and that I should get involved in a team sport. So they signed me up about as early as I could sign up, when I was five years old. And I took to it really quick and the rest is history. Dov Wilker: You know, that's good advice for my seven year old who is also not very good at sharing. So I appreciate that.  And what about the role of Judaism in your life? Was Judaism something that was important to you from an early age? Or has that sort of become more important to you as you got older? Ryan Lavarnway: No, it really wasn't. My mom is Jewish, and she always loved Christmas. They had a white Christmas tree in her house with blue ornaments. And my dad would describe himself as a disenchanted Catholic. So growing up, we celebrated holidays from all religions. But there was no religion involved. We celebrated just to have a nice meal together, to have a reason to give presents and celebrate or light the candles. We went through the motions. Sometimes I joke that we celebrated Hallmark holidays.  And it wasn't until really until high school that I started to grow into my own as an adult and start to search for more. And in high school, I ended up going to temple for the first time with a high school teammate's mother who had MS and couldn't drive herself. So we kind of needed each other because I needed someone to go with, and she needed someone to drive her. And that was really my first experience. As an adult, when I started searching for more meaning behind –Why do we celebrate these holidays? And what do they mean? And where's the community that I want to be a part of? Dov Wilker: What state did you go to high school in? Ryan Lavarnway: I grew up in California, LA County, in the valley. My wife likes to make fun of me every time I talk about home, she references that SNL skit The Californians– she's like, Oh, you, you were on the one oh one and the four oh five.  So I grew up in Southern California. A lot of Jewish players on my youth league teams, on my little league teams, you know, Bar Mitzvah season for me, you know, when you're 13, 15, in that season of your life, I had a ton of friends that were Jewish, we had a great community here. But my family, again, we were more of the Hallmark holidays. Dov Wilker: So when you were in high school, when sort of you started getting more into your Judaism, but also, you know, as you were playing, did you ever experience antisemitism on the field when you were younger, or even when you were older? Ryan Lavarnway: When I was younger, not so much. And I think the reason that I was able to kind of dodge those bullets was because my dad was Catholic, and my mom was Jewish. So as we studied the Holocaust in school, I felt, you know, and to me, I'm almost embarrassed looking back, but this is my truth.  I would step away and I would say, Well, I'm half Catholic, so the people that were hurt and the people that were, killed in and, and antisemitism is against, that wasn't me. But then I could also step on the other side and be like, Well, I wasn't the evil villain, either. It wasn't my people that were causing all this pain. And that helps me avoid feeling, and feeling hurt by the antisemitism as a kid. But what that also did was, it kept me from feeling the benefits of the community.  And it wasn't until later, and we can get into this, when I played for Team Israel and I fully embraced being Jewish–and publicly–that I started facing antisemitism for the first time and really internalizing it and feeling it personally. But then that was also the first time, with that came, the feeling, the sense of community and feeling like I'm your brother, and you're my brother, you're my sister, and like we're all in this together. So I feel like they go hand in hand. Dov Wilker: So let's dive into that, the Team Israel stuff a little bit. Your first experience with the team came about in 2017, 2016.  Ryan Lavarnway: 16, yeah. Dov Wilker: 16. So how did that all start? I mean, you're a Major League Baseball player, you're a world series champion, and you get a phone call from some guy who was like, hey, like, we've got this team we want to create it? Or, was it, the World Baseball Classic is gonna be a big thing and you want to find a way to be a part of it and you're a great catcher, but you might not be picked for team USA. How does this all work? Ryan Lavarnway: So, yeah, I got a phone call from some guy that I'd never heard of. Peter Kurtz. I don't know if it initially came through my agent or how he first got ahold of me. But I got a call in 2012. And I had just made it into the big leagues as a rookie the year before. I had like half a year of service time, still trying to prove myself and establish myself as a major leaguer. And he said, Hey, we have this Team Israel. And we play baseball, surprise, you never heard of us. Which I think was everyone's reaction. But you qualify for the team, because your mom's Jewish. So what do you think?  And I was like, Well, what's the WBC because 10 years ago, it wasn't very popular yet, it's still growing. He's like, Well, we have to qualify to get into the tournament, because we only have one field in our whole country. And we're ranked 64th in the world. But we think we can do it. What do you think? The qualifier's in September, can you be there?  And I was like, Well, it sounds like an amazing opportunity. Let's do it. But if I get called up again, this year, I'll be in the big leagues, so I can't be there. So September 2012, came in when I was in the big leagues. I wasn't able to go, but I had the seed planted in my mind of this, this is a possibility. This is a thing. So four years later, they just missed qualifying in 2012, they had a lead in the last inning.  And my now best friend from this team, Josh Zeid, ended up blowing the lead.  Flash forward four years later, 2016, I get another call, Hey, we're going to try to qualify again. We just missed it last time, we think we're really going to make it this time. Can you be there? And this time, my answer was, well, I'm probably going to be in the big leagues. But if for whatever reason I'm not, heck yeah, let's do it. And then the skies parted. It was the first year in six years, I wasn't in the big leagues in September. And I was available. And I went and played. And what I remember, showing up, when I first got there was Josh Zeid spoke very passionately to the group about how blowing that lead four years earlier, is still eating him up inside. And it was the lowest of lows for his career and everything he had done pitching in the big leagues. That was the moment he wanted to change. And his impassioned speech really spoke to the rest of us about oh, man, this is maybe more important than we thought. Dov Wilker: So I want to jump back to something that you said, which I find very profound. This random person calls you and says, Hey, your mother's Jewish, you qualified to be on the team. How do you respond to that? Right? You started off by saying that you got more into your Judaism when you were in high school and but, how do you feel, what is that? And by the way, have you ever been to Israel before? Was there any sort of connection to Israel, as all of this is sort of taking place? Ryan Lavarnway: I had not ever been to Israel. When he first called me in 2012, my wife and I were engaged to be married. By the time 2016 came around, we had been married. My wife was raised Jewish, she had a bat mitzvah, she had been on Birthright. We had a Jewish wedding. I was more involved in the Jewish community locally in Denver, and had really embraced, on a personal level, that I'm a Jewish man, and I want to raise a Jewish family. I want to be involved in the Jewish community in Denver. I still had yet to say that publicly.  Because playing for the Boston Red Sox, our media training, at least 10 years ago, this was before athletes branding themselves and having their own brand was really acceptable. Especially in baseball, baseball is one of the last sports to embrace that.  So the Boston Red Sox media training involved: if anything is even potentially controversial—just keep it to yourself. The Red Sox is the brand, don't tarnish it. And Boston itself as a city is a little closed minded, I would say. I think people that know Boston could agree with this, that they're not the most forward thinking city.  Dov Wilker: No offense to anyone in Boston that's listening. Ryan Lavarnway: No, I love the city of Boston. Trust me, I love Boston. It's one of my favorite places. I still feel at home there. I've got my Red Sox World Series ring on the table right here.  But like, I know, some of my black teammates didn't feel comfortable, and black visiting players don't feel super comfortable there. So it's just it's just the way Boston is a little bit. So I just kept to myself.  When I announced I was going to play for Team Israel, was the first time that I really feel that it was public. And I feel maybe in a way that's the first time I dove all the way into the deep end of embracing it. Because you have to say to the world, right? If you are privately Jewish, in a sense, you could say that maybe it's–you're hiding it a little bit. Or it's just you're just not announcing it. So I finally announced it to the world. I finally experienced antisemitism for the first time in a way that I really internalized and personalized and I was really embraced by the Jewish community and it was really wonderful in that way. Dov Wilker: Two things --one is, AJC has a campaign that we created called Jewish and Proud. And it's something that we've been sort of pursuing as a result of the rise of antisemitism in our society. So I couldn't agree with you more. I think that that's so important. It's why, in fact, one of the reasons that I wear my kippa— one of the reasons is that I've got a hair problem in the back. But the second reason is that I feel it's an important identifier, because I'm very proud to be Jewish. And I want people to be able to know that. But I'm one of the things you just said was that, it's when you started to experience antisemitism, really publicly. So could you share a little bit about that? What was that like, or what type of experiences you might have had? Ryan Lavarnway: Yeah, so there was a couple of experiences that were more subtle. And it was more of people questioning, like, Oh, I didn't realize you were Jewish, or like, I didn't know that about you. And I felt like, I felt like they felt permission to express their questioning, or they felt like they had the right to have an opinion. Which ultimately, what's the difference? I'm the same exact person you've known for years. And now you think you have a different opinion about me.  And just the fact that they even made a face or had a slight different tone when they talked to me. It made me feel like well, why? Why did something change? Why did anything have to change?  There were more obvious experiences. Baseball is a very Christian sport, at least on the professional level. I think that we have 12 Jewish major leaguers this year, and that's a record. Out of 780  players in the major leagues, 12 are Jewish, so it's very much a minority. So every Sunday, a chaplain comes in and holds baseball chapel, in the dugout or in the clubhouse, for both teams, and they do it in English and in Spanish. So it's a really established institution within baseball. And it's great for those players. But it's not my thing. And I kind of established, ‘that's not my thing,' was my go to response when I was invited, because they tried to include everybody. And one time I remember I was in Gwinnett, Georgia, the AAA team for the Braves. Dov Wilker: Yeah. So it's up the street from where I live right now. Ryan Lavarnway: Yeah. And I was invited to baseball chapel. And I said, Well, it's not my thing. And the chaplain really pushed back,  like, why wouldn't you go? And I was like, Well, I'm Jewish. So you know, I don't need to go to baseball chapel. We have our own thing on the weekend. And, he said, Well, I've dealt with heathens like you before. And I don't remember what happened with the rest of the conversation.  But it left me feeling really awful, that he would call me that. And I honestly didn't even know what heathen meant. So I went and I looked it up in the dictionary on my phone. And I think technically, by the definition, heathen just means non-believer. But the way he said it made me feel like he was talking down to me, like I was less than and, for a supposed man of God, I didn't think that was very ethical, or I didn't really like the way he handled it.  So small experiences like that. And then there was one other time I was in AAA, I don't remember what team I was with. But one of my teammates in the outfield was expressing some other backwards opinions about some other groups that he thought maybe I might relate to—which I didn't. And he also went on to add –also, if we're going to be friends, I'm gonna have to tell you, you're wrong at some point. Because you don't believe in Jesus Christ. And I was like, okay, guy, well, then we're just not going to be friends after this.  So there have been experiences, some of them have been more subtle, some of them have been more obvious. In my experiences, I feel like antisemitism falls into two major categories. It's either ignorance, or it comes from hate. And I approach them in two separate ways. I think if it stems from ignorance, I try to educate them. It shouldn't have to be my job and anybody that is a Jewish person, it shouldn't have to be your job either. But if we don't do it, who will? And I think it goes the same way with anybody that is the receptor of any sort of ignorant hate, you know, whether it's black people, or gay people, anybody that experiences that, it shouldn't have to be your job to educate people. But again, if you don't, who will? So when someone makes a joke that might be hurtful or someone comes from a place of not understanding why it might be hurtful, I try to educate them, like this is where the history of that joke or the history of that ignorance comes from.  And then in general people, they don't want to be ignorant and they don't want to be hurtful. So most of the time they back off. The other time is when it comes from hate. And I don't know if you can necessarily change people's hearts. I take one of my cues from Hank Greenberg, who was one of the more famous baseball players in history. He was a big, strong, intimidating person, he would stand up to it. And he took the approach, at least from the stories that I've heard, of, you deal with a bully, you stand up to them, and you maybe intimidate them back, and then they'll back down. And I think that's one way or the other way is, if it stems from a place of hate so much that you're in danger, then that's when you kind of try to avoid it, or you reach out to authorities in some regard.  Dov Wilker: Ryan, I appreciate you sharing that. Unfortunately, for me, it's not surprising to hear what you shared. And I'm sure for many in our audience, they wouldn't have expected it. And yet, it also might not be a surprise. It's also one of the reasons AJC created a tool. It's an online glossary called Translate Hate, for those experiences to be able to explain to people what the root of the antisemitism that they might be sharing comes from. I absolutely agree with you about the two types of antisemitism that you've experienced. I'm curious if you ever, did you ever talk to the other 11 Jewish players in the majors about their experiences? Or that you sort of just assume that they had similar ones? And did you ever experience it from the fans? Ryan Lavarnway: No, in general, a lot of most of the fans have been really supportive, or don't bring it up at all. So fan wise, it's been really, really positive. And as far as talking to other players about it, when we're with Team Israel is when I interact with the other Jewish players the most. And we're really just enjoying the experience and really positive. So any experience I speak of is really personal. And you'd have to kind of talk to them about theirs. Dov Wilker: Yeah, no, I appreciate that. So let's talk a little bit more about what it was like to represent Team Israel. What was it like? I mean, here you are, you've sort of done very cool things in the majors, you got to be a part of this team, this unique gathering of the diaspora Jews essentially to represent the Jewish homeland. Here we are again, on Yom Ha'atzmaut, Independence Day, talking about that. Was the team received well by the other countries in the World Baseball Classic? These are other ballplayers that, you know or were you sort of shunned aside a little bit? Ryan Lavarnway: So the first thing is, when I first started to play for Team Israel, I can be totally honest about this. I signed up because it was a great baseball opportunity. Playing in the World Baseball Classic was, I had never played international baseball before. So it seemed like a cool thing to do. And it would add to my baseball resume. Representing a people, a culture, and a country, it didn't even enter my mind. I didn't know what it would mean to me. So I signed up for a baseball opportunity. We played in Brooklyn in a qualifier.  And it started to hit me when I stepped on the field with Israel across my chest. And we stepped onto the line for the national anthems before the game. And we took off our hats and we put on kippas. And it was the first time that a sports team had ever done that, or at least a baseball team had ever done that. It was really interesting. And I looked into the stands and there was–Brooklyn's a home game for for Israel, right, there was a bunch of Jews in Brooklyn, and there was a few yeshiva schools with kids with the tallit and the kippa. And it hit me that these kids have never had a team like this, where they can relate to every player on the field.  And everything that I know about representation and how the more things you can relate to in leaders, or the more things you can relate to in role models, the more meaningful and impactful it will be for you as a young person. It really hit me that I wanted to be the person for them. I wanted to be their role model. And then it hit me again when we got to Israel, because after we qualified for the tournament, they brought us to Israel and filmed a documentary about it. They did a great job. I don't get five cents if you download it on Amazon but check it out because they did a great job.  Going to Israel really, really it hit home for me. We got to Israel and we had a practice on the only field in the country. And I have this sense of meaning that's growing and my heart is expanding another size like the Grinch on Christmas, when his heart grows two sizes. And after our practice, we have a press conference with the Israeli media. And they let us have it. They were initially not excited to have us represent them. They pushed back really hard. Who are you to represent us? We don't even play baseball, you guys are outsiders. Who do you think you are? And we were all like, Oh, my God, like, we thought we would be at this press conference, and it was going to be a love fest where they were so happy that we made it into the tournament. And that was very much not the case.  So that gave us pause a little bit. But we also appreciated that they didn't just accept us because we were winners. They wanted us to prove it, like prove that you mean it and prove that you're gonna represent us well. So we went to Seoul, South Korea was the first round. And we started to win. And we counted out before we started, I don't know if you remember the article that ESPN posted. They called us the Jamaican bobsled team of baseball, has-beens, wannabes, never-weres, that perfectly fulfill the role of “team that has no business being there, and somehow found a way to win minus, they haven't won yet.” That was what the article said.  And that was maybe the best thing that ever happened to us because we got a very, very solid collective chip on our shoulders. And we had a lot of players that felt like maybe they had been overlooked in their careers or hadn't got the opportunity or hadn't performed to their potential. So we had a lot of players that already had a chip on their shoulder. And now as a group, we had one. So we went out there, and we started to win. And we beat Korea, and we beat Taiwan, and we beat the Netherlands. And everybody's now freaking out. We're a Cinderella story. And the other teams were great. The other teams, you know, you qualified for Israel, whatever.  We move on to Tokyo. And as we advance to the second round, now the Israeli media is like, we're so happy you're representing us. Thank you for being respectful and giving positive energy on the worldwide stage and for playing so great. And now we have this positive thing. So the Israel media finally embraced us, as we continued to send the message that we want it to grow the game within Israel, not just win, and not just say, wham bam, Thank you, ma'am, we're out of here. But we all had the intention to be around for a while.  And then we beat Cuba. And the Cuban media was pissed. And I think they were probably embarrassed that they lost. And that was the first time that another country's media had been like, well, you guys are all American. You guys are America. American's B-team. And that was the first time we really got pushed back. But realistically, nobody on Team Israel would have made America's B-team or America's C-team or America's D-team or E-team or F-team. Like us we were a collection of has-beens, never-weres and wannabes that qualified for Israel. And then most of that team from 2017 signed up for the Olympics and we established Israeli citizenship and went back to Israel a second time.  And every time that we've been to Israel, we make the commitment to grow the game we go, and we host clinics for the youth. Most of the prize money for the team has gone to building new fields or funding international tournament travel for the youth. And participation in baseball in Israel has doubled since the first time I wore an Israeli uniform. Dov Wilker: There's so much that was said. I'm so grateful that you shared all of that. Ryan Lavarnway: I have no idea if I answered your question.  Dov Wilker: I'm not even sure what my question was anymore. So it's the perfect answer. By being members of the Israeli team at the Olympics, did the Israeli Olympic Committee do anything to share about the massacre of the 72 Olympics? Was that at all a part of sort of, in general, was there sort of learning, teaching, touring that that Israel did, that the the institutions there to help you all sort of have a better understanding if you'd never been there before, sort of different challenges and things like that on the global scale?  Ryan Lavarnway: Yeah, there absolutely was. So we all had to go to Israel a second time to establish our citizenship, which I think was the right thing to do. You know, you can't just mail us a passport overnight, right? So we went to Israel again, we went to all the fields, we coached kids. We went to Independence Hall, we did all the things.  What we also did was we had to go to their athletic Institute to be put through a battery of testing. They wanted to make sure we were healthy, and that we weren't going to die on the field. And I don't know if you remember the old Gatorade commercials, where they had a tube hooked up to your mouth and the EKG machine, all the wires coming off and you're running on a treadmill. We did that.  And we're running on this treadmill. We're dripping sweat, we're panting. Our hearts are beating and we're all like, do you understand baseball? Like, we don't have to do this. But they put us through all the crazy testing. It was really awesome. And while we were at the Institute, we got to meet some of the Judo athletes, some of the windsurfer athletes and we went straight from there to the Israel Olympic Experience, which is like a museum for Olympics in Israel. It's not a very big museum. Dov Wilker: They've got some gold medals... Ryan Lavarnway: I believe, and don't quote me, because I'm not sure on the facts. But I believe they had 13 medals, before Tokyo and four gold, I want to say. Judo and windsurfing I believe, I might be wrong.  But going through that Olympic experience, it really gave us context for understanding the history of Israeli athletics. And the tragedy that happened in the 70s.  Dov Wilker: I'm glad to hear that. I'm curious: in Israel, what was it like for you the first time, the second time? Did your opinions change when you became an Israeli citizen? I'm not going to ask for your political analysis of the current situation there, I don't think that'd be fair. How has that experience changed for you and your family? You're married. Did anybody join you in Israel? Ryan Lavarnway: So the first time I went, my parents were nervous. Because if you watch the American news cycle, you would think that Israel feels like a dangerous place. And they were like, Are you sure you want to go, especially right now. So I went into it a little nervous. not knowing what to expect, and you land on the ground. And I was like, I've never felt more safe in my life. This place is beautiful. It's amazing. We spent, the first time I went, we spent four days in Tel Aviv first, beautiful city, right on the water, we stayed in this beautiful beachfront hotel. And then we went to Jerusalem, and going to Jerusalem. And this is going to be a pained metaphor, so please forgive me. But in the same way, the first time that I stepped into the old Yankee Stadium, or Wrigley or Fenway Park, you can just tell it's different.  You can just smell the significance in the air, you just know, like, I am among history, so many important things have happened here. And I get to experience this in the modern world. And it just feels, like your heart beats different, the air smells different. So going to Jerusalem was that for me, and especially getting to the Western Wall, I swear to God, I felt God for the first time. And it was just this transformational experience. I think I cried. I think they caught it on video for the documentary, which is cool for me to live through and get to see again, because that was a really, really meaningful moment in my life. But going there, for the first time, yeah, my wife came with me. This was before we had our daughter, years before we had our daughter. But it was really, really meaningful and transformational for me to go for the first time.  When I went back the second time, I got to experience it all again. You know, you don't have that transformational experience, because you've already changed as a person, and you're changed forever. So it was really cool to go back again. And then they handed me my passport. And I have this goatee so I kind of felt like Jason Bourne, where I have two passports now, like, which I am going to use. Except they both have the same name. It's very, very, very cool. Dov Wilker: So I'm gonna go for some rapid fire questions… Ryan Lavarnway: Oh wait, I have one more. I think it's a good answer. And I don't like to express my political opinions. But what I'd like to tell people is, if you either voted– in America, if you're an American citizen, you either voted for our current president, or you voted for the last president, you didn't vote for both. And either currently or four years ago, you were unhappy with the decisions that the government was making. I don't think that made you feel less proud to be an American.  And I would encourage you to use the same opinion, when you think of Israel. Whether you agree with what the current current government is doing or not, does not have to color your opinion of whether you agree with the concept of Israel. When I think of Israel, I believe in what Israel is about, and it being a safe haven for the Jewish people worldwide, whether I agree with what the current government is doing or not. And I think it's very easy to judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their actions. And that goes the same with a country that you personally identify with also, so I just wanted to throw that in there. Dov Wilker: I so appreciate you saying that. I was speaking to a group of high school students recently. And I shared with them that, you know, we're talking about the current situation, and I said, you know, Israel welcomed in Ukrainians as citizens, not as refugees. If you read Israel's Declaration of Independence, it refers to the survivors of the Holocaust and those who were expelled from other lands. And so the in-gathering of the safe haven for the Jewish people is so important for us to be able to continue to remember the role that Israel plays in our lives. We're, you know, we're fortunate to live in the United States today. But we see that people need Israel more and more depending on where they live, not everybody is as fortunate and there are many people who have moved to Israel because of the antisemitism that they themselves might have experienced here. So I think it's a really powerful statement for you to make and something that I hope, I'm guessing that if you shared it here, you share it with all of your audiences, but if not, I hope that that's something you continue to share with your audiences.  All right, well, it's no easy transition to my rapid fire, so I'm just gonna do it. Ryan Lavarnway: Just rip off the bandaid. Dov Wilker: There you go. Favorite Israeli snack? Ryan Lavarnway: Shawarma. Dov Wilker: Oh. Snack? You have a very different appetite than I do, my friend. Ryan Lavarnway: I have a very big appetite.  Dov Wilker: Favorite city in Israel? Ryan Lavarnway: Jerusalem.  Dov Wilker: Favorite baseball memory. Ryan Lavarnway: Two answers: World Series win, or my debut with Cincinnati.  Dov Wilker: Okay. Most challenging part of being a catcher. Ryan Lavarnway: Hitting in the ninth inning. Dov Wilker: You know, you talked about the small numbers, the mighty numbers of Jews in Major League Baseball today. Is there an association between the Jewish ballplayers in the major leagues and other professional sports? Is there any reason, maybe it's based on a city that you live in? Or it's sort of an overall, I know like, there's the Jewish Coaches Association, something like that? Is there anything like the Jewish professional ballplayers association, that gets you together, perhaps to be able to encourage others like you to play for the Israeli teams in other sports that they're professionals in. Ryan Lavarnway: Not that I've experienced yet, but that might be a cool idea to start. I'd be up for it. If you want to talk off of this broadcast. Dov Wilker: It's my new side project at work. Ted, thank you for the approval.  And I guess my final question for you, Ryan, is, we're here today, Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel's 75th birthday. What type of closing message do you have about the importance of Israel, you already talked about the safe haven for the Jewish people, but sort of the future of American Jewry. Any parting words of wisdom that you'd like to share? Ryan Lavarnway: My biggest thing is, participate, and be proud. And you need to be public, because the only way that we can get the benefit of the community and strengthen numbers is if we support each other, and we're aware of who each other are. I've received so much benefit in my life from embracing the community and stepping out into the public. And it's really changed my life. And it's changed how I view myself as a man. And it's changed the direction that I want to raise my family. And it's been such a positive change. And I've had such a positive embrace from the community. And I want others to experience that. And I never would have experienced it if I didn't go out of my way to participate in Team Israel. So I encourage anybody watching, go out, get involved, anything in your community, a team you can get involved in. It's been so positive for me, and I hope it can be so positive for you as well. Dov Wilker: Well, Ryan, on behalf of American Jewish Committee, thank you very much for joining us for this wonderful conversation.  

We kick off Season 7 (!) with a World Baseball Classic wrap-up, an Opening Day kick off, and an intro to our flocks of pitchers. The WBC left many happy results in its wake. Team Australia's Mitch Neunborn was signed by the Phils, Nicaraguan closer Duque Hebbert signed on site by the Tigers, and Team Israel built new ballfields. There were so many more eyeballs on the games, fans in the seats, and merch in the shopping carts than ever before. Closing out our Fantasy Boyfriend Baseball League recruitment, Pottymouth claims the Blue Jays as her pitching flock, with a focus on Alek Manoah. Patti takes the newly shiny Rangers, which allows her to reference rodeos *twice.* And we had to make our tough calls to narrow down this year's boyfriend group to fantasy team rosters. NCiB hero Kim Ng is appointed to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, and 13 women will take the field as uniformed coaches this season. MLB gets a sense of humor and uses noted rule-follower Tim Anderson and others to explain the rule changes for this season.We say “I throw a nice party and I gotta big screen,” “bouncing Czechs,” and “Alek Manoah may have gone shopping but so did the Rangers.” Get boosted, fight the man, send your game balls to Meredith, and find us on Twitter @ncibpodcast, on Facebook @nocryinginbball, Instagram @nocryinginbball and on the Interweb at nocryinginbball.com. Please take a moment to subscribe to the show, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to NCiB. Become a supporter at Patreon to help us keep doing what we do. Say goodnight, Pottymouth.

Filmmaker Jeremy Newberger joins the boys to talk about his new documentary “Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel”, details covering the World Baseball Classic and why he and his partners decided to follow the team, describes the fear of being in Israel during a terror attack and helps Shawn and Lou crack the code on what “Arrow”, “Lost” and “The Walking Dead” have in common. Episode originally aired February 9, 2018.

Yahoo! Sports writer and Hittin' Season host Liz Roscher is back and filling in for Lauren as we talk about everything that's happened in the WBC so far including the upsets and let downs, UK's jerseys and celebrations, appropriating Italian culture, Team Israel's twitter account being the biggest baby in the world, and all the cute stuff with the Czech and Japanese teams. Go to www.Patreon.com/BattingAround to hear upcoming bonus episodes on European baseball and a new Couching Around on Brockmire, and also to join us in watching the WBC final on the patrons-only section of our discord server.

Ty Kelly reflects on his career and talks about how important it is for him to play in the World Baseball Classic and Olympics for Team Israel as well as his time on the Mets and having a front row seat to a very memorable moment in Mets history. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jake and Jordan begin the episode by recapping Team USA's disastrous loss to Mexico in the WBC and provide context as to why this team might not be performing as well as everyone had expected. Then, they touch on some of the other teams that are making headlines, including Team Australia, who made it through to the quarter finals for the first time in their history, and Team Israel, who have started their WBC campaign strong.

Between Anthony Santander's huge home runs for Team Venezuela and Dean Kremer's dominant start for Team Israel, the Baltimore Orioles are taking over the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Host Connor Newcomb recaps the WBC action from the weekend and looks into all of the great Orioles performances.Then, Connor heads back to Sarasota for some updates on Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Gunnar Henderson, Keegan Akin, and plenty of others from Orioles Spring Training.Finally, Connor keeps you in the loop with the latest Orioles injury news on John Means, DL Hall, Félix Bautista, Nick Vespi, Dillon Tate, Ryan O'Hearn, and Terrin Vavra.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Ultimate Pro Baseball GMTo download the game just visit probaseballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you'll get 15% off your next order.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don't miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONMLB.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Between Anthony Santander's huge home runs for Team Venezuela and Dean Kremer's dominant start for Team Israel, the Baltimore Orioles are taking over the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Host Connor Newcomb recaps the WBC action from the weekend and looks into all of the great Orioles performances. Then, Connor heads back to Sarasota for some updates on Kyle Bradish, Grayson Rodriguez, Gunnar Henderson, Keegan Akin, and plenty of others from Orioles Spring Training. Finally, Connor keeps you in the loop with the latest Orioles injury news on John Means, DL Hall, Félix Bautista, Nick Vespi, Dillon Tate, Ryan O'Hearn, and Terrin Vavra. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Ultimate Pro Baseball GM To download the game just visit probaseballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you'll get 15% off your next order. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don't miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. LinkedIn LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONMLB. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Friday on #FT Live with the biggest celeb in WBC Team USA history! Adam Jones is hosting this episode with Braun and Kratz featuring untold stories on his WBC championship experience in 2017 and a breakdown of this year's USA club. Guardians All-Star Andres Gimenez checks in from Miami with thoughts on his big name Team Venezuela squad that isn't getting talked enough about. Molly Knight from The Long Game is weighing in on her latest article about the lack of starpower on the USA pitching staff. Garrett Stubbs steals the show with an incredible unfiltered story on Bryce Harper's iconic playoff moment and an entertaining scouting report on the Team Israel roster that he's a part of. Cheers to the weekend you beautiful people and thanks for joining this ride early! Watch the whole show or little clips on youtube.com/@foulterritoryshow and hit us on socials with your questions for Jones, Pierzynski, Frazier, Kratz, Rosenthal and Braun. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/foulterritory/message Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sedano & Kap start off the show with some Crosstalk with Ireland & Momo. The guys talk about the World Baseball Classic; Kap and Momo talk about Team Israel and Girl Scout cookies. Beto stops by to rip Kappy for ditching their Clippers game plans when he got front row floor seats. Plus Kappy goes off on a tangent about AD only being able to play this well because LeBron is out. The guys react to Stephen A saying 'If AD keeps playing like this, with LeBron healthy, who can't the Lakers beat?' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2023 World Baseball Classic promises to be riveting. Team USA is stacked with talent, and the San Francisco Giants will scrimmage against them in a televised game tonight. Logan Webb was supposed to be on Team USA but withdrew, but that doesn't mean SF Giants fans have nothing to look forward to in this year's installment of the WBC.After catching the Giants vs. Team USA game tonight, Giants fans can check out another of other teams to find past and present players and coaches. The Netherlands team, which won its first game last night, features Hensley Muelens as its manager, Chadwick Tromp as its catcher, and Franklin Van Gurp as one of its relievers.Camilo Doval is on an absolutely stacked Dominican team, and Joc Pederson will suit up for Team Israel. Former Giant Alex Dickerson is also on that team with Joc. Mark DeRosa will manage Team USA, and there are several other SF Giants farmhands littered throughout the tournament. It's going to be a fun two weeks with daily games.Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The 2023 World Baseball Classic promises to be riveting. Team USA is stacked with talent, and the San Francisco Giants will scrimmage against them in a televised game tonight. Logan Webb was supposed to be on Team USA but withdrew, but that doesn't mean SF Giants fans have nothing to look forward to in this year's installment of the WBC. After catching the Giants vs. Team USA game tonight, Giants fans can check out another of other teams to find past and present players and coaches. The Netherlands team, which won its first game last night, features Hensley Muelens as its manager, Chadwick Tromp as its catcher, and Franklin Van Gurp as one of its relievers. Camilo Doval is on an absolutely stacked Dominican team, and Joc Pederson will suit up for Team Israel. Former Giant Alex Dickerson is also on that team with Joc. Mark DeRosa will manage Team USA, and there are several other SF Giants farmhands littered throughout the tournament. It's going to be a fun two weeks with daily games. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Matt Mervis 1st Baseman with the Chicago Cubs joins the podcast to talk about his development as a hitter. Coming off his 2022 season, where he hit 36 home runs across 3 levels of the minor leagues, he dives into what the main adjustments were that allowed him to have so much success. He also talks about the pitch clock and how it changes the game, as well as the opportunity he has to play for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic. Make sure to like, share, and subscribe to the podcast!  Super excited to announce that the Backside Groundballs Podcast is officially partners with Seat Geak! For any of you live events us our code BACKSIDEGROUNDBALL for $20 off your order! Promo Code: BACKSIDEGROUNBALL

Jay is getting back to work this year at the World Baseball Classic and working press for Team Israel, before getting to Miami Ian Kinsler joins the show to talk about his experience playing for Team Israel, getting to actually visit Israel and his incredible career. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben Verlander welcomes 4x All-Star, World Series champion, 2x Gold Glover, Ian Kinsler to the show. Kinsler talks about his MLB debut, his time with the Texas Rangers and what it was like being a teammate of Adrián Beltré. Kinsler also discusses the trade that sent him to the Detroit Tigers for Prince Fielder, his time with the Red Sox and the toughest pitcher he ever faced during his time in the MLB. Ben and Ian also talk about the World Baseball Classic coming up where Kinsler will be the manager for Team Israel. They talk about his bat company, Warstic, that Kinsler started with rockstar Jack White and so much MORE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan talks to professional baseball catcher Ryan Lavarnway about his experience being the only professional baseball player with a philosophy degree from Yale, the intersection of sports and philosophy, the ups and downs of being a professional athlete, and more.Ryan Lavarnway is the current Detroit Tigers' Triple A Toledo Mud Hens catcher and 2013 World Series Champion. He has held many valuable experiences, both in and out of the baseball field. A Yale University graduate, Ryan was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2008 where he won a World Series in 2013. Since making his MLB debut in 2011, Ryan has played in 10 MLB seasons for eight different teams. He also first played for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic and was named Pool A MVP and rejoined the team for the 2020 Olympics.