The Healing And Holy Power Of Sports

We celebrate and congratulate even the most minor of achievements – a walk, a bunt, a double play, or some good hustle – and we’ll support each other with “You’ll get ‘em next time!” for any and all mistakes and effort. On Sundays, while we wear our gloves and hats and hold a softball in our hands, we don’t care about or discuss politics or world events. And after the game, if we do go there, for whatever reason, we still do so as teammates, respectfully. I may be more inclined to listen to my first-baseman and their center-fielder, and see their point of view because I see them as more than a representative of a political position.

When the Raptors went on their championship run last spring, while I celebrated from Israel, I was captivated by the team’s unifying effect on all of Canada. Strangers on the streets became best friends. A person wearing a Raptors jersey got an automatic fist-bump or a respectful and knowing tip of the cap. I remember many games when celebrations included high-fiving complete strangers. On occasion, when I go to Jerusalem, I wear my Leafs jersey, knowing that I’ll make new friends while walking the streets of our eternal capital. Even if I meet a Habs fan (Heaven forfend!), our rivalry would at most be akin to that of Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai – in other words, respectful and “typically Canadian”. This is the unifying power of sports. It can potentially heal a nation, if only for a few hours a week. So, while we patiently wait and pray for a healthy tomorrow, you’ll find me, on Sunday evenings, in Petach Tikvah with the most accomplished and powerful baseball players of 2020.