Marvelous Mensch

Andrew Ruben

Orlando
Jewish Pavilion

As the High Holiday season is here, there is much speculation whether or not professional Jewish athletes like Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox will play or sit out on Yom Kippur, following the path of All-Stars like Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg. Rabbi David Kay of Ohev Shalom, and a lifetime baseball fan, states, " A definitive memory for every young sports fan (of my era) was when Sandy Koufax sat out (on Yom Kippur). He was not particularly observant, but felt the public eye was on him, and if he pitched that day, it would reflect on the Jews." But what about the young athletes in the Jewish community, will they play or pray this Yom Kippur? As they are not public figures, it becomes much more of a personal decision. While it can be difficult to choose which "team" to side with when a Jewish holiday collides with a sporting event, meet a young athlete who made the "major league" decision to sit out on Yom Kippur, and pray with their "home team".

Andrew Ruben, 13, shortstop and pitcher for the Marlins of the West Seminole Baseball League in Altamonte Springs, will join the ranks of his MLB heroes, and sit out this Yom Kippur. After seeing the documentary film, Jews in Baseball during the Jewish Film Festival at the Enzian Theater in Maitland, devouring countless baseball books, and collecting Jewish Major Leaguer cards, Ruben plans to walk in the footsteps of the Jewish MVP's. Like Rabbi Kay, a generation later, he too was struck by Sandy Koufax's famous choice not to pitch. Andy states, "Sandy Koufax was the league's best pitcher in the league's best pitching era in baseball history. If Sandy Koufax had the conviction to sit out of the first game of the World Series, I can certainly miss one game. Sandy is remembered best for what he didn't do, and he set the standard."

Rabbi Kay finishes his baseball recollections with a well-known anecdote. Rabbi Kay adds, "The same day Sandy Koufax sat out, Hall-of-Famer Don Drysdale pitched in his place, and was badly beaten. Later, Drysdale approached his manager and said , "I bet right now you wish I was Jewish, too."