Men's Club : : President's Message

There will not be a Breakfast Club event in September or the immediate future. We look forward to its return.

STORYTIME – Volume Three (As a reminder, these are true (or semi-true) tales about people you probably know.)

Many Temple Judea members, both male and female, actively participated in athletics during their youth. A handful had some level of talent. To the best of my knowledge, only one was gifted enough to become a professional and earn a living (a very nice one I may add) from performing the sport he loved.

This is the story of Sam, Sam, the superman.

Sam began playing ice hockey at a very early age, after all it is his country’s national sport. He played in very harsh conditions, on frozen ponds and lakes during the brutal Canadian winters. While not physically imposing, Sam was fast and tough … really, really tough. By his teen years, word of his talent spread beyond his community and he was invited to join a highly regarded amateur team. Under the tutelage of superb coaching, Sam’s talents blossomed.

Sam was invited to tryouts for the Canadian National Team. He made the team on his first attempt which was quite a surprise. What was not a surprise was the fact that Sam was the only Jewish player on the team. Fulfilling its destiny, and extending its decades-old streak, Sam’s Canadian team won the Olympic gold medal.

It was now time for Sam to cash in on his talent. At the top of the sports pyramid were two professional hockey leagues, the American and the National (just like in baseball, basketball and subsequently football). After a heated bidding war, Sam signed a professional contract with the American League and played before thousands in the most prestigious arenas in North America including Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Sam is a true mensch. He and his friends funded the first hockey arena in Israel. If you want to learn how to ice skate give Sam a call, but beware – his natural instincts may take over and you may be slammed into the boards surrounding the ice rink.

Arnold Miller for Marvin Mandel, President