I am not the world’s biggest boxing fan, which is my way of saying that two grown men pummeling each other seems to me like a criminal act, not a sport. Still, I make exceptions now and again, and I do have a favorite Orthodox Jewish boxer: Yuri Foreman. Foreman is an Israeli who happens to be the current World Boxing Association super welterweight champion. (My favorite Conservative Jewish boxer? My late great-uncle George, never more than 5’4” or so, famous in the family for his brief amateur boxing days. At least I think he was Conservative. Anyway, back to Yuri…).
Despite the increasing prevalence of Sabbath-observant Jews in public life, I still get a thrill when I hear of someone like Foreman sticking to his beliefs and making the necessary arrangements to live his faith fully and unapologetically and thrive in the world, however brutal his professional path may be.
Shabbat shalom, Yuri. And when you’re done having a peaceful Sabbath, go out and kick some butt.