Israel Update

First a note -- many thanks for those who expressed concern about the suicide bombing in Eilat. I'm fine and very very far away from Eilat.

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On a much much much lighter note ... Thanks for the recent surge in posts. I do appreciate it -- keep it up.

Also -- I've linked a couple of other links on the side of the page, check them out if you get the chance.
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I haven't really discussed how the teams are doing lately so I'd thought I'd provide a little update. As you may remember I play on two football teams and in both the season is winding down. Let's start with the HUC team:

What may be most remarkable about our season is that we are considered the best HUC team ever. Seriously, a handful of people in the league have told us that an HUC team has never been this good and it's fun to have us in the league ---- by the way our record is 4 - 6. We would be 5-5 which if it weren't for a last second touchdown by METV (Middle East TV) to win by 1 point. It's also considered a good season because we have defeated our rival Pardes twice. Pardes is a liberal yeshiva in Jerusalem that we have a rather good natured rivalry with. As luck may have it ... we actually play our first playoff game (everyone makes the playoffs) against Pardes tomorrow.

I've enjoyed the season. It's fun to play with members of my class and I get to run around and play a lot. However, to say that it's not frustrating at times would be an outright lie. At least once a game a pass will bounce off of somebody's chest, hands or shoulders and be caught for an interception. Twice it's happened on the first play of the game. Most people have no idea how to run a route and there are only two players on the team that can catch a ball thrown over 10 yards. On the whole, most of my classmates have gotten a lot lot better.

Men's league:

Come to a men's league game and you are in for a scene. Have you ever thought you'd hear the following during a football game? "Chaim get back in the Huddle." "Moshe you're in for Akiva at cornerback next series." It's the one night a week that a lot of the Yeshiva boys get to let out all of their aggression -- my team is without a doubt one of the most reserved in the league

However, at this point the league is actually pretty good and there are a lot of talented teams. We made the playoffs, (16 out of 58 teams make the playoffs) and won our first game in the playoffs 33 - 7. I play in a rotation at Tight End, usually substituting as a receiving Tight End with another guy as blocking Tight End -- I also come in at D-Line occasionally and depending on the score will line up in other positions on the field.

One of the unique things about our team is that we are actually sponsored by some guy named Karelitz who also happens to be the chief lawyer of the New England Patriots. (Robert Kraft - is one of the league sponsors and built the field that we play on). He (Karelitz) visited not too long ago and has three superbowl rings -- last year he brought Tom Brady to one of the games. He told our coach (and I'm not making this up) that'd since the Patriots have been eliminated that if we make the "Holyland Bowl" he'd fly out for the game. Our quarterfinal game is this Saturday.

Also, in theory, upon my return to the United States, anyone on my team gets a ticket to a Patriots game at Gillette stadium, so that's nice.

Will keep you posted, if you so desire on the status of our games.