From Be'er Sheva to Maine, via Amsterdam and New Jersey • In honor of the eve of the holiday, "Israel Today" with the stories of four basketball players who traveled overseas in order to fulfill their dream of parquet
"I have always admired Lemond's work ethic"
Noam Hasson Apollo Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Identity card:
22 years old, 1.92 m, guard-forward.
Grew up in the youth department of AS Ramat Hasharon.
As a teenager he moved to Hapoel Tel Aviv and also played a few games in the seniors and one year in Elitzur Yavneh. Holds Dutch citizenship, and in the summer of 2019 signed with a team from the first league in the country after consulting with professionals like Afik Nissim and Danny Franco.
Basketball on the corona side.
"They started vaccinating here recently with some local vaccine (Noam came to get vaccinated in Israel, YM), but not at the same rate as in Israel.
All season we play without an audience and the players go through two tests a week.
"Those who are registered in the squad should not go on the field with a mask, but the professional team, the medical team and players who are not registered must wear a mask."
Experiencing hostility because you are Israeli?
"No, not at all. On the contrary. At first I was very careful and afraid to say I was from Israel because I did not know how they would receive it, but they love us here and were enthusiastic. I got to know people from Syria and other countries in the region and I did not feel any hostility."
Who is the role model?
"When I was at Hapoel, I kept looking at Raviv Lemond. I appreciated and admired his work ethic. In everything he gave his soul. As a teenager he was a magnet to see how he treated the profession."
Do you miss Israel?
"Certainly. Luckily I have a family both in Amsterdam and in Israel that it helps, but there is nothing like the guys in the country and the feeling of home. I make sure once in a while to return to the country, meet friends and enjoy the weather because in the Netherlands it is only winter all the time."
The big dream?
"First of all, to be happy and have friends and family healthy. In basketball, I want to keep exhausting myself and feeling like I'm getting better all the time and getting as far as possible."
"Want to represent the country in the WNBA"
Generation Ser University of Maine, Northeastern United States
Identity card:
21 years old, 1.65 m, plays in the position of coordinator.
She was born in Pardes Hanna and grew up in Kibbutz Ma'anit.
She played in the girls' department of the Jezreel Valley and spent one year at the Wingate Academy before leaving for the United States in 2017. Her grandfather, Uri Saar, was the big star of Hapoel Beit Alfa in the National League (then the Premier League) in the 1950s and 1960s. Outstanding of the conference, and the season broke the all-time threesome record at the university.
Basketball in the shadow of the corona.
"All year we trained with masks. In games on the field you don't need a mask, but on the bench and the coaches are all with masks."
Who is the role model?
"There are two I'm looking in their direction. I've been looking at Steph Kerry for more than ten years, even before he broke out and became the star he is today. I connect to his style of play and excellent shooting from a dribble. And there's another actress named Crystal Degenerfield from Minnesota Links, an excellent coordinator at my height , Who was almost selected as the rookie of the season in the WNBA. "
What is it like to celebrate Passover and other holidays away from the family?
"Sometimes I got to do it alone, sometimes I got to share my non-Jewish friendships, and they really liked our customs. Sometimes I go to the Jewish community in the city, and a few times the Israeli professors who work at our university also hosted me and it was very nice."
Do you sometimes miss Israel?
"Certainly, usually towards the end of the year, after basketball is over and only a month or two of school remains, the longings are rising. I am already really looking forward to returning and believe that I will be coming to Israel soon."
What's the big dream?
"Leverage the potential. I want to play in the Eurocup and the Euroleague, and I believe I will be able to reach the WNBA as well and represent Israel there."
"The dream? To play for the national team one day"
Or Sandjibsky Covenant College Prep, New Jersey
Identity card:
19 years old, 1.95 m, guard.
Born in Kibbutz Gat and played in the youth department of Maccabi Kiryat Gat before moving to the youth of Maccabi Rishon LeZion, where he played with Noam Dovrat and Tal Peled. About four years ago the family moved to New Jersey due to his father's work. From 2017 he plays in the pre-college league In New Jersey and last season his team finished third in the table.This season he scored the most threes per game in school history (7), and is now looking for a college for next season through the UVISION agency helping players find suitable colleges.
Basketball in the shadow of the corona.
"The situation here is bad. We play with masks the whole game, both the referees and the coaches. The training with masks is also difficult, but we got used to it. We start giving the vaccines now, so things start to open up."
Tell something funny that happened to you when you arrived.
"It's always funny that I come to a new team and see the faces of all the players and coaches when I say they call me Or, they don't understand the meaning of the name."
An experience of antisemitism?
"Nothing. I live in a Jewish town (Pierre-Lon, YM) with three synagogues.
At school we have a lot of Jews, Israelis, blacks, Mexicans.
I have never felt a sense of hostility.
"In our group, I am the only Jew, there are more Italians and ten blacks, and on Holocaust Day everyone wanted to see a film about the Holocaust to understand what it was like."
Who is the role model?
"I keep following Danny Abdia, because he's Israel's face and does amazing things. I's a scorer so I'm sick of Steph Kerry and Clay Thompson, and I also really like Luca Doncic."
What's your big dream?
"To play in college in Division 1 and represent the Israeli team in the future. If he manages to go to the NBA, and if not then play in Israel. I want to make enough money in life so that my family does not have to worry about anything. I want to arrange everything for them."
"I grew up at home with a Jewish identity and a connection to Israel"
Ben Eisenhart Hapoel Beer Sheva
Identity card:
30 years old, 2.08 m, Forward Center.
Born into a Jewish family in California and at a young age he moved to an island near Seattle.
In 2014 he made aliyah to Israel and played one season at Elitzur Yavne, then played for a short time at Maccabi Ashdod before moving to Hapoel B'Shlosha, where he has been playing for a fifth season. His friend for the past three and a half years is Sofia Ben Giora, who works as a lawyer in Tel Aviv.
What connects you so much to Israel?
"My mother has a brother who moved here immediately after high school, and when I was a child we had a letterbox for my father who was on a long trip to Israel. This is something I grew up with, because it was important for my parents to grow up with a Jewish identity and connection to Israel. I wanted to spend some time here. I dreamed I would be here for seven years. "
Why is it still difficult for you to get used to the country?
"In the US most people do not stare at you at all because you are tall.
There may be some, but they too are trying to hide.
In Israel, people in shock and honesty start talking to me about how tall I am.
It's something I still have a hard time getting used to. "
What do you think about the Citizenship Law?
"I understand the urgency of developing Israeli players, but this specific step is not sure to help and achieve what it is supposed to. There are many other steps that can be taken to develop young people. I understand that the goal is to promote Israelis and I fully understand that Israeli children come to the Euroleague. "I want it too, but there are many other things that can be done. At the same time, we need to think about how to encourage citizens to stay in Israel for more than one or two seasons, because the country is a place that Jews are supposed to go to and stay for at least some time."
Do you have another dream come true?
"Hapoel B'Shlosha is an amazing project and I am happy to be a part of it.
The fact that Be'er Sheva has reached the level of the Premier League is wonderful, and I hope that we will reach the next stage together - to play in Europe.
I would love to be a part of that. "
