As the Olympics wind down, several friends and colleagues have noted the remarkable moments, not the least of which is the following (words of Rabbi Michael Simon, of Boynton Beach..):
Two weeks ago, probably nobody outside of the gymnastics world ever heard of Alexandra Raisman. Today, or course, she is a household name.
On Wednesday, her picture was on the front page of the New York Post along with the headline “Star of David.”
Want to know why?
Not because she won two Gold medals and one bronze medal. But, well, here’s what the article said:
“It wasn’t a gloved-fist salute from the medal stand, but Jewish-American gymnast Aly Raisman made quite a statement yesterday by winning a gold medal and invoking the memory of the Israeli athletes killed 40 years ago in Munich.
Raisman finished first in the women’s floor exercise, but she deserves to have another medal draped around her neck for having the chutzpah to face the world and do what needed to be done and say what needed to be said.
At the same Olympic Games where bigoted organizers stubbornly refuse to honor the slain athletes with a moment of silence, 18-year-old Raisman loudly shocked observers first by winning, then by paying her own tribute to 11 sportsmen who died long before she was born.
And if that wan’t enough, she won her event with the Hebrew folk song “Hava Nagila” playing in the background.”
“Having that floor music wasn’t intentional, but the fact it was on the 40th anniversary is special, and winning the gold today means a lot to me.”
“I am Jewish, that’s why I wanted that floor music,’’ Raisman said.
“If there had been a moment’s silence, “I would have supported it and respected it.”
Brava, Aly. And a tip of the kippah to all the participants who’ve shown such menschlichkeit during these Olympics.