Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 26 February 1971 — Page 16

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THE JEWISH POST AND OPINION ; . ;

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CrTcfctjfr February 26* 1971

Sports Post isws Antedate Olympics By GEORGE VASS The time is quickly wheeling around again for the Olympic Games, now little more than a year away. And the names of those hoping to compete are beginning to be enrolled in the sports pages of the newspapers. I -4^"' As always, a modest proportion of the athletes will be Jews. More than a modest I proportion really, for a nation largely Jewish : V will have- its representatives in the 1972 games, something only to be dreamed of when the first modern Games took place in 1896. FOR THIS LARGELY Jewish nation of Israel and for the Jews who will represent other nations around the world, the 1972 Vass games will in a sense be again proof of the endurance of a faith whose origins antedate the birth of the ancient games in 776 B.C.E. It cannot be otherwise for the Olympics will be held in 1972 hi Munich, Germany, and there are many yet alive who can recall the bitterness of the last Games held in that country. The year 1936, the site Berlin, the host Adolf Hitler. In that bygone day an American Olympic official, in an effort to placate German anti-Semitism, was able to remark, “There never was a prominent Jewish athlete in history/’ It is needless to read off the list of great Jewish athletes to refute those ill-ad-vised words. There will be enough competing in the 1972 games to make the point. THE UNITED STATES, of course, will have its share of Jewish athletes. And more than one coach, among them Abe Grossfeld, an extraordinary gymnast of a few years ago. Grossfeld, Southern Connecticut State College coach, will coach the U.S. men’s gymnastics team. His qualifications are superb. His Southern Connecticut teams are among the finest in the nation and he also coached a U.S. team to a world championship in 1966. Among the dozens — perhaps hundreds — of Jews who will compete directly in the games one Hanna Shezifi hopes to be enrolled; Her chances are excellent, although at 27 she is a bit on the ripe side as a woman athlete. She is one of Israel’s really great athletes. RECENTLY SHE WON two gold medals at the sixth Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, easily taking the 800 and 1,500 meter runs. She was voted the outstanding woman athlete at Bangkok by the Asian Track and Field Federation, not that she Was satisfied with her performances. ‘T could certainly have managed better times if I had Stronger competition,’ she said, after running the 800-meter in 2:06.5 and the 1,500-meter in 4:25.1. Hanna, bom in Iraq, turned to track with Petach Tikva Hapoel when she was 16. She was a record-setter from the start and made fine showings in the 1966 Asian Games at Bangkok and the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. In fact, the way women athletes up to 32 years of age performed at Mexico City encouraged her to persevere. After all if others did so well in their early thirties, it “gives me at least another five years.” EVEN THE BIRTH of a daughter a little more than a year ago failed to slow her down very long. She was back on the track three weeks after daughter Sharown was bom and back in competition three-and-a-half months later. “This is somewhat earlier than usual,” she admitted, but

Ousted Rabbi Deluged With Calls And Offers NEW YORK — Rabbi Philip congregational meeting was to weld the kind of congregation Schechter, who was ousted (P- dose, 144 to 135. he felt was needed to meet the O, Feb. 12) from his position Asked if he would accept file present condition of the Jev^ as spiritual leader of Shaaray pulpit again if it were offered and only under such conditions Tefila Congregation (Reform) to him, he said yes on condition would he return, here, told The POST and OPIN- that he be allowed to “be my- He said he has received one ION that he has been flooded self.” He said he felt stronger offer from a congregation to fill with calls ai.d letters with offers now that the drawn-out con- its pulpit, but asked The P-0 to join any new congregation frontation was apparently over, to withhold its name, he might form. and he was “liberated.” He He indicated that if a new The vote against him at the indicated that he would feel free congregation were to be formed

around him, he would want it

added, “I feel in better condition now than when I was 20.”

The reason for her fine condition is the training program as P° sslWe *

laid down by husband Ilan, 27, Haifa Hapoel track coach. Han has set up a rigorous schedule of training that Hanna admits

has become a’necessary part of her routine.

Even going beyond the Olympics, in which she has an odd chance of picking up a medal in Munich, Hanna isn’t contemplat-

ing retirement.

“I HAVE NEVER felt fitter and hope to carry on for quite a while yet,” she said. The chief problem facing her is’ to get in enough competition before the Olympics in August 1972 to cut down her time in the 1,500 meter. That event she sees as her best chance for a medal. Her 4:25.1 at Bangkok was run on a muddy track. She needs to chop 12 or 13 seconds off this to be a major factor at Munich. It can be done, is her motto. And to do it in Munich! . . .think

of that.

to be as structureless and open

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