Jewnity Basketball recently hosted its inaugural All-Star Day Weekend, adding an extra layer of excitement with the presence of former professional basketball player and coach, Daniel Tamir.
The weekend commenced with a unique "Matzah Ball Slam Dunk Shabbos" for students. The Friday Night Dinner, in collaboration with Chabad @ York University, featured Daniel sharing insights into his Teshuva process and the spiritual aspects of sports.
Sunday kicked off with an insightful networking panel hosted by Edward Kholodenko, CEO of Questrade, and Daniel Tamir, exploring the theme of Jewish Pride. A special touch was added with a tefillin stand, where many, including first-timers, chose to participate.
The day continued with a mastery workshop for Jewnity Jr. players, led by Daniel Tamir. The program made training exercises enjoyable for the nearly 30 children in attendance, and prizes were awarded to participants.
The main event unfolded at the David Ann Athletic Centre, bringing together over 150 people, including players, fans, and families, for an evening of unity and skill.
Let's now acknowledge the champions of the various competitions:
In the Grit Performance Knockout, amidst fierce competition, Alex Morris emerged victorious.
Moving on to the Heritage Home Design Free-Throw Challenge, Andrew Mishiyev displayed exceptional accuracy and clinched the title.
A special mention goes again to Alex Morris for an outstanding performance in the Shalom Rosenzweig Half Court Contest.
In the Lang Lawyers Dunk Contest, no surprise, again Alex Morris showcased remarkable creativity and skill, securing the top spot. Michael Chobo, Eden Tepper and Yuval Chen has impressive dunks as well, and judges had a hard time choosing a winner.
For the Olive Branch 3pt Contest, Yoel Navon demonstrated impeccable sharpshooting skills from beyond the arc.
Lastly, in the Zahlco Skills Challenge, no one was quicker and more accurate than Ryan Neiman, who displayed mastery of various basketball skills on the court.
Following the competitions, the most anticipated part of the All-Star weekend unfolded: a full-fledged game of the top stars of Jewnity basketball.
The Hat Rockers, led by Captain Mathew Shmorgun from the Matzah Ballers, faced off against the Kippah Clippers, led by Captain Joseph Benalloun from the Macallan 36rs.
In a thrilling finish, the Hat Rockers emerged victorious with a winning shot from Yair Ostritsky securing a tight 75-74 win to culminate the amazing day!
Watch the full game here:
The All-Star Weekend aimed to inspire participants to embrace their Jewish pride and utilize basketball as a vehicle for fostering unity within the community. We are pleased to report that we believe our objectives were successfully achieved.