Marc Zumoff: Looking Beyond the Bouncing Ball and Giving Back

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the Sept. 25, 2025, edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent:

Marc Zumoff
(Courtesy of Marc Zumoff)

Sports broadcasting is not merely about using your voice. It’s about how you use your voice — what you say, when you say it and how you say it. It is that innate understanding of how to use your voice that helped propel Marc Zumoff to the top of the sports broadcasting world.

For Zumoff, the longtime television voice of the Philadelphia 76ers, the dream of becoming a sports broadcaster began long before he became a household name.

Zumoff, who grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and has fond memories of coming home from Hebrew school and thumbing through his mother’s copy of Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, began “broadcasting” at a young age.

“My parents were hard workers. My mother was a homemaker; my father was a salesman. We didn’t have a lot of money. I didn’t get to go to a lot of camps, or Jewish camps, or down the shore or anything like that. So, I stayed home a lot, and a lot of my free time, especially my summers, were filled with amusing myself, and that included literally going outside and playing basketball by myself with a trash can or just pitching the ball against the garage. And I started to announce to myself, and that’s part of how I got started,” he said. “When I was outside in the sweltering heat, I would announce myself as a Phillies pitcher or a 76ers basketball player, and that’s kind of how the seeds were planted. And it all ended up being a career.”

As a youngster, Zumoff and his family went to Beth Chaim in Feasterville. He has memories of attending Hebrew school at the synagogue on weekends “from aleph through hey” and noted that he had his bar mitzvah there. “We weren’t all that religious, but it was important, especially to my mother, that I became a bar mitzvah,” he said.

Zumoff lives in Margate at the Jersey Shore, where he noted there is a high concentration of Jewish families and two Chabads — one in Margate and one in Ventnor — and several other synagogues.

“It’s a much different life than I experienced growing up in Northeast Philly or raising my family in the suburbs. … It makes for some long commutes, but I’m all good with it. It’s well worth it,” he said.

Much of Zumoff’s Jewish identity manifests itself through his Zionism, which has increased since the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, though that horrific day was certainly not the beginning of his pro-Israel journey.

“Even before that fateful day, I was starting to shift and become a little bit more conservative. I was brought up in a Democratic family, I had a lot of left-leaning views, and … I maintain a fair amount of that. But when it comes to Israel, I am an ardent supporter, and while I am open to compromise with whoever has an idea about how to settle things and move on and live side by side with the Palestinians, I don’t budge a quarter-inch when it comes to Israel, it’s right to be there, it’s need to survive and do whatever it can to survive,” he said.

A member of the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, there is no shortage of accolades for Zumoff, who was thrice voted Pennsylvania Sportscaster of the Year and won the Mid-Atlantic region’s Emmy Award for best play-by-play announcer 19 times.

In addition to his work with the Sixers, Zumoff has also done play-by-play for the Philadelphia Flyers and Philadelphia Union, and he was part of NBC’s coverage of the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, where he did play-by-play of the U.S. women’s basketball team.

Although the seeds of his future career were planted during Zumoff’s childhood while playing outdoors and “announcing himself,” his official entry into the world of broadcasting came a bit later.

“My father had a lot of different jobs, and because of that, when I told my mother I wanted to be a broadcaster, it did not go over well,” he said with a chuckle.

While working his way through school at a scrap iron and steel yard, Zumoff began sending out tapes to radio stations. Through Temple University he had done a lot of news, and he got a job as a news broadcaster at a radio station in Trenton, New Jersey. Reflecting on his experience, he recalled that they were off the air at least once or twice a day, the place was ramshackle and they were trying to sell the station. “It was just not a good place to work,” Zumoff said. “Plus, they were six weeks behind in my pay.” When he finally got his paycheck for $90, he said to himself, “Oh, my goodness, they’re paying me close to $100 to talk on the radio.’ That was it. I was going to make a career of it. … And by golly, somehow I did.”

In August 1994, Zumoff learned that he was getting the job he had dreamed about since his childhood: He was named the television voice of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Zumoff coined some memorable phrases during his time as a broadcaster: “Turning garbage into gold” (when a player scores a basket off an offensive rebound); “Hold on, we’re coming in for a landing” (when a close game is coming to a close); and “Locking all windows and doors” (when there is a strong defensive stop). Generating those trademark phrases (Zumoff actually did trademark “Turning garbage into gold,” which he first said spontaneously when the Sixers’ George Lynch grabbed an offensive rebound and put the ball back up and into the basket) came naturally to him.

“I became comfortable with the English language, alliterations, rhyming, the whole rhythm of speech, and composing different phrases became something that I became pretty proficient at. That’s the first thing.

“The second thing is, when people are watching a game on TV, they can already see what’s going on. So, the challenge for TV announcers, as opposed to radio announcers, is, what can you add that will enhance what people can already see? As a TV announcer, you’re not just necessarily calling the game. You’re interacting with a color announcer and the sideline person. Your producer and director are giving you directions. Your stat guy is handing you things. There are replays, ticket announcements, whatever, and you’re doing a lot to facilitate the broadcast, but not necessarily to describe the action. And so, what I tried to do was come up with phrases that I thought would be interesting and fun,” Zumoff said.

“I would say the vast majority of them were spur of the moment. … It wasn’t like I had a pad of paper with all my sayings saying, ‘OK, here’s a good time to use this. I’m going to drop this in there.’ It was something that happened spontaneously. I think for the most part, people seem to like it. So, I’m glad I could leave something behind in terms of these phrases,” he added.

(Courtesy of Marc Zumoff)

In June 2021, Zumoff announced his retirement after having served as the television voice of the Sixers for 27 seasons, after having covered the team for 39 years, and after 44 years in broadcasting. By all accounts, Zumoff was still at the top of his game, yet he chose that moment to step away. That monumental decision took into account several factors.

“It was a combination of things. First and foremost, I think I felt a calling just to explore what else life had to offer. Because certainly during the season, and really year-round, it becomes an all-encompassing career. You’re always paying attention to the NBA, to the Sixers. There’s a lot of preparation, a lot of travel, the performance aspect. Once they tip off the ball in October, and then [until] sometime in the spring, you are locked in, and that is a huge commitment,” he said.

“As much as I loved it, and as much as it was a dream for me, I said to myself, what else is there beyond the bouncing ball? That and the fact that I had a wonderful wife who also had a lot of responsibility as a major executive, and she also, with one hand tied behind her back, did a great job raising our two kids and keeping the home fires burning while I was off being sportscaster boy. And so, I felt in equal measure that I owed that to her, to jump off the merry-go-round and be with her more,” Zumoff added.

When asked about a few of his favorite moments and memories from his career in broadcasting, Zumoff jokingly replied that, “There are certainly a lot of funny and amusing stories, some of which I simply can’t share in a family Jewish publication,” before turning serious.

“I will tell you that the ability to be on the inside of a professional sports team is something that few people ever get the chance to do. So instead of being just a fan and going to a game and enjoying that aspect of it, you are the one behind the curtain, helping to put on the show. And I enjoyed that challenge. I loved being live on the air, because for two and a half hours, you’re operating on a high wire without a net,” he said.

Some of Zumoff’s fondest memories from his time with the Sixers relate to his colleagues.

“I love the people that I had a chance to work with, because to put on a television show requires 35 or 40 people to be on the same page at the same time, and that sense of teamwork that you get is just like a professional sports team, and you can understand why, when teams win championships, that there’s such a great feeling, because there’s a lot of sacrifice and coordination that goes on,” he said.

“But I will say that I’m now not retired but rewired. That’s my new saying that I picked up from a friend of mine. And I have filled my days with great causes and wonderful things that I get to do. And I’ll be quite honest with you, except for the people that I worked with, I don’t miss it at all. I am good; I’m good to go,” he added.

In his post-76ers life, one of the projects that Zumoff is most passionate about is his work with Maccabi USA, where he serves as chairman of Maccabi Media, which sends aspiring sports media professionals to cover the quadrennial games in Israel.

Zumoff’s involvement with Maccabi USA began after the late Bob Spivak, a Sixers season ticket holder who was the longest-serving president and team chairman of Maccabi USA, met with Zumoff and convinced him “to join the cause.”

“It covered so many things that are near and dear to me. It covered sports, it covered youth, it covered Judaism, it covered Israel. So, I felt the fit was really good,” Zumoff said.

As for the birth of Maccabi Media, it primarily came about from a conversation Zumoff had several years ago with Maccabi USA’s Dan Kurtz, who mentioned that he had a high school student who was embedded with the American basketball team during the European games in Budapest.

Recalling a situation about 10 years prior to his conversation with Kurtz, Zumoff told him about watching coverage of the Maccabi Games on Comcast. “The coverage was so bad, it was barely recognizable. You couldn’t even tell what sport it was.”

Zumoff told Kurtz that he would love to have a program where they could bring what the Maccabi Games are about to people everywhere.

So, they developed this program, and Zumoff, together with Maccabi USA’s Neal Slotkin, “recruit what we think are some of the best and brightest Jewish aspiring sports media professionals from the leading communications schools and elsewhere around the country. We bring them to Israel. We brought them to Buenos Aires for the Pan Am Games. We brought them to London for the European Games.”

Zumoff proudly declared that, “We bring you the Maccabi Games like NBC would bring you the Olympics, whether it’s streaming live events or social media, reporter packages, print, media, whatever it happens to be, and it’s just been so fulfilling in so many different ways.”

“The most important thing, which is kind of a residual effect, is we get to bring the message of what Maccabi and the Maccabi Games do to the outside world,” he added. “We always say it’s Birthright with sports, and now, more than ever, it’s so important for young people to get the message that, hey, it’s cool to be a Jewish athlete and it’s cool to be a Jewish athlete while performing in Israel.”

(Courtesy of Marc Zumoff)

Zumoff has certainly not been resting on his laurels since he left the Sixers. In addition to his work with Maccabi USA and Maccabi Media, he is also the associate director of the Claire Smith Center for Sports Media at Temple, and he’s a media coach for current and aspiring sports and news professionals. While most people might take the opportunity to focus on getting rest and relaxation, Zumoff has taken a different path.

“So that was the original intent,” Zumoff said, referring to the notion of getting some well-deserved rest. “I was going to learn a foreign language. I was going to take up the flute, which is something I dropped in high school, and I just found myself with still more to give from a professional sense, and it’s become very fulfilling. Maccabi USA certainly, Temple is my alma mater — Dean David Boardman [of the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University] has been great to me. … I’m in a good space. I think what all this is, if you look at it at its barest essence, it’s my best way to do tikkun olam. It’s the best way for me to give back.

“So, if I’m bringing awareness of Judaism and Israel to young people, if I’m educating young people and trying to do things through Temple for the community, those are two great vessels for me,” he added.

Despite all that he does to give back to the community, Zumoff still finds time to golf and do what he can to “try to keep in reasonably good shape.”

For Zumoff, family is paramount, and he makes sure to count his many blessings.

“I’m a grandparent, which is really at the top of it,” he said. “I have a three-year-old granddaughter. And for anybody who has become a grandparent, they know what I’m talking about. It evokes emotions that are just emotions you’ve never experienced before, and it can’t be properly appreciated until it happens to you.

“So, all of that leaves my cup running over. … Really, it’s the Lou Gehrig thing. I’m one of the luckiest men on the face of the Earth. I’m a Jewish kid from Northeast Philly who grew up broadcasting the games for the team that I grew up rooting for, and now I get the chance to parlay that into so many things that allow me to help repair the world. And I’ve got a wonderful wife and family to be around to support me in it.”

Making a Difference by Saving Lives and Changing Lives in Israel

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the Sept. 18, 2025, editions of the Washington Jewish Week and the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, and the Sept. 19, 2025, edition of the Baltimore Jewish Times:

In times of crisis, having extra help can be critical and mean the difference between life and death.

For Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency medical response and blood services unit, crises are a routine part of its life-saving efforts, and therefore having extra hands on deck in the form of volunteers is vital to the organization’s noble mission and heroic efforts.

With several overseas volunteer programs, Magen David Adom facilitates multiple opportunities for volunteerism and enables people to participate in meaningful and memorable activities that directly benefit Israel and its citizens.

The MDA Overseas International Volunteer Program, in which individuals get hands-on training with first responders and then spend time working on ambulances across Israel, is comprised of several distinct programs, each of which has unique offerings to accommodate a wide range of volunteers.

Whether it is the Israel Experience Program, a six-week program for people ages 18 to 30, Masa Tlalim, a four-week program for people ages 18 to 50, Destination Israel, which is a four-week program for people ages 18 to 40 sponsored by Onward Israel and based in Tel Aviv, or programs for overseas medical professionals to use their expertise treating patients in Israel, overseas volunteer opportunities through Magen David Adom abound.

For past participants of these programs, the memories created by the experience last a lifetime.

For Rachel Orloff, a New York City resident who volunteered in Israel in 2008 through Magen David Adom, it was a life-changing experience. After hearing her friend, who had volunteered the previous summer, talk about how incredible the overseas volunteer program was, Orloff was motivated to go, and she’s glad she did.

“It was very collaborative. Everyone was included. It didn’t matter how old you were, your race, your religion, your gender. Everyone was super nice and extremely welcoming,” Orloff said. “I think just being able to be immersed in another country, a different culture, a different language, it really almost forces you to be uncomfortable. And that’s how you grow.

“The memories I have are just really in my heart. … It’s a warm feeling of how I feel about the organization,” she added. “Even to this day, it’s an organization that I feel extremely proud to be a part of. … I’m really thankful for everything they’re doing for Israel.”

As a result of her experience on Magen David Adom’s overseas volunteer program, Orloff has put an emphasis on remaining connected with the organization, and over the years she’s rolled up her sleeves to volunteer in a variety of ways.

“When I moved to New York, I was always trying to get involved with Magen David Adom,” she said as she talked about her involvement with the organization years after her volunteer experience. “I have a 60-pound Goldendoodle who’s a trained and certified therapy dog, so I bring him with me to hospitals and visit patients and staff. … To be able to come to blood drives or do anything volunteering with Magen David Adom with my dog, that to me is the most full-circle moment ever. I’m so appreciative and grateful for my experience and being able to now give back with my dog.”

According to Yonatan Yagodovsky, director of the Fundraising and International Relations Department of Magen David Adom in Israel, the volunteer initiative is both welcoming and wide-ranging.

“Magen David Adom’s Overseas Volunteer Program welcomes volunteers from across the world. These volunteers are exposed to the multifaceted Israeli society, meeting patients from all societies and religions,” he said.

Yagodovsky noted that the volunteers “undergo medical training that prepares them for volunteering on MDA ambulances and mobile intensive care units, assisting to save lives and change lives throughout Israel.”

He added that many participants in the Magen David Adom program are planning to work in the medical field, and this volunteer experience “presents them with an active introduction, providing them with skills, knowledge and a sense of capability that will serve them well later in life.”

Yagodovsky said that the volunteers often walk away from the experience feeling a tremendous sense of accomplishment and pride, both in terms of their efforts to help Magen David Adom and the people they serve, as well as their general contributions to the State of Israel.

“They return to their home countries having experienced Israel in a unique way, having had a positive effect on society, and become wonderful ambassadors for the State of Israel and for the incredible work of Magen David Adom,” he said.

For Dr. Larry Weiss, who recently moved from Baltimore to Florida, Magen David Adom was an opportunity to make a difference in a time of need. A retiree who has 38 years of experience in emergency medicine, Weiss was horrified by the atrocities of Oct. 7 and wanted to put his medical skills to use in an effort to help in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks.

Within five days after contacting Magen David Adom, the organization had obtained an emergency license for Weiss to practice medicine in Israel, and he was off to Israel shortly thereafter, where he served with one of Magen David Adom’s mobile intensive care units.

“I saw a lot of really sick people and I feel like I had an impact. I made a difference,” Weiss said.

“The MDA personnel in Israel are great,” he added. “I think it’s the best trained prehospital care provider in the world. I know there are other great providers, but I can’t imagine any set of providers being better. They’re extremely well-motivated, well-trained and hard-working.”

Weiss, whose volunteer experience with Magen David Adom had him working in Jerusalem and then in the Mercaz, the heavily populated area between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, cited a specific case that he believes epitomizes the magic that is Magen David Adom.

His first case as a volunteer was assisting and treating a relatively young man suffering a cardiac arrest at a playground. The Magen David Adom first responders intubated the patient on the sidewalk, which is a very difficult procedure in that type of setting. After noting that perhaps less than 5% of patients survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, Weiss said that the patient survived the ordeal, which is primarily attributable to the quick response and quality medical care that was provided at the scene.

“Because we were on a mobile ICU, we saw the sickest patients, and the civilian health care system seemed a little stressed,” Weiss said. “We would go to the Kupat Cholim clinics … and we could see these poor people were inundated. They would tell us that half of their physicians and nurses were in Gaza.”

Ilana Smaletz, who is currently a senior at Tufts University, volunteered with Magen David Adom in the summer of 2023. Although the program was supposed to be for a month, Smaletz was able to extend her time as a volunteer and ended up staying for three months, an experience that she said “was awesome.”

After deciding that she wanted to spend her summer in Israel, Smaletz, who knew that she ultimately wanted to do something in the medical field or with biology and wanted to get some hands-on experience, ended up at Magen David Adom.

“Because I did not yet have a driver’s license, I was not able to do an EMT program in the U.S., nor in Brazil, which is my country of origin. So, I was like, that’s such an amazing opportunity to be a part of that,” she said, referring to the overseas volunteer program.

Little did she know that there was a family connection to Magen David Adom, which is something she only discovered while in Israel at the time.

“One day, I was having dinner at my great-uncle’s house … and he was like, ‘Wait, but you know, right, that your great-grandfather was in MDA,’ and then he showed me all the pictures and everything — I had no idea whatsoever. And it was really nice, because I got to see his ID and actual pictures of him in his MDA uniform. I was very touched, because I had no idea, and it was a really nice discovery.”

Smaletz has fond memories of her time as a volunteer, whether it was the help she was able to provide others or the friendships she formed.

“I fell in love with my station, fell in love with my drivers, fell in love with the volunteers. I had amazing cases, very interesting, cool cases,” she said.

“Every time you go to Israel, it’s like Israeli culture is the best thing ever. But when you get to go into their home, and when they’re most vulnerable, you learn a whole different side to the Israeli culture … which is amazing,” she added.

Smaletz’s experience with the overseas volunteer program was so positive that she went back to Israel in December 2024 and asked if she could volunteer again with Magen David Adom. To this day, she remains involved with the organization and loves having the opportunity to attend various programs with American Friends of Magen David Adom.

For physicians and other medical professionals, there is a unique opportunity with Magen David Adom that is coming up later this year.

The International Seminar in Emergency Response 2025, which will take place in Israel from Dec. 7 to 12, 2025, offers participants the opportunity to take part in emergency medical training from experienced first responder teams while also connecting with attendees from around the world and with the State of Israel.

With a full schedule of events and activities focusing on disaster preparedness, responding to mass casualty events, meeting with Israeli physicians and medical professionals, volunteering on ambulances and touring Magen David Adom’s facilities, participants in the seminar will gain a wealth of knowledge and a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Magen David Adom first responder on the front lines in Israel. In addition, attendees will visit several sites connected to the Oct. 7 attacks and meet with some of the heroes that survived and whose incredible efforts helped save the lives of others.

For information about the International Seminar in Emergency Response 2025, email Vicki Angel at vickia@mda.org.il.

To learn more about Magen David Adom’s volunteer programs and other ways to get involved, visit afmda.org.

Finding Strength in the Storm

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the June 26, 2025, editions of the Washington Jewish Week and the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, and the June 27, 2025, edition of the Baltimore Jewish Times:

As a parent of four children, I count my blessings daily. Each of them brings me an immense amount of pride and joy in their own unique way and hearing about their aspirations and accomplishments is something that I relish greatly.

I am particularly proud of the fact that my older three children live in Israel. They have successfully built their lives in the Jewish state and their love of the land and culture is boundless.

Yet there are admittedly some challenges when your children live in Israel. When Israel’s enemies threaten its inhabitants and launch attacks, I worry about my children. When Israel becomes entangled in a military conflict as it seeks to address the existential threats that it faces, I am concerned about my children. I think about them and pray for their safety and well-being always.

Needless to say, the Israel-Iran conflict has brought with it a sense of unease. With Iran launching a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israeli cities and population centers, my children, along with millions of other Israelis, have been in and out of safe rooms and bomb shelters on a regular basis since Operation Rising Lion began. They have had their lives turned upside down as sirens wail in the middle of the night and during the day, and their daily routines have been upended as restrictions were put in place by Israel’s Home Front Command in an effort to keep people safe in the face of Iranian missiles.

As a writer and a journalist, I beamed with pride as I read a blog post that my daughter Yaffa, who is kid No. 3 and daughter No. 2, wrote for The Times of Israel, in which she beautifully expressed her feelings amid the current situation and did a masterful job articulating her thoughts, which I imagine are sentiments that are shared by numerous Israelis, particularly during these challenging times.

I’ve decided to reprint her post here, with the hope that you will find it as inspiring as I did and that it will provide a glimpse into the heart and mind of my daughter who lives in Jerusalem, has spent the past two years doing national service by working with children with special needs, and who made the bold and commendable choice to make Israel her home.

Finding Strength in the Storm

I came to Israel full of hope and idealism, ready to give back to my country through national service. Over the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of working with children with special needs — a role that impacted me more than I ever expected. But nothing could have prepared me for what was to come.

I was here on Oct. 7, when everything in the country shifted. I remember the fear, the uncertainty, and the suffering as the country came to a standstill. And now — living in Jerusalem — as the threat of Iran grows and the uncertainty deepens once again.

Going into Shabbat, I was preparing myself for what was to come. During dinner, the sirens began to wail and there wasn’t much time to react. We grabbed some water and went to the safe room, our food still on the table.

We stayed in the safe room for over an hour that night. As we sat on the floor, we listened to the sky. The loud booms overhead weren’t just sounds — they were a reminder. A reminder that even during Shabbat, even in moments of peace, danger is never far.

I often get asked, “How can you live there with everything going on?” And my answer is always the same: How could I not? This is where I’ve found purpose, connection and strength. I am beyond proud to call Israel my home.

Israel has tested me in every way — emotionally, spiritually, even physically. But it has also given me more than I could have imagined: a sense of purpose, a deeper connection to something bigger than myself, and a community that doesn’t just survive hardship — we grow stronger through it.

I’ve seen the worst of what humanity can do. But I’ve also seen the best — people opening their homes, supporting one another through grief, and being there for one another. That’s the rhythm of life here: sorrow and celebration side by side. And somehow that contrast makes everything more meaningful.

I didn’t move to Israel expecting comfort. I came searching for meaning. And even with sirens, rockets and uncertainty — I’ve found it. Not in safety, but in strength. Not in the quiet, but in the courage.

And so I stay — not because it’s easy, but because this is my home.

Six Days That Shook the World

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the June 12, 2025, edition of the Washington Jewish Week:

It took just six days to achieve what many thought to be unachievable. Between June 5 and 10, 1967, Israel swiftly and successfully neutralized military forces from Egypt, Jordan and Syria in one of the Jewish state’s biggest victories in its history.

In the process, Israel took control of the Golan Heights, Sinai Peninsula, West Bank, Gaza Strip and eastern Jerusalem, including the Old City of Jerusalem. The iconic images of emotional Israeli soldiers at the Western Wall as Motta Gur, the commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ paratroopers brigade, famously declared “Har HaBayit B’Yadeinu!” (The Temple Mount is in our hands) are forever seared into the hearts and minds of Jews around the world.

In this month’s installment of “Remember When,” we look back at the June 4, 1987, issue of Washington Jewish Week, when a story titled “How the Six Day War Changed World Jewry” appeared.

Written by Theodore R. Mann, then president of the American Jewish Congress and former chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the article provided some insights into the circumstances surrounding the Six-Day War and noted the significant impact that the military victory had on Jews around the globe.

“The Six Day War changed us,” Mann wrote. “We understood, far more deeply and universally than before, why there had to be an Israel. Moreover, we stopped seeing ourselves as powerless victims, and sensed a new respect from others. The Jewish community’s political assertiveness, sadly absent in the 30s and 40s, was greatly augmented by the self-esteem generated by the Six Day War. Gradually, the basis for America’s support for Israel shifted. It had been based on moral grounds and, marginally, on political considerations. But after the Six Day War, Israel began to be seen also as a first-class fighting machine, with a citizen’s army second to none and a democratic society in an area of the world where there was no other, and with political support in America that was far more determined than previously. As a determinant of American policy, Saudi oil had met its equal in Israeli military strength linked to American Jewish political strength.”

That increase in “the Jewish community’s political assertiveness” that Mann described has withstood the test of time and remains a major factor today.

As Israel continues to face existential threats from multiple fronts and Jews in the United States and throughout the world are contending with a frightening rise in antisemitism, the American Jewish community’s political involvement and activism is more critical than ever.

Our “political assertiveness,” as Mann termed it, is a critical means through which we can make our voices heard and urge our elected officials to do everything in their power to duly address the pressing issues impacting the Jewish community.

My letter in The New York Times about a public display of faith

The following is a letter to the editor that I wrote, which appeared in The New York Times, about a public display of faith:

May 17, 2025

To the Editor:

Re “E.P.A. Jewish Celebration Has Jewish Critics” (news article, May 13):

Criticizing Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, for a proud and public display of his faith because one disagrees with his policies and politics is a dangerous and disingenuous conflation of two unrelated issues.

At a time when antisemitism is rampant and far too many Jews feel the need to hide or play down their religious identity, we should be celebrating public figures who openly embrace their Judaism, not vilifying them because of public policy divergences.

N. Aaron Troodler
Bala Cynwyd, Pa.

The Birth of a Jewish State

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the May 8, 2025, edition of the Washington Jewish Week:

It was one of the most significant moments in Jewish history, and the anticipation and excitement leading up to this historic event was palpable.

In this month’s installment of “Remember When,” we look back at the May 14, 1948, issue of the National Jewish Ledger, which subsequently became Washington Jewish Week, when the large headline “Palestine To Be Proclaimed A Jewish State On Sunday” ran across the top of the front page.

An article titled “Century-Old Dream Nears Realization,” quoted David Ben-Gurion, the chairman of the Jewish Agency who would ultimately become the first prime minister of the state of Israel, who noted that, “our generation will see the realization of the centuries-old dream of independence” as he asserted his belief that a Jewish state would soon be established.

The front page of that issue also featured text from the “Jewish Declaration of Independence.”

“We have decided, relying on the authority of the Zionist movement and the support of the entire Jewish people, that upon termination of the mandatory regime there shall be an end of foreign rule in Palestine and that the governing body of the Jewish State shall come into being.

“The state which the Jewish people will set up in its own country will guarantee justice, freedom and equality for all inhabitants, regardless of religion, race, sex or land of origin. It is our aim to make it a state in which the exiles of our people are gathered together and in which happiness and knowledge shall prevail and the vision of the prophets of Israel shall illuminate our path.”

The declaration of the state of Israel in May 1948 formalized the establishment of the Jewish homeland, and although it has spent the better part of its existence over the past 77 years battling enemies who are focused on its destruction, Israel has not just survived but thrived.

With technological advances that people never would have thought possible and a land that is rich in culture and history, Israel has become a precious commodity for the Jewish people and a beacon of hope for Jews around the world.

Through an incredible sense of faith, resilience and perseverance, the “centuries-old dream of independence” that Ben-Gurion spoke about in 1948 thankfully became a reality.

Yeshiva University Men’s Basketball Team Nets a Big Win in ‘Rebound’

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the May 1, 2025, edition of the Washington Jewish Week, and the May 2, 2025, edition of the Baltimore Jewish Times:

Photo credit: FOX Nation

For this group of young men, basketball is much more than just a game.

In “Rebound: A Year of Triumph and Tragedy at Yeshiva University Basketball,” which FOX Nation premiered on April 9, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges faced by the Yeshiva University men’s basketball team in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks that shocked the state of Israel and Jews around the world.

Emmy award-winning filmmaker Pat Dimon does a masterful job conveying the conflicts the players felt after the horrific attack as they contemplated how to move forward with their basketball season, which suddenly felt insignificant after what transpired on that fateful day in October 2023, just two days before the start of practice for the team.

YU men’s basketball has experienced a resurgence in recent years, which began shortly after the arrival of Coach Elliot Steinmetz in 2014. Their 50-game win streak, which stretched from November 2019 until December 2021, and which was the second-longest in NCAA Division III history, captivated the nation and catapulted the team to the top of the rankings. I was at the Dec. 30, 2021, game at the Max Stern Athletic Center when the Maccabees’ historic win streak came to an end against Illinois Wesleyan University, who was ranked fourth in the nation at the time. The energy and excitement in the gym that night was palpable, a keen reminder of how much the dedicated YU fan base and the greater Jewish community values this team.

“Rebound” begins by chronicling the struggles faced by the team’s Israeli players after Oct. 7 and it does an excellent job underscoring the shock and disbelief that they felt as they learned about what was happening. The film opens with YU guard Adi Markovich describing the experience of hearing about the events of Oct. 7, including discovering that one of his friends was murdered. As he’s talking, we see jarring footage from the Hamas attack that presents viewers with scenes from the destruction and devastation that ensued, which is followed by a scene in which Markovich walks onto the basketball court at YU holding a ball in his left hand. The juxtaposition of those powerful images encapsulates the dichotomy that the filmmakers skillfully conveyed through “Rebound”: the inner turmoil the players were feeling and how to reconcile that with their passion for basketball, which seemed relatively trivial in light of the unimaginable suffering of their Israeli brethren.

We hear YU guard Roy Itcovichi, a native of Israel, say that, “it feels selfish” to be playing basketball “when other people are protecting my country, our country,” a sentiment that seems to be shared among the team’s Israeli players.

The film offers some star power, with appearances by Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, and Josh Harris, managing partner of the Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Commanders and New Jersey Devils. Additionally, it gives us a glimpse into the lives of the YU players and how they balance religion and basketball as it transitions from a clip of the players davening Shacharit, led by YU star Zevi Samet, who’s wearing a white shirt, black jacket and black hat along with his tefillin, to a play that may be among the best in YU basketball history, in which forward Gabriel Leifer threw a behind-the-back alley-oop pass to guard Ryan Turell, YU’s all-time scoring leader, who then dunked the ball with authority as the crowd erupts in cheers.

Photo credit: FOX Nation

As YU guard Tom Beza, whose good friend, Ofir Engel, was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, talks about the diverse religious backgrounds of the players, we see scenes of the team praying and eating together, giving us a sense of the unity and camaraderie that these players feel with one another.

Viewers get a lesson about Shabbat, as we hear Samet talk about how he wouldn’t play on the Sabbath, even if it could give him an opportunity to play basketball at an even higher level, and we listen to Samet’s mother, Jenny, describe the meaning and beauty of Shabbat as she works in the kitchen with her husband and son preparing for that special day by making challah.

Samet has earned a name for himself during his time as a YU Maccabee, with his three-point shooting prowess and vast offensive arsenal earning him accolades from near and far. Yet as we listen to Samet talk in the film, it becomes apparent that basketball, as important as it is to him, takes a back seat to his commitment to his Judaism, as he says that the prospect of compromising his religion to further his basketball career is “nonnegotiable.”

The film does a superb job conveying the distinctive nature of Yeshiva University as it relates to athletics, with Steinmetz noting that, “Yeshiva is definitely the most unique place in college basketball, probably in college sports.” Beza sums up what it means to him to be a Yeshiva University Maccabee when he says that, “Judaism for me is to be an Israeli, to be a representative of the only Jewish country in the world. I’m not necessarily the most religious Jew, but I do believe that it’s important to be here and to represent the Jewish people.”

“We want to show that Jews can play basketball, and we want to make the Jewish community proud,” Turell says, as he aptly sums up the mission of the YU Maccabees and goes on to discuss why he chose to attend Yeshiva University and describes the start of their historic win streak.

“We play for the Jewish people,” Samet says.

But it’s the film’s focus on Oct. 7 that really captures viewers’ hearts and minds.

“After Oct. 7, everything changed,” Samet says. “It was definitely very difficult to be playing basketball.”

At the first home game after Oct. 7, we see the players warming up, wearing T-shirts with photos of the hostages, and listen as Samet gives an impassioned pregame pep talk to the team in the locker room, which ends with the team proclaiming “spirituality before physicality” in unison before taking the court. The image of the YU players from Israel unfolding a large Israeli flag at half-court as the crowd sings Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, captures the moment and the mood perfectly.

Photo credit: FOX Nation

The film spends a great deal of time giving us an inside look into the team’s emotionally charged January 2024 trip to Israel, which Steinmetz says was an opportunity for them “to show our brothers and sisters in Israel that we’re here with them.”

While in Israel, Itcovichi’s father explains to the players the impact that they have by playing basketball for YU and standing in solidarity with the Jewish state. “You are supporting us … you are our ambassadors,” he says.

Through emotive scenes of the team praying at the Western Wall, visiting an injured Israeli soldier in the hospital, touring the Nova music festival site, going to Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, and visiting Kibbutz Be’eri, where over 100 people were murdered on Oct. 7 and 30 were taken hostage, we have a front-row seat that enables us to comprehend what the players experienced during their trip.

The segment at the Nova music festival site is particularly jarring. “6:29 is when the music stopped,” a survivor of the attack tells the players, a reminder of how suddenly everything changed in an instant on the morning of Oct. 7. We watch as the players examine the various aspects of the exhibit, including mounds of shoes and glasses, which to me, evoked memories of the Holocaust and the atrocities that the Jews endured at that time.

The team’s Israel trip culminated with an exhibition game against Hapoel Tel Aviv, and the enthusiastic reaction of the large crowd speaks volumes about what it meant to the Israeli people to have the YU Maccabees with them in the Jewish state.

“On such a different level, it was the first home game we ever played,” Steinmetz says, describing the surreal nature of the experience. “Even your opponents are your brothers — I never felt like that before.”

Samet aptly sums up the lasting impact that the trip had when he says, “It was a wake-up call to recognize why I’m living.”

“We came back stronger as a team, mainly off the court, as one unit, as brothers,” Markovich says.

Photo credit: FOX Nation

“Rebound” takes us inside the YU locker room following a particularly tough loss to Mount Saint Vincent shortly after the team returned from Israel, and we get to listen in as guard Max Zakheim talks about the team’s loss and Steinmetz dresses down the players following what he considered to be a lackluster effort on the court. We then watch as YU notches two big playoff wins to set up a showdown with Farmingdale State College for the Skyline Conference championship, a game in which the Maccabees ultimately came up short.

Yet for the Yeshiva University Maccabees, who in essence carry the Jewish community on their shoulders, that unforgettable season was much bigger than just basketball. They felt an obligation to play for their people and a sense of immense pride as they did what they could to lift up their brothers and sisters in Israel and bring some light into what was a very dark time.

“Rebound” is an uplifting story about resilience, and regardless of whether you are a basketball fan, this film is absolutely worth watching.