Go Knicks! Rooting for New York…and for us
From the title of this piece, you might assume that I’m one of those die-hard Knicks fans, but, alas, you would be mistaken.
In fact, I can’t say that I’m much of a sports fan at all, but NBA pandemonium has engulfed New York City and I’ve been swept up in some of the madness. In case you haven’t heard, the Knicks won a stunning victory on Wednesday night with the “greatest comeback in Finals history.” After trailing the Spurs by 29 points, OG Anunoby tipped in the winning basket with 1.2 seconds left in the game! (My son had shut off the TV long before, having resigned himself to the crushing blowout.) As I walked through the city today, I noticed that it was awash with people rocking Knicks merch— jerseys, t-shirts, and baseball hats. I even caught a glimpse of Abraham Lincoln himself (at least a statue of him) standing in front of the New York Historical on Central Park West sporting a Knicks jersey, with tourists lining up to pose with Honest Abe (but wouldn’t he have been a Wizards fan?)
In a city that has been full of angst, conflict, and bitterness since Mamdani took office—not to mention an increase in antisemitic crimes and a continuation of pro-Palestinian activism—it is a relief to see a spirit of unity sweep the city. Among the celebrities in attendance at the NBA game on Wednesday night were two “members of the tribe”—Jerry Seinfeld and Ben Stiller. Knicks fans come in all shapes, ages, sizes, and nationalities and I’m glad that the Jews of New York can still join the party.
The NBA craze, on top of the current FIFA World Cup mania that has also taken over the city, has prompted me to reflect on the phenomenon of team sports. I’m not naïve: I acknowledge that sports competitions can bring out the worst in people too. After the Knicks lost on Monday night, a rowdy group of Knicks fans beat a Spurs supporter in midtown Manhattan, and it is not unusual for a brawl to break out between members of opposing teams. Even Little Leagues aren’t immune to the anger of over-competitive parents, and how many soccer games worldwide have ended in a disastrous stampede by a crowd crush?
But it is impossible to deny that sports can also be a great unifier. It brings people together under the same banner, rooting for the same team. Who can forget the feeling of exhilaration in the crowd when the home team wins? Yes, I realize that it’s just a “game,” but for one brief moment it doesn’t matter if you are tall or short, young or old, male or female, black, white, Hispanic, or Jewish– if you are a New Yorker today you belong to the Knicks family.
I know what you’re thinking: What does this mean for the Jews? I believe that there is an important lesson for us to learn from New York’s spirit today: We need to stop thinking about our people in terms of religious-secular, Ashkenazic-Sephardic, Ultra-Orthodox and National Religious, Hasidic or Yeshivish, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist, Israeli Jews and diaspora Jews, and all the other minor (often ridiculous) subcategories into which we divide ourselves. If there is a takeaway from the past two and half painful years, it must be this: Do not look upon your brother or sister as your opponent because they dress differently, act differently, or express their Jewish identity in a different way. It might be a cliché, but it’s essential to keep in mind that we are all members of the same team. If you don’t believe it, ask any one of our enemies—on the right or on the left—whether they make distinctions among Jews. If they don’t, why do we? Remember: It is now the 21st century, and despite centuries of persecution, we are still here. Surely this is a team victory that we can all celebrate.
And our beloved, tiny, but miraculously flourishing State of Israel—despite its ongoing problems and challenges—might just be the greatest comeback story of all time.