Schwarber Tsu Zayn A Yid: Chayim, Meir, Baseball

Shver Tsu Zayn A Yid! [It’s hard to be a Jew!] Sholom Aleichem (1914)

Although both Rav Moshe Feinstein and the Lubavitcher Rebbe discouraged the usage of this discouraging phrase, it’s undeniably true, 613 times over.

It’s also true it’s hard to be a baseball fan. There are 30 teams. Only one wins the World Series to become champion. That means, on average, over the course of six decades, fans are only twice satisfied.

That is if you’re lucky! For example, the Philadelphia Phillies, the oldest same city, same name franchise in American sports history have only won the World Series twice in their 143-year existence.

It’s even harder to be a Jewish baseball fan who makes Aliya to Israel.

Once, baseball was a daylight game. (The first Wrigley Field night game was not until August 8, 1988.)

(Of course, it was against the Phillies. Of course, it was rained out after three innings.)

Today, only an occasional weekend game is played during the day. Not only can’t Israeli fans go to games, but, for the most part, they can’t even watch them live.

Meir had barely lived in America before his family made Aliya. He never lived in Philadelphia.

Yet, this young boy was an inveterate Phillies fan. Why?

For the same reason people are Kohanim, or redheaded. His Zayde, Chayim was a red-hatted Phillies fan, indeed the Kohen Gadol.

To be accurate, to dub Chayim a Phillies fan, would be like calling Rav Moshe a rabbi, or the Rebbe a Hassid.

Chayim’s childhood room was wallpapered with Sports Illustrated  covers of Mike Schmidt, Rich Allen, Steve Carlton, Johnny Callison and other Phillie Gadolim. Not only would he watch their games, but he would then watch the same game highlights on all three networks.

He took a summer job as a vendor in Veterans Stadium so he could attend their games. When, in one game, a ball came his way, do you imagine he prioritized his wares or the baseball?

On the other hand, he prioritized Meir over the Phillies. When Meir and his family moved to Israel, Chayim and his wife soon followed.

Now, watching the Phillies live was like working the graveyard shift, but for a true Phillies fan, it was a daily injection of life.

Speaking of Chai, and Chayim, August 23, 2026 provided an 18-minute life-affirming miracle.

Since school hadn’t yet started, it was a rare occasion Meir could stay up past his bedtime to watch a Phillies game in Zayde’s home.

The few previous times he had done so, the Phillies always lost. This time would be no different. They were down four runs with only one strike left. Meir was distraught.

Somehow, five separate players, one strike remaining, managed to reach base.

Then, Kyle Schwarber, major league leading home run hitter, smashed one out of the park. Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles, the Phillies won!

Schwarber tossed up his bat, as well as his helmet, jumping for joy.

5000 miles away, Meir and Chayim jumped higher.

The Phillies have been extant for a century and a half, baseball even longer.

The bond between grandparents and their grandchildren however, is eternal.

For the rest of his life, Meir will remember that game.

He will remember Chayim even longer.