|
||||
|
||||
        
The ESP of the Jewish Way of Life  Roll your mouse over each circle to find the questions. Click on circles for more about Jewish ESP!
|
|
|||||
|
Marisa Gobuty: A Slam Dunk for
Israel By Beth Panitz |
||||||
| Teenage
basketball phenom Marisa Gobuty was in for a shock on her first day
at the prestigious IMG Basketball Academy in Bradenton,
Florida, in summer 2004. Expecting to participate in
an all-girls camp, she was stunned to learn she was one
of only two female players. Equally surprised were the
38 boys, many of whom pegged the 5’6" Israeli girl as
little competition. But Marisa quickly proved them
wrong, matching them shot for shot and pass for pass.
Off the court, 17-year-old Marisa also corrects false impressions. She divides her time between Israel, where she plays for the junior Israeli national team and for the Segel Zahav, comprised of the country’s top 20 young female players; and the United States, where she plays for IMG. While in the States, she takes time out from school and her grueling practice schedule to speak with Jewish kids about Israeli life. Her goal: to clear up misconceptions about Israel. "I think that many Jewish kids see Israel in a negative light, because of what they’ve heard from the media," explains Marisa. Having firsthand knowledge of Israel, Marisa takes it upon herself to correct the misperceptions. She’s spoken at Jewish schools from coast to coast—from the Hillel School of Tampa in Florida, to the San Diego Jewish Academy in California. She’s astounded by the questions she receives: "Are there bombs exploding outside your house? Do you ride a camel to school? Do you live in a tent?" As an unofficial ambassador for Israel, Marisa spreads the message that she loves living there. "Obviously there are problems," she tells students, "but if you know where the bad areas are, and you avoid them, there’s no reason not to come and experience all the great things in Israel." Born in Canada, Marisa moved to California when she was 2 years old. There she developed a passion for basketball, playing on the Encino Balboa Stars. "When I was in fourth grade, we won our championship, and I scored the winning shot. After that, I was obsessed with the game." Marisa went on to play on the local all-star team. Her stint on the all-stars was cut short when her family decided to move to Israel for the year. Marisa feared the end of her basketball career. But in Israel, Marisa found a new team, and soon she had two passions —basketball and Israel. "We fell in love with the country, and we never left," she says. Eight years later, her family still lives there. Marisa shares her love for Israel with the students she meets, urging them to visit the Jewish homeland. "It’s a beautiful country. It has so much to offer and so much to see, especially for someone who is Jewish."
| ||||||
Belonging
to the Jewish PEOPLE.
Hometown: Herzliya, Israel
(near Tel Aviv) 
This
article has been reprinted from BabagaNewz, a
full-color monthly classroom magazine for grades 4
through 7 that accurately analyzes major news
stories, religious holidays, cultural events, and
youth trends that play an important part in our children’s
lives. Each issue of BabagaNewz is organized
around a specific Jewish value. Sign up for the free
e-letter at