Medal for Aussie in US team
Los Angeles based Australian-born basketballer Jacqui Lowy has won a Gold Medal in the Maccabi Australia International Games….beating Australia in the final.
Israel Andrade - with tefillin and gold
Peter and Janine Lowy with Jacqi (centre) Pic: Mendel Moskowitz
The 21-yr-old daughter of Peter and Janine Lowy was a member of the USA team which downed Australia 71-66.
Not such good fortune for Peter, though. He played with fellow US-based Aussie Joshua Hersch in the Masters. The U.S. was beaten 80-50 by Brazil…Silver, nevertheless. For both the Lowys and Hersch, MAIGS was an opportunity to enjoy competition and catch up with family and friends.
51-year-old Israel Andrade had never put on tefillin in his life…until he attended the Maccabi Australia International Games in Sydney.
The 206cm [6’9′] basketballer from San Paulo in Brazil won a Gold medal in Masters Basketball at the Sports Centre in Sydney Olympic Park.
Members of Sydney’s Yeshiva community were waiting court side to offer the athletes the opportunity of putting on tefillin. In Israel’s case, it was to be the first time in his life.
Having just beaten the USA 80-50, it was a smiling Andrade who appeared to thoroughly enjoy the experience.
He was not alone. Much to the surprise of the bocherim, there was a queue of basketballers waiting to share the experience.
In other basketball results, the Australian Blue team won the Open event beating the Australian Green team 69-47.
Top scorers were:
Open
Australian Blue Gilli Smolboard 70 pts
Australian Green Barry Dubdovsky 100 pts
Masters
Australia White Shraga Gold 37 pts
Australia Green Leigh Redlich 52 pts
Youth
Marcel Ninio 119 pts
Women
Kate Perlstein 61 pts
