An Israeli National Bobsled Team?

If Jamaica can have an Olympic bobsled team, why not Israel? That was the thought of Dave Nicholls. Dave is a paraplegic and uses a wheelchair to get around. Dave sustained spinal damage in a skiing accident 15 years ago but has been participating in the sport of bobsledding for 14 years. Now for the first time, he is participating in the able-bodied version of competition. The rules of bobsled actually make competing for wheelchair users less of a challenge than in most other sports. Team members typically push the sled and then jump in before going down the track, but the rules allow an athlete to start seated and the other team members to push. This little quirk in the rules allowed him to help establish and pilot the Israeli national team.

Dave’s story and the story of how the Israeli national team has come together is powerful and goes far beyond his own life story and participation.

We have the opportunity to hear directly from Dave Nichols about his story and the development of Israel’s bobsled team which plans to qualify and compete in the next Winter Olympics. Just a couple years ago, we cheered on the Israeli National Baseball team as they competed in the Summer Olympics. Now is our chance to cheer on Israel’s bobsled team.

Please join us on Zoom on Tuesday evening October 27th at 7 PM for a stimulating conversation with Dave Nichols. Look for information and the Zoom link in the coming days.

Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shalom. I am very excited to restart the weekly Torah reading cycle with the book of Genesis this week. I hope you can join us on Shabbat morning as we restart the journey through the narratives of creation, Noah, Abraham and more.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Tecktiel