U. S. State Department's Double Standards toward Israel Spread to the NBA

כ׳ לחודש השמיני תשע״ה

IsraelUSA.net: US State Department Kills Visa for Israeli NBA Player Gal Mekel
Eric Miller, November 12, 2014

A petty new low…

As the Obama administration is contemplating a sweeping amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants to the United States, the US State Department is refusing to extend a simple P1 visa currently held by Israeli basketball star Gal Mekel of the NBA. The State Departments actions have prevented the NBA’s Indiana Pacers from signing Mekel.

Gal Mekel (right)

Gal Mekel was recently dropped by the Dallas Mavericks as part of a deal to free up space on the team while helping the Indian Pacers sign a badly needed point guard. Multiple injuries have left the Pacers with only one point guard and they are desperate to sign Mekel.

Now apparently, Indiana has been forced to back out of the deal with Mekel after the US State Department has refused to renew his visa without explanation.

Breitbart News reports that:

Normally, visas for foreign-born players in the NBA are automatically transferable with the players to whom they are issued. More than 100 foreign-born players are currently in the NBA. This is the first instance many basketball analysts can recall where a foreign-born player was prevented from signing with a new NBA team because a visa could not be transferred.

Gal Mekel is one of only two Israelis in the NBA; the other is Omri Caspi of the Sacramento Kings.

(Tip: The Kalashnikover Rebbe)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
I can certainly understand wanting to excel in ones profession, in order to reach the top, even besides the opportunities for fame, glitz, and glory which can be found in an American professional athletics organization. With the exception of soccer, the U. S. has really outdone itself in this regard.

But, professional athletes, Jewish athletes, cannot be exempt from reading the writing on the wall. Players from Europe, Asia, and elsewhere are having trouble their visa renewals?

Gal, have you ever thought that maybe, HaShem does not want you to be in America?

It would not be the first time that HaShem (The Almighty) has sent messages through nasty, evil people. Pharoah of Egypt comes to mind. This time, though, Jews do not have to wait around until it gets go bad in exile, to have to scream out to HaShem. Nowadays, you can just get on a plane,...for now anyway.

Omri Caspi

I guess that playing professional basketball is as good a reason as any to have diggs in Sacramento. To us native Californians, Sacramento, California's capital, is not know to be a terribly exciting place. I have overheard state politicians talk about dreading their trips "back there." Apparently, even former Governor Arnold Schwartzenagger never spent any more time in Sacramento than he had to. You get the point. Omri Caspi must really love basketball, if he is willing to live in, or even close to, Sacramento.

David Blatt

And speaking of basketball, although Head Coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers David Blatt is a U. S. citizen, I wish that he would get the message, too, and return to Israel. As the former coach of the Maccabbee Tel-Aviv Basketball team, he I am sure that he would not have too much trouble getting a job in the field he loves. Better yet, why not Israeli Minister of Culture and Sport?

My Brothers, it's time to come home.

אחים שלי, הגיע הזמן לחזור הביתה.

A New Religion?

Purim Qatan le'Muqafin 5768

A friend of mine, a rabbi who lives in Me'ah Sha'arim neighborhod in Jerusalem found himself with a broken down car in, of all places, Sacramento, the capital of the State of California.

Dressed in traditional, hasidishe Yerushalmi, black hat and coat, he stood outside a garage, talking with the mechanic about the prognosis of his car. After the conversation, he overheard two on-lookers discussing his presence.

"What religion do you suppose HE is?"

"Why he must be a Moslem Catholic."

What on earth is a Moslem Catholic? I am a native Californian, and for the life of me, I haven't a clue. The only answer I can possibly come up with for the astute conclusion of the Hakhamei Sacramento, based solely on my friend's livush (garb), is that,....well,...this was after all in Sacramento.

For those of you who do not know Sacramento, it doesn't have the reputation, neither for being the most exciting place to visit, nor having the highest number of Harvard graduates living in close proximity,...if you get my drift.

Never the less, said friend and I have immensely enjoyed spending time, discerning what the practices must be of this ancient religion, steeped in centuries of tradition.

1. Which way should one face during Communion, toward Rome or Mecca? Neither. The seat of the Moslem Catholic religion is Sacramento, the place of its founding. The same goes for the direction of bowing during prayer.

2. Communion is done grape juice, as it is non-alcoholic.

3. The head of the Moslem Catholic religion is the "Popimam."

4. If Christmas falls during Ramadan, as it did nine years ago, festive meals are held only at night.

5. The same applies for Easter, yet there is no such thing as an Easter ham.

6. The official position of the Moslem Catholic religion on the Middle East is: "We wish our brethren in Ohio only peace and prosperity, and are willing to defend them in a war, if Pennsylvania ever decides to attack."

7. Higher education is frowned upon,...obviously.

Are there any customs I am forgetting? Please let me know by leaving a comment.