 |
Basketball Star Tells of Return to Judaism
By: Hillel Fendel |
|
Doron
Sheffer 37, one of Israel’s greatest basketball players, shared his story of
return to religious observance with a group of Jewish educators. Speaking in
Jerusalem on Sunday night, Sheffer recounted his years as a star, the
frustrations of losing, the joy of winning, his cancer, divorce, remarriage and
his long search for “meaning” that has brought him to observant Judaism. He
spoke at the offices of Maayanei HaYeshuah (Waters of Salvation), a pro-active
Jewish outreach organization featuring street stands, classes and Sabbath
programs. Sheffer made his name in Israeli basketball history when he led the
Upper Galilee HaPoel team to the national championship and the European Cup
semi-finals and he was chosen Player of the Year. In 1993, he played for
Connecticut University in the U.S., where he was named Rookie of the Year. His
team won the Big East championship three years running. In 1996 and he became
the first Israeli player to be chosen by an NBA team (the Los Angeles Clippers),
but he chose to play instead for Maccabi Tel Aviv, which he helped lead to four
consecutive championships.
In
2000, after he was diagnosed with cancer, Sheffer left basketball – the first of
three announced retirements from the sport. He was operated on and cured,
travelled to India, remarried, moved to Jerusalem, studied in yeshivot – and now
coaches youths in both basketball and Judaism. “My return to Judaism began 15
years ago,” he told his eager audience in a quiet, calm voice, “when I read a
book called ‘Heavenly Prophecy.’ It was written by a non-Jew and I don’t
remember much about it and it didn’t change my life – but it filled me with a
sense of peace, serenity, completeness and unity. I wanted to touch that point.
Little by little, I began my journey – a journey with no end – via my trip to
India, dealing with cancer, basketball, and ultimately, returning to myself, to
Judaism and to Torah. “I grew up in a Kibbutz in a typical secular home,”
Sheffer recalled, “with no Torah but with good character traits and manners…
After our team would lose a game, there was tremendous pressure, tension,
difficulties, frustrations and hurt, but little by little I learned to accept
the losses.
Basketball is like music; it can unite and bridge between different people with
different ideas.” One of his unforgettable memories is “when we were playing in
the Upper Galilee, and at one point, the entire crowd – Hassidim, kibbutznikim,
non-Jews, everyone – all broke out into the song ‘Moshiach, Moshiach, Moshiach.’
I'll never forget that.” When a cancerous growth was discovered in his body,
Sheffer said, “it enlightened me. G-d doesn't give something to someone that he
can't deal with. Little by little, I learned what I can correct in my life. I
got down to the root of the matters; I looked to see what my part in life is.
After a number of months, they operated and removed the growth. I realized the
extent to which pressure and fear is cancers for our lives and how joy and
patience can make us healthy.” Doron began taking practical steps towards
Judaism about five years ago when he was on a spiritual quest in India: “A few
of us were sitting around with guitars, singing Chanukah songs, and for the
first time, something inside woke up; I realized that there was more to it than
just songs, and I really began to connect to the meaning of the holiday. That
was the point at which the Jewish spark arose in me.”
The Pshat and the Sod
|