Monday, September 16, 2013

Yom Kippur Football

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and the holiest day of the Jewish year, occurred this weekend. On this day, you refrain from eating and drinking for approximately 25 hours (or 25 & 1/2 hours if the rabbi ends services a little late on Saturday night). This is also the only time of year where I go on media lock down meaning no internet, TV, phone, radio, music, etc. While I'd like to be one of those people who writes how refreshing it is to live without these modern-day items we take for granted, I rely on all of this during the day.

Anyway, I don't need to tell you the importance sports plays in the United States and around the world. So what happens when sports, particularly in Alabama on a college football Saturday, coincides with Yom Kippur? This:


As a bit of a tangent, when I first moved to Northern Virginia, I attended Yom Kippur services at George Mason University. Although I didn't know anyone, I naturally talked with some of the folks sitting around me. When I mentioned to one guy that I was from Pittsburgh, he said sorry about last night referring to a Sunday night football game between the Steelers and either the Browns or Bengals. Per my no TV on Yom Kippur policy, I had recorded the game on my VCR (yes, VCR) to watch after the holiday concluded. I was not thrilled by learning the outcome of the game (and by the result), so I can see where the Alabama synagogue is coming from with this announcement. Of course, the last sentence is a bit much.

h/t Deadspin

No comments: