SPORT Friday, August 14, 2015 The Australian Jewish News – jewishnews.net.au 27 Who was the first Jewish VFL player? JOSHUA LEVI of the VFL in 1897. Browne, with the “In the case of Bert Rapiport,whose Browne credited his friend Kuran “We take pride in Jewish athletes help of genealogist Bernie Kuran and name I found on the (AFL historical) for the Lazarus find because Kuran who do well,” he said. THE first Jewish footballer to com- the Australian Jewish Historical database last year, I needed the AJHS to found Barnet Lazarus’s listing at “I am (slowly) writing a book on pete in the top Aussie Rules competi- Society (AJHS), also discovered that determine that he and Henry Rapiport ’s Rookwood Jewish Cemetery in footy, so this all helps. I’m sure tion in Australia took the field in Barney Lazarus, who played seven were one and the same,”he said. and his birth details matched those in there are others. There’s a book com- 1897, more than 60 years earlier than games for Carlton, took the field in “I’d love to understand why he was the AFL archives. ing out soon that will list the names of previously thought. 1902. known in sporting circles as Bert and Rapiport and Lazarus join Synman, all registered footballers in Melbourne For decades people have thought “I always thought that there had to in the Jewish community as Henry.” Keith Baskin, Henry Ritterman, in the last part of the 19th century that St Kilda premiership defender be more Jewish footballers, perhaps Rapiport didn’t play in the VFL Michael Zemski, Mordy Bromberg, which I’m looking forward to reading Ian Synman, who made his debut for because they were halachically Jewish until he was 31, but in his early career Trevor Korn,Julian Kirzner,Ezra Poyas and identifying more players.” the Saints in 1958, was the first Jew to without either knowing or acknowl- he was a regular for Normanby, the and Todd Goldstein, whose father is play at the top level. edging it,” Browne told The AJN. club considered to be the forerunner Jewish, on the list of Jewish league The Immigration Museum in Melbourne has But Ashley Browne, a former edi- Browne said that had no trouble of Fitzroy, and before that played for footballers. a photographic exhibition showcasing tor of The AJN and now a senior discovering Bert Rapiport’s football the Maroons in the VFA. Browne, who has a deep love of multiculturalism in Australian football.It is reporter for the AFL, discovered that career, but it was hard to verify his He also turned out for a few non- AFL and the Jewish community, said on display from August 14 to October 31. Herbert ‘Bert’ Rapiport played three Jewish heritage because his real first official games for Carlton in the late there was a sense of satisfaction in the Enquires:www.museumvictoria.com.au/im games for Fitzroy in the first season name was Henry. 1880s, including one at the MCG. research to find the first footballer. migrationmuseum/ Israeli granted visa for Basketballers win silver in America JOSHUA LEVI

MACCABI Australia’s under-16 bas- world badminton titles ketball team has won a silver medal at ALLON SINAI when pressure from the Olympic the American Jewish Community Committee of and Israeli Centre (JCC) Games in Dallas, Texas. ISRAELI badminton player Misha International Olympic committee The competition started with 17 Zilberman was due to face Jen Hao member Alex Gilady, who also ral- basketball teams competing, but they Hsu of Taiwan in the first round of lied fellow IOC members, forced were split into two divisions and the the world championships only a the BWF into action. Australian team won silver in the day after arriving in Jakarta, However, with the champi- second-tier competition when they Indonesia, under tight security. onships already beginning on lost to the home team, Dallas, 61-37 The 26-year-old, who repre- Monday and Zilberman scheduled in the final. sented Israel at the 2012 to play his first round match on Australia had an amazing result in Olympics and the 2015 European Tuesday, the Israeli, ranked No. 44 the pool competition in Dallas where Games, was escorted from in the world, enters his contest it completed a trifecta in the 50-yard Singapore to the world’s most with Hsu (24) in a very tough backstroke event. Australia’s Judd populous Muslim country by bad- position. Katz won the event ahead of fellow minton World Federation The Olympic Committee of Aussie Samuel Penkin and teammate Secretary General Thomas Lund, Israel said on Sunday that it will Jarred Elbourne. who flew to Singapore especially demand to compensate Zilberman After competing in Dallas last in order to ensure the Israeli with ranking points due to the week the team has now moved to Fort would be able to enter Indonesia. ordeal he was forced to endure Lauderdale in Florida where they will Zilberman, who is only allowed over recent weeks. compete in a second round of compe- to leave his hotel for training and Zilberman’s world ranking will tition. games, spent recent weeks practic- ultimately decide if he participates Australian team manager ing in Singapore while waiting for at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Michelle Israel said that American his visa request to be approved. “Our victory and your victory athletes only compete in one JCC Despite filing his initial applica- is the fact that you will be playing Games competition, but because the tion six months ago, Zilberman in Indonesia,” Olympic committee Australian team travels so far they are was turned down by Indonesian of Israel Secretary General Gili allowed to compete against two dif- Greg Diamond works his way through the Greater Washington defence. officials time and again. Lustig told Zilberman on Monday. ferent opponents at two different Israel and Indonesia do not “Anything you manage to events. the bigger Jewish community around as athletes and hopefully this will have formal diplomatic ties and it achieve beyond that is a bonus.” “The kids have had an amazing the world. ignite some sort of passion for them is difficult for Israelis to visit the Zilberman’s last major title was money-can’t-buy experience because “Some of the kids are too young to compete in Israel.” country. in 2014 when he won a gold medal they have come to America and been for Maccabiah, because they are as The Australian athletes are com- Zilberman’s pleas to the at a World Tour event in Lagos, billeted by families,” Israel told The young as 13, and so this is a great peting against teams from a variety of Badminton World Federation fell Nigeria. AJN from America. Jewish and competitive experience for American cities, as well as interna- on deaf ears until recent days THE POST She said that competitors have them. tional delegations from Panama, learned about how they are part of “It’s been great to watch then grow Israel and Mexico.

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