It’s All Fun & Games

Sport

/spôrt/

an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

a person who behaves in a good or specified way in response to teasing, defeat, or a similarly trying situation.

amuse oneself or play in a lively, energetic way.

Sports date back to the most ancient cultures worldwide – from the Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs in the Western Hemisphere to Sumer, Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire in the East. However, historically, Judaism and Jewish culture did not often participate. That’s not to say all sports were forbidden, or no one played, but such activities were not revered or culturally significant to early Jews. Over time, the attitude toward sports evolved and games became more welcome. Formation of the Maccabi Movement in 1895 in Turkey, and continued expansion of the Maccabi Games formed in the 1930s, paved the way for modern Jewish athletes—many of whom flourished professionally during the 20^th century, as well.

Sports, or rather, sportsmanship is an invaluable tool learned while playing with a team, no matter the sport, game, or skill involved. Both a mental and a physical challenge, an exercise in stamina and problem-solving, participating in sports creates a well-rounded individual who can take learned skills and apply them in varying facets of personal and professional life. Sports teams extend the spirit of togetherness that runs through the Jewish community while individual sports support the notion of self-sufficiency and personal growth.

Engaging in sport is a longstanding tradition in the Dallas Jewish community, as evidenced by anecdotes and photographs in our collection from as early as the 1920s. Team sports such as football, baseball, soccer, and basketball are among the most popular, but other activities such as fishing, hunting, gymnastics, tennis, badminton, and chess are also popular pastimes.   From the Maccabi Games, to community center sports teams, community-sponsored teams, and personal hobbies, the Dallas Jewish community has raised avid athletes and athletic supporters since the early 1900s. The memorabilia and photographs in this exhibit aim to portray the long history of participation and community pride. The activities highlighted below are merely a sampling of sports offered and enjoyed in the community.

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  The Christmas Day Classic

  For more than 50 years, a crew of local Dallas guys, and now their sons and daughters, too, meet up once a year – on Christmas Day – to partake in a rowdy game of football. Click to watch our 2019 panel program with some of the OG’s.