Gush Etzion basketball team
Gush Etzion basketball teamThe Gush Etzion Foundation

This past week, 14 members of the Elitzur, Gush Etzion basketball team traveled to New Jersey to strengthen the relationship between Israeli and US Jewish communities through sport. The trip was a joint initiative of the Gush Etzion Foundation, the Federation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey, and the JNF of Central New Jersey.

While in the US, the Israeli athletes led basketball clinics for children in various New Jersey Jewish day schools and played in competitive scrimmages against local basketball teams. The Israeli delegation was hosted by local Jewish families in the West Orange Jewish community.

In addition to the clinics and games, the team served as honored guests at a JNF event in a private West Orange residence this past Saturday night. The hoopsters also did some sightseeing on their trip in New York and attended a Brooklyn Nets NBA basketball game.

Global Connections Associate of MetroWest Randi Brokman posted on Facebook that the trip was put together so that the Israeli squad could "practice their skills, improve their professionalism, strengthen their team spirit, and connect with our Jewish community." Shani Simkowitz, the CEO of the Gush Etzion Foundation who traveled with the team added, "This trip, which connects the Jewish community of MetroWest New Jersey to Gush Etzion, is especially significant at this time because it is within the framework of 50 years to the reunification of Jerusalem, the return to Gush Etzion and 70 years to the establishment of the modern State of Israel."