Gamar Chatimah Tovah from your friends at the Dog Denizens of Genesee Park (DDGP).Translated as a "Day of Atonement", Yom Kippur represents a complete Sabbath in which one attempts to "afflict the soul" and atone for the year's past sins. From sundown before Yom Kippur until sundown the following day the faithful refrain from working and the consumption of food and liquid.
Baseball fans -- and Jewish baseball fans in particular -- knew well the dilemmas that faced Hall of Famers (HOF) Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax when deciding whether to aid their ball clubs in pursuit of victory... or observing Yom Kippur. Greenberg -- labeled by sportswriters as the "Jewish Babe Ruth" -- sat out Yom Kippur during the 1930s. Koufax spent Yom Kippur at the synagogue instead of the pitching mound during the first game of the 1965 World Series. For an insightful piece about Jewish ballplayers observing Yom Kippur.
This year, a national campaign urges Americans -- Jews and Goys alike -- to commemorate Yom Kippur by turning off their cell/smart phones for a "No Device Day". Campaign organizers seek to encourage people to take a respite from modern technology to reconnect with others through old-school, face-to-face conversation.... or in the Rainier Valley, maybe in-your-face discourse.
We'll see who goes device-less at the park on Saturday.
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