Dear Language Enthusiast,
Welcome to the Hebrew Monthly, the
Internet newsletter from Transparent Language. In this
issue, we look at the exciting world of sports.
Examining the traditions and pageantry surrounding
competitive sports offers a fascinating window into
the very soul of a culture. Even if you are not a
sports fanatic, I’m sure you’ll find this month’s
article both intriguing and helpful in building your
language skills.
Sincerely,
Transparent Language
www.transparent.com
Yisr'eylim mityakhasim lisport b'ota otsma vhitlahavut
hameyafyanim et hakhayim byisraeyl. M'at mikvutsot
hasport haisr'eyliyot, umat sportaim yisr'eylim,
hitslikhu lizkot bsheym beynl'umi. Lamrot zot,
khovevey hasport hayisr'eylim okvim, ba'adikut raba,
akhar hpilut shelahem, vtamid mkavim ltotsaot tovot
yoteyr beatid. Yisr'eylim ohavim sport vnotlim kheylek
bkhol anafav. Ulam anfey hasport hamkubalim vha'ahudim
byoteyr heym kaduregel vkhadursal.
Ohadey hakaduregel heym hanilhavim byoteyr. Miskhakey
hakaduregel mshudarim bateyleyvizya bkhol motsaey
shabat. Uvishvil yisr'eylim rabim, shidurim eyley
makbilim bkhashivutam lshidurey "Monday Night
Football" bishvil ameyrikaim. Akhuz hatsfiya hagavoakh
byoteyr byisraeyl nirsham ka'asher, tsarfat uvrazil
hitkharu bagmar shel miskhakey gviya haolam
bkhaduregel, shene'erkhu bishnat 1998. Kvutsot
yisr'eyliyot rabot mishtatfot, bderekh-klal,
btakharuyot beynl'umiyot. Ulam b'eyney kahal haohadim
hamkomi, hatslkhat hakvutsa habeytit hi l'eyn arokh
yoteyr khashuva.
Khilot mkomiyot rabot vkheyn hamemshala, mmamnot
takhniyot noar myukhadot, al-mnat lhamshikh et pituakh
hakaduregel. Nivkharot hanoar, ad gil 16 v'ad gil 18,
zakhu lhatslakhat-ma btakharuyot beynl'umiyot shonot.
Hakvutsa hatsira yoteyr, af zakhta bmeydalyat arad
btakharuyot alifut eyropa, bishnat 1996. (Lamrot
sheyisraeyl hi kheylek meyasya, hanivkharot
hayisr'eyliyot ne'elatsot, l'itim krovot, lsakheyk
baligot haeyropiyot.)
Hanivkheret hatsira eyrkha bmay hashana, et
miskhakeyalifut eyropa livney 16 vmata. Kulam kivu
shehaidud shel hakahal habeyti yitrom lhatslakhat
hakvutsa. Ulam, hi hitslikha lizkot rak binkuda akhat,
vne'eltsa l'azov et hamiskhakim.
Kadursal hu hamiskhak hanafots byoteyr byisraeyl.
Haha'arakha hi shebkhol shavua msakhakim k-30,000 ish
bikh-850 miskhakim. Lakheyn, lo maftiya sheyisr'aelim
rabim okvim heyn akhar takharuyot hakadursal balikga
ha'artsit, vheyn akhar takharuyot nivkheret yisraeyl
bmiskhakim beynl'umiyim.
Hakhalafat sakhakanim mkubelet m'od, beyn yisraeyl
uveyn artsot habrit. Sakhkanim yisr'eylim ts'irim
sheholkhim l'universetot ameyrikayot, khozrim al-pi-
rov, la'arets akharey siyum halimudim. Rabim meyhem
ma'adifim lsakheyk tkufat-ma baliga hayisr'eylit,
lamrot shekheylek meyhem kvar sikhek baliga
hamiktsoanit b'artsot habrit. Uvdah zu nkhona b'ikar
lgabey noshim. Onat ha-WNBA b'artsot habrit ktsara
m'od, vlakheyn nashim ykholot lsakheyk ba'arets bastav
uvakhoref.
Rov hasakhakanim ha'ameyrikaim shemsakhakim ba'arets
heym yhudim. Hasiba lkhokh hi sheal-pi "khok hashvut",
lkhol yhudi shemvakeysh, mo'oneket ezrakhut yisraeylit
miyad bhagiyo artsa. B'ofen teyoreyti, lkhol kvutsa
ba'arets ykholim lihyot lo yoteyr mishlsha sakhakanim
zarim. Ulam bikvutsot rabot yeysh yoteyr, im biglal
haezrakhut hamiyadit o biglal nisuin lyisr'eyli.
Kvutsat hakadursal hatova byoteyr byisraeyl hi makabi
teyl-aviv. Likvutsa zo hayu hashana khamisha
sakhakanim ylidey artsot habrit. Makabi teyl-aviv
hayta hakvutsa harishona shheykheyla lyabey sakhakanim
yduim. Ekhad haboltim haya tal brodi. Brodi omnam
buyas al-ydey kvutsat ha-NBA "Baltimore Bullets"
bishnat 1966, ulam hu bakhar lfateyakh et hakaryeyra
shelo byisraeyl, im makabi teyl-aviv. Brodi hikhnis
tekhnikot khadashot lamiskhak shel hakvutsa kgon:
kliya meyrakhok, vhagana agresivit. Al-ydey kakh hu
taram lshipur eykhut hamiskhak vhe'enik lmakabi teyl-
aviv elyonut baliga.
Makabi teyl-aviv zakhta larishona ba'alifut haliga,
bishnat 1954. Umeyaz, hi zakhta shuv 39 p'amim
nosafot, lrabot hashana. Makabi hi hakvutsa
haysraeylit harishona shesikhaka al gviya eyropa,
uvtakharuyot eylu hi tamid matslikha lhagiya
lmiskhakey reva hagmar o yoteyr. Hashana hi hitkharta
bmiskhak khatsi hagmar neged panatinekos meyatuna.
Ohadey sport yisraeylim, lrabot eyle shebderekh-klal
eynam ohadey makabi teyl-aviv, hifginu tmikha amuka
vhitlahavut raba.
In English:
Israelis bring to sports the intensity and enthusiasm
that permeate Israeli life. Few Israeli athletes or
teams are internationally known, but die-hard Israeli
sports fans nevertheless follow their activities and
hope for better results to come. While Israelis
participate in most major sports, soccer and
basketball are the most popular.
Soccer captures the most enthusiastic fans. Televised
soccer matches on Saturday night are to many Israelis
what Monday Night Football is for many Americans. The
all-time highest ratings registered on Israeli
television occurred during the 1998 World Cup Final
between France and Brazil. Israeli teams compete in
international events, while many communities have
teams whose success is vital to local fans.
Communities and the government promote youth programs
to continue soccer's development. Israel's Under 16
and Under 18 teams have enjoyed some success in
international competition, culminating in a bronze
medal for the Under 16 team at the European
Championships in 1996. (Although Israel is in Asia,
Israeli teams often play in European leagues.)
This year, the team hoped to put on a show for the
home crowd when Israel hosted the European Under 16
championships in May. The team earned only
one point before its elimination from the tournament however.
One problem for Israeli soccer is that its best
players often leave to play for higher-paying teams in
Europe. In the case of Israeli basketball teams the
opposite is true, however, and "imported" players often
make the difference for local teams.
With 30,000 people playing an estimated 850 games per
week, basketball is the most played sport in Israel.
Thus, it is not surprising that many Israelis follow
the professional teams of the Israeli league as well
as Israeli teams in international competition.
Exchanges between Israel and the United States are
common. Many young Israeli players attend American
universities. They generally return to Israel after
graduation, although a few have played professionally
here. In addition, many American players choose to
spend time in the Israeli leagues. This is
particularly true for women, since the short WNBA
season in the United States permits them to play in
Israel during the fall and winter.
Many American players are Jewish, since Israeli "Law of
Return" grants Jews automatic citizenship on arrival.
In theory, only three foreigners are permitted on each
team in the Israeli league, but between instant
citizens and athletes who marry Israelis, many teams
have more.
Israel's powerhouse basketball team, the Maccabi Tel
Aviv, had five American-born players this year.
Maccabi Tel Aviv was the first team to bring in a
high-profile player. Although Tal Brody had been
drafted by the NBA's Baltimore Bullets, he chose to
take his career to Israel and Maccabi Tel Aviv in
1966. Bringing the jump shot and aggressive defense to
Israeli basketball, Brody helped improve the overall
quality of the game and contributed to Maccabi Tel
Aviv's dominance of the league.
Since winning its first championship in 1954, Maccabi
Tel Aviv has won 39 more, including this year's.
Thanks largely to a 22-year streak, they have been
champions 31 of the last 33 years. The first Israeli
team to play in the European Cup, Maccabi Tel Aviv
typically gets to the quarterfinals or even further;
this year it was runner-up to Panathinaikos Athens.
Israeli sports fans, even those who normally root
against the team, showed enthusiastic approval.
Sources:
Union des Associations Européennes de Football
Only a Game (National Public Radio)
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
