Who is a Jew?
An important, even critical, question when determining who may marry whom (to take one important example) but not important when determining who may play second base. Or pitch. Or coach. Or cheer.
The Denver Jewish Softball League with its own divisions (Corned Beef and Pastrami), its own commissioners, its own team names (10 Plagues from the JCC, Sinai Mitts-vahs, HEA[hebrew educational alliance]-Brews), not to mention its own wacky rules (you need not be a member of the synagogue to play for its team) is a great meeting place.
A unifying force.
A great idea.
It is perhaps the only institution in the city in which Jews of all kinds of commitments participate on a regular basis. Even more, their participation is voluntary, and comes with absolute indifference as to the religious inclinations of the others.
It seems quite fitting that the leagues championship game was held the Sunday before Tisha bAv, the day on which we are to focus on such unity. For all the talk of replacing groundless hate with groundless love, the softball league is one place in Denver where this is actually realized.
Whether you eat kosher cornbeef or not, whether you keep other mitts-vahs or not, whether you show up in shul or not or, for that matter, whether you are a good ball player or not you can get together with other Jews and have fun. No pressure. No differences. No barriers. No arguments (except over an umpires call).
And . . . no membership dues. No elections. No votes. No committees. No rabbinic or cantorial dynasties, none! But, yes, ball club dynasties, for sure. As in the HEA-Brews, who did it again this year, taking the Silver Kiddush Cup trophy for the sixth year in a row.
However, the HEA-Brews did lose one game this year, for the first time in many years. Maybe, a harbinger?
Wait till next year!
Copyright © 2011 by the Intermountain Jewish News
