Tamir Goodman on what it’s like to be a Jewish sports hero

Posted on February 2nd, 2010 by JewishByte

JewishByte Baltimore – Alef Interviews: Tamir Goodman
When asked to name the most famous Jewish professional athletes in history, most respondents would likely toss out names like “Hank Greenberg” and “Sandy Koufax” without too much hesitation. Give them a few minutes more, and some people might even come up with “Kerri Strug” or “Mark Spitz.” But, over the last several years another name has begun to gain traction. From his native Maryland to basketball courts across Israel, an entire generation of sports fans is cheering on professional basketballer, Tamir Goodman: “The Jewish Jordan.”

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Goodman first attracted national attention after profiles in Sports Illustrated, ESPN, and 60 Minutes, and raised eyebrows after a series of high-profile college recruitment offers. Ultimately, Goodman decided to play college basketball for Towson University, and in 2002 made aliyah to play professionally in the Israeli basketball leagues for Maccabi Tel-Aviv, and then Maccabi Haifa. Goodman recently announced his retirement from professional basketball, and has been focusing on leading basketball clinics, workshops, and motivational seminars in the United States. Goodman is also one of the leading figures advocating for the Haifa Hoops for Kids program, which allows American donors to provide basketball tickets for underprivileged children in Israel.

Alef recently caught up with Tamir by phone, and talked to him about his life, his work, and what it’s like to be a Jewish sports hero.

For the full article and interview, Please visit Aleph Next HERE.