In Memory of 11 Israeli Olympic Athletes

Dear Friends,

I imagine many, if not most, of you will be watching the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games when NBC begins airing it (on tape delay) at 7:30 tomorrow evening. Beginning with Queen Elizabeth II being received at the entrance of the Olympic Stadium by Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee, and followed by the famed parade of athletes from all over the world, this ceremony, put together by British Film Director Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire"), promises to be quite a spectacle.

What I am writing to you about, however, is something quite different: a much quieter, much smaller ceremony that will take place at the same time that this giant spectacle is commencing in London - and I am asking you to participate in it. The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey has established 9:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, Friday July 27 th , as the time for each of us to take a minute to observe a personal moment of silence to remember the 11 Israeli athletes, coaches, and referees murdered at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.

The 2012 Summer Olympics, which begin in London on July 27, marks 40 years since that horrific moment. Since then, the bereaved families have repeatedly asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to observe a minute of silence in memory of the Munich 11. Although a petition has been signed by nearly 110,000 individuals, the IOC has refused to undertake this action. While it does not surprise me that IOC would disrespect the State of Israel and the feelings of the world Jewish community, it is sad and disturbing that they would ignore tragic death of Olympic athletes on this, the 40 th anniversary of the Munich massacre. If you would like to sign the petition click here.

We will also be reciting the names of the 11 victims of this tragedy at Shabbat services this Friday evening and next (July 27th and August 3 rd ), which begin at 6:30 p.m. (oneg at 6:00 p.m. before services). I hope you can join us.

The names of the 11 Israeli Olympic Team members are:

Mark Slavin, 18, Wrestler Eliezer Halfin, 24, Wrestler David Berger, 28, Weightlifter Ze'ev Friedman, 28, Weightlifter Yossef Romano, 31, Weightlifter Andre Spitzer, 27, Fencing coach Moshe Weinberg, 33, Wrestling coach Amitzur Shapira, 40, Track coach Yossef Gutfreund, age 40, Wrestling referee Yakov Springer, 51, Weightlifting judge Kehat Shorr, 53, Shooting coach

Even if you cannot make it to services, perhaps you would like to say kaddish for them yourselves.

I would like to thank Rabbi Neal Borovitz, the chairman of our Jewish Community Relation's Council (JCRC) and Joy Kurland, the director, for sending out this notice and making sure that we remember those who perished because they were Jews and represented our beloved State of Israel.

All the best and an early Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Jordan Millstein

P.S. I would also like to remind you that the joint local Reform Temple observance of Tisha B'Av takes place Saturday evening, July 28 th at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Beth Or, 56 Ridgewood Road, Washington Township. See below for other service information.