By Jonathan S. Tobin www.CommentaryMagazine.com
In the end, the families of the 11 Israeli Olympic athletes and coaches who were murdered at the Munich Olympics 40 years ago and millions of Jews who mourned with them, got a bit of satisfaction out of the London Games. Though the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stubbornly refused to devote even a minute of an hours-long opening ceremony for a moment of silence for the victims of Munich (while giving several minutes to a memorial to the victims of the London subway bombings), American gymnast Alexandra Raisman had an appropriate response. By saying her gold medal-winning performance in the floor exercise was in part a memorial to the Israelis who perished long before she was born, Raisman gave us a genuine moment of Jewish pride that places the IOC’s shameful stand in perspective.
Its about time. I am so proud of Ally for giving honors to those who died in Munich. She absolutely did the
honorable thing to acknowledge their sacrifice. Too bad the hosting country could not even give a moment of silence. They are a very sad bunch of people.
Don’t blame the Brits. It’s the IOC that calls these shots.
The Brits could have demanded a moment of silence. It is their games, the host country has alot to say in what goes on. Ally has more class than the whole IOC has combined. Pure and simple Anti-Semetism!
Aly used Hava Nagila during all her floor routines throughout the Olympics, but it wss for the individual medal when it really counted. I believe Hashem blessed her for blessing His (and her) people. She made a public stand to right a forty year old wrong. Why can a teenage Jewish girl do what the “international” Olympic committee refuses to do: honor the memory of eleven murdered Olympic athletes? Because she fears (respects) Hashem and they do not. Let us follow this young woman’s example and rise up and honor Hashem and His chosen people. He said to Avraham that He would bless all people through his seed and He would bless those who blessed Avraham (and his seed) and would curse those who cursed Avraham. Aly Raisman was blessed because she honors her people. Shalom.