Geoff Schwartz, who is one of the nine Jewish players in the NFL, discusses how he celebrates his religion amid his non-Jewish peers. [Larry Brown Sports] Jewish New Yorkers were angered at the MTA’s plan to shut down select train service during Passover, as they rely on the transportation to get home from their Seders. [NY Post] Former members of the anti-Semitic Westboro Baptist Church apologize to the Jewish community. [Politix] “Beyond Bubbie” is the largest of several projects that are …More

In a move that has had both the Jewish and sports worlds talking, the Chicago Bears signed 57-year-old Minneapolis native Marc Trestman, making him the lone Jewish coach in the NFL. After a long series of interviews, Bears management chose Trestman for the job, mainly because of his well-known work with quarterbacks. The move proves that the team is shifting their focus from defense to offense. Trestman has worked as quarterback coach for several teams in the past; helping Bernie Kosar, Scott Mitchell, Jake …More

For years and years, sports fans had to rely on Chabad across the world to help fuel up with kosher food while rooting for their favorite teams. Even Maccabi Tel Aviv has been assisted by Chabad when the European Finals fell too close to Passover; hosting mass seders for the team, and fans. Now, for the first time ever, there will be kosher food served at the 2013 NFL Super Bowl. Kosher Sports Inc. will provide kosher hotdogs and more at the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans’ Superdome in February. This may be …More

Art Modell, former owner of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns, has died. The 87-year-old Modell, a pioneer of the National Football League’s partnership with television networks, died Thursday of natural causes at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Modell was well-known for his philanthropic activities and had been a supporter of The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. He also chaired a $100 million drive to build a cardiovascular tower for the Johns Hopkins Heart Institute. He and …More

The sale of the Cleveland Browns ends 51 years of Jewish ownership of the National Football League team. The Browns sale to Jimmy Haslam III was confirmed by the NFL Network yesterday, according to the Cleveland Jewish News. Randy Lerner had inherited the team after his father, Al, died in 2002. In 1996, Art Modell, who had purchased the team in 1961 for $4 million, moved his NFL franchise to Baltimore and had it renamed the Baltimore Ravens. In 1998, Al Lerner bought the rights to the Browns for $530 …More

Robert Kraft says he’ll stick to football after giving acting a try...and failing miserably. The New England Patriots owner made his acting debut in an audition video that actress Ricki Noel Lander taped for an undisclosed Owen Wilson/Vince Vaughn film. Ricki needed someone to fill in for the role Owen will ultimately play, and Kraft was more than willing to lend a helping hand. We're guessing he didn't expect the tape to go viral, however, else he may have tried a bit harder with his lines. The script is …More

When he was drafted and signed by the Cleveland Browns this spring, Mitchell Schwartz found himself in good company. Drafted by the Browns early in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft, the former All-Pac-12 offensive lineman from the University of California was headed to a city that's been home to a number of Jewish professional athletes lately, including Cleveland Cavaliers forward Omri Casspi, Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis (whose father is Jewish, although Kipnis himself is a practicing …More

National Jewish Health is developing a breath test for lung cancer. [CBS] Reuters says Palestine has a plan to draw Muslims to the Al-Aqsa. [Reuters] The Italian Jewish community is raising funds for earthquake damage. [Times of Israel] A New York exhibit profiles the work of a Parisian artist with a devout Jewish following. [NPR] San Francisco's Jewish Film Festival opens with an exploration of the Hava Nagila. [San Francisco Chronicle] The Schwartzes are the first Jewish brothers in the NFL in decades. …More

Josh Berkman is the associate director of communications in North America for The Jewish Agency for Israel, a co-sponsor of this weekend’s Celebrate Israel Run in New York City. In advance of the event, he has compiled a list of 18 “fast” Jews. Jews are known for a lot of things: Nobel prizes, great comedy, beautiful music, literature, and the sometimes-vigorous debate. Generally speaking, we are not known for our foot speed. But perhaps this characterization is unfair. In memory of Fred Lebow, …More

The NFL journey begins this week for Mitchell Schwartz, as the offensive tackle from the University of California heads to Ohio for his rookie mini-camp with the Cleveland Browns, who selected him in the second round (37th overall) of last month's NFL Draft. "It is definitely an exciting time coming to an up and coming team," the 22-year-old Schwartz said after being drafted, "a team with a lot of talent that is going to be competing for the next few years and all the years to come." The Browns went 4-12 in …More

Did you know Tim Tebow is Christian? Haha, just kidding. Few people have ever displayed their faith as publicly as your typical evangelical’s favorite athlete of all time, and that includes several saints and apostles. Here’s a small sample of what the Denver Broncos quarterback sounds like when he talks about God: “If you’re married and you have a wife and you really love your wife, is it good enough to only say to your wife ‘I love her’ on the day you get married? Or should …More

The biggest story in the NFL this season is Tim Tebow, a devout Christian quarterback who doesn’t throw very well but has helped the Denver Broncos pull off a string of last-second victories. But the rugged Tebow’s signature move comes when play has stopped -- taking a knee in prayer after scoring a touchdown. The pose has become a popular Internet meme, with fans “Tebowing” all over the world. That includes Jewish fans. “In Denver, people see football as religion; Tebow unites …More