Warriors’ Jewish night a success; next up is ‘Purim with Omri’

The Golden State Warriors sold a record 763 Jewish Heritage Night tickets to the Feb. 17 game against Israeli rookie Omri Casspi’s Sacramento Kings.

Casspi started at forward in the game at Oakland’s Oracle Arena and had 11 points and seven rebounds, but his Kings were trounced by the Warriors, 130-98.

A Warriors official called the team’s fifth annual Jewish Heritage Night a big success. Organizers handed out the full allotment of souvenir T-shirts (750) and kosher hot dogs (500), and the ticket total topped last year’s 650, as well as the previous high of 750 three years ago.

San Francisco Hillel student Julena Cone at the Warriors’ game Feb. 17.

Teen athletes from the 2009 JCC Maccabi Games in San Francisco were honored on the scoreboard. Some of them also got to be on the court to high-five the players before the game, as did a group of special-needs kids.

 The Warriors’ record in Jewish heritage games in Oakland improved to 3-2.

The Kings and Warriors will not meet again this season, but tickets are plentiful in Sacramento and the Kings’ remaining 14-game home schedule includes some Jewish-themed events.

On Sunday, Feb. 28, “Purim Party with Omri” begins at 4:30 p.m., 90 minutes before the Kings tip off against the L.A. Clippers. Fans will get to hear from Casspi and also are invited to come dressed as Purim characters, with a prize to be awarded for the best costume. Game tickets are being offered at a discount, but space is limited.

On March 14, some 200 people from Mosaic Law Congregation in Sacramento will attend the Kings’ 6 p.m. game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, in effect transforming it into an unofficial Jewish heritage game. Synagogue members will take part in several pre-game activities.

The Kings’ April 10 game against the Dallas Mavericks at 7:30 p.m. is scheduled as Israeli Cultural Night. Casspi is booked for a pregame Q&A session and nearly 100 tickets have already been sold, with other aspects of the event still being planned.

For more information on any of these events, contact Kings’ ticket executive Beth Gelender at (916) 928-6954 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

— andy altman-ohr