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Message: <br /><br /> If you are having trouble reading this email, you may view this article online at: http://www.jweekly.com/31842/full/31842/power-of-yiddishe-energy-helps-fuel-warriors-victory/ <br /><br /> <b>Power of Yiddishe energy helps fuel Warriors’ victory</b> <br /> Friday, March 16, 2007 | by rachel leibold <br /><br /><p>For Jews, 18 — chai — is a lucky number. For the Dallas Mavericks, not so much.<br /><br /> At the Golden State Warriors' Jewish Heritage Night on Monday, March 12, nearly 500 Jews sitting in the stands at Oakland's Oracle Arena watched the Mavericks fall behind early and lose to the Warriors 117-100, ending the team's 17-game win streak that began in January.<br /><br /> For the local Jews out to support the Warriors, the highlights of the evening were a well-attended pre-game tailgate sponsored by various local Chabads, and a first-quarter shofar-blowing by Chabad of S.F.'s Rabbi Yosef Langer.<br /><br /> Langer was nicknamed "Rally Rabbi" at last year's Giants Jewish Heritage Night and seems to be keeping the moniker for the time being. At the tailgate, which featured a kosher hot dog table and spirited Jewish tunes performed by Rabbi Yehuda Ferris and the Ferris Wheels, Langer blew a few tekiyahs on the shofar and encouraged the crowd to "rally with the Rally Rabbi."<br /><br /> Few had expected the sub-.500 Warriors, coming off a dreadful performance in Portland the previous night, to keep up with the NBA's best team, let alone win so handily. But many hoped the Jewish presence would light a spark under the locals.<br /><br /> "We just experienced Purim, which teaches us that miracles are here, within our grasp, in the world," Langer said before the game. "The message of Purim is one applicable today — the Warriors have a chance."<br /><br /> But it wasn't just a divine miracle that brought the Warriors to victory. The Mavs' golden boy, Dirk Nowitzki, scored only 13 points, half his average, while the Warriors' Mickael Pietrus knocked down 20.<br /><br /> And it probably didn't hurt that for this "Hardwood Classic" game the Warriors donned their vintage yellow "The City" jerseys, whose rear uniform numbers were ensconced in an image that looked, from high above the court, suspiciously like a Torah scroll — but, on closer inspection, turned out to be a cable car.<br /><br /> The Warriors weren't the only well-dressed group in the arena, though — Jewish Heritage Night ticketholders were treated to navy blue T-shirts with "Go Warriors" written in Hebrew transliteration.<br /><br /> And even Mark Cuban, the Mavericks' Jewish owner, couldn't have out-ruached the cheering Jews in the stands.<br /><br /> "We do respect that the Mavericks have a Jewish owner, but we have a Jewish community," said Frank Winston, commissioner of the Northern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.<br /><br /> "There's a special spirit created by the Jewish community — the Jewish music, Jewish traditions, the Rally Rabbi, Jewish food. Jewish tradition is to love your fellow person, and tonight they will bring it to the Warriors."<br /><br /> Up in the stands, families mixed with large groups of teens to form the sizable Jewish contingent, which was almost double last year's showing of slightly more than 250.<br /><br /> San Francisco's Jewish Community High School of the Bay helped pump up the crowd, offering discounted tickets to members of the basketball teams and other students at Bay Area Jewish schools, including Tehiyah Day School and Oakland Hebrew Day School.<br /><br /> At halftime, when the Warriors were up 64-51, Matthew Butrimovitz, a JCHS student attending the game, was enthused about the home team's lead — and the Yiddishe vibe of the night.<br /><br /> "This is the best thing that has happened to the [Bay Area] Jewish community since Rabbi Langer," he said.</p>

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