By Nochum Greenwald
I would like to share a story about my friend Motti Avraham, who hails from Montreal, Canada. He is a 15-year-old talented athlete, whose passion is soccer.
In January 2021, Motti signed up to play in a competitive municipal soccer league. The rule is that before every game, all the players go to the referee for a safety check. He makes sure they are wearing the proper gear; shin guards under their socks, cleats, etc.
Before one such game, the referee noticed a yarmulka on Motti’s head.
“You are not wearing that”, he said.
Motti asked why and the referee responded curtly, “I don’t have to tell you.” Motti protested, but to no avail.
Per the rules, Motti would be allowed to wear a sports bandana which would hide his yarmulka. However, the referee’s remark of “You are not wearing that” did not sit well with him. He thought for a while, bravely summoned the courage to approach his coach and told him clearly that he was not removing his yarmulka, even if it meant not playing.
The coach then conferred with the referee whose ruling was that if Motti played with a yarmulka, he would get a red card. It would have meant the automatic ejection of Motti and that his team would remain shorthanded for the remainder of the match.
Just as the game was about to start, to Motti’s amazement, the coach told the whole team to get down on one knee in protest. It was then that the coach told the players what was going on. The stunned players then heard about the referee not allowing Motti to play with a yarmulka and that if the team continued to protest and not play, it would be a forfeit and an automatic loss.
The coach from the opposing team didn’t quite understand what was happening. When he heard what the protest was about, he instructed his team to get down on one knee in support of Motti.
It is to be noted that Motti is not only the sole Jewish player on his team, he is the only Jewish player in the league. So here you had both coaches, assistant coaches and players from all over Quebec, supporting Motti’s right to wear a Yarmulka.
Both coaches conversed with the referee and a heated discussion ensued until finally, the referee relented. Motti could wear his yarmulka with pride.
Motti scored two goals during the winning match. Towards the end of the game, Motti was called off the pitch to be replaced by a substitute player. As he was leaving the field, he passed by the referee and told him, “You can try to take my yarmulka, but cannot take my G-d.”
The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks articulated a point the Rebbe often said: “Non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism, and they are embarrassed by Jews who are embarrassed by Judaism.
May we all learn from Motti, that at all times and in all situations, to be proud of who we are and what we represent.
a big kiddush hashem
My son plays competitive soccer. The real issue is not the Kippa but the clips that hold them into place. There was only one match where the ref told him he could not play with a kippa (because of the clips). I suggested alternatives but boys will be boys.
https://blogs.yu.edu/revel/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2014/12/Gurock-Clothes-they-wear.pdf
Thank you guys for sharing my story 👏🙌
I mean just wear a cap and that is it. He does not want you to wear the kippa because if it falls down its a safety hazard
That would work if the referee explained it this way to him.
From the story it’s apparent that this was not the case and for that you must stand up for yourself.
Giving in and using a cap would be a cowardly act towards Yiddishkite
You seriously think that a yarmulke falling off someone’s head to the ground would be a “safety hazard”? LOL. No, it wouldn’t present a safety hazard, and if you had read the article correctly, it said regulations would allow a sports bandana OVER the kippah anyway. So no chance of it falling. With all the antisemitism about these days, I am proud of this young man for being strong and taking a stand!!!
your able to wear a big yarmulka which wont fall off and in fact i do think this was an act of anti semitism.
Can you name one time ever where there was an injury due to a kippah?
Then the ref should have said that’s the reason. But since the ref refused and said “I don’t have to tell you” this indicates are more nefarious motive. Adults who are rational don’t act that way.
Don’t worry they changed the rules and a kippa is now allowed
I am glad that you have so much pride and strength at 15. Hashem watched over you. Be well and enjoy the game. You are a star, li life!!
You have set the standard and educated some folks along the way. Good luck.
Proud of you Motti!
Have you ever heard of bobby pins? I wear them when I play and my yarmulka never falls off
That’s the concern of the coach, not the ref. The context was clearly made to be for no other reason but the ref’s own, not to share and justify any concern, but that he simply didn’t *want* this player to wear the yarmulka. A cap would be at least as much of a hazard, if not more, since it’s larger and not clipped in any way.
My son passed away last year
He was proud to had his kipa
I m making a documentary
I would love to send the kippa ee did in his name
We created an academy shomer shabat
Wow that’s amazing
Wow very nice can you just write the second two lines again I couldn’t understand
We are so very sorry for your loss….
It sounds like you are putting positivity into the world to memorialise his Life – may it spread good feelings, set a standard of good behaviour to others, and BH bring you at least a small measure of comfort. May his dear neshama be blessed with many aliyot.
Motti – you rock. I’m a rebbe in the US, and I want to share your story with my students. How can I contact you directly?
Rabbi Grun
Very proud of you Motti
What a Kiddush Hashem, and what decency on the part of the other players and coaches!
Wow! That is so cool.
Wow
Thanks for standing up.hashem WILL bless you.
Motti!!! You and all of the people supporting you are blessed with wisdom!
Very inspiring that they all supported MottI. Very impressed.
Kol Hakavod! It gives Chizuk to those reading this who may be in a similar position down the line.
As the Rebbe said ,this is a proof that the WORLD-including gentiles – is ready for Moshiach !
Im so moved by this story! Such courage to stand up for being a yid!!
Love what you told the referee on the way out: “cant take my G-d”
Your are an inspiration!
As the Rebbe said The whole world -not only Yidden- is really ready for Moshiach,and to acknowledge the presence of Hashem
As a Montreal I’m so so proud of him.Keep up the great work.
By a 15 year old role model… to be a proud Jew! I will try and make changes
Ty motti
That is an amazing story besides the amazingness of the kid not taking off his kippa but also how the non jewish coaches reacted- Even the other team!
What a well raised young man he is.
Truly so much to learn and appreciate from this young man..more than one lesson for sure!!
Montreal is very blessed to have the Avraham family in our community!! Bh!
What a great story
What a great spirit!
Keep shining, Motti!
It’s a big deal because Quebec is usually not so friendly to the Jews
Very proud of u and when they see were strong they support us
Ur a true inspiration
What a tremendous Kiddush Hashem!!
There’s no way to pasteurize this just because players and coaches all did the right thing.
It’s still a game in which players hit the ball with their heads!!!
I played basketball with classmates with a kipa,i was injured in the game by the bobby pin that holds the kipa.
Such a kiddush hashem. Thanx for sharing
What a Kiddush Hashem u made!!
Blessed are ur parents who raised u!!
וראו כל עמי הארץ…….
What an inspiration that Motti respectfully stood his ground.
A true קידוש השם!
His parents should continue to have much nachas!!
So proud to call you my brother in law!!!
This is a great story. Only thing I would’ve done differently is I don’t think it was necessary to the rude to the referee at the end. דרכיה דרכי נועם.
That’s showing him that a Jew won’t be cowed. Learn the difference. דרכי נועם doesn’t mean to be a doormat, or a “Mah Yofis Yid.”
I am proud of Motti, of his team, and of the other team as well! I hope whatever group oversees the referees knows about his senseless hatred and attempted abuse of power.
In his autobiography about being drafted to the US army during WW2, he had an amazing Yarmulka story. His supervisor, or whoever outranked him, was replaced by someone else, who turned out to be an anti-Semite, but a shrewd one. Anyway, things proceeded as normal, until one day, Lt. Birnbaum was in some kind of building, where covering your head would be an issue. The supervisor asked him about the rule that prohibits head coverings in certain places. Lt. Birnbaum told him, quoting the source in the rule book, about this being prohibited. AHA! The supervisor retorted angrily. “So you… Read more »
The father of my nephew . A family that stand up and is proud to be Jewish.
I am reading this article for my 10th time and shared it in a few groups.
I am so inspired by the pride and resilience
This is extremely heartwarming
a real dugma chaya and kiddush Hashem!!
May all yiddishe children grow up with such pride and courage
That ref needs to take a course in humanity.
Motti, you are inspiration to all. Keep on wearing your religion with pride.
Motti You’re a Jew and you’re proud and you said it out loud. Hashem is always watching over you.kol hakavod
So proud! Remember who you are, what you are and carry your name with honor! Such great support from the coaches and their teams. There is hope!
Thank you Motti! You made us all proud!
What a story motti!
I’m so impressed with the coach! What’s his name?
To Motti Avraham, Chazak u’Baruch! (May you be strong, and may you be blessed)
To his coach, and the coach from the opposing team. To all the players.
Continue to be a guiding light.