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From the JTA:
Ice dancers, skier are Israeli Olympians
JERUSALEM (JTA) — An ice-dancing pair and a skier will represent Israel at the Winter Olympics.
Roman and Alexandra Zaretsky, a brother-and-sister duo, and skier Mikail Renzhin will go to Vancouver next month, the Olympic Committee of Israel announced Monday at its headquarters.
The Zaretskys finished seventh in the 2010 European Championships, which earned them an Olympics berth. They are scheduled to skate to “Hava Nagila” and the music of ” Schindler’s List.” It is their second Olympics.
Renzhin will compete in the slalom and giant slalom events. It is also his second Olympics.
The team left Tuesday for their training sites in North America.
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Pe’er protesters fail to show at Aussie Open
MELBOURNE, Australia (JTA) — Threats of pro-Palestinian protests in Australia against Israeli tennis star Shahar Pe’er failed to materialize.
There were few Israelis and fewer Israeli flags — and no Palestinian protesters — among the 10,000-plus fans for Pe’er’s match Saturday on center court against Caroline Wozniack of Denmark. Wozniacki, seeded fourth, defeated the 29th-seeded Pe’er, 6-4, 6-0, in the third round of the Australian Open.
Demonstrators had targeted Pe’er, 22, at a tournament earlier this month in Auckland, New Zealand.
The Melbourne-based Australians for Palestine had threatened to protest at the Australian Open against the unofficial recruiting officer for the countrys armed forces, but a seclusion zone was imposed around the Rod Laver Arena.
In response to the group, which calls for a sports boycott against the apartheid state, Peer told reporters, Its unfair because I have nothing to do with politics. Im only a tennis player who wants to enjoy the tour like other players.
Peer said that she was not distracted by the security in Melbourne.
“I know that there is security going on around me, and I don’t know exactly how much but I really feel safe,” she told the French news agency AFP. “I’m just focusing on playing tennis. I’m not here to focus on my security or whatever’s going on outside the court.”
Pe’er is headed for her first appearance in Dubai next month after being refused a visa last year to play in a tournament there shortly after Israel launched a military operation in the Gaza Strip. Her denial sparked an international furor.
Is it just me, or is the music of “Schindler’s List” and odd choice? In any event, I wish them luck.
It is a story of hope and redemption…