On June 14, Yeshiva Har Torah in Bellerose, NY, will host the 2015 Martin Weiselberg Memorial Junior High Hockey Tournament. The tournament, now holding its 10th event, is dedicated in memory of Marty Weiselberg, father of Har Torah Junior High hockey coach, Elliot Weiselberg. Tragically, Marty fell victim to a blood clot and passed away on March 28, 2006. Elliot hopes to use this tournament to further his late father’s legacy. “My father was someone who gave his all for every cause that he involved himself in.” says Elliot, “His love of Judaism and his passion for its promotion among the youth in our area reached astounding levels.” For 18 years, Marty served as Treasurer on the board of Yeshiva Derech HaTorah in Brooklyn, NY and played an active role in the upbringing of over 1,000 boys during that span.
The tournament itself will feature eight elite school teams from the New York and New Jersey leagues. Participating in the seventh annual event are Metropolitan Yeshiva Junior High Hockey League (MYJHHL) representatives Yeshiva Har Torah, HANC, YCQ and HALB, and a contingent from the Hockey Association of Yeshiva Middle Schools (HAYMISH) including YNJ, Kushner Academy, SAR and Yavneh Academy.
The teams will face off in a round-robin style event, with each team guaranteed to play two games. Following the round-robin portion, the four teams with the best records will contend in playoffs. The winning school, along with the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) and 10 All-Tournament Team selections, will receive trophies courtesy of Crown Trophy of Brooklyn, NY. The event is slated to run from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and is free for all to attend.
There is, however, a greater purpose. In addition to the hockey being played, the tournament will also be a charity event. All proceeds from the event, individual donations and sponsorships not used on the event will go directly to Hatzalah. There will also be a sports memorabilia raffle, the centerpieces of which are an autographed goalie stick belonging to former New Jersey Devil Martin Brodeur, a portrait signed by former New York Ranger Brian Leetch and a scholarship to Camp Dovid hockey camp. Raffle tickets are selling for $10 each, with special discounts, and are available on the tournament website, www.mwtournament.com, along with a complete listing of the prizes.
In the midst of all the action, the kids will be treated to pizza and will also receive, as is tradition at the event, a tournament t-shirt inscribed with this year’s motto “Exceed the Expectations.” “This year’s motto is a nod to one of the most important lessons that I learned from my father: that what we consider ‘expectations’ are really just limitations and that when it comes to growth, we should never, nor should we ever let anyone else, place limitations on us by telling us what they expect us to be able to do,” explained Elliot. “It also happens to be homage to the tournament itself. When we first began in 2006, there were three teams involved and the money that was raised barely covered the cost of the event. Here we sit at our 10th event, and we’ve now raised over $30,000 for Hatzalah and other volunteer ambulance organizations; last year’s event brought in $10,000 on its own. If you would have told me, when we first began, that we would be here, eight years later, with eight of the top junior high teams all jumping to participate, I wouldn’t have believed it possible. However, step by step, this event has grown into an elite competition that everyone wants to be a part of. As an event, we’ve truly exceeded any formal expectations that I could ever have and that’s because we’re continually striving to make it better and not settling for just being good enough.”
The goal for this year’s event will once again be to raise $10,000, but Weiselberg notes that he hopes people will view this as merely a marker and another expectation to exceed. Each team will be competing for the Contributor’s Cup, awarded yearly to the school that brings in the most money. “We’ve already reached the half-way mark to our goal, but are still looking for people to donate, sponsor and purchase raffle tickets. The purpose here is for the kids to involve themselves in something greater than just a hockey game, but rather, to feel a sense of pride and purpose that they were able to help the event reach an important milestone for tzedakah, one of the most important mitzvahs that Judaism holds,” Elliot remarked. “Last year, we hit our goal in the middle of the event, and my first feeling was a sense of gratitude and pride for the kids involved for the efforts that they put in as opposed to what the ‘tournament’ had done. It was their moment, and I was happy to be part of it.” For more information on the event, to purchase raffle tickets or sponsor, please visit the tournament website or e-mail [email protected].
