This past Friday, the Westchester Torah Academy (WTA) middle school was graced with an inspiring visit by a living legend of Israeli basketball. Tal Brody, who led Maccabi Tel Aviv to its first European League championship, spoke to the middle school students about his fascinating life of basketball dominance and love of Israel.

Tal told the students about his early life. He was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey where he began to play basketball at the local JCC. He eventually led his high school team to the state championship and ultimately played for the University of Illinois where he became an All-American point guard. Tal was picked 12th in the 1965 NBA draft by the Baltimore Bullets (today’s Washington Wizards).

Tal shared his deep family ties to Israel and spoke about leading the American team to a gold medal in the 1965 Maccabiah Games. After the Maccabiah Games, Tal was approached by Israeli leaders and politicians about remaining in Israel to help elevate Israeli basketball to a higher level. In a very poignant moment, Tal related that when one of the officials of the Maccabi Tel-Aviv team spoke with him, Tal noticed numbers tattooed on his arm. This man was a Holocaust survivor and his tenacity helped Tal realize that his place was in Israel.

Tal, who is currently a Good-Will Ambassador for Israel, emphasized the importance of Israel to the Jewish people and how sports can build important positive connections between Israel and other countries. He also encouraged the student athletes at WTA to work hard, practice the fundamentals of their sport and listen to the guidance of their coaches and teachers. Tal’s visit to WTA was exciting, inspirational and perfectly aligned with WTA’s core value of Commitment to Best Self.