Last week The Idea School, a relatively new entrant to the yeshiva league, won its first varsity boys basketball game. It was only the third game of the school’s inaugural season and thus the victory was a big deal for the fledgling institution. Granted, it wasn’t equivalent to hockey’s “Miracle on Ice,” but it was sort of a “Ness on the Hardwood.”
The extreme intensity of the yeshiva basketball league cannot be overstated and even newcomers like The Idea School must endure the insanity. The uninitiated do not get a free pass; they simply get initiated—often the hard way—whether they like it or not. That is what makes The Idea School’s first win so improbable and inspiring. It reaffirms that anything is possible. It also shows that a combination of hope, belief and dedication is a powerful cocktail that when willingly consumed, leaves a team drunk with passion and desire that can defy the greatest odds.
For the record, The Idea School is not an athletic powerhouse, at least not yet, and winning basketball games is not its top priority. If you peruse The Idea School’s official mission statement, it mentions absolutely nothing about athletics. It states that the school “creates a learning environment that sparks inquiry and exploration and connects students to themselves, G-d, their Judaism, and the world.” Yes, the “world” includes basketball but that would be an overly broad interpretation, especially when you consider that the world also includes many other things that are not encompassed by the school’s mission statement, like elitism, communism and cannibalism.
The Idea School‘s mission statement further states that “students engage confidently and creatively with people, ideas and texts; contribute to society in ethically and morally responsible ways; meaningfully enrich and grow their Jewish communities; and see the image of God in every human being, and the interconnectedness of all living things.” Yes, “living things” include basketball players but the reference to “interconnectedness” has nothing to do with playing in-your-face man-to-man defense, boxing out for rebounds, hand-checking or committing personal fouls. That said, basketball programs have become an important part of the yeshiva league scene and they do present unique opportunities to teach teamwork, communication and responsibility. They also offer the (i) parents sitting in the stands a chance to yell at their children in public and (ii) children playing on the court a chance to ignore their parents in public. Isn’t that heartwarming?
The Idea School also features a think tank known as The Idea Institute, described as a “hub for progressive curriculum design, independent and advanced-study programs, student solo flights and special projects, professional development and communal learning.” Don’t be mistaken: the reference to “student solo flights” has nothing to do with vertical leaps, hang-time, alley oops or slam dunks. Similarly, the reference to “professional development” does not mean that the school is attempting to develop each student into a professional basketball player. That is not the goal and not even a realistic pursuit, unless a student is related to Omri Casspi.
In the interest of full disclosure, The Idea School is located in the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly, which has two full-size full-court basketball courts. In fact, every member of The Idea School receives JCC membership and “access to the entire suite of JCC facilities.” In addition, “[s]tudents can utilize the gym facilities during recess, lunch, and physical education classes, and utilize all facilities after school, which includes pools, workout rooms, racquet courts, indoor tracks, and more.” Does this access give The Idea School an unfair athletic advantage? Certainly not. Most yeshivas have ample gym space and other facilities offering comparable opportunity for improving fitness and honing skills. In other words, going to a school located at the JCC does not make you a better basketball player, just like going to a school located at Lincoln Center does not make you ready to join the New York Philharmonic.
So how did The Idea School, a yeshiva league neophyte, actually win a game so early in its maiden voyage? Technically speaking, they outscored their opponents, but that is besides the point. So how did they win? I haven’t the foggiest idea, but I’m guessing they won because, from a fundamental perspective, they believed they could win. That is not a new idea but is nevertheless an important one and perhaps the most important idea with which the students will ever flirt. So, should you now bet your entire life savings on The Idea School winning this year’s championship? Anything is possible but such a wager probably is not a good… idea.
Final thought: One major difference between basketball and Judaism is benching. In basketball, benching is bad but in Judaism benching is good.
By Jon Kranz
