On Sunday, April 26th, TABC’s new gym will be the site of the Second Annual Esther Semmelman Memorial All Star Hockey Games. The games are in memory of Esther Semmelman, devoted wife and the mother of Alyssa (Frisch 2016) and David (TABC 2014). Proceeds from the event will benefit iShine, a unique after-school program for children living with illness or loss in their families. The program creates an environment filled with laughter and friendship where children who are dealing with challenges have the opportunity to truly ‘shine.’
Esther Holzer Semmelman, z”l, grew up in Monsey, New York. She graduated from Barnard College, where she studied art history, and received a law degree from NYU Law School. Esther began her career at the law firm of Kaye Scholer and subsequently worked at the UJA Federation.
Esther, z”l, lived with her husband Jacques and their two children in Teaneck, New Jersey, where they were active in many communal organizations including their shul, Rinat Yisrael, AMIT, Shalva, Keren Or, Moriah, and the Torah Academy of Bergen County. She passed away on August 11, 2012, after a 10-year battle with cancer.
Mrs. Semmelman was a fixture at all of David’s hockey games starting with TABC Junior Hockey through TABC Junior Varsity. According to David, the pinnacle of his hockey career was his JV championship game in Lawrence during his sophomore year—not only because TABC won, but because his mother, who was already not well, was able to make the trip and see him play in one final game before she passed away. David told the JLNJ that his mother was always there to support him and she pushed him to work his hardest. Mrs. Semmelman encouraged her son and his teammates to play like bnei Torah: to play hard, do their best, but conduct themselves with proper middot. Fellow TABC “hockey mom” Deborah Pechet came up with the idea of creating these all-star games to pay tribute to Esther’s dedication to the sport and the emphasis she put on proper sportsmanship.
At the tournament, Junior Varsity and Varsity games will be played. The games will feature over 90 of the best hockey players in the metropolitan yeshiva hockey league. The JV game will be a battle of East (Brooklyn and Long Island) vs. West (New Jersey and NYC). This year, the Varsity teams will be drafted by the hockey coaches. One team will be coached by Benjy Davidman (HAFTR) and Noah Weinreich (HAFTR), the other team by Mo Fuchs (TABC) and Larry Gross (DRS).
During the skills competitions between periods, Odi Haramati will try to defend his title as the owner of the hardest shot (last year his shot was clocked at a scorching 97 mph) and Daniel Levy will try to defend his last man standing title from a year ago.
The Junior Varsity game will take place at 1 PM and the Varsity at 3 PM. General admission to the games is $5. All donations over $100 include admission for the immediate family. In addition, there are various hockey named sponsorship opportunities. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To make an online donation to iShine, go to tabc.org/allstarhockey. Checks made out to iShine may be mailed to TABC, 1600 Queen Anne Road, Teaneck, NJ 07666.
