The YU MACS vs. Emory University in Atlanta Previewed on JM in the AM

Welcome to a Thursday March the 12th day number 23 in the month of Adar. The year is 5786. Tough shin pav. Who ever thought the center of the Jewish world, certainly the center of the Jewish world of excitement would be down in Atlanta, Georgia, where our dear friend, listener Danielle again uh observes his community becoming a very very important part of the sports scene. Yeah, very important part. Uh because the last time we had anything to do with Atlanta, remember that was the kosher halftime show. So that's football. Now listen to Danielle gets to be a uh an eyewitness to Atlanta becoming the Jewish capital of basketball as the Yeshiva University Makabes, the men's basketball team takes on Emory tomorrow at 1 p.m. Eastern time. I have a feeling listener Denille is going to be at the game. Listener Danielle down in Atlanta, welcome back to JM in the AM. >> Thank you, Booker Tove. >> So am I right? Are you going to be at the game tomorrow? >> Absolutely. and tell everybody what's going on because it's very funny once we heard that the YU team once we heard last weekend that they're heading to Atlanta. So people started to speculate is anybody going to go down? Is anybody going to go from the New York New Jersey area down to Georgia? Now all of a sudden it's not just that people are coming down but you have an incredible swell of fans that are going to be in the stands from Atlanta itself and surrounding areas. Plus on top of that it seems like there's a Shabbat tone going on down there once the game is over and once Shabas begins. Give me the rundown what happens starting when the team arrives in Georgia. So the team itself um is going to stay in a hotel which is about 20 20 minutes walking down the road from Ortora. Um they're of course going to be in the hotel. They'll be well taken care of so they can prepare for the game. Um they'll be there with their families. All is good. The community mobilized immediately upon the news. Um similar of course a much different circumstance to how we mobilized right when >> I know what you're about to say. Yeah. >> Exactly. when when the when Florida we had on the the Florida refugees um from the hurricane several years ago um where we made a whole weekend of that too. >> Um but we had tons of volunteers in the community. We knew that we'd get to host um the word came out yesterday that we have an overabundance barem and and there was no question it would be this way. I have an overabundance of people volunteering to host for Shabas to host meals. Uh so >> you have you have any clue how many people first of all I mean you mentioned the team obviously Art Toro is that by Star Shul >> correct? >> All right so obviously until the game's over fans will not be interacting with the team I mean that's understandable once the game is over um then the full-blown Shabbatone begins right basically. >> Exactly. we get into Shabas mode. Um, we'll stop a few. We have we have >> about an extra 45 minutes in Atlanta relative to the the Shabas start time >> in the New York metro area. >> You're you're basically you're going to light candles around 7:30. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. Oh, interesting. >> So, there there is extra time. Um, and the team uh my understanding is the team is scheduled to be at Beth Jacob Friday nights, >> right? U which is the uh the f the first larger shaw um in in Toko Hills. >> That's Rabbi Feldman. Right. >> That's exactly Rabbi Elan Feldman. And then by by day they'll be at Ora Torah, right? >> Um the Rabbi Dr. President Berman um will be giving the drussia and there will be an opportunity for some of the players to have a after doing after Kdish to have a session with a lot of the students a sort of moderated Q&A interview kind of session. >> Oh, what did I see? Let me let me see what and I'm glad you mentioned that. I actually saw the formal flyer. Yeah. Meet the Max. Ora Tora of Tokco Hills, Shabas, right after Kdish. They're going to have our opportunity to meet the Max, meaning the Yeshiva University men's basketball team with coach Elliot Stein. It's with our good friend Yoni Cohen. Uh with um I assume the president as well or not. Oh, Max Zakim is going to be there, one of the players. Uh and as you said, Rabbi Burman's actually going to be spending, meaning the president of Yeshiva University is actually going to be spending Shabas down there in Georgia in order to attend the game, which is pretty amazing, >> right? And these will be kids who many of them will have seen them. Um certainly a uh AJA, the Atlanta Jewish Academy, is sending grades 7 through 12 to the game. >> I love it. they they changed their Friday afternoon schedule and everyone is going so they'll have that experience. Um, and it's something that for for a division three arena, it doesn't hold that many people. Um, so past stands, >> do you have any clue what the capacity is? >> Uh, somewhere in the 2000s. >> So basically it's sort of like double of the Max Stern Athletic Center. It's like double the size of the Max Stern Athletic Center. >> So you're right. You're right. It could be a real YU crowd. I mean, I'm sure Emory's got fans, but it could be a real YU crowd. >> Yes. Well, they said Emory is on spring break, so there are a lot of people who are out of town. We have the chance to really show up and and be a force uh from the community to support the Mets. >> Unbelievable. And listener Danielle, just to be fair to him, his name is Danielle Wgger. I always like, you know, you know, if you'd be at an event of ours, you know, the place card would say listener Danielle. It wouldn't even have it wouldn't even have your last name on it. Uh but after all the years of referring to you that way to be fair to your family, we'll remind everybody we're speaking with Dil Wenger down in Atlanta, Georgia. And it's funny, isn't it funny? You mentioned the Florida thing. Obviously, we had our fun with the kosher halftime show. It is funny how every once in a while Atlanta really does become like the capital of the Jewish world here in the United States. >> Southern hospitality is a real thing. We of course we we've called it haknasim since well before Jews were in the south of the US but it's a wonderful it's a wonderful mida that we really embrace and that's including all of the northern expats such as myself having grown up in tac there's a bunch of us here and we really we were embraced with that love of the southern hospitality and we are more than happy to to show that hakarasat to the and and do that same hawk master to all those who come and visit. >> Hey, you're a Jersey guy as we know. All right, final thing and I'm just curious because usually you have your hand on the pulse, your finger on the pulse of the community. We know obviously the way you've described it, plenty of New York and New Jersey people are going to be heading down for Shabas. And obviously, you can't overstate the fact that Georgia is going to be well represented. Have you heard about anybody else? Have you heard about neighboring states or or anyone else, you know, out of the ordinary who are trying to make it down and be part of this whole thing? >> Ooh. >> I mean, you could, in fact, you could have Jews coming, I don't know, from Birmingham, from Memphis, certainly from Florida, right? There are there are surrounding Jewish communities that would probably be interested in being there. >> Uh there there certainly are. Um we're we're we've been the capital of the Jewish South for a long time. >> Correct. Um, and there's also there's also a bar mitzvah in Shul. There are other events that are that have been going on already. So, people are coming in regardless. Now, they're going to have an extra bonus for this weekend. >> So, you wouldn't be shocked if you if you actually did meet someone from some obscure location this coming weekend. You wouldn't be surprised at all. >> Absolutely. Get some get some family from Memphis and Nashville coming in. Um, get some get some folks from Charleston. Um, that would be great if they did. There's a lot within driving distance. >> How many uh how many kosher eeries in uh in Georgia in Atlanta? And uh for those who are coming, there may be some people coming in tonight, right? Or or am I wrong about that? Is it mostly just everyone showing up tomorrow morning? >> Um there'll be there will be people here tonight. The call went out for people who can host even starting >> kosher eeries. Listener Danielle, how many of those you know what's going on where I am on West Gordon Avenue? How many how many kosher eeries where you are? >> A small handful. We have Saba's Grill. We have Tokco Grill. We have Fuego. We have Faggio Mio. We have Kai Ping. >> Oh, that sounds like actually a good good a good collection. It sounds good. >> Yeah. And that that's all that's all in the metro area. >> Very nice. >> Milk and by and by the way, I have friends who have kids moving into Atlanta. Apparently, there's certain areas outside of Tokco Hills that are now enjoying a real uh increased Jewish presence. I'm sure you're you're aware of that. But there are suburban areas around you guys that are growing like crazy, >> right? That was one of the big sales pitches around Atlanta, especially at the at the U Communities Fair, is that even if Toco Hills has been the heart, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, even even Alpharetta, um some larger communities, plenty of Kabads in some of the outer cities as well. >> Uh what do the Emory fans say? Are they expecting an automatic victory tomorrow or do they realize how tough the YU team is? Like uh what's the skinny on the actual game tomorrow? or you have any idea? >> I I I don't think they were prepared for the fans to come in, >> right? >> Um I think that the the athletic center was surprised to hear um a school calling for group sales tickets. Um so they're they're they're in for a they're in for a surprise >> that not just is there are are they h are they having to welcome in a team from the north, but they're going to be welcoming a whole bunch of fans to cheer them on. I think that's going to be a big surprise and a great X- factor for the team. >> Pretty amazing. All right, listen to Danielle. Thank you so much. Enjoy tomorrow. I'm sure you'll be front and center uh at the game. Enjoy to Do they Do they give you off from carpool tomorrow or uh or you still have to take care of your early morning duties down there? >> Well, I have a driver in the house now. >> You're a lucky man. You're a lucky man. >> But once in a while, you you do find yourself doing the carpool, right? Yes. Whenever she has an appointment or she's at stage sta she's in stage crew for the school play that middle school play that's going on now. So so I take the wheel every now and again. Um I'll help drive some of the kids home from the game. So we'll be we'll be online and we'll be listening in to you all. >> I appreciate that. And you'll be meeting a lot of Jamname listeners down there tomorrow in Shabas. Send our best and of course send our best to Rabbi Star and Rabbi Feldman. and always a delight to speak with you and check in with you in general, but boy, these are unique circumstances. So, good luck to the team and good luck to all you guys tomorrow. >> Excellent. Great to speak to you. >> Listen to Danielle. Denille Wangers in Atlanta, Georgia. The Yoshi University men's basketball team is in the Sweet 16 of the Division 3 March Madness. They are in Atlanta tomorrow. By the way, if they win, they don't stay in Atlanta. If they win, unlike the division one where each location gets two games, there's only one game in Atlanta. The next round, the Elite 8, not to jump ahead, but the Elite 8 in the Final Four takes place in Indiana. Let's hope they get there uh after a victory tomorrow, but we'll take it one game at a time as the coach always reminds us. And good luck to the University Mcabes. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. JM, good morning. Since we're doing sports already, let me add that team Israel did finish at 2 and two and I in the World Baseball Classic and I believe that does automatically get them into the next World Baseball Classic. Obviously, we'll confirm that the next time we speak to Peter Curts or to Jordi Alter, the people involved in Team Israel. More coming up. It's a great Thursday morning at JM in the A.M.