Jewish school forfeits game at state

There’s another story at the 1B state basketball tournament in Yakima about religious beliefs conflicting with a basketball schedule. But this is a bit different.

Northwest Yeshiva, an Orthodox Jewish high school of roughly 60 students on Mercer Island, decided that its girls basketball team should forfeit Thursday’s loser-out game against St. John-Endicott because the game would be played on the day of one of five fasts on the Jewish calendar.

The fast calls for no eating or drinking, even water, until nightfall. School officials decided that having its team play without being able to rehydrate was an unacceptable risk.

So when Thursday’s 12:30 p.m. game was scheduled to start, Northwest Yeshiva players, led by coach Jed Davis, shook hands with opposing players and coaches, huddled at their opponent’s free-throw line, had a quick cheer, hugged and walked off the court.

Now, some may feel badly for the Northwest Yeshiva team, which was making its first trip to state. But this probably isn’t the first time — nor the last — that the members of the Northwest Yeshiva team have been asked to make a sacrifice for their religious beliefs. In the end, it’s sort of what those beliefs are all about.

If you want to read more about Northwest Yeshiva’s decision, click here.