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Beth Shalom’s aim is to provide dates and brief details of events  happening within the next month. We do our best to be accurate.

Ofek Wittenberg is working hard to recover from a recent injury to be ready to represent New Zealand in the National team competing in Ultimate Frisbee World championship in Dublin.

Ofek Wittenberg walks with a limp, which isn’t a good look for a fit young person who’s active in an athletic sport.  It’s also a sport that gets little publicity and Ofek is trying to change that.  He can see the irony in his situation as he limps across the field.

Ofek broke his fibula (lower leg bone) playing Ultimate Frisbee. Another player fell on him, but the 17-year-old Westlake Boys’ High School prefect is good natured about it.

“I dived for the frisbee and two defenders dived to defend it and landed on my leg,” he recounts.

He’s confident he’ll be ready to take on the world with the NZ Ultimate under-19 team at the World Junior Ultimate Championships in Dublin, Ireland, in August.

School leagues have run for three years in Auckland and of the 21 boys in the squad, 10 are from Auckland. But what exactly is it? Isn’t frisbee a bit of fun on the beach?

This kind of frisbee is far more than that. But College Sport Auckland does not yet recognise it as a legitimate sport. It’s still relatively new in secondary schools but even at a sporting school like Westlake, Ultimate players are not recognised as athletes.

But they do have a strong proponent in one of their teachers, George Monk, who recognises the highly physical nature of the game, and the co-ordination it requires. He introduced Ofek and other boys at his school to it, and at first they played it for fun before getting serious about it, forming a team and entering a league.

“At a high level, Ultimate is a sport that requires huge explosive power in your legs, unbelievable hand-eye co-ordination, throwing skills and very high stamina,” says Ofek, who was born in Israel and moved to New Zealand when he was 6.

There are seven players on each side, and the object is much like any ball sport, except it’s passing the frisbee among teammates to score a point. Games last 80 minutes, as long as a rugby match.

Rebecca Stewart, who is Ultimate Auckland’s fundraising and sponsorship co-ordinator, says teams have a tough time raising money compared to mainstream sports. “If you are trying to raise funds for netball, people know what you are asking money for. But if you say you are representing your country in Ultimate Frisbee, they ask, “What is that?’,” she says.

Ofek says it was easier to raise money when he was in a Westlake running squad that toured South Africa. The talented athlete is a top runner, judo exponent, squash and volleyball player.

For the Ultimate Frisbee tour, each player needs about $6,250.00.

Ofek has raised half of that himself, through a business he set up last year. He’s the managing director of Touchphone, which sells a case that transforms an iPod touch into an iPhone.

Mrs Stewart says Ultimate Frisbee’s goal is to be recognised by College Sport Auckland by running more leagues.
“More schools will come on board and if we can achieve that, more people would support us,” she says.

Ofek’s personal goal is to see the sport continue in his school after he leaves. Around 40 players train and compete, and he’s involved in coaching.

“It took over a year for us to be even recognised as NZ reps. My goal is for an Ultimate team to be respected and appreciated in our school, and for the players to be called up in assembly like they are for other sports and be recognised for their successes.”

DONATIONS: WANT TO HELP?
New Zealand U19′s Ultimate account  03-0510-0009515-000

HOW ULTIMATE FRISBEE IS PLAYED
- Each game lasts 80 minutes.
- Teams have seven players on the field.
- There is no referee.
- The objective is to connect passes and catch the Frisbee in an endzone to score a point. About 15 points are usually scored each game.
“It’s a very honour- based game,” says Ilan Wittenberg, Ofek’s father, who has documented his games through photos. “The players themselves make the call and everyone agrees to it. They are very honest.”
The players anticipate where the Frisbee will be thrown and run in that direction with their opponent only a step
behind. “It’s almost subliminal, the way they play it. They cannot tell their teammates to go or run because the other players would know where to go,” says Mr Wittenberg.
- Mrs Stewart says other sports could learn from the sportsmanship the game teaches.
“No one respects those who do not uphold the rules of the game,” she says.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_cqn79ZdOPk

With links to photo album one + photo album two

Source:  The source can be found in the Aucklander.

Teruah June 2012-Sivan Tammuz 5772

Teruah March 2012 Adar 5772

Teruah December 2011 Kislev-Tevet 5772

Teruah September 2011

June 2012~Sivan Tammuz 5772

May 2012 Iyar~Sivan 5772

April 2012 Nissan~Iyar 5772

March 2012 Adar~Nissan 5772

February 2012 Shevat-Adar 5772

January 2012 Tevet-Shevat 5772

December 2011 Kislev-Tevet 5772

November 2011-Cheshvan-Kislev 5772

October 2011 Tishri-Cheshvan 5772

September 2011 Elul-Tishri 5771-5772

August 2011 services Tamuz~Av 5771

July 2011 services Sivan~Tamuz 5771

June 2011 services, Sivan 5771

May 2011 service roster Nissan Iyar 5771

April 2011 service roster Adar 2/ Nissan 5771

March 2011 service roster Adar 1/Adar 2 5771

February 2011 service roster Shevat/Adar I

Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg is a founder of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality (IJS), as well as a poet, educator and pioneer in Jewish contemplative practice. She has published widely on feminism, Judaism, spirituality and single parenting, and has contributed commentaries to Kol HaNeshama, the new Reconstructionist prayerbook. Rabbi Weinberg was a congregational rabbi, and now teaches mindfulness meditation to rabbis, Jewish professionals and lay people.

When: 10-12 August onWaihekeIsland, beginning with Shabbat evening services and meal. On Saturday, Rabbi Sheila will lead us in Jewish meditation and yoga, contemplative prayer, Torah study and Jewish learning, ending with a shared meal and Havdallah. Sunday morning meditation and learning concluding at 11.30am.

Participation limited to 25 people and is non-residential. Some billeted accommodation will be available, or you may choose to stay at motel accommodation on Waiheke, or commute fromAucklandby ferry. You can come just for Saturday, but the Sunday programme is open only to people who have attended on Saturday.

Cost: $125 (includes Friday night dinner, Shabbat lunch and Saturday evening meal, Sunday morning tea). Saturday only attendance: $85

For inquiries and registration phone Linda Kaye on: (09) 405 5785.or email her on lrkaye@no8wireless.co.nz  NOTE: this is not a LIMMUD event.