These Israeli hockey teens came to Canada for a sport break from the war

One of the lesser-known consequences of the horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, has been the shutdown of normal life for Israelis living in northern Israel: hundreds of families who live near the border with Lebanon had to be evacuated from their homes to escape the barrage of rockets fired by Hezbollah forces, which continues to this day. And that has meant the suspension of hockey games and practise for the small coterie of Israeli players in the country’s hockey program housed at the Canadian-founded arena in Metulla. But thanks to Canadian supporters of the Israeli hockey program, the Vancouver and Winnipeg Jewish communities, and Maccabi Canada, twenty hockey players between the ages of 12-18 got a break from the tension and anxiety of living through the war, with an all-expenses-paid two week trip to Canada. One group visited Vancouver, while another visited Winnipeg-where they got to practise at the Winnipeg Jets’ training arena, meet with Indigenous elders and the local Jewish day school, and even throw some strikes at a local bowling alley. Last month, the teens travelled to Toronto to end their trip, with the requisite stop at the CN Tower and a visit to what some might consider the shrine to the game of hockey: The Hockey Hall of Fame. On today’s episode of The CJN Daily, producer Zachary Kauffman speaks to Liv Sharabi, 18, who plays defence for the Israel Women’s National Team; Maksim Dashanov, also 18, who played defence on Israel’s gold-medal winning U18 Men’s National hockey team at the 2023 World Championships in Iceland, and to chaperone Melissa Wronzberg, a veteran Canadian women’s hockey player. What we talked about: Learn more about Mike Levin and the Israeli U20 Men’s national hockey team’s quest for gold at the IIHF World Championships in Bulgaria last weekend, in The CJN. Read why Israel’s U20 men’s hockey team nearly didn’t play the 2024 IIHF tournament for Division lll, in The CJN. Hear player Melissa Wronzberg on The CJN’s Menschwarmers podcast on why women’s hockey had a moment during the 2022 Maccabiah games in Israel. Credits: The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here. Hear why The CJN is important to me. What we talked about: Learn more about Mike Levin and the Israeli U20 Men’s national hockey team’s quest for gold at the IIHF World Championships in Bulgaria last weekend, in The CJN. Read why Israel’s U20 men’s hockey team nearly didn’t play the 2024 IIHF tournament for Division lll, in The CJN. Hear player Melissa Wronzberg on The CJN’s Menschwarmers podcast on why women’s hockey had a moment during the 2022 Maccabiah games in Israel. Credits: The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here. Hear why The CJN is important to me.