Rabbi On The Sidelines

Producers of American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing, Loren Mendell and Omar Al Dakheel join Rabbi Sherman on the 11th anniversary of that fateful day to discuss its historic significance in America and in the world of sports.

Emily Austin, social media influencer, with 2.1 million Instagram followers, NBA podcaster, and Israel advocate speaks with Rabbi Sherman about her journey, both in Judaism, and in the world of sports. How has her Jewish identity challenged her and helped her challenge others to find commonality between faiths. Learn about the new Abrahamic Athletic Academy, that will bring Jews, Muslims, and Christians together to learn and to play.

Father Patrick Kelly, associate professor religious studies at University of Detroit-Mercy, author of Play, Sport, and Spirit, speaks with Rabbi Sherman on the important connection between sport and spirituality. What is the connection between work and play? How does this affect the current state of intercollegiate athletics? After meeting at the conference for the Service of Sport and Humanity, Rabbi Sherman and Father Kelly continue to be in dialogue in bringing people together on and off the field.

Kevin Jordan, UCLA All-American football player, and sports chaplain for UCLA football and Pittsburgh Steelers, speaks with Rabbi Sherman on how faith and God consciousness help athletes become better people in their own lives.

Yakir Kanefsky, Ilan Barnea, and Maddy Ganz, college students from University of Maryland, Washington University, and Duke University speak with Rabbi Sherman about the upcoming National Hillel Basketball Tournament. How does sports inspire these leaders of the next generation to engage their Judaism on campus?

John Eisenberg, author of 11 books, speaks to Rabbi Sherman on his most recent book, Rocket Men. What is the history of the black quarterback in the NFL? How does this story fit into the racial history of America and what challenges still exist today?

Jared Armstrong, Israeli-African-American basketball player, founder of JAB basketball, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about his struggle to gain Israeli citizenship, his experience in Israel on and after October 7th, and how his mission of using his voice and a basketball to make

a difference with the next generation.

Ravit Markus, producer, director, and writer of Nina is an Athlete, joins Israeli Paralympic badminton player Nina Gorodetzky, to hear her story of becoming a paraplegic and having the faith to enter the sports world, working hard to become an Olympian

and balancing life as a mother and school counselor. What does this mean after October 7th?

Three days before the Super Bowl, Rabbi Sherman is joined by Gary Myers, NY Times best selling author of Brady Vs Manning, NY Daily News NFL journalist, and author of "Once A Giant." Myers, who is a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame takes us behind the scenes of the NFL, the good, the bad, and the ugly, and searches for moments of faith from America's most popular sport.

Yoav Bruck, 3 time Israeli Olympic swimmer an owner of ISSTA Sports Travel and Kenes Tours speaks with Rabbi Sherman on the deep connection between his career as an internationally acclaimed Israeli swimmer and his mission to bring people to Israel to see the land. He shares with us how the lessons he learned in the pool relate to our lives.

Dr. Jeff Gurock, Professor of Jewish History at Yeshiva University, and expert in Jews and sports, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about his new book on hall of fame broadcasting legend Marty Glickman. What antisemitism did Glickman face during his time as an Olympic athlete that shaped his career as an athlete, as a broadcaster, and as a Jew? What role do Jews play in sports today that affect American society?

Kurt Streeter, award winning journalist, ESPN The Magazine, LA Times, and NY Times, speaks with Rabbi Sherman on the journey to bring redemptive stories to the reading public. How has his experience in writing on crime and religion informed his voice on sports? What will sports journalism look like in the years ahead?

Prime Time Adam Schein, TV host of Time To Schein, podcast host of Rise and Schein, daily talk radio on Sirius XM, explains to Rabbi Sherman what it means to use your authentic voice in the public sphere. In the sports world, Adam Schein is not afraid to shy away from controversial topics, and proudly shows his Jewish identity while telling stories that uplift his audience. Rabbi Sherman and Adam Schein reconnect after meeting 20 years ago in Syracuse, NY.

Tracy Wolfson, CBS lead sideline reporter, who has covered the biggest games of the Super Bowl, Final Four, and College Football Playoff speaks with Rabbi Sherman on how to set career and life goals, the thrill to interview the world's greatest athletes and coaches in their highest and lowest moments, and the role faith and belief play in the world of sports.

Noam Yitzchaki, of the Israel Tennis and Education Center joins Rabbi Sherman to share the story of how the tennis center allows all children in Israel to dream for a better future. From inclusion of athletes with disabilities to bridging countries after the Abraham Accords to saving children at risk, the Israel Tennis and Education Center has brought together Jews, Christians, and Muslims, from all walks of life to play a sport that unites the world.

Coach Ryan Coleman, of the Shalhevet Firehawks, and his all star-players, Yalee Schwartz and Arielle Grossman, join Rabbi Sherman to share their journey of becoming the first Jewish basketball team in the California to win a state championship. How has this team bonded over sports and religion? What message do they send the next generation of basketball players? What has Coach Coleman learned from his team of deep faith? What life lessons have they learned from him?

Seth Davis, CBS Sports studio analyst, author at The Athletic, senior writer at Sports Illustrated, author of New York Times best selling book, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about his experience meeting top coaches and athletes, what makes them succeed and how they deal with failure. Where does faith fit into their lives? How do they overcome their adversity and challenges while also celebrating their accomplishments?

Joe Alexander and Barak Swarttz speaks with Rabbi Sherman to explain how the worlds of basketball and Israel intersect in a deep way. Joe was the 8th pick in the 2008 NBA draft and then became a Maccabi Tel Aviv star after making aliyah and rediscovering his Jewish roots. Joe and Barak explain how other young kids in America can dream of a professional basketball career in the land of Israel. This summer, Joe and Barak will visit Sinai Temple with their new camp, Jabstep. https://www.jabstepbasketball.com/sinai

Make sure to sign your children up today!

Jason and Randy Sklar, known as the Sklar Brothers, hosts of The View From The Cheap Seats podcast, and the show, Cheap Seats on ESPN Classic, speak with Rabbi Sherman about the intersection of comedy, sports, and faith. The Sklar Brothers teach us how to use humor in our lives to not take ourselves so seriously, while also learning deep lessons of life from humorous situations. Is a game just a game, or does sports bring people together to laugh and cry?

Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the chaplain of the Loyola Chicago Ramblers basketball team speaks with Rabbi Sherman about her newly released book, "Wake Up With Purpose: What I've Learned In My First One Hundred Years." Sister Jean explains the value that religion can bring to the world of sports, the power of prayer and the ability to talk to God, and the way in which spiritual health can bring humanity together. Sister Jean, the most famous person in the 2018 March Madness NCAA Tournament details how her overnight celebrity status was simply continuing the small acts of kindness she brings to her work each day.

Jason Benetti, FOX Sports, ESPN, and Chicago White Sox broadcaster, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about the lessons he has learned about himself through his journey with cerebral palsy, how his band director set him up for his journey to the broadcast booth, and what it is like to make the big call for an invisible audience.

Prof. David Hollander, Clinical Professor with the Tisch Institute for Global Sport at NYU, and author of "How Basketball Can Save The World," speaks with Rabbi Sherman about the real life lessons that are derived from the 13 principles of basketball from which James Naismith created the game. How do these 13 principles relate to solving the problems of loneliness, immigration, racism, and more?  Get your PHD in basketball and learn about how we an improve the world.

Father Robert Hagan, of Villanova University, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about the spirituality he brings to the Villanova University campus, in particular to the basketball and football teams. He has cut down the nets in 2016 and 2018, and has guided young athletes both on and off the court, during their time in college and beyond. What lessons do we learn from the locker room sanctuary?

Josh Altman, reality TV star of Bravo's Million Dollar Listing, author of It's Your Move and The Altman Close, and place-kicker of Big East Champion Syracuse University Orange, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about his own faith journey, the powerful lessons that sports has taught him through both his highs and lows in the real estate industry, and the tools for success for the next generation to work hard and do good for the world.

Len Elmore, University of Maryland All-American, NBA veteran, Harvard trained attorney, long time college basketball broadcaster, and Columbia University professor of athletes and activism, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about the transformative power athletes can have in society at large. What responsibility do athletes have to be involved in causes of justice? What is the difference between community service and activism? 

Meyers Leonard, NBA veteran and University of Illinois star, speaks with Rabbi Erez Sherman, about his spiritual transformation after hurting the Jewish community with difficult words in March 2021. Meyers explains his process and how the Jewish community has helped him heal and bring more love into the world. Just a day after Leonard's exclusive interview on ESPN's Outside The Lines with Jeremy Schaap, Meyers visited Sinai Temple, spoke with the children of Sinai Akiba Academy and sat for a one on one interview with Rabbi Sherman.

Gary Belsky, ESPN The Magazine, New York Times Best Selling Author, "On The Origin Of Sports" speaks with Rabbi Sherman on the power of storytelling. What stories do we tell and for what purpose? How do our stories raise others up? Belsky also explains how the sports we know and love came into being and if this history has impact on how we watch sports today.

Steve Rosenberg, author of "Make Bold Things Happen," and chairman of the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame speaks with Rabbi Sherman about how the lessons of winning and losing in the world of sports can translate to success in life. How do you get to know your neighbors by playing sports with them? Who do you meet that will connect you to the next opportunitiy in your life?

Elissa Sagoskin, who grew up in Philadelphia, PA, was always involved with sports as a child, attending Barrack Academy. Her love of sports took her to University of Maryland, where she played intramural basketball. After making aliyah, she met the sport of flag football, where she has been a representative of the State of Israel on and off the field. What lessons has she learned from sports and from life? What role can sports play in bringing people together?

Shaun Tomson, 1977 world champion surfer, and author of The Surfer And The Sage, joins Rabbi Sherman to learn about the meaning of "riding a wave." how do we paddle back out after wiping out? How do we find purpose over fear? How do we write our "CODE," to live a meaningful life? learn the secrets of the sea.

Andy Hill, UCLA basketball player in 1970-1972, under the legend, Coach John Wooden, joins Rabbi Sherman to speak about the lessons he learned from Coach Wooden and his pyramid of success. Decades later, Andy Hill returns to Coach Wooden to thank him for the lessons that led him through challenge and success.

Meredith Shiner, accomplished journalist and communications expert speaks with Rabbi Erez Sherman about her newly released podcast, hosted by Tablet, The Franchise: Jews, Sports, and America. What story can sports tell about the role that Jews play in the history of America. What does Sandy Koufax represent and who are the new models that we look towards today?

Jay Bilas, ESPN College Basketball Analyst, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about his inspiring trip to Israel, accompanying the Auburn University Tigers and Coach Bruce Pearl to the land of Israel, to see the home of the Abrahamic faiths.

James Andrew Miller joins Rabbi Sherman to speak about the faith it takes to give someone a chance to dream big, make mistakes, and eventually succeed. James Andrew Miller is an investigative journalist, host of the podcast, Origins, and author of New York Times bestselling books.

Kevin Warren, Commissioner of The Big Ten Conference, and Adam Neumann, Chief of Staff of the Big Ten Conference, join Rabbi Erez Sherman to speak about their deep faith that led their journeys to intersect, how faith has led Commissioner Warren to create the greatest conference in college sports, and how we can keep our dreams alive if we allow our lives to be in God's hands.

Andre Drummond, of the Chicago Bulls, joins Rabbi Sherman to speak about the faith it takes to be successful and to stay successful in the NBA. How does the NBA platform provide an opportunity for athletes to make a greater difference in society? What does it take to be an NBA All-Star?

James Donaldson, 14 year NBA veteran, NBA All-Star, and author of "Standing Above The Crowd" and "Celebrating Your Gift of Life" shares in conversation with Rabbi Sherman about the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. From an NBA All-Star life to a life of suicidal thoughts and depression, his faith in himself, God and others kept him alive.

Noah Eagle, voice of the Los Angeles Clippers, and graduate of Syracuse University, Newhouse School of Communications, joins Rabbi Sherman to speak about the faith he has had on his journey following in the footsteps of his father, the great broadcaster, Ian Eagle, jumping from college to be the voice of an NBA team, replacing the legendary Ralph Lawler.

Coach Matt Sayman, of Grapevine Faith Christian School, and of Baylor basketball, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about the role faith plays in his life. As a member of the Baylor basketball team during the 2003 scandal where a teammate murdered another teammate, how did the faith that Matt knew that led him to a blessed life play a role in his life during and after the scandal? Through challenge and achievement, Sayman finds his faith again-a story of redemption.

Coach Elliot Steinmetz, Yeshiva University basketball coach, who held a 50 game win streak, speaks with Rabbi Erez Sherman on the tools it takes to build a successful basketball program with high level Jewish learning. Over the past few years, Yeshiva University has gained recognition as one of the best college programs with players of the highest character. 

Andrea Kremer, Emmy Award winner, Thursday Night Football Broadcaster, HBO Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Pro Football Hall of Famer, reporter at 25 Super Bowls, NBA Finals, Major League All-Star Games, NCAA Tournament, Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Olympics, and more, speaks with Rabbi Sherman about faith in the world of sports-in the locker room, in the broadcast booth, and on the field.

Miss Val, Pac 12 Coach of The Century, 7 time NCAA Championships, 29 Pac-12 titles, UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame, and author of "Life Is Short, Don't Wait To Dance," joins Rabbi Sherman to speak about the faith in building championship teams, accepting failure, and learning to life your life of passion.

Tom Rinaldi, 16 time Sports Emmy Award winner, FOX Sports journalist, and author of New York Times Bestseller, "The Red Bandana," speaks with Rabbi Sherman on the skills needed to tell stories of the soul, how stories lead to understanding of each other, and how stories from sports are filled with elements of faith.

David Samson, exec VP of Montreal Expos, President of Miami Marlins, World Series Champion 2003, and host of the Nothing Personal podcast, joins Rabbi Sherman to discuss the key to building championship teams, the role of faith in the clubhouse, and the value of time in our lives.

Mark Greenberg, 4 time All-American at Johns Hopkins, and founder of lacrosse in Israel, joins Rabbi Sherman to discuss the values of the sport of lacrosse, how he brought the sport to Israel and how his faith and sports journey intersect.

Mia Raskin, daughter of a Conservative Rabbi, and basketball player at Binghamton University, speaks with Rabbi Sherman on her journey to division 1 basketball as a Shabbat observant Jew, her passion for faith and sports, and her leadership in being a role model for other young women looking to stay strong in their faith and their on court performance.

Maiya Edelson, Columbia University and Israeli National Softball team, and director of University of Texas Hillel speaks with Rabbi Sherman on how her faith and athletic career go hand in hand. The granddaughter of a rabbi, the daughter of Israeli parents, Maiya has thrived in the world of Jewish leadership and athletics. What challenges did she face? how does she create the next generation of leaders on campus?

Jeff Passan, Major League Baseball Insider at ESPN, joins Rabbi Sherman to speak about the end of the Major League Baseball Lockout, what it takes to be a Major League all star, and how does a journalist take the responsibility of telling baseball's story to the generations to come.