Can Conservative Jews participate in sports on Shabbat?
Can Conservative Jews participate in sports on Shabbat? Dear Rabbi, My family and I are Shomer Shabbat (observe the Jewish Sabbath). However, growing up I did not keep Shabbat, and I played a lot of sports on Saturday. I am concerned that my children will be missing out by not getting to play the competitive team sports like I did now that we observe Sabbath laws. According to Conservative Judaism, is it permissible for my children to play competitive sports on Shabbat? Thanks, Bill Answer: Dear Bill, Thanks for writing. First, I encourage you to speak with your Rabbi about this matter and other matters of Jewish law. Please understand that I share your own sense of the importance of sports. In high school and college I participated in sports and I am still – to the best of my knowledge – the only Rabbi ordained in North America to have held a national championship and record in a NCAA sport – archery! And I taught archery at Camps Ramah for seven years to literally hundreds of campers
