Thousands of fans stand for the National Anthem before Game 2 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y.
The last time the New York Yankees battled the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series, Jewish fans wanting to nosh on a kosher hot dog would have had to brown-bag it. And as for getting a last-minute prayer in while wearing the small black leather boxes known as tefillin? Forget about it!
Jewish Fans Say Prayers Before World Series Showdown
The last time the New York Yankees battled the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series, Jewish fans wanting to nosh on a kosher hot dog would have had to brown-bag it. And as for getting a last-minute prayer in while wearing the small black leather boxes known as tefillin? Forget about it!
But for the thousands of people who came by subway, bus, train, car and foot Thursday night for Game 2 of the historic matchup at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, Rabbi Levi Shemtov, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Riverdale, N.Y., helped Jewish men don tefillin in the parking lot; he and his children also handed out Shabbat candles to passing women.
Inside the brand-new stadium, meanwhile, a kosher kitchen hawked hot dogs, hamburgers, falafel sandwiches, deli meats and shwarma, and provided gourmet kosher food for the VIP suites.
“I remember sitting in the old stadium over 45 years ago,” remarked Barry Goldberg, 76, standing just yards away from one of Ouri’s Kosher Caterers’ five concession stands. “I would have never imagined that there would be a Jewish presence and kosher food at a Yankees game.”
On the field, the Yankees scored three runs to the Phillies’ one, tying the Fall Classic at one game apiece.
Outside, Shemtov sported a well-worn Yankees cap in the place of his more-traditional black fedora. He told passers-by that his attire notwithstanding, any Philadelphia fans that came by to his Chabad House for Shabbat would get the same food as everyone else.
