Tag: olympics

Randall Cunningham is not only Vashti Cunningham’s father, he is also her coach and her pastor.

In terms of religion, the 554 athletes of Team USA are a cross-section of the nation they represent, with Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Buddhist and Muslim members, among others. It also has members who — like 23 percent of Americans — are unaffiliated with any religion and who, perhaps like 7 percent of Americans, say they do not believe in God or are agnostic.

Boston has just decided to bow out of the frenzied quest to be the next scheduled Olympics, and who’s to blame them?

Americans cheered when Aly Raisman of Needham, Mass., won a gold medal on Tuesday (July 31) in the women’s all-around gymnastics competition, but at least some American Jews likely cheered a little louder.

“For people who are part of a minority, to see one of your own have this international recognition gives you enormous satisfaction and pride,” said Rabbi Keith Stern of Temple Beth Avodah in Newton Centre, Mass., where Raisman has worshipped since childhood.

A 600-foot footrace was the only athletic event at the first Olympics, a festival held in 776 B.C. and dedicated to Zeus, the chief Greek god.

For the next millennium, Greeks gathered every four years in Olympia to honor Zeus through sports, sacrifices and hymns.