There are TWO news items today in the world of Jews and Hockey. First, the Los Angeles Kings on the heels of Armenian Pride Night, Asian Pride Night, Canadian Pride Night, Czech and Slovak Pride Night, Native American Pride Night and Russian Pride Night, are scheduled to hold Jewish Pride Night at the Staples Center game this evening against the San Jose Sharks. The festivities includes Cantor Yonah Kliger of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills singing the national anthem, a pre-game band and choir concert, during-game music, and commemorative puck. Following this trend of religious and ethnic inclusiveness, a Christian-oriented day is scheduled for March.
The second ice hockey item is less heart warming. A Jewish player drafted by the Anaheim Ducks assigned to play in a minor league "sued the NHL team for religious discrimination and failure to prevent harassment in a complaint filed in Orange County Superior Court on Tuesday," reports the OC Register. Jason Bailey, who was assigned to play with the Bakersfield Condors, " 'was subject to severe and/or pervasive harassment on the basis of religion by being forced to endure a barrage of anti-Semitic, offensive and degrading verbal attacks regarding his Jewish faith' from the Condors' head coach, the complaint alleges." A Ducks representative was not immediately reachable for comment on the suit, notes the OC Register.
