The Sam Gynes Tournament this year was done a little differently, to say the least. Ari Witkes and Alia Turitz collaborated to come up with an idea that would alter Ramaz’s history.
Unlike previous years, the Sam Gynes tournament was a big deal here at Ramaz and the schools involved; however, this year, it was. Having the tournament take place over an entire weekend hopefully allowed us to show Sam respect and honor him. This allowed students and schools to come together to bond over Shabbat and enjoy each other’s company. Ramaz students missed classes on Friday to cheer on their teammates and show the school spirit that Ramaz needs.
The itinerary was as follows: there was a Friday night davening and dinner with all the teams, followed by a speaker who is the CEO of Barclays and IMG Academy in Florida, who was brought in by Matthew Hiltzik. On Saturday, there was a service and lunch. The games resumed after Shabbat, and on Sunday was the championship game. The schools involved were Haftr boys and girls, Montreal Hebrew Academy girls, Magen David boys and girls, and North Shore boys.
Students were excited and very involved in this year’s Sam Gynes tournament compared to others. When asked how it went, athlete Ezra Sholes 24’ said, “I mean, it was unreal; this was the first time I was truly excited for the Sam Gynes tournament. I didn’t really know when it was in recent years. One because this is the first year on varsity, and the second reason is Ramaz doesn’t really portray it as a big event.” As for his participation in the weekend experience, he shared, “The bonding with these other schools was great. From the Thursday introduction to the Friday night dinner and, finally, the championship game, it was such a great feeling to be a part of a weekend like this. The activities were fun, and I felt like I connected with my opponents in a different way. The speaker that Mathew Hiltzik brought was really interesting, and being a role model for the school made me feel good.” Ramaz Basketball Coach Ari Witkes told the Rampage, “I mean, the Sam Gynes was everything that I imagined it would be. It was a community-driven event. There was competitive basketball played with respect and dignity. It was a celebration of the community, which is what Ramaz is all about, as well as honoring and remembering what is going on in Israel currently and how we were able to use the game of basketball to show our support for our brothers and sisters in Israel. It was a huge success, I think, for everyone. The other schools were happy, our school was happy, and of course, I was happy.” When asked what his favorite part was, he replied, “All of it, but if I had to pick, it would probably be Shabbos, specifically Friday night. It is amazing that we had so many different communities come together to bond over Judaism and put the competitiveness of basketball aside. It’s about commemorating Sam Gynes. And hopefully, it created some lifelong memories. Also, the smiles and positivity the tournament created in and out of the school. And, of course, the girls’ team won the championship, and the boys made it there.”
Ramaz boys made it to the championship versus Magen David boys and sadly lost the game. Fortunately, the Ramaz gurls won their championship game. Everyone played a role in this amazing weekend, from student ambassadors to the basketball players and, of course, Alia Turitz. The effect that it had on Ramaz’s spirit and the community was truly empowering. It was a huge success for all participants and will hopefully be continued for years to come.
