Buddy Baseball- Two words that mean the world to children with special needs.
Friendship Circle, Central Jerusalem, for the second time, hosted numerous Jerusalem organizations that cater to children with special needs in a baseball game to be remembered.
For the second annual Buddy Baseball All Star game of the year, over 60 children, some with T frames and others in wheelchairs participated in a game coached by Dean Klassman of Chicago.
Dean Klassman, a ‘financial services’ businessman (who has in his spare time organized Buddy Baseball programs at’ Keshet’ for children with disabilities in Chicago for the past 18 years), flew in especially from Chicago to direct the game.
Last year, he approached FC Illinois directors R’ Zelig and Bassie Mosocowitz, expressing a wish to found Buddy Baseball in Jerusalem on his first trip ever to Israel, for his 60th birthday.
Adam Slater and Steve Leibowitz at Kraft Stadium cleared time in their busy schedule to accommodate an entire season of Buddy Baseball.
“I approached over 20 organizations in Israel,” recounts Dean. “Not one was interested in playing the game. They said baseball wasn’t a game for Israel. Then Zelig directed me to FC Jerusalem. Within two weeks, the first All Star game was played with 40 kids and 40 volunteers. The magical memories created at Kraft Stadium on that night in 2016, brought me and my wife Leslie, all the way back from Chicago, to direct the game for the second time, in 2017.
Children of all abilities, piled in to Kraft Stadium from ‘Aleh Yerushalayim’ to ‘Efrata’. Their volunteers were bent on helping create special moments on the field for the children. Everyone got a turn at the plate and everyone was a star.
Guest of honor, MK Orly Levy praised the participants for doing something they never dreamed capable of. Jerusalem city council member, Fleur Hassan- Nahoum reminded the crowd that the focus should always be on a person’s abilities; NOT their disabilities.
Then, wheelchairs began to fly and even the sky, was not the limit.
The volunteers were stars as were the children. They spent every moment running and cheering on their buddies.
Mayanot students, led by Mendel Jameson, Daniel Shechter and Mendy Rudolph gave their all on this day and throughout the season. Their spirit reverberated throughout the field.
When the game relaxed for a ten minute break, Or Chaim of the ‘Keren Or’ School surprised the crowd with a beautiful rendition of Yerushalayim Shel Zahav and ” What a wonderful world..” He was accompanied on piano by Yosef Cherny, who had been his year long dedicated Buddy at Keren Or, teaching him songs and brightening his afternoons.
“Too often, one reads of how they children with disabilities struggle with their challenges,” noted a spectator who was at last year’s All Star game.
“It was with great joy, that today I saw a child who was using a wheel chair last year, and this year, was able to walk alone!”
Dean led a game full of spirit and passion together with his wife Leslie and teen coach Avraham Gestetner – who led the kids through an entire season of Buddy baseball this year tirelessly, with dedication and good heart.
At the close of the game, Dean presented medals and a baseball to each player.
Dean, clearly moved by the event, concluded, “The smiles on your faces, are the reason I flew in this year to play. They are worth what no currency can buy..”
“I have never seen the children so happy at a social activity, the way they were today. We were VIPS from the game all the way to the BBQ that followed it,” commented Devorah, a mother of a child with autism.
Debbie Berkowicz, mother of Yossi, was particularly moved when the parents of Yossi’s Buddy Volunteer at the game approached her and expressed a wish to take the hero Yossi out to dinner.
“When I heard this,” noted Chanie Canterman, Director of FC Central Jerusalem, “I felt that every bit of effort in running this activity was well worth it. This was a clear indicator that the message of Buddy Baseball – Goodness for the sake of good, acceptance and sensitivity, had reached way beyond the sports field and and its bases. Friendships with people with unique challenges, is a win-win both for the FC participants and the volunteers.
“The parents of this wonderful volunteer were modelling a lesson of acceptance and kindness that will cultivate kind, responsible adults and leaders.”
Special thanks to Kraft Stadium for clearing time in their busy schedule to accommodate an entire season of Buddy Baseball this summer for FC Jerusalem.
