MLB Prospect Who Won’t Play Baseball on Shabbos

By COLlive reporter

The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) continued its annual tradition of honoring a teen who has displayed Jewish pride and courage at this year’s recently completed National Jewish Retreat which took place in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

This year’s recipient of the Young Jewish Luminary Award was Elie Kligman of Las Vegas, Nevada, a recent MLB draft pick who made waves with his commitment to not play on Shabbos throughout his past and future baseball career.

Kligman was drafted in this year’s MLB draft by the Washington Nationals but has deferred joining the team to play baseball in college at Wake Forest University and increase his major league prospects.

He has continued to make it clear that not playing on Shabbos is a priority and that G-d will always come before baseball.

Kligman was joined by his parents Marc and Laura Kligman as the award was presented by Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, chairman of JLI and vice-chairman of Merkos Linyonei Chinuch.

Rabbi Kotlarsky said he remembers the headlines professional baseball left-handed pitcher Sandy Koufax made when he chose not to start Game 1 of the 1965 World Series for the Dodgers because it fell on Yom Kippur.

“I have to tell you, Elie, when I saw you in the press and the way you acted, I cried,” Rabbi Kotlarsky said. “I was moved to tears. You are an inspiration and G-d should give you the strength so you should uphold it.”

The Kligmans have been involved with Chabads across the country throughout their lives including currently with Rabbi Oz Metal of Chabad of Summerlin, who has been nicknamed the “Rally Rabbi” at Kligman’s high school baseball team.

Upon giving him the award, Rabbi Kotlarsky called Elie Kligman the “Most Valuable Player in baseball for the next twenty years.”

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