Beren Academy

Mayor Annise Parker has prevailed. She intervened in the case of an Orthodox Jewish high school in Houston and according to the Houston Chronicle, they will be allowed to compete.

For the first time in its history, the Beren Academy’s basketball team is competing in Class 2A in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) state basketball championships. But the Beren School is an Orthodox Jewish school and the state championships are played on Friday night — Shabbat.

Parker noted in her complaint to state officials that Texas already makes a religious exemption — games are not played on the Christian sabbath, Sunday.

The school would have had to forfeit.

With the change in time to Friday afternoon, the school will be able to compete and the Texas basketball champs (Class 2A) may just be — the Orthodox Jewish kids from Houston. Even Reform synagogues in Dallas are cheering for them.

Which reminds us of the great line from the movie Airport.

“Oh stewardess. Do you have something light to read?”

“Yes, I have this pamphlet, Great Jewish Sports Heroes.”