SPORTS
SPIRTUALITY
Stellar Career
Rosenberg was solid in college
for Johns Hopkins.
Steve Stein
Special to The Jewish News
G
ary Rosenberg was argu-
ably the best Jewish high
school baseball player in
the state during his days at West
Bloomfield. There's no doubt now that
Rosenberg is one of the
top Jewish college base-
ball players in the nation.
The Johns Hopkins
senior outfielder-desig-
nated hitter was named to
the Jewish Sports Review's
2006 NCAA Divisiori II &
III All-America Team.
"Gary has quick hands,
like a cobra, and great
vision at the plate. He
Rosenberg
improved every day he
was here," said Johns
Hopkins assistant coach Jack Newell.
A starter in 36 of the Blue Jays' 39
games this season, Rosenberg batted
.387 with four homers and 36 RBI.
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound right-
handed hitter and thrower was named
to the All-Centennial Conference Team
for the second consecutive year. Johns
Hopkins finished 28-9-2, including a
16-1-1 stretch from March 21 through
April 18.
It was the Blue Jays' 15th straight
season with 25 or more victories. They
were 40-4 when Rosenberg was a
sophomore in 2004, the best record in
college baseball at any level.
Rosenberg could have played
Division I ball after leaving West
Bloomfield, but he decided to attend
Division III Johns Hopkins because
of the Baltimore school's reputation
for academic excellence. He had a 4.0
grade point average in high school.
Armed with a bachelor's degree in
biomedical engineering, Rosenberg,
22, is doing research work in the
computer-assisted surgery lab at
the Wayne State University Medical
School this summer. In a few weeks,
he'll begin employment in computer
software development at Compuware.
He plans to apply to medical school in
a couple of years.
"It feels weird not playing baseball.
I already miss it:' Rosenberg said.
Opposing pitchers dreaded seeing
Rosenberg come to the plate dur-
ing his four years at West Bloomfield
High. A two-time All-State Dream
Team selection, Rosenberg still holds
most of the Lakers' offensive records.
He led West Bloomfield to an
appearance in the Division 1 state
semifinals in 2001; his
junior season. He topped
the state with 54 RBI in
just 34 games.
When he wasn't
pitching for the Lakers,
Rosenberg played third
base, shortstop and left-
field. "But he was our best
player at any position,"
said West Bloomfield
coach Pat Watson. "Plus,
Gary was like another
coach on the field.
"He's a natural born
leader, and one of those people who
always knows the difference between
right and wrong."
A perfect example of Rosenberg's
leadership at West Bloomfield came in
a game against Birmingham Seaholm.
After hitting three consecutive home
runs and knocking in 11, he was asked
by Watson to lay down a sacrifice
bunt. Rosenberg did it successfully,
without a protest. "Gary didn't shake
his head or roll his eyes, like many
kids would have done," Watson said.
Rosenberg's parents are Mark
and Lauren Rosenberg of West
Bloomfield.
Heady Stuff
Coach Jose Pekerman and captain
Juan Pablo Sorin helped Argentina's
soccer team reach the World Cup
quarterfinals, where Germany beat the
Argentines in a penalty kick shootout.
It was the second World Cup for Sorin,
who won a silver medal in the 1996
Olympic Games.
King Kong
The Los Angeles Kings selected David
Meckler of Highland Park, Ill., in the
fifth round of the National Hockey
League draft. Meckler is a freshman
forward at Yale University. E
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Bursting Its Seams
Darchei Torah completes renovation
and expansion, and bestows honors.
Susan Tawil
Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit,
national vice-chairman of United Jewish
Communities, chairman of the Jewish
he Orthodox Jewish day school
Federation's Real Estate Committee,
that began with seven students
chairman of the Financial Operations
in an Oak Park basement has
Committee and chairman of the Major
now reached its stride, with more than
Gifts Division.
340 students in a newly expanded facil-
Jan Hauser served as board member
ity in Southfield.
of Federation's Women's
Yeshivas Darchei Torah's
Division and the Anti-
renovation of the former .
Defamation League.
United Hebrew Schools
Yehudah and Esther
building on Twelve Mile
Rochel Hauser, two of the
Road near Lahser is com-
Hauser's grandchildren,
plete. The building will
are students at Yeshivas
now comfortably house
Darchei Torah.
a boys' and a girls' wing
Dovid and Madeline
of the school as well as a
Tenenbaum were
new gym and a preschool.
honored for their tre-
Mark and J an Hauser
This watershed in Darchei
mendous involvement
Torah's development was
in the school, as well
celebrated at the school's 20th annual
as in the Jewish community at large.
dinner in late June, attended by 550 par-
Dr. Tenenbaum leads workshops and
ents and community supporters.
arranges special speakers for the school,
Dinner honorees were Jewish commu-
while she is active in the PTA and other
nal activists (and school grandparents)
school programs. Dr. Tenenbaum helps
Mark and Jan Hauser, who received the
run Matan B'Seter, a local charity fund
Bonei Torah (Builders of Torah) award,
for needy families. The Tenenbaums'
and Darchei Torah parents
four children are stu-
Dr. Dovid and Madeline
dents at Darchei Torah.
Tenenbaum, N.vho received
Rabbi Weil spoke of
the Hakoras Hatov
the school's meaning-
(Appreciation) award.
ful level of education,
Rabbi Steven Weil, former
with Torah learned not
rabbi of Young Israel of
merely as history and
Oak Park, now leader of
stories, but as an actual
Beth Jacob Congregation of
model for life. He spoke
Beverly Hills, Calif., himself
about Abraham, who
a former Darchei Torah par- Dovid and Madeline
described himself in the
ent, was guest speaker.
Torah as a ger v'tosha (a
Tenenbaum
Peter Alter, president
"foreigner and resident").
of the Jewish Federation
Abraham's Jewishness,
of Metropolitan Detroit, opened the
Rabbi Well said, kept him separate from
program. The Yeshivas Darchei Torah
the surrounding peoples, yet he could
boys' choir sang during the dinner, and
successfully live among them and con-
a slideshow contrasted dark periods
tribute to their society.
in Jewish history with the vibrancy of
Yeshivas Darchei Torah is able to
today's Darchei Torah students. One sec-
attain this synthesis in its students,
tion cleverly morphed old-time cheder
Rabbi Well said. The religious studies
photos into similarly posed pictures of
curriculum trains the students to be
Darchei children studying their holy
proud and knowledgeable Jews who
books, representing the continuity of
will not assimilate into the•surrounding
Jewish tradition.
gentile culture, while at the same time,
The Hausers were honored for their
Darchei Torah's secular studies curricu-
commitment to the Jewish community.
lum teaches the students to become pro-
Mark, a real estate attorney, has held
ductive citizens who will work to benefit
many communal positions, includ-
society as a whole. rfi
ing president of the United Jewish
Special to The Jewish News
T
August 3
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2006
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