Jewish officials have helped shape
high school athletes for generations.

Rick Kaczander, Alan
Kaczander, Fred Cohen and

Burt Hurshe at the West

Art Aisner I Special to the Jewish News

Bloomfield JCC

T

here is a perception that the words "Jewish" and
"athlete" don't go hand-in-hand. Yet a small,
informal fraternity of local Jewish referees has
proven one need not have to be a player to excel at sports.
Despite the physical demands and occasional abuse
from overzealous fans, they have patrolled the sidelines,

blue lines and backstops at area high schools for, in some
cases, roughly four decades. And while most fans don't
know their names, the love these officials have for sports
and their ability to define the games they're a part of has
had an unquestionable impact on thousands of local
youth.

