Naama Shafir is easy to spot when she is playing point guard for the Elitzur Ramla women’s basketball team: She is the only player wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt under her basketball jersey. Shafir made headlines in Israel in 2011 when, as a member of the Israel’s national women’s basketball team playing in Europe, she insisted on wearing short sleeves under her basketball jersey against tournament rules, so that she kept within the bounds of hilkhot tzniut (laws of modesty). The issue was resolved by her wearing skin-tone elastic sleeves.
Shafir is the fourth of nine children and grew up in Hoshaya, in the Galilee. Shafir returned to Israel this past year after spending five years in Ohio, playing for the University of Toledo while studying business management. The U.S. team tried its best to accommodate her Shabbat observance by not scheduling practices on Shabbat. Shafir did receive a personal heter (rabbinic permission) from the rabbi of her hometown, Hoshaya, to play in basketball games on Shabbat outside Israel. His rationale was that a practice session would not be allowed, but a competitive game would be. “Practice is in the category of ‘exercise’ and therefore forbidden, but the game itself is fun for the player. Who wants to sit on the bench?1 ” he said. Shafir has been known to walk long distances to and from games so as not to desecrate the Sabbath.
In Toledo, Shafir enjoyed great success, both on and off the court. She was twice a co-captain, and is believed to be the first Orthodox female athlete to earn an NCAA Division I scholarship. She also excelled in her studies, making the dean’s list five times.
Back in Israel, Naama was asked by the Israeli online magazine Mishelakh whether she considers herself a feminist. She declined that label, but added, “If somehow this gives other women strength, why not?”
These days, Naama stays in touch with the friends she made in Toledo while playing for Elitzur Ramla. She tweets, “Toledo friends… If you are tired of the snow, you are more than welcome to come visit me in Israel!” Religious Zionist leaders praise her as a role model.
Read more at http://forward.com/articles/136770/ an-orthodox-jew-leads-toledo-to-a-womens-national/#ixzz2yM3BDsZ.i