Jews Make News As Tide Victory Echoes
JEWS MAKE NEWS AS TIDE VICTORY ECHOES
The following story was posted tonight by Jewish Telegraphic Agency, a worldwide Jewish news service and one of 32 agencies and programs funded by The Birmingham Jewish Federation Annual Campaign. It was written by JTA reporter Jessica Leader, who drew upon Update's coverage of the BCS Championship Game.
NEW YORK (JTA) -- After the University of Alabama won the Bowl Championship Series football crown by dominating top-ranked Louisiana State University, much of the attention and credit has gone to Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban.
But what about Robert Levin?
Pediatrician by day, Levin (pictured here) has been Alabama's band announcer -- better known as the "Voice of the Million Dollar Band" -- for 21 seasons. So he's been at Alabama for three national titles -- that's one more than Saban, although the coach has only been at 'Bama for five seasons.
The doctor told JTA that he's nowhere near jaded from all the winning.
"My wife was sitting with me at the game Monday night, and we just kept looking at each other saying how much fun we were having," Levin told JTA, referring to the 21-0 victory over LSU. "We just feel so fortunate."
Levin said the gig came about through sheer coincidence, when he met the band director at a party.
"I did my imitation of a public address announcer for her, having no experience, and she thought it was good," he recalled. "She asked if I would want to do a game for them, which I did, and after that I became the permanent announcer."
Levin says the job has become an integral part of his life. And the doctor cum announcer has plenty of company among Alabama Jews with ties to Crimson Tide football.
Radio announcer Eli Gold is the official "Voice of the Crimson Tide." Jon Solomon covers the team for the Birmingham News. And Mike Slive is the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, home to the last six college football champions -- Alabama has won two of the last three national titles. Slive also is a member of Levin's synagogue in Birmingham and a close friend.
"Although he is considered the most powerful man in collegiate athletics, Mike is really just a nice Jewish guy," Levin said.
The pervasiveness of Alabama football has been deep seated in the state's Jewish community for generations.
"My great-grandparents used to have a picture of Paul "Bear" Bryant next to a picture of Menachem Mendel Schneerson," said Eliot Safier, a teacher in New York with Alabama roots, referring to the legendary Alabama coach and the late leader of the Lubavitch movement. "My mom told me that they were shomer Shabbat (Sabbath observant) except when Alabama played on Saturday."
Levin also grew up as a Crimson Tide aficionado.
Alabama "has always been my team," he said. "As a little boy, watching games is what we did on Saturdays. I always loved them."
Dr. Jeremy Royal, another member of Birmingham's Jewish community, feels an exceptional pride when it comes to Alabama's star players. Since winning the prestigious Wendy's High School Heisman in 1995, Royal has the right to attend the Heisman Trophy weekend in New York. In December he attended in support of Crimson Tide running back Trent Richardson, a Heisman finalist.
"Aside from his incredibly impressive athletic talent, Trent clearly values team more than self," Royal wrote in The Birmingham Jewish Federation's e-newsletter following the trophy weekend. "This characteristic makes him even more likable as a person and makes us cheer even harder for his successes."
(The above story has been slightly edited for Update.)
FASTER THAN WE CAN COUNT 'EM
Yes, it sometimes happens, believe it or not. The donations come in faster than we can count 'em, which is a great feeling, but also one that leaves us a little out of breath. This is what's happening right now at The Birmingham Jewish Federation as gifts to Operation Grassroots come in daily.
Operation Grassroots is an unprecedented BJF effort to raise ONE THOUSAND new gifts and increases of at least $100 to receive a $100,000 challenge grant. Operation Grassroots has the potential to revolutionize our campaign by dramatically broadening our base and significantly increasing the number of people who contribute to our BJF Campaign.
As of this writing, 140 gifts have come in overall for the 2012 BJF Campaign. Of these, 80 -- or 57% -- have been new gifts or increases of at least $100, almost all of them connected to Operation Grassroots. This is a remarkably high percentage. The highest percentage recorded in recent Federation history for new gifts and increases in a campaign was 40 percent. There is a long way to go, of course; however, Operation Grassroots clearly is working!
Some of the 80 Operation Grassroots gifts have been highlighted in Update. Those we haven't highlighted include first-time gifts of $100 from 13 donors and first-time gifts of $500 from a donor who lives out of town and one of our Christian Update readers.
The 80 gifts also include a range of contributions from an array of donors who support the campaign each year. These include a $1000 increase from a family who gave $2500 last year; a $500 increase from one of our older donors who has been at the $1500 level for many years; an increase from $11,000 to $12,000 from one of our most distinguished community leaders; a $500 increase from a couple who gave $12,000 last year; an increase from $7000 to $7500 from a couple who has played leadership roles in our community; and a $9,000 increase from a husband and wife who are among our largest donors.
Thanks to funding from the Sirote Fund of The Birmingham Jewish Foundation and additional contributions from individual donors, we have funds to match new gifts and increases beyond $100. So, if you are in a position to make a new gift or increase of more than $100, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that your entire new gift or increase will be matched.
To participate, you can respond to this email right now. Just say "yes," give us your name and we will follow up with you. You can also make your contribution by going to the links below, contacting Tiffany Hyche at The BJF at 205-803-1513 or tiffanyh@bjf.org or calling our 24-Hour Operation Grassroots Hotline at 205-803-1514. You can also send a check made out to "BJF Operation Grassroots" to The Birmingham Jewish Federation, PO 130219, Birmingham, AL, 35213.
