Faith and Sport
By: David Mizrahi
5/10/2023
This is a story about a kid and a dream. It all started in Brooklyn, N.Y., at age eight, when I picked up a tennis racquet for the first time. I remember it like it was yesterday - my younger brother and I were headed with my father to play at the local tennis club. I instantly fell in love with the sport and it was all I thought about as a kid. I will never forget when my older brother Haim brought me to one of the tennis academies in Brooklyn, trying to find a coach for me. However, I continued to get the same response, “He doesn't have the level to play with the other kids.” My brother took this very personally and decided to coach me full-time.
The rest is history. I started to rapidly improve and deliver excellent results in USTA (United States Tennis Association) tournaments. When I was 16, I was faced with one of the most challenging decisions of my life. Growing up in a Jewish community and attending yeshiva school, I had to decide whether to continue schooling or join a full-time tennis academy, and pursue my education online - ultimately I decided to make the switch. Upon transferring, my game started to improve even more and due to the increased flexibility, I could also travel to more tournaments across the nation. I began to get recognition from some of the best colleges around the United States.
Top Left: David Mizrahi and his father getting the honor of carrying and escorting the Torah to be read at David's Bar Mitzvah. Top Middle Left: David Mizrahi's father instructing him on how to don phylacteries (Tefillin) for the first time at his Bar Mitzvah. Top Middle Right: David with his brothers. Top Right: David playing tennis as a young boy.
Bottom Left & Middle: David playing tennis as a young boy. Bottom Right: David pictured with the gold medal he won at the Maccabi Games in 2015. The Maccabi games is the Jewish Olympics where Jewish athletes across the world compete in.
As I was packing my stuff and beginning my journey to Louisville - how I would keep my Jewish culture and traditions?
Life took a turn during my senior year in 2017 when I suffered a knee injury requiring surgery. This resulted in both interest and offers no longer being there from various colleges. I did not let this stop me and instead continued to believe that I could come back even stronger after my injury. In the summer of my senior year, I got an offer from the University of Louisville to play tennis. After my visit, I knew that Louisville was the place I wanted to be.
After all the excitement, there was one issue that I continued to think about as I was packing my stuff and beginning my journey to Louisville - how I would keep my Jewish culture and traditions? One of the essential parts of Judaism is keeping kosher which has always been a big part of who I am. Kosher is a dietary restriction that Jewish people follow that consists of certain animals being forbidden to eat, which are listed in the Torah and rabbinical literature. Furthermore, certain combinations of kosher foods are forbidden to mix, like meat and dairy.
When I finally arrived in Louisville, I remember my first day meeting with Becky Schroeder, who is the head dietitian for all athletics. She made me feel very comfortable and at ease, explaining that the Louisville athletic department could provide me with kosher products. This made me feel extremely happy that I would be able to continue to keep kosher while I lived out my dream as a Division I athlete. I also met with the head chef, Adam Dever, at the Thornton’s Academic Center of Excellence (TACE), our athletic dining center. We had a great conversation as I explained what kosher was, and he said that this would not be an issue at all. For the next five years, I never had a problem keeping kosher; every night, I would come to the athletic dining center, always feeling welcomed and a part of the group, while having my kosher meals.
Celebrating Yom Kippur was another worry of mine when I got to school, as I did not know how I would be able to fast being away from home and my normal routines.
One of the holiest and most important days in the Jewish calendar is a day of fasting known as Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is a day of atonement for one’s sins throughout the year. The fast is held for 25 hours, where one refrains from drinking and eating. Celebrating Yom Kippur was another worry of mine when I got to school, as I did not know how I would be able to fast being away from home and my normal routines. Growing up, I always admired baseball legend Sandy Koufax as he missed the first game of the World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur. Dudi Sela, who is a professional tennis player, retired in the middle of the match because Yom Kippur was starting.
As a Division I tennis player, I knew I had to make the right decision for myself and learn from the past legends, as I would not participate in practice or competition if the date were to fall on Yom Kippur. I was very fortunate that my coaches throughout these five years have been very understanding and have respected my religious customs and beliefs and given me the green light to do whatever I needed to prepare for Yom Kippur. I also received consistent help from the Louisville nutrition department as they prepared me with the appropriate food and drinks the day before Yom Kippur. I am very thankful to my coaches and the entire Louisville nutrition department for respecting my Jewish identity and helping me with all my needs in preparation for Yom Kippur.
One of the most incredible parts of college tennis is being around a team and playing for something bigger than yourself. It is different than the junior tennis circuit, where you are usually going to tournaments alone or with a coach. In college, you are constantly around your teammates, whether it's for practices, matches, or enjoying free time. I knew many questions would arise about my Jewish culture and traditions. For many of my teammates, I was the first Jewish person they have ever met or interacted with. I am fortunate to have been around a great group of guys, past and present Cardinals, who have respected my Jewish culture and identity.
These past five years playing for the University of Louisville have been a dream come true.
I also took the responsibility to learn more about my culture to be able to educate my teammates in response to any questions that they had. For example, I was often asked questions about why I pray in the morning and what is kosher. Becoming educated about my Judaism and my religious beliefs has helped me explain what these traditions and laws are that I follow.
Our tennis team is very diverse, with players coming from around the world, and I always enjoyed taking the time to learn from my teammates about their own culture and backgrounds. The friendships that were built through the Louisville men’s tennis team will not only stick for the remainder of our time at school, but also throughout the rest of our lives. I know I can call on each of my teammates at any time if I ever need anything, and they know that the same applies with me.
These past five years playing for the University of Louisville have been a dream come true. I have not only improved my tennis, but I also have grown tremendously as a person.
My plan after this season is to return back to New York and try to play professional tennis. Many people who read my story might say that my culture has been an obstacle to my game. However, I view it differently, because the traditions and laws that I follow as a Jew have made me the person I am today and helped me to be more disciplined to be a role model on and off the court. I want to show other Jewish athletes who come after me that they do not have to give up their faith to chase their dreams, but rather use it as an advantage and a tool to better themselves.
Although I may be finishing my college career, I will always be a Cardinal for life. As they say: “Louisville First, Cards Forever.”
