Israeli Basketball Player Beniya Sarur Balances Religious Observance with National Team Duties

Beniya Sarur, a basketball player recently called up to the Israeli national team for the first time, faces a unique challenge balancing his religious lifestyle with his professional commitments. Sarur, who played last season for Elitzur Netanya, is preparing for upcoming friendly matches against Germany and Croatia. Despite the excitement of his debut, he maintains strict adherence to his religious practices, including fasting on the 17th of Tammuz while continuing to train with the team.

The national team has accommodated Sarur's needs by providing kosher food throughout the training camp and travel, with staff even arranging trips to Chabad houses to ensure he has appropriate provisions. To avoid violating the Sabbath, Sarur will not travel with the team to Croatia on Friday but will join them on Sunday after the Sabbath ends. He is expected to play in the match against Germany, which takes place during the Sabbath.

On the day of the Germany game, Sarur will travel with the team before the Sabbath begins at 6 p.m. However, after the game, he plans to walk back to the hotel, a 35-minute journey, accompanied by a security guard to respect Sabbath restrictions. The team and staff are making significant efforts to support Sarur in fulfilling both his religious obligations and his role representing Israel internationally.