Athlete visits TAL

Tamir Goodman, the former world-renown basketball player, mesmerized the boys at visited the boys at TAL Academy in Queens with stories of his youth as a child with dyslexia who found his place on the basketball court, learning that his weakness in reading came with an extra sense in seeing things on the basketball court that others did not see.

His father taught him that even in our greatest successes we must remember that our talents come from Hashem, he said.

Goodman asked the boys why we daven the same tefillos every day? He explained that it is similar to the daily practice of a professional athlete that develops muscle memory allowing him to play well even under pressure in front of large crowds.

The boys were impressed when they heard that Goodman always wore his yarmulke and never played on Shabbos even if it meant not playing in important championship games.

The highlight of the morning was when Goodman played basketball with the boys, giving them pointers and letting each one practice his shots.