Jews in the News: A gold for Aly

Aly Raisman led the US to its first team gold in women's gymnastics since 1996. She'll have chances for individual glory in the all-around and on the apparatuses.

Profile: Anthony Ervin

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1383

I was wrong. The worst part are the tape delays. What century is this?

Oh, and Ryan Seacrest. WHY?????????????

August 2, 8:17 PM: Anthony Ervin montage! Called it!

Profile: Aly Raisman

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1381

Olympic Week begins! And Aly turned heads last night, finishing second overall in qualifying.

And we're mentioned on Deadspin:

Jewish sports fans have a long history of living vicariously through prominent Jewish athletes, and prior to the era in which a little Googling could turn up a site which claims authority on the subject, it was a popular pastime to debate the all-around Jewishness of athletes whose religious affilitations were ambiguous (David Cone, anybody?).

Suggestions by Bruce from Cambridge, IL, Megan from Milwaukee, Jeffrey from Needham, MA, Don from Arizona, JeriAnn from Connecticut, and John from New Hampshire.

Jews in the News: Another medal for Lezak

Jason Lezak earned the first Jewish medal of the Olympics, and his eighth, by swimming for the US in the 4x100m relay. It was a silver, as the US finished second to France.

Lezak did not swim in the finals, only taking part in the semifinals. Nevertheless, he gets his second career silver, to go with four golds and two bronzes. Seven of the eight came in relays.

Profile: Ilona Elek

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1379

Hooray, the Olympics are here! Next week will be Olympics Week, where every day we will profile a 2012 Jewish (or Not Jewish?) Olympian. But here is a Jewish great to kick us off.

Thanks to Gabriella from Hungary for the suggestion.

Profile: Covetous Shen

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1380

Yakov's quest for video game Jews continues...

Profile: Ali MacGraw

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1378

Suggestions by Mark from NY and Cyg from Toronto.

Profile: Gabriel Lippmann

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1377

As I mentioned before, one of my little projects is to find a profile for as many countries as possible. I believe that's out first Luxembourg.

Jews in the News: Olympic Jews

The Olympics are coming up, so, just like four years ago, we will be doing Olympic Week, where we profile five Olympic Jews. The five in 2008 were:

Dara Torres, USA, swimming

Jason Lezak, USA, swimming

David Zalcberg, Australia, table tennis

Nicolas Massu, Chile, Tennis

Alexander Averbukh, Israel, pole vault

So who will the five chosen athletes in 2012 be? We already profiled Lezak, who is returning, as well as Sue Bird, USA, basketball, but here are some options:

Jo Aleh, New Zealand, sailing

David Banks, USA, rowing

Josh Binstock, Canada, beach volleyball

Anthony Ervin, USA, swimming

Jessica Fox, Australia, canoe

Steve Gluckstein, USA, trampoline (¼ Jewish)

Vasyl Fedoryshyn, Ukraine, wrestling

Mark Mendelblatt, USA, sailing

Tim Morehouse, USA, fencing (¼ Jewish)

Merrill Moses, USA, water polo

Sarah Poewe, Germany, swimming

Alexandra Raisman, USA, gymnastics

Steve Solomon, Australia, track

Rebecca Soni, USA, swimming (¼ Jewish)

Soren Thompson, USA, fencing

Julie Zetlin, USA, rythmic gymnastics

As well as obviously pretty much the entire Israeli team. Three of the five have already been selected... Who knows, we might even do more!

Profile: Willy Loman

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1376

Suggested by the NY Times, nacht.

Profile: Mr. Potato Head

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1375

For some reason, I always gave Mr. Potato Head an Italian accent...

Suggestion by Anders from Denmark.

Profile: Cowardly Lion

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1374

Yet another species for our ever-growing zoo!

Profile: Benny Leonard

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1373

Suggestions by Wicholas from Portland and Paul from Aventura, FL.

Profile: Lizzy Caplan

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1372

Suggestions by Bob from NY and Penny from NY. We also had a suggestion to profile Lacey Chabert's character, Gretchen, but... nah.

Profile: Brad Garrett

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1371

Year one, two, three of the Jewies...

Suggestions by Jeff from New York, Tina from Russia, Don from LA, Neal from Sarasota, and Salomon from the Netherlands.

Profile: Fat Cat

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1370

Yes, I realize we haven't profiled Zero Mostel yet. One day...

Profile: Pussy Galore

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1369

More pussies tomorrow...

Profile: Joel Rifkin

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1368

We had a lengthy discussion about this, but Yakov insists that since Rifkin was only adopted by Jews and doesn't self-identify... Not a Jew.

Another suggestion by Don from Arizona.

Profile: Joe Greenstein

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1367

Thanks to M.J. from Houston for the fascinating suggestion.

Profile: Sean Astin

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1366

Suggestion by Pablo from Venezuela.

Profile: David Suchet

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1364

Suggestions by Vadim from India and Ben from London. Now, Peter Sellers suggestions, on the other hand...

Profile: Ed Miliband

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1365

Ed's brother David is also a Labour Party honcho.

Suggestions by Joel from London, Mats from Norway, Leon from UK, Daniel from London, Jonathan from Sweden, Ben from Albany, Adrian from Birmingham, UK, and Chris from London.

Profile: Alexander Gomelsky

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1363

Who better to profile on America's Independence Day than a Soviet basketball coach?

Suggestions by Slava from Baltimore, David from Chicago, and Aleks from Brooklyn.

Profile: Claudia Christian

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1362

David from Long Island REALLY wanted us to profile Susan Ivanova... Sorry, David.

Edit: Not a Jew. And she has a direct quote about a Jewish father and everything. Thanks again, Michael from Hartford.

Profile: Mario Balotelli

http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1361

Here's an article with the details.

Suggestion by Danielle from Boston and Ethan from Ottawa.