Several athletes are in Russia from all over the world representing the Jewish people, even if not under the Israeli flag.
By SETH FINKELSTEINAndrea Davidovich (L) and Evgeni Krasnopolski finish their figure skating pairs short program at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, February 11, 2014. (photo credit: REUTERS)
The Olympic Committee of Israel sent six athletes to the Sochi Games.They will be representing the State of Israel, but several other athletes are in Russia from all over the world representing the Jewish people, even if not under the Israeli flag.Ice dancer Charlie White is currently in his second Olympics. He has been ice dancing with partner, Meryl Davis since 1997. White was born in Michigan and still lives there, while attending the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, White and Davis got the silver medal, while at this Olympics, White has been utterly fantastic. He won a bronze in the Team Ice Dance Free Dance event, and more importantly won the gold medal in the Ice Dance Short Dance with partner, Davis.Jason Brown is only 19 years old and already has won a medal at this year’s Olympics in the team figure skating event. He was born in Los Angeles and currently resides in Illinois, and he would like to go on Birthright. He has been skating since he was three and a half years old, and that will hopefully pay off in this year’s Olympics and in future ones. Brown won a bronze medal in the Team Ice Dance Free Dance event, and came in 9th place in the Men’s Free Skating event.Simon Shnapir was born in Moscow to Jewish parents, but moved to Boston when he was 16 months old. This year was his first Olympic appearance, and he won a bronze medal in the Team Ice Dance Free Dance event. In the pairs free skating he and his partner Marissa Castelli came in a disappointing 9th place.American snowboarding siblings Taylor and Arielle Gold both had very disappointing Olympics. They both were supposed to compete in the halfpipe, but only Taylor did.Arielle fell on her on a training run and dislocated her shoulder to the point where she could not compete. Taylor made it through qualifying but failed to make it through the semifinals, ending Taylor’s short Olympic experience. But the good news is Taylor is 20 years old and Arielle is 17, so the only place they can go from here is up.American Jared Goldberg grew up skiing in Vermont at the famous Mount Killington.He is now 22 years old and competing in his first Olympics. Goldberg competed in the Men’s Super Combined but came in 11th place, and finished 19th in the Men’s Giant Slalom.American Cross country skier Noah Hoffman has had a tough Olympics so far.
He had off-season shoulder surgery, and managed to make the Olympics. He came in 35th place in the Men’s Skiathlon 15 km Classic+ 15 km Free event, 31st in the Men’s 15 km Classic, and 11th in the Men’s Relax 4X10 Km. Hoffman threw a Hannuka party for the US ski team and even made latkes.Australian Anna Segal is a freestyle skier.She had a recurring knee injury heading into this year’s Olympics and almost managed to medal in the Ladies Ski Slopestyle competition as she came in fourth place.Dylan Moscovitch is a Canadian figure skater who has done a fairly decent job so far at Sochi. He has won a silver medal as a part of the Canadian team in Team Ice Dance Free Dance event, and also finished in 5th place in the Pairs Free Skating. Moscovitch has a Jewish grandfather from Romania, and would like to assist Canadian Jewish athletes achieve their future athletic goal.
