Oldest Jewish university in US 'rebounds' after October 7 tragedy with resilient men's basketball team
The Yeshiva University men's basketball team has accomplished many feats in the NCAA's Division III, including a 50-game winning streak. But coming back strong after the tragic October 7 attacks in Israel may arguably be their biggest yet.
"Rebound: A Year of Triumph and Tragedy at Yeshiva University Basketball" — a new documentary streaming exclusively on Fox Nation — chronicles the journey of the 2023-2024 Yeshiva University Maccabees men's basketball team, and how they responded to the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel that claimed over 1,000 lives.
In September 2023, the Maccabees were preparing for yet another run for glory in the NCAA Division III tournament. However, when tragedy struck at the hands of terrorist group Hamas, the team faced unimaginable grief.New York City's Yeshiva, the oldest Jewish university in the United States, had six Israeli players on the men's basketball roster.
Forced to decide whether to cancel the season or play for their community after being stricken by horrors, the Maccabees chose to keep their season alive — their in-season visit to Israel following the attacks on their home country propelling them to keep playing the game. JEWISH STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS EXPERIENCE 'JEW HATRED' AT PROTESTS: 'F--- YOU, ZION NAZI B----'Head coach Elliot Steinmetz and leading scorer Zevi Samet are featured in Fox Nation's behind-the-scenes look at how the team overcame difficult obstacles as they aimed to maintain the program's success in the wind of immense grief.
Steinmetz and Emmy award-winning director Pat Dimon joined "Fox & Friends," Wednesday, to discuss the new show and reflect on the Maccabees' 2023-2024 season.
"It was definitely a challenge coming back from Israel and meeting with the guys," Steinmetz said, discussing the complex decision to continue the season. "Ultimately, our guys were all on board. We decided that we obviously wanted to have a season, but we wanted it to have more meaning."
"Normally, I'm dealing with athletes and storylines, not of this kind of sensitivity and this kind of intensity really," director Dimon explained. "So yeah, I really had to take a different approach here."
"I thank Elliot and the team and the university for trusting me. And I think I come at it from kind of a human perspective, and a storytelling perspective," he added. "But yeah, I mean, it was really a sensitive subject that we had to approach carefully."
To learn more about the Yeshiva University Macabees men's basketball team and how they navigated the aftermath of the fateful Hamas attacks, subscribe to Fox Nation.
Fox Nation programs are viewable on-demand and from your mobile device app, but only for Fox Nation subscribers. Go to Fox Nation to start a free trial and watch the extensive library from your favorite Fox Nation personalities.
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