LA Laker Jordan Farmar in Israel to host b'ball clinic

The point guard will be in Kiryat Gat to coach a clinic for Israeli and Palestinian children from the Peres Center for Peace.

By BEN SALES
farmar 88 (photo credit: )
farmar 88
(photo credit: )
Point guard Jordan Farmar of the Los Angeles Lakers will be in Kiryat Gat Tuesday to coach a basketball clinic for Israeli and Palestinian children from the Peres Center for Peace. Farmar, who finished his second season with the Lakers in June, will work with children from the Peres Center's Twinned Peace Sports Schools Tuesday afternoon, and will also hold a clinic with the Twinned Peace School's girls on Thursday in Be'er Tuvia. Farmar played college basketball at the University of California Los Angeles and averaged over nine points a game as a reserve point guard for the Lakers this year. Limor Mizrahi, an Israeli basketball star who is related to Farmar, will accompany him at both clincs. This is not the first time that professional athletes have held joint Jewish-Arab sports clinics at the Peres Center. Two years ago Barcelona soccer star Samuel Eto'o came to Israel for the same purpose and former Chelsea FC manager Jose Mourinho was here in 2005. Gal Peleg, director of the center's sports department, said that in addition to helping the children coexist, these events show sports stars the positive influence they can have on the world through their talent. "Every time we hold a meeting like this the kids tell us that it gives them a push forward and allows them to dream and apply themselves in order to succeed," said Peleg. "The activities we hold allow the kids not only to imagine and dream of success in the field of sport, but also to hope and take steps to get to know the other side and to be part of a grassroots process of reconciliation between the two nations." The Peres Center founded the Twin Peace Sports Schools in conjunction with the Al-Quds Association for Democracy and Dialogue in 2002. The program involves boys and girls aged six to 13 years old from 35 Palestinian and Israeli schools, and concentrates on sports instruction, peace education, academic lessons and joint Palestinian-Israeli sporting events that happen every three to four weeks.