U.S. Gymnast Aly Raisman Advances in Olympics With ‘Hava Nagila’ Routine

Gymnast Alexandra Raisman, 18, has made the all-around individual finals for the U.S. at the London Olympics. The Jewish athlete from Needham, Mass., advanced by performing a routine set to the music of “Hava Nagila,” a well-known Jewish song that has often been used in sports routines.

Raisman’s coaches are Romanians Mihai and Sylvia Brestyan, who had coached the Israeli national team in the early 1990s.

July 31, 2012 | 9 Comments »

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9 Comments / 9 Comments

  1. So PROUD of you and your dedication to your chosen love all these years. It paid off.
    Harvey Tabachnick

  2. The only reason she won is because the Olympic committee judges thought that the accompanying song was called “Havana Gila”.

  3. Watched it last night and we were all so proud.

    As soon as she go on the mat and did her first routine, confidence was written all over her face and you knew she knew it was going to be the icing on the cake.

    Talk about G-d given talents.

    Our former priest who passed on last month often said “We are in charge of the efforts and G-d is in charge of the results”

  4. There was a video clip last night on TVOne (NZ) of Alexandra Raisman’s parents cheering. The talking head said it is going viral. This is cute. He said Aly put it on her Facebook page and others have gone with it. He also mentioned that when the parents are yelling “Stick it!” they are referring to her landing without falling over.

  5. I hope she wins her Olympic medal, for whatever that’s worth. But I have to tell you all that I hate that damned song, “Hava Nagila”. When I want to hear classy Jewish music, I put on my earphones and listen to George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” or “An American in Paris”.

    Arnold Harris
    Mount Horeb WI