MONTREAL — Eighteen-year-old Israeli-Canadian tennis player Denis Shapovalov made history at last week’s Rogers Cup tournament in Montreal as the youngest player ever to make the semi-final round, and made headlines for beating superstar Rafael Nadal en route.

For many of the spectators, seeing a cat run onto the diamond as Canada tried to rally from a two-run deficit in extra innings was funny.

Maccabi Canada's Jason Mausberg and left fullback Josh Baumann chat about the Maccabiah Games and the local rep soccer program on Canadian Academy of Futbol TV.

Israel – BC’s 16-year-old Renata Gabuzyan was selected to compete for Team Canada earlier this month at the 20th Maccabiah Games. With 10,000 athletes across many sports, the Games are the third largest sporting event in the world.

Ben Silverman set a goal to become a member of the PGA TOUR before he turned 30. The 29-year-old Silverman birdied the par-5 18th hole, carded a final-round, 4-under 67 and finished at 25-under-par 263, one ahead of Talor Gooch.

When Team Canada marched into the opening ceremonies of the Maccabiah Games in Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium Montreal was in the house as 125 athletes, coaches and support staff from the greater Montreal area were part of the squad.

Kibbutz Gezer has a special place in the hearts of the extended Osterer family, for both good and bad reasons.

So how does a kid who plateaued at AA manage to wear the Maple Leaf on his chest at the Maccabiah Games? Cue the cliché – perseverance and dedication.

Growing up as a boy who had a passion for basketball, never did my spiritual Jewish connection spark a change in the way I viewed life and people. I always honored my Jewish heritage and respected my religion's homeland. Yet, never did I really tie the true connection to Israel.