‘Sporting mensches’ is a series in which host Laragh Widdess interviews people who’ve made an outstanding contribution to sport in Israel – whether on the field, the pitch, the court, or behind the scenes.

When you hear the words “shoot,” “net,” “rebound,” “block,” “zone defense,” “half court,” and “traveling,” what sport comes to mind? No, it’s not basketball, it’s netball – basketball’s sister sport. Chances are, unless you’re from a Commonwealth country, you haven’t heard of it. But here in Israel, as least, Judy Aknin is changing all that.

Judy moved to Israel in 1970. Thirty years later, she hadn’t forgotten the game she loved playing at school in England, and within a few years she was President of Israel Netball. She’s the person who translated the rules into Hebrew, last year she won the Netball Europe Service Award, and she still attends the training sessions of all six clubs in the Israel Netball League.

Judy explains what netball is and why, despite all the obstacles facing women’s sport in Israel, it’s so important to the Israeli sports landscape.

Music:

Kurtis Blow – Basketball
Elvis Presley – Can’t Help Falling In Love

This is a segment from It Takes All Sports: Listen to the full show.