A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Roger Neilson

I was sorry to hear about the passing of Roger Neilson, who coached eight NHL teams including the Rangers. Neilson was a friend of Israel, and formed a hockey summer camp in Israel which he conducted until last year, when his illness prevented him from continuing the program.

On a personal level, I got to know Neilson while covering sports for The Jerusalem Post in the early '90's, when Neilson was coaching the Rangers. I was an 18 or 19 year old attending yeshiva during the day and Brooklyn College at night, always wore a yarmulke at games and probably seemed out of place among the press corps. Regardless, Neilson always fully answered my questions at post-game conferences and once stayed to talk about hockey with me after a game.
posted on 6/22/2003