Known as “one of the best goalkeepers in the world,” Merrill Moses is the standout goalie for the US Olympic Water Polo Team. This skilled Jewish athlete leads by example, and his vocal chords! He’s constantly directing his teammates from his spot in front of the net by shouting, screaming and hollering as loud as he can.

In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestled with an angel and emerged as Israel, “He who struggles.” In the 20th-21st century, Western Jews spend a great amount of energy wrestling with the world of tradition and the demands of the modern world. Few writers have portrayed this inner conflict of the American Jewish community as engagingly as Chaim Potok (1929-2002), a man who lived this struggle himself.

At age 5, Jason Lezak joined the Irvine, California Novaquatics swim team and has never left. In fact, he still trains and lives in Southern California today! This 36-year-old Jewish athlete been to the Olympic Games three times since 2000 and will return to London to compete in the Olympics for the fourth time this summer.

A Boston-born gymnast, a sprinter from Australia and a sailor from New Zealand meet at a synagogue. While that could be the start of a joke, it could also actually happen with so many Jewish athletes competing in the 2012 London Olympics this July.

As somewhat of an expert when it comes to deciphering online profiles (yup, I can tell which guy will arrive late and expect to split the bill and which girl has very few interests outside of herself), here are a few tips to help you. And, some of these even apply to real-life dating!

Alexander is certainly not the type of name one typically thinks of as a traditional Jewish name. It may surprise you to learn that the name originated as a way of honoring none other than Alexander the Great.

There is a standard recipe for most dates when you meet someone online. First, you get a phone number. Second, you make the call. Third, you set up a casual first date. While some of us tend to get creative with our first date plans, most of us opt for something easier like meeting for drinks which is a smart and effective way to meet someone new for the first time. The great thing about meeting for drinks is that it won’t cost you much, it allows you to relax when you may otherwise feel nervous, and it typically doesn’t come with much implied pressure. With that said, you still need to be careful when it comes to choosing the right location for this date idea.

For those who suffer the loss of a close relative, Jewish tradition provides a distinctive mourning ritual, the most prominent aspect of which is shiva, the seven days of mourning. Mourners, however, only begin sitting shiva after their deceased family member has been buried. And while it is considered best if burial takes place as close to the time of death as possible, there are reasons for which burial might be delayed. In this interim time period between death and burial, mourners enter an in-between state known as aninut (the mourner is known as an onen).

Julie Zetlin is the only American rhythmic gymnast making the trip to the London Olympic Games. Zetlin, who is Jewish, will be the first American rhythmic gymnast to compete at the Olympics since 2004. In 2011, she won the all-around championship titles at the Pan American Games and Rhythmic Challenge competitions. Her biggest achievement was…

Aly Raisman is a 2011 world team champion gymnast who will make her Olympics debut in London. She discovered gymnastics at age two when her mother enrolled her in a “Mommy and Me” class and she hasn’t quit since. Fresh from the Olympic trials, where she qualified for the U.S. Women’s team, the Jewish 18-year-old is now…