One of the many cherished customs observed at Sephardic weddings is the singing of “Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov…” at the huppah.  These famous words are found in Parashat Balak (Bamidbar 24:5), which we read this month, and were, ironically, spoken by one of the earliest and most notorious Jew-haters of all time – Bilam, a gentile prophet who sought to annihilate the Jewish Nation by placing a curse on them. 

Bilam was summoned by Balak, the king of Moav, a nation whose neighbor – the Emorites – attacked Beneh Yisrael who responded by resoundingly defeating them and seizing their land.  Balak feared – irrationally – that Beneh Yisrael would invade Moav, too (despite the fact that Beneh Yisrael had no intention of doing so, and gave Balak no indication that this was their plan).  He therefore hired Bilam to place a curse on them and destroy them.  Bilam, an avowed and passionate Jew-hater, happily accepted the invitation, which also came with the promise of a generous financial reward.  The plan, however, backfired, as each time Bilam sought to curse Beneh Yisrael with his prophetic powers, Gd placed in his mouth beautiful blessings – including “Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishkenotecha Yisrael – How good are you tents, Yaakov; your dwelling places, Yisrael.”

If we were asked to explain the reason for the custom to sing this verse at weddings, we would likely respond, very simply, that it speaks of the unique splendor of the Jewish home, and so we wish the new couple that they will succeed in building a beautiful home that would reflect the quality which Bilam praised.

This is certainly correct, but, if we probe a bit deeper, we will uncover an additional dimension to the relevance of “Mah tovu…” to the wedding ceremony.

An Ancient Wall

We begin with what at first appears as a trivial detail of the Bilam story – a detail so trivial, in fact, that we might have wondered why the Torah bothers mentioning it at all.

As Bilam made his way toward Moav, Gd sent an angel to discourage Bilam from going on this mission.  The angel made itself visible only to Bilam’s donkey – but not to Bilam himself – and on three occasions, it obstructed the road.  The second time, the donkey veered to the side to avoid the angel, crushing Bilam’s leg against the wall at the roadside (22:25).

Notably, the Torah refers to this wall with the definitive article “ha-“ (“the”) – “el hakir,” as though this was some kind of special wall that we would know about.  What distinctive, famous wall was there along the road from Aram Naharayim, in Mesopotamia, and Moav? 

Adding to the enigma is a comment by Rashi to the previous verse telling us that the fence along the sides of the road which Bilam traveled was made from stones.  Why did Rashi find this worth mentioning?  Would it have mattered to us if it had been made from brick or wood?

The answer is found in a passage in the Midrash Tanhuma, which traces the background to this story back to the times of our patriarchs.

Yaakov Avinu spent 20 years in the home of his uncle, Lavan, marrying his two daughters and building a large family and a large fortune.  When Yaakov finally decided it was time to leave, and set off toward the Land of Israel in the middle of the night, Lavan pursued him and his family.  Lavan’s intentions become clear in light of a vision he beheld the night before he caught up to Yaakov, in which Gd warned him not to cause him any harm (Beresheet 31:24).  It is clear that Lavan wanted to kill Yaakov and his family.  Ultimately, however, Yaakov and Lavan made a truce, and they formed a pile of stones as a symbol of their pact.  They declared that if either of them would pass this pile of stones to harm the other, he would be in violation of this truce.

Fascinatingly, the Midrash teaches that this pile of stones was the wall alongside which Bilam traveled, and against which his leg was crushed.  Bilam, the Midrash states, violated the oath by crossing this this wall, this boundary, to annihilate Yaakov’s descendants – because Bilam was actually none other than Lavan himself. 

This point is further developed by the Arizal, who writes that Bilam was a gilgul – reincarnation – of Lavan’s soul.  This explains the numerous similarities between them.  Both Lavan and Bilam deceitfully appeared righteous but were in truth evil.  Both sought to annihilate Am Yisrael – Lavan, by killing Yaakov and his family, thereby preventing the creation of Am Yisrael; and Bilam, by placing a curse upon them.  Both men received a nocturnal prophecy from Gd instructing them not to carry out their plan.  And both men originate from a place called Aram.  Not surprisingly, they shared these features, because they possessed the same soul.  Hence, Bilam violated his own promise by crossing the pile of stones to attempt to destroy Beneh Yisrael, for which he was punished, as the donkey moved against the wall as Lavan rode on its back.

This is why the Torah tells us about “hakir” – this special wall, and why Rashi found it necessary to explain that it was built from stones.  This point is crucial for the story, placing Bilam’s journey in a broader historical context, and presenting it as the continuation of Bilam’s attempts during his former life – as Lavan – to destroy Yaakov and prevent the emergence of the Jewish Nation.

When Evil Backfires

This connection between Lavan and Bilam sheds light on the pronouncement of “Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov…”

In one of the more emotional segments of the Haggadah that we read at the seder on Pesach, we chant that in every generation, enemies rise to annihilate us, “vehaKadosh Baruch Hu matzilenu miyadam – But the Almighty rescues us from their hand.”

Some commentators noted the deeper meaning of the word “miyadam” (“from their hand”) in this passage.  It means that Gd rescues us with the hands of our enemies.  The very efforts that they make to destroy us end up bringing us our salvation, and helping us endure, thrive and prosper.

There is perhaps no greater example of this backfiring of Jew-hatred than Lavan.  Lavan wanted to prevent our nation from being established – but he was actually the one who built it!  His two daughters, and the two maidservants whom he gave his daughters, produced the 12 tribes of Israel.  Nobody did more for the growth of the Jewish Nation than the person who hated the Jewish Nation more than anyone!

This irony forms the backdrop of Bilam’s exclamation, “Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov.”  At that moment, when Gd compelled Bilam to bless rather than curse, to look favorably and lovingly upon Beneh Yisrael, he saw the thousands of homes, the endless rows of tents, the beautiful, happy Jewish families, and recognized that he – in his previous life – created all this.  He saw these tents and exclaimed, “Look at what I built!  Look at this incredible nation which I brought into existence!” 

This proclamation might be the most embarrassing admission of failure in all human history.  Bilam conceded that he not only failed to stop the emergence of Am Yisrael – but he is the one who facilitated its emergence!  He proclaimed “Mah Tovu” to confess that his scheme backfired spectacularly, that he ended up building the nation that he tried to ensure would never exist.

The Greatest Response to Jew-Hatred

Once we understand this, we understand just what a powerful moment it is when “Mah tovu” is sung at a Jewish wedding.

At this moment, we think of Haman, of Ferdinand and Isabella, of Hitler, of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Iranian regime, of all those who have tried to eradicate us throughout the millennia, and all those who spread malicious lies about the Jewish State and the Jewish People – and we recall Bilam’s thunderous concession of defeat.  As a bride and groom stand together to begin building a new Jewish home, we bring to mind Bilam’s failure, and the continued failure of all those who have sought or seek our destruction.  We look to the beaming, exuberant couple as our greatest response to the hostility shown to us, as the greatest revenge we can possible take against those who have persecuted us, and so we invoke the blessing of Bilam, which captures more poignantly than anything else the futility of the efforts to destroy the Jewish Nation.

In the face of the alarming rise of Jew-hatred in our time, this centuries’-old Sephardic custom teaches us what our response should be – building more beautiful Jewish homes, more “tents” and “dwelling places” that are worthy of Bilam’s effusive praise and admiration.  If our adversaries are taking to the streets and to social media to spew hatred and to support the terrorists seeking Israel’s annihilation, let us respond by redoubling our efforts to make shidduchim, to bring Jewish singles together, to create more Jewish families.  And let us recommit ourselves to enhance our homes – with greater shalom bayit (domestic peace), with greater respect for and selfless devotion to one another, with more Torah, with more sanctity, and with more happy, beautiful Jewish children.

As our enemies increase their efforts to destroy, we must increase our efforts to build.

May we continue to see the downfall of “Bilam” in all his manifestations, and may Hashem bless us with more weddings, more children, and more happiness, amen.

Pnina Souid

The Mitzvah Man Organization is there for anyone who needs help.  Sometimes those who reach out for help are extraordinary. Sometimes the volunteers are extraordinary. And sometimes the situations encountered are extraordinary. This story, which happened a few years ago, is a triple-header.

Thursdays the Mitzvah Man sends out a text asking for volunteers to bring flowers to Holocaust survivors and to stay for a short visit to brighten their day. One Thursday, a regular volunteer named Sally, a young woman in her twenties, answered the call. She received the name and address of a woman named Mrs. Markowitz.

A Woman of Valor

Sally arrived with flowers in hand and rang the bell at Mrs. Markowitz’s door. Sally had learned that Mrs. Markowitz was a remarkable woman. She lost her entire family in Auschwitz, including parents, ten siblings, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Despite the challenges encountered in Auschwitz (or maybe because of them) Mrs. Markowitz proposed a pact for the 42 women with her. She suggested that they all agree to keep Shabbat for the duration of their time in Auschwitz as a merit to survive the war. And if they did survive, they would continue to keep Shabbat thereafter. All 42 women agreed. Six months later they were liberated. Each one of them was profoundly thankful for surviving the war and for the pact they made.

Mrs. Markowitz, a”h, was 93 years old when Sally arrived at her door.  She lived alone. Her children lived out-of-state and her husband was no longer alive.

Sally began to worry when no one answered the door. Eventually, Sally heard a sort of shuffling noise, so she waited.  After 20 minutes, which seemed like hours, Mrs. Markowitz opened the door. She apologized for the delay, and explained that she had fallen the day before, and had been on the floor all night! Somehow, she had made her way to the door and unlatched it. Sally helped Mrs. Markowitz up and got her a drink of water and then immediately texted the Mitzvah Man.

He was praying Mincha at Landau’s when the message arrived.

He told Sally to call Hatzalah right away. She responded that she had already thought to do so, but when she informed Mrs. Markowitz of her intention, Mrs. Markowitz became hysterical and started screaming. She told Sally that she must not call Hatzalah under any circumstances! She had had enough of this life, and was ready to die. Sally determined that Mrs. Markowitz did seem stable, but even so, she was afraid to leave her. Despite being scared, Sally was determined to stay to help Mrs. Markowitz.

A Doctor Fulfills His Calling

The Mitzvah Man’s tried to focus. He pictured Mrs. Markowitz on the floor all night and his heart started to race. He wondered what could have happened and what could be done. He knew Mrs. Markowitz needed medical help pronto. The Mitzvah Man looked around and saw that the man seated behind him was Dr. Albert Matalon.

He realized that Dr. Matalon was a busy doctor, but he explained that there was an emergency he needed to attend to, and asked the good doctor to join him. Dr. Matalon agreed immediately.

They arrived in the apartment, and Dr. Matalon assessed Mrs. Markowitz’s situation. He softly rubbed Mrs. Markowitz’s hand and spoke to her gently.

“You are having mini strokes,” he told her. “We need to call Hatzalah.”

“No!” she responded emphatically.  “Let me have strokes! I am through with my life! I’ve been through so much! I want to see Hashem!”

Dr. Matalon explained, “You have life left in you. I will call Hatzalah and tell them to take you to the hospital in Manhattan that I am affiliated with.”

Mrs. Markowitz looked at Dr. Matalon and sighed. “I will go only if you will be my doctor.”

Dr. Matalon agreed on the spot. Mrs. Markowitz went to the hospital, was treated and recovered. She lived another six years, and passed away at 99.

The Mitzvah Man reflected on the hashgacha pratit involved in this story – starting with Mrs. Markowiz being matched up with a patient and dedicated volunteer, continuing with the doctor who “happened” to be sitting near the Mitzvah Man at Mincha, and concluding with Mrs. Markowitz’s recovery, Baruch Hashem.

Mrs. Markowitz saved lives by initiating the keeping Shabbat pact with the 42 women in her group in Auschwitz. Years later Hashem sent her special messengers to save her life.

Rabbi Yehuda Finchas

A kitchen accident left Sarah with a deep cut on her index finger, requiring five stitches and a thick bandage that wrapped around the entire finger. As the doctor secured the final layer of gauze, Sarah suddenly remembered netilat yadayim: “Doctor,” she asked anxiously, “can I get this bandage wet?” The doctor shook his head firmly. “Keep it completely dry for at least five days.” Sarah phoned me asking: “Is the bandage considered a barrier (chatzitzah)”?

Michael broke his hand while playing basketball, and it was now encased in a heavy plaster cast from his knuckles to his forearm. He wondered: Could he wash just one hand? Do I make a berachah – or am I now exempt entirely?

Chatzitzah in Netilat Yadayim

Netilat yadayim requires that water reach the areas halachically mandated to be washed without a chatzitzah – a barrier preventing water from contacting the skin. This includes dirt, tight rings, or in our case, a bandage.

The Status of a Bandage

The Rishon Lezion, Hacham David Yosef, in Halacha Berurah (Siman 161:9), explains that the determining factor is whether the dressing is considered permanent or temporary: If the dressing is loosely attached and removed periodically – such as a simple adhesive strip over a minor scrape – it is considered a chatzitzah and must be removed before washing.

If the bandage is securely affixed and is not meant to be removed due to medical necessity – to protect a healing wound or prevent infection – it is not considered a chatzitzah. In this case, the individual may wash with the bandage in place.

Fingers Versus Palm

The Shulhan Aruch (Orach Chaim 161:1) requires washing from the fingertips to the wrist, but Maran emphasizes that the essential requirement is washing the fingers. Therefore, if the bandage is on the palm or back of the hand, one need only wash the fingers themselves, as the presence of a dressing elsewhere does not invalidate the washing.

When the Entire Hand is Covered

So, Michael can do netilat yadayim on his fingers, as they are protruding from the cast – as ruled by Hacham Ovadia Yosef, zt”l, in Halichot Olam (vol. 1, p. 326). However, if his entire hand is injured and fully covered by a cast or medical dressing and cannot be washed at all, Hacham Ovadia (p. 322) rules that the person should wash the other, uninjured hand in the normal way and make the berachah as usual.

Multiple Layers of Bandaging

What about Sarah’s situation, where the doctor not only applied a bandage directly to the wound but also wrapped it with additional gauze or an elastic bandage to keep it secure?

The Halacha Berurah teaches that the outer layers used solely to secure the inner medical dressing are considered part of the healing bandage. Thus, the entire unit is judged as one fixed medical need, and is not a chatzitzah. There is no requirement to remove any part of it before washing, and one may recite the berachah without concern.

Healed Wounds and Scabs

If the removal of the scab causes pain, the scab is not considered a chatzitzah – even if the person would normally prefer to remove it. The key distinction lies in whether the person is makpid (particular) and whether it can be reasonably removed. Painful or harmful removal exempts the individual from removing it, and the netilat yadayim remains valid(Halacha Berurah §12).

Conclusion

Sarah does not need to remove her bandage. By washing the rest of her hand carefully, she fulfils the mitzvah properly – with a berachah. Michael should wash his fingers. Someone whose hand was entirely in a cast is exempt from washing that hand, but they still do netilat yadayim on their healthy hand, with a berachah.

It is important to note that these halachot apply specifically to chatzitzah in the context of netilat yadayim. In other halachot involving potential chatzitzah, one should consult their rabbi for guidance.

Rabbi Yehuda Finchas is a worldwide expert, lecturer, and author on Medical Halacha. He heads the Torat Habayit Medical Halacha Institute. He is the author of “Brain Death in Halacha and the Tower of Babel Syndrome” and “Nutrition and Hydration in Halacha.” To contact Rabbi Finchas, email rabbi@torathabayit.com.

Sam Sutton

For the first time in years, M&S Softball is returning to an eight-team format – a nod to the league’s early days and another sign of just how much momentum surrounds the 2026 season.

What started back in 2008 as a competitive summer league built around community, rivalry, and neighborhood pride has evolved into one of the most talked-about summer sports experiences in the community. And now, entering its 18th season, M&S finds itself in the middle of a full youth movement.

Answering the Demand

The demand to be part of the league became impossible to ignore. So league officials made a rare decision: expand the field back to eight teams.

Originally slated for seven franchises, the 2026 season officially added an eighth squad captained by returning veteran Saul Tawil, whose newly branded “Take Two” team instantly became one of the biggest storylines of the offseason.

Tawil, who previously captained in earlier years, returns looking for redemption and a second chapter after years away from the captain’s chair. His addition not only deepened the player pool, but completely reshaped the strategy and intensity of this year’s draft.

The Draft

And the draft itself? It absolutely delivered. This year’s M&S Draft became a full-scale production.

Hosted live from the home of longtime M&S stalwart and Gold Glove winner Momo Levy, the atmosphere felt less like a neighborhood softball draft and more like a professional sports war room. Captains sat around laptops and draft sheets while trades, strategy discussions, and last-second debates intensified deep into the night.

The energy surrounding the event was impossible to ignore.

The livestream of the draft amassed over 600 live viewers throughout the night, while the packed war room featured more than 30 rookies alongside longtime league veterans – a visual representation of exactly where M&S stands today as the next generation begins taking center stage.

And for the first time, fans were able to experience the tension in real time as the draft was livestreamed on YouTube, complete with live reactions, interviews, and instant analysis.

Extra Excitement

Adding to the excitement was the debut of the “2026 M&S White Board Draft Breakdown Show,” hosted by brothers Sam and Max Sutton. The two went team-by-team breaking down every roster, debating steals of the draft, questionable reaches, roster construction, X-factors, and ultimately predicting who would emerge as legitimate championship contenders.

The conversations instantly became part of league lore: Who got the steal of the draft? Who reached too early? Which teams quietly built dangerous depth? And which roster has the best chance to survive a grueling summer?

Every captain left the night believing they had built a contender. And while every team has strengths, every roster also enters the season with legitimate questions. That uncertainty is exactly what has the community buzzing.

Youth and Veterans Join Forces

The youth movement across the league is impossible to miss. Young stars are no longer simply role players or developmental prospects – they are becoming franchise cornerstones. Several veteran captains leaned heavily into younger talent throughout the draft, signaling what many around the league believe is a changing of the guard within M&S.

At the same time, experienced veterans remain deeply embedded across the league, creating what may be one of the most balanced seasons in recent memory.

Look Out for Opening Day

The league itself is also expanding physically. Opening Day on June 4th will mark another major milestone for M&S as all eight teams will officially be in action on the same night at a newly-added league location, creating one of the biggest opening nights the organization has staged in years.

With four games running simultaneously, the environment is expected to resemble a full-scale summer tournament atmosphere more than a traditional opening night.

Exponential Growth

The growth surrounding M&S has become difficult to ignore. Between livestream coverage, weekly content, social media engagement, sponsor activations, interviews, highlight packages, and now long-form breakdown shows, the league has evolved into much more than just softball games. For many in the community, M&S has become a summer tradition and a centerpiece of the season. And if the intensity of draft night was any indication, the 2026 M&S season may end up being one of the most memorable yet.

Charging for products and services has become a way of life. Today, many people no longer carry cash when purchasing clothing, appliances, or everyday items; instead, they rely on credit cards. For some, this offers convenience and security, while others use credit to make purchases they may not yet be able to afford outright. The modern credit card is largely a 20th-century innovation that developed gradually through a series of financial and technological advancements.

Early Store Credit

Before general-purpose credit cards existed, many department stores and gas stations offered their own charge accounts in the early 20th century. These accounts allowed customers to make purchases on credit, but only within a single business. Because they could not be used elsewhere, these systems are known as closed-loop credit. While limited in scope, they laid the foundation for broader credit systems by familiarizing consumers with the concept of buying now and paying later.

The First Bank Charge System

One of the earliest bank-operated credit systems was introduced in 1946 by John Biggins of the Flatbush National Bank in New York. He developed the “Charge-It” program, which enabled customers to make purchases at participating local merchants without using cash.

Under this system, merchants deposited sales slips at the bank, which reimbursed them and then billed the customer. Although innovative, the program was geographically limited to a small area of Brooklyn and did not yet function as a modern credit card system. Instead, it is best understood as an early bank-mediated charge system.

The First Multi-Merchant Card

The first widely accepted card that could be used at multiple businesses was introduced in 1950 by Frank McNamara and his partners through the Diners Club. According to a well-known account, McNamara conceived the idea after forgetting his wallet at a restaurant, though this story is often considered partly anecdotal.

The Diners Club card allowed customers to pay for meals and travel-related expenses at a variety of participating establishments. Unlike modern credit cards, however, it required the balance to be paid in full each month, making it a charge card rather than a revolving credit card. Nevertheless, it marked a major step forward by introducing a multi-merchant payment system.

The Rise of Modern Credit Cards

A major turning point came in 1958 when Bank of America launched the BankAmericard in California. This program is widely regarded as the first large-scale revolving credit card system, allowing customers to carry a balance and pay interest over time. BankAmericard later evolved into Visa, one of the world’s largest payment networks.

That same year, American Express introduced its own charge card, initially focused on travel and entertainment expenses. In 1966, a consortium of banks formed what would become Mastercard, further expanding the credit card industry and increasing competition.

During this period, cards also transitioned from paper to plastic. American Express introduced the first plastic card in 1959, and the more durable format quickly became the industry standard.

Technological Advancements

By the 1970s, credit cards incorporated magnetic stripe technology, developed and standardized with major contributions from IBM. The magnetic stripe allowed card information to be stored and read electronically, enabling faster processing and reducing errors.

In the following decades, cards were enhanced with embedded microchips using EMV technology, which significantly improved security by encrypting transaction data and reducing fraud. These innovations made credit cards more reliable and secure, supporting their widespread global adoption.

Contactless and Modern Payments

In recent years, credit card technology has continued to evolve with the introduction of contactless payment systems. These systems use radio-frequency identification (RFID) or near-field communication (NFC) to allow users to complete transactions by simply tapping their card on a compatible terminal.

In addition to physical cards, digital payment methods have become increasingly common. Mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay enable users to store card information securely on their smartphones and make payments without presenting a physical card. These systems often use tokenization, replacing sensitive card details with secure digital substitutes to enhance security.

Beyond Plastic: The Future of Credit Cards

The credit card has evolved from simple store-based credit systems into a complex and essential global financial tool through a series of major developments over the 20th and early 21st centuries. Early store-specific charge accounts were followed by bank-mediated systems such as the program introduced by John Biggins, and later by multi-merchant charge cards like those developed by Diners Club. The introduction of revolving credit by institutions such as Bank of America, which led to the creation of Visa, marked a defining shift in how consumers access and use credit. Subsequent technological innovations, including magnetic stripe cards developed with major contributions from IBM, followed by microchip-enabled cards and contactless payment systems, have continued to improve the speed, convenience, and security of transactions.

Today, credit cards remain a central part of the global economy, but their role has expanded beyond the physical plastic card. Increasingly, credit cards function as the underlying infrastructure behind digital payment systems, including mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay. As a result, consumers may not always see or handle a physical card, yet the credit system it represents continues to power a significant share of transactions worldwide.

Joey Baghdadi, Bowl Night Commissioner

Every Tuesday night, something special is happening at Fun Fest – and it’s not just the sound of pins crashing.

It’s BOWL NIGHT!

What started as a simple idea quickly turned into one of the most energetic, competitive, and genuinely enjoyable weekly meetups in the community. Thirty-six players strong (and growing), ranging from 13 to 60+, lace up their bowling shoes each week not just to play – but to compete, connect, and create something bigger than the game itself.

This Spring 2026 season was a perfect snapshot of what makes BOWL NIGHT so unique. Twelve 3-man teams battling it out over a 10-week regular season (three games a night). And yes – each roll matters. With the top eight teams advancing to the postseason, the energy definitely reaches that “every frame counts” level.

But what truly levels the playing field – and keeps everyone engaged – is our 85 percent handicap system. It’s the great equalizer. The guy grinding out an 82 average can go head-to-head with someone throwing 180s, and win. That dynamic creates something rare: real competition across generations and skill levels. No one is out of it. Everyone has a shot.

Magical Moments

And that’s where the magic happens – because BOWL NIGHT isn’t just about scores – it’s about people.

It’s fathers and sons sharing a lane (something I personally look forward to every week, bowling alongside my two sons). It’s old friends reconnecting, new friendships forming, and a mix of personalities that keeps the banter lively and the vibe loose. There’s laughter after gutter balls, celebrations after strikes, and just enough friendly trash talk to keep things interesting.

Don’t forget the Three Weekly Winners – those who bowl a game highest above their average – who can choose from a trio of great prizes, too!

A Community of Players

Off the lanes, the league has taken on a life of its own.

Our WhatsApp group chat is buzzing daily – recaps, reactions, lineup debates, and the occasional “power rankings” that somehow spark more controversy than they should. Our Instagram page, Instagram (@BowlNightSY), captures the action each week with photos and videos that bring the night to life. And for those who like to track the numbers, we send out detailed weekly stats – standings, averages, schedules – keeping everyone locked in and accountable.

There’s structure. There’s consistency. But most importantly, there’s excitement.

For me, this has been especially meaningful. Years ago, I ran a league called the SBL for over a decade – a run filled with great memories and even better people. When that chapter ended in the early 2010s, I always hoped we’d find a way to bring something like it back.

In Fall 2025, we did just that. And the response? Incredible.

BOWL NIGHT came roaring back with energy, enthusiasm, and a community that was clearly ready for it. What we’ve built in just a short time feels like the foundation of something long-lasting – something that people genuinely look forward to each week.

Looking Ahead                                            

And now, we’re ready to grow.

As we look ahead to our Fall 2026 season (starting this September), the goal is simple: expand from 12 teams to 16+. The interest is already there. The buzz is building. And the lanes are waiting.

Whether you’re a seasoned bowler or someone who hasn’t picked up a ball in years, there’s a place for you here. You don’t need a perfect game – you just need the desire to show up, compete, and be part of something fun.

Because at its core, BOWL NIGHT isn’t just about bowling. It’s about community.

It’s about showing up on a Tuesday night after a long day and knowing you’re stepping into something positive. It’s about the shared moments, the inside jokes, the small victories, and the big strikes. It’s about building something together – one frame at a time.

So if you’re reading this and thinking, “I could see myself out there,” you’re probably right.

We’d love to have you!

To join or for additional info – please reach out via: BowlNightSY@yahoo.com.