Daily Archives: February 28, 2017

A match at the Israeli catchball tournament in Kfar Saba, Feb. 21, 2017. (Courtesy of the Israel Catchball Association)

TEL AVIV (JTA) Every week, thousands of women across Israel gather to play a sport almost no one outside the country has heard of.

For that matter, few Israelis knew about catchball or cadur-reshet in Hebrew a decade ago. But in recent years it has become the most popular sport amongadult women in the country,with nearly all the players over 30 years old.

Its like a disease among middle-aged women here, said Naor Galili, the director-general of the Maccabi sports association in Israel. We like it. We love it. We fully support it.

Now the Israel Catchball Association is trying to spread the feminist fever to women around the world. A major step will be catchballs appearance for the first time at the Maccabiah Games in Israel this summer. The hope is that the thousands of Jews who attend the multi-sport gamesfrom around the worldwill be inspired to ask: What is catchball?

Catchball is likevolleyball, but easier because catching and throwing replacesbumping, setting and spiking. Israelis adapted the sport from Newcomb ball, which was named for theLouisiana womens college where it was invented over a century ago. Today, Americans rarely play Newcomb ball outside of gym class.

Meanwhile, catchball leagues in Israel boastmore than 12,000 female members. That is twice as many adult women as belong to basketball, soccer, volleyball and tennis leagues combined, according to data from Israels Culture and Sport Ministry.

Hila Yeshayahu, 41, plays for the Herzliya-based squad Good Heart and handles marketing and business development for the Catchball Association, to which the team belongs. She said women start playing catchball because it is fun and easy and stick with it for the sense of community and personal empowerment.

Catchball is a present women give themselves. Its a chance to do something healthy with other women and come back home with more strength and more passion, she said. When I step out the door in my uniform, my kids arent on my shoulder; my husband isnt on my shoulder. Im 18 years old again. Im Hila, and I can do anything.

Yeshayahus twin sister also competes for a team in the association, and their 11-year-old daughters play together in a new girls league.

On a Tuesday evening, Yeshayahu and her team faced off against A.S. Moment at a high school gym in Ramat Hasharon, not far from Herzliya in central Israel. The crowd consisted of a few husbands and sons on the sideline. But the atmosphere was competitive, with a referee, scorekeepers and players wearing numbered uniforms. When A.S. Moment won two sets to none, Good Heart players slumped onto the court, and several tearfully threw their knee pads toward the bench. (The first two sets are scored up to 25 points, while a third set in the best-of-3 match would go to 15. The victor must win a set by at least two points.)

Good Heart coach Liron Shachnai, 34, a marketing and sales manager by day, said most of her playershave little experience losing. Competitive sports in Israel are male-dominated, she said, so women do not have the opportunity to learn sportsmanship growing up.

You have women who are over 40 going home crying, saying [the opposing players] think theyre better than us, she said.

Still, by the next practice Thursday evening, the players werelooking toward the future. It helped that this weekend, they will competein the Catchball Games in the southern resort town of Eilat. The tournament is catchballs biggest event and a highlight of the year for many players.

You should see all the photos theyre posting on Facebook. They can barely wait, Yeshayahu said.

In its sixth year, the Catchball Games are expected to draw more than 1,500 women from all of Israels leagues, and even a few teams from abroad. Leavingtheir husbands and children at home, women willdon pink Israel Catchball Association T-shirts for four days of competition and socializing. Local schools will host hundredsof matches, and the top two teams will face off for the championship. Off-court festivities will include a parade, Eilats first night road race and a standup comedy show.

A player celebrating at the Catchball Games in Eilat, Israel, February 2016. (Courtesy of the Israel Catchball Association)

Alexandra Kalev, a sociology professor at Tel Aviv University, says the success of catchball in Israel can be seen as a challenge to the roles women have traditionally played in the countrys sport and culture. Womens sports in Israel are underfunded and little covered in the media, and women are expected to work and handle most household responsibilities.

Catchball can empower women, especially at a stage in life when they are weakened, Kalev said. They are discriminated against in the labor market, overwhelmed by home chores and child rearing and experiencing the changes that age brings on all of us. These leagues really come at the right time of their lives and allow them to be empowered. The message is: We are strong.

The rise of catchball in Israel began in 2005, when OfraAmbramovich started Mamanet, a league for mothers in the central city of Kfar Saba, where she lives. She learned the sport fromHaim Borovski, an Israeli gym teacher from Argentina. Thanks to Ambramovichs entrepreneurship, dozens of municipalities have since started their own Mamanet leagues.In her mind, catchball is primarily a mom-powered social movement.

Catchball gives motherssomething for themselves, a reason to be healthy and part of the community, Ambramovich said. And the mother is the agent of the family, so shes the perfect role model. When the motherdoes well, everyone benefits.

In 2009, the Israel Catchball Association branched off from Mamanet in an effort to make the sport more competitive. The associationwelcomed non-mothers and allowed women to form their own teams rather than requiring them toparticipate through their childrens schools though they maintained Mamanets age minimum of 30. Today,the association offers leagues at four skill levels.

The Israel Catchball Association claims 5,000 players, and Mamanetclaims 12,500. Both groups claim superiority and dispute each others numbers, but everyone agrees the totalnumber of women playing is more than 12,000.

It is also clear the sport is growing rapidly, and even reaching into Israels most traditional communities. Many Orthodox Jewish women play catchball in headscarves and skirts. And there is a mostly Druze team in Daliyan al-Carmel in northern Israel. When Anaia Halabi, a 35-year-old school counselor, started the team seven years ago,it was a radical idea.

For women to leave their husbands and their children toplay was a big change for the village, she said. It is not considered suitable for women to be outside the home at night. Not all the husbands approve.

But over time, Halabi said, the husbands have grown more accepting, and the local municipality began paying for a van to transport the team to games outside the village. At the same time, theteam has arranged not to play late night games, anda three-club local league has been formed to allow women to compete without leaving the village.

With the sport firmly established in Israel, the Israel Catchball Association has started looking overseas. Part of the motivation is that to qualify as an official sport and receive funding from the Israeli government, catchball must be played competitively in at least 52 countries. So far, the only leagues the association knows of outside Israel are in Mexico and the United States. But they are encouraging the sportin more than half a dozen other countries, mostly through Israeli expats.

Gal Reshef, a 35-year-old Israeli lawyer, founded acatchball group in Boston in 2015 and last year expanded it into the U.S.A. Catchball Association in partnership with theIsrael Catchball Association. She said the vast majority of thenearly 100 womenin the BostonetCatchball Association, as well as in the handful of other teams across the country, are Israelis. But Reshef is confident catchball will, um, catch on with American women, too.

I think in the States, the situation is the same as in Israel. If youre a middle-aged woman who didnt have the chance to play sports growing up, there are very few options, she said. The great thing is anyone can play catchball, and it creates an amazing uplifting community.

At least one Bostonet team is slated to participate in the catchball exhibition tournament at the Maccabiah Games in July. Thirty-six Israeli teams will be there, along with a couplefrom London and Berlin. Reshef predicted that by the time the next games roll around in four years, teams from around the world will be playing catchball in the real tournament and after that, maybe the Olympics.

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This women's sport you've never heard of is taking Israel by storm - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Has rising up the corporate ladder affected your sex life? According to Dr. Andrea Pennington, an integrative physician, meditation teacher, and sex educator, it most likely hasand has so negatively. In fact, she says not only that, but Black women have lost their femininity due to the demands of the corporate world.

She says that African-American women have become Alpha Bs orAlpha Bosses. In other words, they have adopted masculine ways to get ahead in the office, and this has affected their womanhood in the home. Alpha Bosses are those women who have channeled masculine energy to get ahead in realms that have long been dominated by (and still are) sexism and overt masculinity. So Alpha Bosses aggressively pursue their objectives while rarely tapping into their feminine spirit, says Dr. Pennington, who has been a TEDx speaker and appeared on theOprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Oz show, and CNN. According to her, many women are missing out on having mind-blowing climaxes because ofthis masculine energy.

Dr. Pennington has even written a book on the subject.The Orgasm Prescription For Women aims to help women tap into and reclaim their right to pleasure, to break free from limiting beliefs or shame, guilt and self-loathing of the past. The book also includes information on Western medicine, Chinese medicine, positive psychology, and mindfulness meditation and is centered around a 21-day program, which Dr. Pennington claims, helps women to open the door to sexual fulfillment, sensual expression, increased intimacy, and more fulfilling orgasms.

MadameNoire got more insight on this sexually deprived theory from Dr. Pennington. Heres what she had to say.

MadameNoire (MN): What prompted you to write The Orgasm Prescription For Women?

Dr. Andrea Pennington (AP): A few years ago I appeared on The Dr. Oz Show to talk about serious diseases found in women over 40, like diabetes and high blood pressure, which often go untreated or are missed due to women failing to recognize or simply dismissing the symptoms. Many people were shocked to hear me say on the show that I recommended my patients have at least three orgasms a week.

To tell the truth, the female orgasm started out as a clever gauge of overall health and wellness. Using the sexual response as an indicator of physical health quickly became an opening for honest discussions about intimacy, pleasure and sexual satisfaction for my clients and members of our online wellness community.

Following that episode I was inundated with calls and emails from women wanting to understand why I suggested three orgasms a week and whether three is the minimum or maximum? If their blood sugar was normal but they still couldnt achieve orgasm what else could be wrong? Women opened up by telling me about their problems initiating sex due to low desire. I heard many tales of woe from ladies who had adequate desire but low arousal and vaginal lubrication with previously pleasurable stimuli. Other women even expressed frustration that after orgasm they became moody and irritated with their partner for weeks! And so many women expressed deep despair that a lack of sex caused a rift in the precious relationship with their partners.

So, in addition to providing a barometer of well-being, today I see the orgasm is an indicator of personal empowerment, self-acceptance and self-love and an affirmation of ones right to enjoy pleasure in ones body and overall life.

For the last several years I have gathered and analyzed the feedback from my patients and conducted focus groups with women who wanted more pleasure and passion in their lives. I have also interviewed sexologists, therapists and my mind-body medicine colleagues to gain new insights to better help women understand how their libido, arousal system and orgasm work, what blocks them from becoming aroused or prevents them from achieving orgasm, and how to create a personalized prescription for enhanced sensual pleasure and greater, more reliable sexual satisfaction.

This has enabled women to improve their sexual health and well-being on multiple levels, while dramatically enhancing the communication with their beloved, deepening intimacy and even saving their marriages and partnerships.

MN: What do you hope women will take away from the book?

AP: The Orgasm Prescription for Women is meant to empower you, the beautiful deserving woman you are, to know and embrace your sexual self and to find your sexual voice so that you can become an advocate for your own pleasure. Your ability to act on behalf of your sexual needs, desires, and wishes will enable you to have healthy, satisfying intimate relationships with your partners. The orgasm that comes from this investigative play is a bonus.

In The Orgasm Prescription, you will uncover what impedes your orgasm and how to get help as needed. Together we will help you identify clues about your own psychology, hormone status, and brain chemistry so that you can work alone, with your partner, or with a doctor or therapist to get you back into an orgasmic flow. You can now boldly investigate and experiment with strategies to balance your inner and outer chemistry, get direct input from your body, and accept permission to make your pleasure a priority.

MN: Please explain why you feel African-American women are oftentimes put in the category of Alpha B.

AP: Many African-American women have stepped up to run their own companies or take positions in the C-suite of corporations, all while being a devoted mom, sister, or daughter. And because many corporations or start-up environments are dominated by a masculine or sexist mentality, they have taken on behaviors and attitudes that allow them to be seen as strong and capable around men. They have risen to the top and are seen as Alpha Bosses, or Alpha B, for short.

Many of us have put our feminine qualities to the side to avoid being perceived as weak or emotional. Whether consciously or not, many African-American women are now seen as aggressive, domineering Alpha B-tches. Not all of us are, of course, but theres enough that there is a popular understanding of the term. Some are just called angry Black women.

MN: What are the pluses and minuses ofbeing seen as an Alpha B?

AP: We, of course, are powerful and able to get stuff done with all of the masculine energy and we tend to realize more of our creative potential as a result. However, the downside is that we may lose touch with our feminine allure and find it difficult to be the girl in our heterosexual relationships. Many Alpha Bosses have trouble connecting with their man on a deep, intimate level (because Alpha Bosses are frequently disconnected from their own sexuality). Sex becomes more of a routine almost animatronic performance, instead of an experience gushing with orgasmic pleasure. Emotional connection is often important for sexual satisfaction, so this lack of connection puts a strain on the Alpha Bosss sex life.

Men will often feel they are not needed and valued anymore and may even feel intimidated and emasculated by a female Alpha B.

MN: How does African-American womens sexuality or perceived sexuality affect Black women in the workplace?

AP: In the workplace, many African-American women tell me that they are feared or revered. They are seen as domineering and aggressive but they are not necessarily seen as sexually feminine. Instead, they are seen as a femme fatale, much like the female praying mantis, which is known to chew their mates head off during or after sex. Its a running joke which is so not funny.

MN: How can one shed (or should they shed) masculine energy?

AP: All of us, both men and women, have a combination of masculine and feminine energy. So the goal is never to eliminate one or the other entirely. Instead, its about finding a healthy balance and certainly involves not denying your innate tendencies. So keep the masculine energy that makes you effective and productive, but be aware of your need to embrace your divine feminine energy, too.

As I spoke about on a recent episode of Sensual Vitality-TV, there are several activities or rituals you can do thatll help you transform from a hard-driving Queen Bee to a purring, sex kitten when sexy time comes around. You can re-capture your feminine energy when you want, and youll be more receptive to hot, fulfilling sex.

The easiest way to implement these practices into lasting habits is by performing 21 days of sensuality and pleasure rituals. Ive created a free online version based on the 21-day program in The Orgasm Prescription, which includes audio meditations and daily affirmations. Most women tell me the Erotic Fantasy Meditation really helps!

I also highly recommend having an I Love My Body week. This is where you get back in tune with that luscious feminine part of you! Heres what you do: for one whole week, youll dress yourself up, put on your perfume, and adorn yourself as if youre a sensual goddess. Hook up your favorite speaker and play some music you love and dance away, around your house (with or without your partner)! Why? Because, by doing so, youll be learning your body learning the sexy, sensual aspect of your being and youll do it in a way thats playful and loving to yourself. This practical activity helps you appreciate yourself for all of your beautiful, feminine sexuality.

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Black Women Aren't Having Enough Orgasms And Their Careers Are To Blame Says Author - MadameNoire

As Black History Month comes to an end, we must take stock of the progress weve made as a country on civil rights and justice for all, but also reflect on the hard work still ahead to reach that lofty goal of true equality for all.

This true equality means equality of opportunity and true economic empowerment for all Americans.

While our economy has made significant strides towards full recovery from the depths of the Great Recession, many communities across our country are still struggling. Communities of color have been hurt disproportionately and still have not felt the full benefits of our economic recovery.

Although the national unemployment rate has fallen all the way to 4.8 percent from a high of 10 percent during the recent Great Recession, it remains persistently high among African-Americans. The African American unemployment rate, which reached 16.8 percent during the Great Recession, is still at 7.7 percent. As the Joint Economic Committee reported earlier this month, the median black familys net worth still has not recovered to its pre-recession high reached more than a dozen years ago in 2004.

We made steady progress as nation by working through Congress and with African American community leaders in building opportunity and wealth in the decade-plus before the recession. But this progress has stalled, and the wealth gap between black and white families continues to widen.

While housing prices have recovered across the country, many predominantly black communities have been left behind, with family finances still reeling from underwater mortgages and retirement savings completely spent.

We must address these persistent disparities in wealth and opportunity, so that we can act to ensure economic stability for all working families.

Rather than loose talk about urban communities, these problems demand real solutions. However, many of the policies put forth by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans would only increase inequality and threaten our economic progress.

Congress needs to take action and make real investments in our countrys future. We should expand the value of Pell Grants, which 64 percent of black students rely on to afford a college education; we should make real investments in mass transit projects that unlock opportunity by connecting people with good-paying jobs; and we should invest in broadband expansion that allows all Americans, no matter their zip code, to access affordable high speed internet and in turn, a world of information.

Real solutions also demand we reject proposals that would send our country backward, like repealing the Affordable Care Act. Reckless repeal of this law, without a plan to adequately replace it, jeopardizes the health coverage of nearly 3.5 million African-Americans and would almost double the uninsured rate.

As we close out Black History Month, we must not forget the real and present disparities still present in our society that prevent us from reaching true equality. It is up to us to tear down these barriers and invest in all of our people so that we may all strive for better and realize our personal American dreams.

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Realizing Economic Empowerment For All Americans - Huffington Post