Evening Prayers, Kosher Food Are Standard At Camden Yards

BALTIMORE - Josh Jacobs was caught in the rush of Baltimore Orioles fans streaming toward the Camden Yards concession stands at the end of the fifth inning.

But instead of lining up for a hot dog or beer, the 28-year-old Baltimore financial analyst was one of about 30 Orthodox Jews making a beeline for a tiny room behind a kosher food stand for evening prayers.

The prayer service has become a Camden Yards ritual during the past two years, drawing dozens of observant Jews at the end of the fifth inning, when the sun has set, to briefly swap their game programs for prayer books.

"It's very convenient that I can come to a game without missing a maariv," Jacobs said, using the Hebrew word for evening prayers. "This isn't a synagogue and it's obvious with the noise it can be hard to concentrate, but we do our best."

The maariv, an ancient custom, is generally said between sundown and midnight and is one of three worship services observed daily by religious Jews worldwide.

With Baltimore home to one of the nation's largest Orthodox Jewish communities, getting a "minyan," or quorum of at least 10 males over age 13, has never been a problem. The faithful believe prayers are more meaningful and effective said in a group than in solitude.

"We began to realize a lot of people at the games would miss night services," said Jerry Shavrick, director of Project Ezra, a Jewish community group that started the service and runs the kosher food stand. "We put a sign up and now the word is spread. It has really blossomed."

On a muggy night this week, prayers began as the Orioles were launching a comeback against the Texas Rangers and a rowdy crowd chanted along with the stadium's loud speakers, "We will rock you."

Three dozen men and boys filled the concession stand's back room, standing shoulder-to-shoulder between three refrigerators, a counter and dozens of cardboard boxes. A few boys wore Orioles hats over their yarmulkes.

The prayers, consisting of chants and silent devotion, lasted just over 10 minutes, and the worshippers left for their seats as quickly as they arrived. There was little small talk for these ticket-holders.

"I'm very impressed. I've never seen anything like this before," said Michell Geller, a retired rabbi who just moved to Baltimore and was attending his first ballpark service. "To enjoy the game and do prayers at the same time, that is a good thing."

Orthodox Judaism is governed by hundreds of laws that are interpreted with varying degrees of stringency. While some Jews might take a dim view of even attending a professional baseball game, many familiar with the ballpark service say it is a wonderful way to incorporate Judaism with contemporary life.

"If a Jew can go to a ballgame and pray at the proper time and eat kosher, that's great," said Rabbi Shlomo Porter, director of the Etz Chaim Center, an Orthodox Jewish center in Baltimore. "With this, you can be a good American and a traditional Jew, and that brings Jews closer to Judaism."

Enjoying America's pastime while remaining true to the faith is especially appealing to young Jews.

"This creates connections to past customs, but we're still at a baseball game," said Jeff Spatz, 22, a rabbinical student in Baltimore. "It's an alternative for those who feel comfortable with it."

On their way back to their seats, a few worshippers stopped for a hot dog or knish at the kosher food stand.

Before it opened in 1993, Jews who wanted to eat kosher at Camden Yards could munch on peanuts and little else. Now, the wider selection allows many to feel more included in the full ballpark experience.

"I remember sitting in my seat and thinking how much I'd love a hot dog as I watched the game," Shavrick said. "Now I can, and it makes the game that much more enjoyable."