Muslims support Jewish basketball team

DENVER, Feb. 29 (UPI) -- A national Islamic advocacy group is supporting a Jewish high school basketball team in Colorado trying to reschedule a game set for the Jewish Sabbath.

The Herzl/Rocky Mountain Hebrew Academy in Denver will be forced to withdraw from a regional championship game on March 8 unless the Colorado High School Activities Association changes the schedule. So far, the association has refused to budge, meaning the Jewish team would either have to go against its faith's rule against playing on Saturdays or forfeit.

"In a nation as religiously diverse as America, it is important that we all make the extra effort to accommodate the beliefs and practices of others," said Amina Rubin, communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington. "Student athletes should not be forced to choose between their faith and participation in sports."

Rubin suggested in a news release Thursday that any playoff games involving the Hebrew Academy's teams be scheduled after sundown Saturday to accommodate the Jewish athletes religious beliefs.