What happens when a Jewish kid moves to a new town with hardly any Jews? What if that kid is both an observant Jew and a star football player? The citizens of Milford, the fictional town in the syndicated comic strip “Gil Thorp,” are about to find out. The popular strip, about a high school coach, is over 30 years old, and it runs in more than 65 newspapers. This is the first time the coach has had a player who refuses to play on Shabbat! David Greene is the character who stands true to his Jewish beliefs. The story line began in August. It deals with issues of anti-Semitism, religious intolerance, and the friendships that break down such barriers.

Published in November 2001