Youtube video of controversial Israeli figure skater Tamar Katz created by Emmy-Winner Michal Towber

Feb. 8, 2010 - PRLog -- At the tender age of 20, Tamar Katz is already a three-time National Ice-skating Champion in her homeland, Israel.  Recently, she became the first Israeli female ice skater ever to qualify for the Olympics.  Rather than laud her success, the Olympic Committee of Israel will not send Tamar Katz, or any Israeli female singles skater, to the Winter 2010 games in Vancouver.  Instead, Tamar Katz’s spot will go to Australian Figure Skater, Cheltzie Lee.

Israel’s Olympic Committee has more stringent standards than those of the International Committee.  Israel’s rules require a skater to place in the top 14 at the European Championships.  Due to illness, Tamar Katz placed 21st.  

Efraim Zinger, secretary general for the Israeli Olympic Committee, defended the controversial decision in a New York Times interview dated January 29, 2010: “Some countries’ main goals are to participate, some send their athletes to win.  We are interested in reaching the top.” Perhaps the maxim “you can’t win if you don’t play” has no translation in Hebrew.

In the same New York Times interview Tamar Katz stated “It’s my dream to hear the Hatikva,” Israel’s National Anthem, on the Olympic Podium.  In support of Tamar Katz, Israeli American Emmy-Award winning songwriter, Michal Towber created a montage of Tamar’s skating performances, set to Michal Towber’s arrangement of Hatikva.  

For now, Tamar Katz is focusing on the 2010 World Championships in Torino, Italy, but worries her 2014 Olympic bid may be jeopardized without vital exposure.   You can help Tamar by sharing the video montage with others.

The Youtube video can be viewed at the following link or below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1wPJ6YnUH0



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Michal Towber is an Israeli-American singer songwriter based in New York who plays piano, guitar, sings, and fronts a rock-band. She has released four CD's, most recently "Lifesblood" available on iTunes. She won an Emmy for her composition work on the daytime television drama One Life To Live. Related links to Facebook and iTunes below.

http://www.facebook.com/michaltowber
http://itunes.apple.com/album/lifesblood/id334147742