The coronavirus, known as COVID-19, changed the world we live in forever. Some believe it made things worse, while others believe it made things better. While the coronavirus took the lives of millions, it also gave people a different perspective on life. Ben Gotessman, a native of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, turned what was negative into a positive by making the most of each and every day.

Canada’s shutdown went into effect on Dec. 21, 2020. All indoor gatherings were prohibited. Pickleball did not gain popularity until the coronavirus pandemic. Gotessman, like people all over the world, was tired of staying inside and not having the opportunity to live the lives they once lived. One of the questions millions of people asked themselves was: What sport can people play against each other outdoors that does not require close contact? There were a few options, but what caught Gotessman’s eye was pickleball.

Pickleball became one of the sports that distracted Gotessman from COVID-19. It gave him the freedom to feel normal again.

“It turned out that a friend of mine started a whole Canadian circuit for pickleball called the APA, and they pretty much host tournaments all throughout the province and all throughout the country,” Gotessman said.

Michael Chao, owner of the Association of Pickleball Athletes Canadian Circuit (APA), said, “Pickleball didn’t just grow during COVID — it gave people a place to belong.”

Chao said he wanted the community to feel like family when he opened his facility, especially after COVID-19.

“Pickleball is the only sport where everyone knows your name after one night,” he said. “It started as a game. It became a community.”

Gotessman’s older brother, Josh, lives in Israel and is a practicing surgeon in Jerusalem. Josh Gotessman’s life has changed and continues to change every day.

“Our grandfather is a Holocaust survivor,” Ben said. “Israel ties have always been super important and close to my family.”

Josh Gotessman first felt a strong connection to Israel during a family vacation and later decided to move from Canada to the Holy Land.

“My brother chose to take those ties, you know, really, really close and dear to him, and has decided to live there,” Ben said.

Josh is two years older than Ben, and Ben looked up to him as they grew up together. The move to Israel made it more difficult for the brothers to see each other, but their passion for sports and competition has remained strong. Ben knew that their passion for sports would continue to make their relationship even stronger, even if it was from across the world.

Israel has been in the news for many years, from COVID-19 to war. Ben Gotessman said, “Everything regarding sports, media, music, and celebrities has always been a little bit delayed since it is in the Middle East. So pickleball has just started to take form now, and it’s really, really great because my brother is hopefully going to be playing for Team Israel over the course of the Maccabiah Games this past summer.”

While Ben will be playing for the Canadian national team at the Maccabiah Games, he hopes his brother will have the same opportunity to play, but for Israel.

“I think for a lot of people, when you’re born into a certain citizenship, it doesn’t really mean as much as feeling like you’ve earned that validation of the country that you are a second citizen of,” Ben said. “For my brother, he’s always had a strong connection to Israel. We’re all born Jewish. So for him to move to Israel later in life and finally succeed in obtaining Israeli citizenship and becoming a permanent resident, I think it resonates with him, allowing him to feel like he is part of his country and to support everything that’s going on today. So I think for him, it’s not even a no-brainer for him to be able to support Israel and qualify for their team versus qualifying for Team Canada.”

Josh agreed with his brother and said, “Athletes carry national, cultural, and moral pressure. For many, competing feels bigger than the game itself.” While they may be competing against each other in the upcoming Maccabi Games, it does not change their relationship.