Dr. Gil Fried is a professor at the University of New Haven. He specializes in sports law, finance, and facility management. He received his masters in sport management and his law degree from The Ohio State University and has written several books on various topics in his field of study. He has previously lived in Israel and, currently lives in Hartford with his wife

In October of 1973 Israel engaged in what is now known as the Yom Kippur war. The war began on October 6th, 1973 when in an attempt to force the Israelis to surrender the Sinai and Golan Heights, the Egyptians and the Syrians launched a surprise attack on Israel. Both of these areas had previously been captured by the Israelis in the 6-Day War of 1967, a defeat that had been very humiliating for the allied forces of Syria and Egypt. In the early hours of the attack, they advanced into Israel’s borders.  However, by the second week of the war, the Syrians had been completely pushed out of the Golan Heights. In the South, the Israelis had managed to cross the Suez Canal and cut off the Egyptian army from the Sinai just in time for a United Nations cease-fire. The events of the Yom Kippur War paved the way for the Camp David Accords, which not only normalized Israeli-Egyptian relations but also led to the first instance in which an Arab country had recognized Israel as a legitimate political state. During these tumultuous political times, Dr. Gil Fried lived and studied in Israel, giving him a very personal relationship with the Arab-Israeli conflict today.

He also shared with us how his religious beliefs were impacted by his time in Israel, and Israeli parenting. With a mother who is Israeli and a father who had lost many family members in the Holocaust, Dr. Fried’s upbringing was highly impacted by Jewish history and Israeli politics.  Dr. Fried shared with us how despite all of his past and history, he had to find religion in his own way and create his own spiritual path. He spoke with us about the challenges he has faced in his adult life as an observant Jew in the public eye.  He was even discriminated against in court because he chooses to wear a Kippah (a ritual head covering.)  The judge told him he must remove his Kippah or could not participate in this court case.  However, Dr. Fried did not take this religious discrimination lying down.  He fought against this ignorance and won his fight for religious freedom.  However, that was not the end of religious discrimination for Fried.  He discusses how it is a common occurrence for people to treat him differently because of his outward expression of Judaism.  But Fried just explains his beliefs to such people in attempt to familiarize them with his religion in hopes of lessening their fear and ignorance.