Wouldn't normally have read this one (I don't usually read non-fiction and I'm not a sports person) but John Green recommended it and I'm so glad he did because I loved it. Fascinating story. ( )

“It’s not a ‘Hoop Dreams story, where kids use sports to escape something. These kids aren’t trying to escape – that part already happened - and they aren’t problems to be solved. They are classmates, teammates, and neighbors, forging relationships for a community to emulate. Soccer is how these kids live where they landed.” Introduction - P xvi

This is a wonderful story – of refugee kids coming together under the inspired work of dedicated coach Mike McGraw to form a multinational soccer team, good enough to challenge the very best high school players in the state.

There had been a lot of anti-refugee and anti-Muslim feelings in Lewiston, Maine (some of which were detailed in the fictionalized town in The Burgess Boys). And yet the school and the town, slowly rallied behind the soccer team and cheered them on as they headed out to play in the state championship which had eluded them the previous year.

For me, this ended on a down note, as Trump was elected soon after their championship game, and racists and anti-Muslim bigots once more felt free to express their hatred.

“'Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment..." ( )

This is a story about a group of Somali refugees (among others) in the working class town of Lewiston, Maine, who, through hard work, unfailing dedication and sheer love of the game, revitalized their school and brought a divided town together to achieve the first soccer championship in 20 years. But it is really so much more than that. Bass writes really well, and she goes into the history, both of the town and its residents, as well as the personal backgrounds of some of the coaches, the kids and their families; how they got there, what they left behind, and how change really happened. I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would, given that I know next to nothing about soccer. It's not just about soccer, but more about soccer as a means to an end. And hope. Let's not forget hope. This is a feel-good read about something that really happened, and, given half a chance, could, again. And who doesn't need that these days? It also exposes the haters, the *trumps* in small-town America (and that can easily be extrapolated to small-town everywhere), for the ignorant, small-minded people they truly are. I will never understand what they are so afraid of. And I honestly believe it is fear and ignorance the feeds hate. These kids, these coaches, this community, rose above it all and proved themselves to be upstanding and outstanding citizens. ( )

. Our own Amy Bass has written an important book reflecting many of our Jewish values here at Temple Israel. There have been many books written lately about the new refugees and their trials in dealing with the rising resentment against them in this political climate. Cries of “go home” or “we will kick your ass out of this country” instill fear and shame on those who have endured so much in their journey to arrive here. Bass’s One Goal shares the story of one town in Maine that has experienced a large influx of Somali refugees. Lewiston, Maine, is a town that has seen its share of immigrants, mainly from Canada, in the past but seems to have forgotten its foreign roots. The fear and resentment against these new refugees are transparent. However, there is a bright side to this narrative. A few very special people were able to bring the town together, build a brighter future for these refugees, and rebuild a dying town to its fullest potential. Among them is the story of a very special soccer coach who figures out how to bring his divisive team together to achieve a better, stronger goal - and with that, bring the entire town together in that “one goal”. Bass’s immersion into this town’s culture and its residents makes this story come to life. There are many lessons to be learned here. It is “a timely story about overcoming the prejudices that divide us.” We should be proud of Temple Israel’s participation in helping resettle refugees in our area and be aware of their many physical as well as emotional needs.

In the tradition of Friday Night Lights and Outcasts United, ONE GOAL tells the inspiring story of the soccer team in a town bristling with racial tension that united Somali refugees and multi-generation Mainers in their quest for state--and ultimately national--glory.