Alexandra Raisman Wins for ‘Hava Nagila’ Routine
American Alexandra Raisman won a bronze medal on the floor exercise for a routine choreographed to “Hava Nagila” at the 2011 World Gymnastics Championships in Tokyo.
Raisman, 17, of suburban Boston, also was the captain of the U.S. gold medal-winning squad in the absence of Alicia Sacramone, who was forced to withdraw due to injury.
Another Jewish gymnast also picked up a medal: Israeli Alexander Shatilov, 24, tied for a bronze in the men’s floor exercise final. The Uzbekistan native with his high finish qualified to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The Israeli men’s team did not qualify for the Games.
The World Gymnastics Championships ended Sunday.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.

