One of Israel’s youth robotics teams, Trigon Amit Boys, has declined to participate in the final stages of the FIRST robotics finals over Shabbat observance, the group announced.
The Trigon Amit Boys robotics team, known in their competition as Trigon 5990, is a religious boys team from Modi’in, Israel. Advancing through the final stages of a competition which included more than 3,000 teams from across the world, the group was prepared for the possibility of having to decline the opportunity to participate over the date of the competition.
Because the competition was to be held on a Saturday, the team was prepared to have to withdraw from the competition in order to observe Shabbat.
Observing Shabbat
Trigon Amit Boys was one of eight Israeli teams to advance to the final round of the Houston, Texas-based competition. However, they were prepared at the possibility to have to pull out should the competition take place on a Saturday.
The First Robotics competition, a global initiative designed to engage young people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), features teams of students aged 14-18. Teams design and build large robots from scratch to perform specific tasks during the competition. This year, Israel’s robotics teams have once again proven themselves to be world leaders in the field, with several teams making it to the later stages of the competition, including the Trigon Amit Boys.
The Trigon Amit Boys, known for their exceptional engineering skills, had performed admirably during the event. By all accounts, they had the potential to win, having been chosen to join a top alliance in the competition's final stages. The team was ranked 27th out of 3,600 teams worldwide, a notable achievement that speaks to Israel’s strength in robotics and technology.
For this team, though, their love for robotics did not trump their commitment to faith. The schedule of the competition presented an irreconcilable conflict between their passion for robotics and their commitment to Shabbat observance, a cornerstone of their Jewish faith.
"We had prepared for this situation, understanding that if we made it to the finals, we would have to withdraw," Kenny Green, Trigon’s team mentor told The Jerusalem Post. The team’s decision to leave the competition at that point, despite the potential for victory, was a powerful testament to their values.
While the team’s decision to forgo the opportunity to compete for the championship was heartbreaking, they knew it was the right one. The withdrawal also drew attention to the broader issue of Shabbat observance in Jewish life, particularly for those involved in activities that span the weekend, such as international competitions.
This incident highlights a growing conversation within the Jewish community about how to balance religious observance with the demands of modern life. The Trigon team, alongside other religious teams, has written to First Robotics, advocating for changes in the scheduling of competitions to avoid such conflicts in the future. The hope is that by 2029, the competition's final rounds could be moved to a day that does not overlap with Shabbat, allowing religious teams to participate fully.
17-year-old Adin Markowitz a student at Jerusalem’s Himmelfarb High School, is the captain of the 8BIT 7845 robotics team. Markowitz, a veteran participant in FIRST robotics, told The Jerusalem Post that he has been participating in the program since he was in elementary school and being in his third year of FRC, the experience he’s gained through the program is priceless.
“Every school year starts the same way for me, but then January comes around and the Robotics season starts. From that point on, all my efforts are invested in my team and in developing our robot,” he told the Post, reflecting on the hard work that participants in the program face. “From one animated instruction video, we get seven weeks to strategize, CAD, manufacture and code our robot. It is hard to even imagine the complexity, creativity and problem solving that goes into a project like that,” he said, adding that the experiences they have in this high school program changed his life.
“From designing, using industry level machines and coding, to just learning how to work together as a team, things I wish many other schools would focus on, because these are invaluable life skills,” he said.
Markowitz reflected on the tough call made by the Trigon team, noting that this is not an isolated incident. “Unfortunately, this isn't the first time a Jewish Religious Robotics team was unable to participate for religious reasons in some of the rounds in the World Championship in Houston that fell on Shabbat or Chag (holidays),” he said. “But every time they do, it is an opportunity to stand by and proudly demonstrate our strong commitment to our values and jewish tradition.”
“Since FIRST Robotics in Israel is extremely competitive, only approximately 10 of the more than 60 teams that compete nationally get the privilege to participate in the World Championship,” he added. “After three months of endless dedication and making it, achieving the goal you spend so long striving for, it's very hard to let go. Yet every student in every religious team would never consider acting any other way.”
“That's the power of religion and culture and that for me is all that matters,” he noted.
Though just a high school student, Markowitz is wise beyond his years, understanding what his counterparts on other teams like Trigon have experienced.
“For the team to not participate and instead spend the day with each other, while showing the world our ultimate commitment to our heritage, is exactly what Shabbat is all about.”
Despite the withdrawal, the team's impact on the competition was undeniable. Israel continues to stand out in the First Robotics arena, with Israeli teams frequently performing well on the international stage. Last year, the Israeli team Orbit won the entire competition, and this year, several Israeli teams, including Orbit and Trigon, reached the final stages.
The success of these teams speaks to the strength of Israel’s STEM education and the deep engineering talent present within the country.