The Staten Island FerryHawks, a team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, will celebrate their annual Jewish Heritage Night with an alternate identity, the Menches. The FerryHawks will wear custom blue jerseys with Menches across the chest and a Star of David on the left sleeve.

The nickname Mench is an alternate spelling of the Yiddish term mensch, with an S. (In fact, a Facebook post from the team features a jersey with “Mensch” while an Instagram post has the same jersey with “Mench.”) The term simply translates to “person,” but is more typically used to describe a person of high character. If someone on Staten Island, which is home to almost 40,000 Jewish residents, calls you “a real mensch,” it’s the highest of compliments.

The FerryHawks’ Jewish Heritage Night will take place June 11, 2026.