Somewhere, Chris Landry smiles. Landry: the guy who coaches lacrosse in Waterford, otherwise known as Baseball Town, USA. He smiles because, well, who knew that Baseball Town, USA, would ever produce a pied piper for international lacrosse?

This is the story of Aaron Feinberg, a recent graduate of Waterford High and Mitchell College, where he played lacrosse. Turns out that Feinberg, once working in the family manufacturing business near Dodd Stadium, took a trip to Israel at 23 ... and hasn't come home. He lives in Netanya now, playing for the Israel Men's National Team, also running the youth development program for Israel Lacrosse.

"Sometimes," Feinberg wrote in an e-mail, "while we are walking around town with our lacrosse sticks, people ask if they're for fishing."

Here is Feinberg's story:

He grew up playing baseball and basketball in Waterford, but went to lacrosse after Landry, whose team shared a division title this past season, began the program.

"Up until my sophomore year in high school, lacrosse was just the sport that East Lyme kids were good at," Feinberg said.

Feinberg figured that the day his career ended at Mitchell College, well, hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work he goes.

"I decided to go into my families manufacturing business. My grandfather and grandmother (Joseph and Phyllis Feinberg) started Nutron Mfg., a contract lighting fixture manufacturer, in their basement on Dell Ave. (in New London)," Feinberg said, alluding to the company his dad runs now in the Norwich Industrial Park.

"After two years of working in several of the departments in the company, I decided that at 23 years old I didn't want to get stuck in the routine I was in," Feinberg said. "I loved working in manufacturing and seeing the ins and outs of the business, but I knew that I wasn't getting any younger, and I had other aspirations in life. I decided to travel and take my birthright trip to Israel."

A "birthright" is a free, 10-day trip to Israel for young Jews ages 18-27. Feinberg found a lacrosse-specific birthright trip, created by the Israel Lacrosse Association and Amazing Israel, that took 20 Jewish-American men's and women's collegiate lacrosse players from all over the country. The plan: tour the country, play a few exhibition games against the Israel National Lacrosse team, come home, find a new job.

Turns out he was home on the other side of the world.

"What I thought was going to be a quick 10 day trip, turned into a month in a half," he said.

Feinberg stayed and played in the inaugural season of the Israel Premier Lacrosse League. The rest, as they say, is current events. He loves what he's doing and where he's doing it, Netanya, a coastal city just north of Tel Aviv. Feinberg has been living as a citizen for the past year, playing, coaching and teaching lacrosse.

"I think it's difficult for anyone to find something they're truly passionate about in life," Feinberg said. "And I wouldn't even say that lacrosse itself is my main passion. Of course I love the game and all the opportunities lacrosse has given me, but one of the best feelings in the world is introducing something completely new to a kid or anyone for that matter and catching a genuine reaction.

"It's funny at first to see this puzzled look on their face, like 'what is this stick I'm holding?' and they struggle to pass and catch. Then when they finally catch a ball for the first time and make a good pass, and you see this real emotion of excitement on their face, it's one of the best feelings ever."

Feinberg needn't be reminded, either, that life in Israel isn't exactly a Corona commercial. There have been times in practice that sirens begin and the players must head for bomb shelters.

"It's not as dangerous in Netanya as Ashkelon, or closer to Gaza. But we aren't that far from the West Bank," he said. "Not long ago, a man and woman were both stabbed by a Palestinian in my local market, a few streets over from where I live. It's scary to think when I'm shopping for fruits and vegetables you have to be weary of who could be around you. But letting that stop me from living my daily life is letting them win. And that's not an option. You just have to be smart, and enjoy all the beautiful things this country has to offer."

More Feinberg: "With everything going on in Israel's never ending battle, we wanted to create another outlet for kids in Israel. These kids live in a country where you constantly need to be aware of your surroundings, and need to be on alert every day of the week. I've noticed that the quality of life out here is higher than most places I've been to. People enjoy the little things in life here, in a country where we have one of the highest child poverty rates. Most people would never know because of the positive attitudes of the Israeli people. It's reasons like this that make me proud to be an Israeli citizen."

If you'd like to donate to Feinberg's cause, visit https://www.razoo.com/us/story/Aaron-Feinberg-2016-European-Championships.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.