Tal Ben Haim will be missing for West Ham United against Stoke City this weekend.
The Sun says the on-loan Portsmouth defender will stay away from Saturday's match for the annual Yom Kippur.
And, in what could be a further blow, Hammers boss and fellow Israeli Avram Grant is unlikely to be at the Britannia Stadium either as he observes the day.
They will instead take part in 25 hours of fasting and intensive prayer on Saturday as West Ham bid for their first points this term.
