American football in Israel

American football in Israel is a sport that has a limited fan base made up of mostly American immigrants. Currently there are 4 leagues playing flag football – a men's league, a women's league (WAFI, which has 13 teams), a high school league (Yosef Goodman High School League, which has 12 teams), and a youth league – all under the association of The AFI.[1] There are also 3 leagues playing tackle football – a Junior-High Football League (which has donated equipment), a high-school league (IHFL),[2] and an adults league (IFL)[3] (Israeli Football League).

As of February 2017 there are 1,350 active football players living in Israel.[4]

AFI

American Football in Israel (AFI) is a non-profit association formed in 1998. In 2004 it was officially recognized by Ministry of Education's Sports Authority in Israel. Since this recognition, it is the sport’s official governing body for all American Football activities within Israel.[5]

AFI is a member of the International Federation of American Football.[6]

Israeli Football League

The Israeli Football League was founded in the summer of 2005 by a group of Israelis, led by Ofri Becker, who wanted to play tackle American football. The first season, played without pads or an official governing body. In 2007, the league began fully equipped play under the umbrella of the AFI, and the first Israel Bowl I was held in 2008.

Israel national American football team

The Israel national American football team is the official American football senior national team of Israel. The team formed in 2012 mainly of Israeli Football League players and coaching staff. The first international American football game played by Israel was played May 17, 2012 in Baptist village near Petah Tikva, when the Israeli national team met Maranatha Baptist Bible College.[7]

Competitions

The first official game in EFAF competitions took place at 30 August 2015 in Madrid. The opponents was Spain national American football team from EFAF C Group European Championship. As a new entry Israel could earn its way into Group B.[8] Israel won the game 28-20.[9]

Israel will thus play in the four team Group B European Championship in Italy in September 2016 with the winner of the four team tournament eligible for another qualifying round against either Denmark or Sweden,[10] the sixth and fifth place of the 2014 championship respectively, to the A Championship to be held in Germany in 2018.

Kraft Family

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is the largest donor to Israeli American Football initiatives.

Kraft has donated millions of dollars to the Israeli Football League. Additionally due to his generosity the American Football stadium in Jerusalem is called the Kraft Family Stadium,[11] the only American Football stadium in Israel.[12] Kraft's wife Myra Kraft has donated millions of dollars to women’s Flag Football in Israel.[13]

On an annual basis Kraft also brings NFL players and other celebrities to Israel, including Tom Brady in 2006.[14] In 2015 Kraft brought 19 Pro Football Hall of Fame members with him, including: Raymond Berry, Mel Blount, Tim Brown, Curley Culp, Chris Doleman, John Hannah, Mike Haynes, Ken Houston, Paul Krause, Floyd Little, Tom Mack, Curtis Martin, Ron Mix, Jim Taylor, Thurman Thomas, Andre Tippett, Roger Wehrli, Rayfield Wright, and Jack Youngblood.[15] In 2017 Kraft brought Calais Campbell of the Arizona Cardinals, Dan Williams of the Oakland Raiders , Cameron Jordan of the New Orleans Saints, Delanie Walker of the Tennessee Titans, and Mychal Kendricks of the Philadelphia Eagles.[16]

In 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, a soldier from the Boston area, Max Steinberg, was killed in action. Upon hearing that Steinberg was a Patriot’s fan, Robert Kraft wrote a letter to the family offering his condolences.[17] In November 2015, Ezra Schwartz, from Sharon, Massachusetts, was killed in a terror attack in Gush Etzion, and was honored with a moment of silence prior to the Monday Night Football game against the Buffalo Bills on November 23.[18]

In 2017, just after the Patriots won Super Bowl LI, Kraft agreed to donate $6 million to build Israel's first ever regulation size football field, near Jerusalem.[19] In June 2017, Robert Kraft along with several NFL Hall of Famers traveled to Israel for the grand opening of the new Kraft Family Sports Campus.[20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ AFI - Israel Flag Football
  2. ↑ IHFL - Israeli Highschool Football League
  3. ↑ IFL - Kraf Family Israel Football League
  4. ↑ Patriots owner Kraft to donate $6 million for Israel’s first American football stadium
  5. ↑ http://afi.dosportseasy.com/
  6. ↑ http://ifaf.org/countries/federation_list
  7. ↑ http://www.timesofisrael.com/forward-progress-israels-first-national-tackle-football-team-to-take-the-field
  8. ↑ "Israel’s national football team heads to Spain for first int'l showdown". Jerusalem Post. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  9. ↑ Israel's Football Team Defeats Spain in First International Game
  10. ↑ Israel’s tackle football team to compete in Europe
  11. ↑ http://ifaf.org/articles/view/1430/L2FydGljbGVzL2ZlYXR1cmVk
  12. ↑ Israeli tackle football: A journey from dream to reality
  13. ↑ http://www.jewishjournal.com/sports/article/bob_kraft_new_england_patriots_jewish_owner_20120123/
  14. ↑ In Super Bowl matchup, Pats have Israel connections covered
  15. ↑ 19 Gold Jackets to participate in "Touchdown in Israel: Mission of Excellence"
  16. ↑ Five (out of original 11) NFL players touch down in Israel for post-Super Bowl tour
  17. ↑ http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/2014/08/04/patriots-owner-robert-kraft-pens-letter-fallen-soldier-family/FKVUEzjs2dJsm4YtaWbVbI/story.html
  18. ↑ Patriots to memorialize Ezra Schwartz with minute of silence
  19. ↑ Patriots Owner Kraft to Donate $6 Million for Israel’s First American Football Stadium
  20. ↑ Mayor Nir Barkat, NE Patriots’ Robert Kraft & NFL Hall of Famers’ Delegation Open Kraft Family Sports Campus in Jerusalem
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