YU Maccabees solidarity trip to Israel
Athletes For Israel and Yeshiva University’s men’s basketball team, the YU Maccabees, recently went to Israel together on a Bring Them Home tour.
The Maccabees picked fruits in the fields, packed supplies for soldiers, visited hospitals, and hosted clinics, making the powerful statement that when Israel is hurting, Jews from across the world show up in support.
Athletes For Israel works to combat antisemitism and change the narrative about Israel by partnering with professional and collegiate athletes to show them the history, culture, diversity, and energy in Israel. Through their platforms, they share their experiences with their fans and are changing common misperceptions.
Reflecting on the group’s visit to Kibbutz Beeri and the Nova memorial site, Maccabees coach Elliot Steinmetz said, “Since the October 7 attacks, we talked with the team about finding ways to make this season more valuable than just basketball. The trip with Athletes For Israel was the opportunity to do exactly that. The time we spent in Israel was inspiring and uplifting, despite the sadness and atrocities we witnessed. The Bring Them Home tour was the most important and meaningful week of my career.”
In an effort to return a sense of fun and normalcy to children of Israel, the team held a basketball clinic in Kfar Maccabiah, where many displaced families from southern Israel now live. The Bring Them Home tour also arranged with Shalva, the Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, for the student-athletes to host a clinic for children with disabilities.
A highlight of the trip was the game between the YU Maccabees vs. Hapoel Tel Aviv, an event that was intended to provide local residents and displaced Israelis with some measure of respite. In the days leading up to the game, it garnered so much interest that the venue had to be switched to accommodate everyone who wished to attend.
“Athletes For Israel believes in the power of sports to unite and uplift, and the Bring Them Home tour accomplished exactly that; while we came to Israel to show love to our brothers and sisters in the Jewish State, the gratitude they expressed to the Maccabees and our organization was a great show of their love and appreciation for what we do, and we feel very proud of that,” said Daniel Posner, Athletes For Israel founder/CEO.
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