More Than Basketball: What Israel's FIBA Run Means to Me
When Israel’s U20 women’s basketball team reached the FIBA European Championship Final, I was not just watching another basketball game. I was watching a moment that connected two of the biggest parts of my identity: being Jewish and being a basketball player.
Growing up, basketball has always been one of the biggest parts of my life. It has taught me discipline, resilience, teamwork, and how to overcome adversity. At the same time, being Jewish has always been a core part of who I am. Most of the time, those two parts of my identity exist side by side, but every once in a while, they come together in a way that reminds me why they both matter so much.
For Israeli basketball, this achievement represents a major milestone. Israel is not traditionally viewed as one of Europe’s dominant basketball nations, especially compared with countries that have decades of success and much larger basketball systems. Reaching the final showed the growth of Israeli women’s basketball and the ability of young Israeli athletes to compete at the highest level against some of the strongest programs in Europe. It was not just a surprising tournament run; it was evidence of the talent, development, and dedication within Israeli basketball.
On the surface, this is a basketball achievement. Israel reached a stage it had never reached before, showing that it can compete among Europe’s best. But to me, this moment represents something much greater than a place in a tournament.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/more-than-basketball-what-israels-fiba-run-means-to-me/