List of Jews in sports

This list of Jewish athletes in sports contains athletes who are Jewish and have attained outstanding achievements in sports. The topic of Jewish participation in sports is discussed extensively in academic and popular literature.

Sports have been a historical avenue for Jewish people to overcome obstacles toward their participation in secular society. Many Jewish people immigrated from the countries where they had faced persecution to the United States or have made an Aliyah to the State of Israel.[1][2][3]

The criteria for inclusion in this list are:

  • 1–3 places winners at major international tournaments;
  • For team sports, winning in preliminary competitions of finals at major international tournaments, or playing for several seasons for clubs of major national leagues; or
  • Holders of past and current world records.

Boldface denotes a current competitor.

To be included in the list, one does not necessarily have to practice Judaism. Some members of the list may practice another faith or not at all; although they do have to be of either ethnic Jewish descent or other Judaism-related background.

American football

[edit]
A. J. Dillon
Nate Ebner
Julian Edelman
Anthony Firkser
Greg Joseph
Ali Marpet
Mitchell Schwartz

Association football (soccer)

[edit]

Yael Averbuch
Kyle Beckerman
David Beckham
Yossi Benayoun
Steve Birnbaum
Jonathan Bornstein
Benny Feilhaber
Tomer Hemed
Zac MacMath
Daniël de Ridder
Manor Solomon
Matt Turner
Shon Weissman
Eran Zahavi

Australian rules football

[edit]
Todd Goldstein

Baseball

[edit]
Harrison Bader, center fielder
(New York Mets)
Alex Bregman, infielder
(Houston Astros)
Scott Effross, pitcher
(New York Yankees)
Max Fried, pitcher
(Atlanta Braves)
Zack Gelof, second baseman
(Oakland Athletics; Team Israel)
Dean Kremer, pitcher
(Baltimore Orioles; Team Israel)
Matt Mervis, first baseman
(Chicago Cubs; Team Israel)
Joc Pederson, outfielder
(Arizona Diamondbacks; Team Israel)
Kevin Pillar, outfielder
(Los Angeles Angels; Team Israel)
Rowdy Tellez, first baseman
(Pittsburgh Pirates)

Basketball

[edit]
Deni Avdija
Sue Bird
Omri Casspi
Jordan Farmar
Gal Mekel

Bowling

[edit]
Mark Roth

Boxing

[edit]
Hagar Finer
Yuri Foreman
Dmitry Salita
Cletus Seldin

Canoeing

[edit]
Jessica Fox
Noemie Fox
Shaun Rubenstein

Cricket

[edit]
Michael Klinger

Cycling

[edit]

Equestrian

[edit]
Margie Goldstein-Engle

Fencing

[edit]
Eli Dershwitz
Yuval Freilich
Delila Hatuel
Soren Thompson

Field hockey

[edit]
Giselle Kañevsky

Figure skating

[edit]
Max Aaron
Sasha Cohen
Sarah Hughes
Irina Slutskaya

Golf

[edit]
Laetitia Beck
Morgan Pressel

Gymnastics

[edit]
Aly Raisman
Lilia Akhaimova
Alexander Shatilov

Horse racing

[edit]

Ice hockey

[edit]
André Burakovsky
Jakob Chychrun
Adam Fox
Jack Hughes
Quinn Hughes
Zach Hyman
Luke Kunin
Nate Thompson
Jason Zucker

Judo

[edit]
Oren Smadja
Arik Ze'evi
Alice Schlesinger

Lacrosse

[edit]

Mixed martial arts

[edit]
Cyril Benzaquen
  • Sarah Avraham, Indian-born Israeli kickboxer, 2014 Women's World Thai-Boxing Champion; 57–63 kilos (125–140 pounds) weight class
  • Cyril Benzaquen, France, world champion of kickboxing, world champion of Muaythai, light heavyweight[487]
  • Patrick Bittan, France, first French to medal at an International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation event (IBJJF Pans 1999), multiple times Champion of France of BJJ. Belgium International Grappling Champion (2000), US Open 2nd Place (1998 blue), São Paulo State Championship 2nd Place (2003), Pan American IBJJF 3rd Place (1999 blue)[488]
  • Nili Block, Israeli world champion kickboxer and Muay Thai fighter; 60 kg (132 pound) weight class[489]
  • Johann Fauveau, France, world champion of Kickboxing, super welterweight[490]
  • Fabrice Fourment, France, Vis-European Champion of Kyokushinkaï Karate (2000), winner of the first Scandinavian Open (1998), winner of the North American Championship (2003), seven times France's Champion, heavyweight[491]
  • Ilya Grad, Israel, lightweight Muay Thai boxing[492] champion[493]
  • Emily Kagan, US, UFC fighter in the women's strawweight division; competed in season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter
  • Sarah Kaufman, Canada, former Invicta and Strikeforce Bantamweight champion.[494]
  • Noad "Neo" Lahat, Israel, featherweight MMA (UFC)[495]
  • Ross Levine, US, karate combat champion
  • Natan Levy*, Israel, featherweight mixed martial artist in the UFC[496]
  • Ido Pariente, Israel, lightweight Pankration World Champion
  • Yulia Sachkov, Israel, world champion kickboxer
  • Marina Shafir, Moldova-US
  • Rory Singer, US, middleweight fighter from The Ultimate Fighter 3[497]

Motorsport

[edit]
François Cevert
Lance Stroll

Professional wrestling

[edit]

Rock climbing

[edit]

Rowing

[edit]
  • Jean Klein, France, Olympic silver[525]
  • Károly Levitzky, Hungary, Olympic bronze[526]
  • Allen Rosenberg, US, champion and Olympics coach
  • Donald Spero, US multi-collegiate (Cornell 8+) and national champion (1×), multi-European medalist (1×, 2×), world champion (1×), Henley Royal Regatta champion (1×), Gold Cup champion (1×), US Olympian (1×), and a founder of the National Rowing Foundation
  • Josh West, American-born British, men's eight, Olympic silver, 2× World Rowing Championships silver and one bronze[527]

Rugby league

[edit]
Albert Rosenfeld

Rugby union

[edit]
Nate Ebner
Zack Test

Sailing

[edit]
Jo Aleh
Gal Fridman
Shahar Tzuberi
Yoav Cohen

Shooting

[edit]
Morris Fisher

Skateboarding

[edit]

Skeleton

[edit]

Skiing and snowboarding

[edit]

Speed skating

[edit]

Sports Climbing

[edit]

Softball

[edit]

Surfing

[edit]
Anat Lelior

Swimming

[edit]
Anthony Ervin
Amit Ivry
Katie Ledecky
Jeremy Reingold
Mark Spitz
Claire Weinstein
  • Margarete "Grete" Adler, Austria, Olympic bronze (4 × 100m freestyle relay)[592]
  • Vadim Alexeev, Kazakhstan-born Israeli, breaststroke[593]
  • Jessica Antiles, US[594][595]
  • Semyon Belits-Geiman, URS, Olympic silver (400 m freestyle relay) and bronze (800 m freestyle relay); world record in men's 800m freestyle[78]
  • Adi Bichman, Israel (400 m and 800m freestyle, 400m medley)[596]
  • Damián Blaum, Argentina, open water
  • Gérard Blitz, Belgium, Olympic bronze (100 m backstroke), International Swimming Hall of Fame[78]
  • Yoav Bruck, Israel (50 m freestyle and 100m freestyle), Israel (50m freestyle and 100m freestyle)[512]
  • Tiffany Cohen, US, 2× Olympic champion (400 m and 800m freestyle); 2× Pan American champion (400m and 800m freestyle), International Swimming Hall of Fame[597]
  • Anthony Ervin, US, Olympic champion (50m freestyle), silver (400 m freestyle relay); 2× world champion (50 m freestyle, 100m freestyle)[45]
  • Yoav Gath, Israel (100 and 200 m backstroke)[598]
  • Scott Goldblatt, US, Olympic champion (4 × 200m freestyle relay), silver (800 m freestyle relay); world championships silver (4 × 200m freestyle), bronze (4 × 200m freestyle)[597]
  • Eran Cohen Groumi, Israel (100 and 200 m backstroke, 100m butterfly)[512]
  • Andrea Gyarmati, Hungary, Olympic silver (100 m backstroke) and bronze (100 m butterfly); world championships bronze (200 m backstroke), International Swimming Hall of Fame[78]
  • Alfréd Hajós (born "Arnold Guttmann"), Hungary, 3× Olympic champion (100m freestyle, 800m freestyle relay, 1,500m freestyle), International Swimming Hall of Fame[298]
  • Michael "Miki" Halika, Israel, 200m butterfly, 200m and 400m individual medley[512]
  • Judith Haspel (born "Judith Deutsch"), Austrian-born Israeli, held every Austrian women's middle and long-distance freestyle record in 1935, refused to represent Austria in 1936 Summer Olympics along with Ruth Langer and Lucie Goldner, protesting Hitler, stating, "I refuse to enter a contest in a land which so shamefully persecutes my people."[599]
  • Otto Herschmann, Austria, Olympic 2-silver (in fencing/team sabre and 100m freestyle); arrested by Nazis, and died in Izbica concentration camp[4]
  • Amit Ivry, Israel, Olympic semi-finalist (200 metre individual medley)[citation needed]
  • Lenny Krayzelburg, Ukrainian-born US, 4× Olympic champion (100 m backstroke, 200m backstroke, twice 4 × 100m medley relay); 3× world champion (100m and 200m backstroke, 4 × 100m medley) and 2× silver (4 × 100m medley, 50m backstroke); 3 world records (50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke)[597]
  • Herbert Klein, Germany, Olympic bronze (200 m breaststroke); 3 world records[78]
  • Dan Kutler, US-born Israeli (100 m butterfly, 4 × 100m medley relay)[600]
  • Ruth Langer Lawrence, Austria; along with Judith Haspel and Lucie Goldner refused to represent Austria in 1936 Summer Olympics, their protest stating "We do not boycott Olympia, but Berlin".[601]
  • Katie Ledecky, US, 7× Olympic gold, 15× world champion, the most in history for a female swimmer
  • Keren Leibovitch, Israeli Paralympic swimmer, 3× world champion, 3 world records (100m and 200m backstroke; 100m freestyle), and 8× Paralympic medal winner[602]
  • Jason Lezak, US, 4× Olympic champion (twice 4 × 100m medley relay, 4 × 400m medley relay, 4 × 100 freestyle relay), silver (400 m freestyle relay), 2× bronze (100m freestyle, 4 × 100m freestyle relay); 8× world champion (4× 4 × 100m medley, 3× 4 × 100m freestyle, 100m freestyle), silver (4 × 100m medley), bronze (4 × 100m freestyle)[597]
  • Klara Milch, Austria, Olympic bronze (4 × 100m freestyle relay)[78]
  • József Munk, Hungary, Olympic silver (4 × 200m freestyle relay)[78]
  • Alfred "Artem" Nakache, France; world record (200m breaststroke), one-third of French 2× world record (3 × 100m relay team); imprisoned by Nazis in Auschwitz, where his wife and daughter were killed[4]
  • Paul Neumann, Austria, Olympic champion (500m freestyle)[4]
  • Maxim Podoprigora, Ukrainian-born Austrian Olympic swimmer[citation needed]
  • Sarah Poewe, South African-born German, Olympic bronze (4 × 100m medley relay)[78]
  • Marilyn Ramenofsky, US, Olympic silver (400 m freestyle); 3× world record for 400m freestyle[4]
  • Jeremy Reingold, South African, 200m individual medley world record, South South African SA under-21 rugby team[603][604]
  • Keena Rothhammer, US, Olympic champion (800 m freestyle) and bronze (200 m freestyle); world champion (200 m freestyle) and silver (400 m freestyle), International Swimming Hall of Fame[236]
  • Albert Schwartz, US, Olympic bronze (100 m freestyle)[78]
  • Otto Scheff (born "Otto Sochaczewsky"), Austria, Olympic champion (400 m freestyle) and 2× bronze (400 m freestyle, 1,500m freestyle)[78]
  • Mark Spitz, US, Olympic champion (9 golds (400 m freestyle relay twice, 800m freestyle relay twice, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 400m medley relay), 1 silver (100 m butterfly), 1 bronze (100 m freestyle)), has the second-most gold medals won in a single Olympic Games (7); 5× Pam Am champion; 10× Maccabiah champion; world records (100m and 200m freestyle, 100- and 200m butterfly), International Swimming Hall of Fame[605]
  • Josephine Sticker, Austria, Olympic bronze (4 × 100m freestyle relay)[78]
  • Tal Stricker, Israel (100m and 200m breaststroke, 4 × 100m medley relay)[606]
  • András Székely, Hungary, Olympic silver (200 m breaststroke) and bronze (4 × 200m freestyle relay); died in a Nazi concentration camp[78]
  • Éva Székely, Hungary, Olympic champion & silver (200 m breaststroke); International Swimming Hall of Fame; mother of Andrea Gyarmati[4]
  • Lejzor Ilja Szrajbman, Poland, Olympic 4 × 200m freestyle relay; killed by the Nazis in Majdanek concentration camp[236][607]
  • Judit Temes, Hungary, Olympic champion (4 × 100m freestyle), bronze (100 m freestyle)[22]
  • Dara Torres, US, Olympic 4× champion (400 m freestyle relay, 4 × 100m freestyle relay twice, 4 × 100m medley relay), 4× silver (50 m freestyle, 2× 4 × 100m freestyle, 4 × 100m medley relay), 4× bronze (50 m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 4 × 100m freestyle relay, 4 × 100m medley relay); world championship silver (4 × 100m freestyle); Pan American champion (4 × 100m freestyle)[597]
  • Eithan Urbach, Israel, backstroke, European championship silver & bronze (100 m backstroke)[608]
  • Otto Wahle, Austria/US, 2× Olympic silver (1,000 m freestyle, 200m obstacle race) and bronze (400 m freestyle); International Swimming Hall of Fame[78]
  • Garrett Weber-Gale, US, 2× Olympic champion (4 × 100m freestyle relay, 4 × 100m medley relay); world champion (3× 4 × 100m freestyle, 4 × 100m medley), silver (4 × 200m freestyle)[597]
  • Wendy Weinberg, US, Olympic bronze (800 m freestyle); Pan American champion (800 m freestyle)[78]
  • Claire Weinstein, US, Olympic silver, world champion (women's 4 × 200m freestyle relay)[609][610]
  • Ben Wildman-Tobriner, US, Olympic champion (4 × 100m freestyle relay); world champion (2× 4 × 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle)[78][597]
  • Wally Wolf, US, Olympic champion (4 × 200m freestyle relay)[611]
  • Imre Zachár, Hungary, Olympic silver (4 × 200m freestyle relay)[78]

Table tennis

[edit]

Taekwondo

[edit]
Avishag Semberg
  • Mitchell Bobrow, USA, All American Open Grand Champion 1969, Madison Square Garden
  • Avishag Semberg, Israel, Olympic bronze medalist 2020, European gold and silver (49 kg)

Tennis

[edit]
Madison Brengle
Camila Giorgi
Aslan Karatsev
Shahar Pe'er
Diego Schwartzman
Dudi Sela
Denis Shapovalov

Track and field

[edit]
Danielle Frenkel
Steven Solomon

Triathlon

[edit]

Volleyball

[edit]
Alix Klineman

Water polo

[edit]

Weightlifting

[edit]

Wrestling

[edit]
Grigoriy Gamarnik
Károly Kárpáti