Jews defy stereotypes with strong presence in international sports

Jews, like all communities, have a deep passion for sports despite persistent stereotypes that suggest otherwise. From soccer fields to wrestling mats, Jewish athletes continue to excel and make their mark globally. Highlighting ten standout athletes—many not representing Israel but carrying Jewish heritage or identity—demonstrates the community’s diverse athletic talent.

Goalkeeper Matt Turner, 31, is a rare example of top Jewish talent in professional soccer. Despite a challenging 2023, which saw limited playtime during loans to Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, Turner remains a strong presence.

He previously guarded the net for Arsenal and was the starting goalkeeper for the U.S. Men’s National Team during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Turner only discovered his Jewish roots in 2015 through family records tracing back to Lithuania and Poland.

Former world No. 3 Elina Svitolina has a distinguished tennis career, including winning the 2018 WTA Finals and earning an Olympic bronze medal at Tokyo 2020.

Raised partly by her Jewish grandmother in Odesa, Svitolina credits her family’s values for her resilience. Though her current relationship with Judaism is private, her heritage remains an important part of her story.

At 27, Jemima Montag captured silver at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and secured two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming Australia’s first female athlete since 1972 to win multiple athletics medals at one Games.

Montag’s family ties include a grandmother who survived Auschwitz, whose story Montag hopes to document in a future book.

Left-handed pitcher Max Fried signed an eight-year, $218 million contract with the New York Yankees in 2023—the largest ever for a southpaw.

The 31-year-old has three MLB All-Star selections and was pivotal in the Atlanta Braves’ 2021 World Series title, pitching six strong innings in the clinching game. Fried competed in the 2017 Maccabiah Games, modeling some pitching techniques after Jewish baseball icon Sandy Koufax.

Jessica Fox, 31, is a four-time Olympian with multiple medals including gold and bronze in 2020 and 2024. Her younger sister Naomi, 28, won gold in the extreme kayak event in Paris, making a memorable Olympic debut.

Their mother, Myriam Yerushalmi, is a French Jewish athlete who won Olympic canoe bronze in 1996, continuing a family legacy.

Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis, the 29-year-old star and son of Lithuanian basketball legend Arvydas Sabonis, converted to Judaism after marrying Shoshana Rosen.

Known for his rebounding prowess—leading the NBA the past three seasons—Sabonis is a three-time NBA All-Star and two-time All-NBA Third Team honoree. He observes kosher laws and Shabbat, and participates in Sacramento’s Chabad community.

At just 20, Amit Elor won Olympic gold in the 68kg freestyle wrestling category in Paris 2024, also representing her Israeli heritage. Her father, Yair Makler, was an Israeli shot put champion.

Elor is the youngest American wrestler to win Olympic gold and also holds a world championship title won at age 18.

Paralympian Ezra Frech, 16, born with partial limb loss, has risen to prominence in high jump and sprinting.

He won gold in high jump and the 100 meters at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships and made history as the first above-the-knee amputee to join an NCAA Division I track team at USC. Frech’s family fled Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979.

At 20, Sienna Green is Australia’s youngest water polo Olympian, winning silver in her debut at Paris 2024.

Coming from a sporting family with ties to the Maccabiah Games, Green is known for her 6’4″ height and fast rise to the senior national team. She currently balances training with studies at UCLA and aims for gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Harry Sheezel, 20, made history as the first Jewish player born in the 2000s drafted into the Australian Football League, selected third overall by North Melbourne in 2022.

A versatile and skilled player, Sheezel is an alumnus of Mount Scopus Jewish College and has faced antisemitic abuse online, responding by embracing his role as a community role model.