The AMIT school network in Israel is proud to have been chosen as the first international team to attend Yeshiva University’s famed Red Sarachek Tournament. The all-star team, made up of students from 10 different AMIT schools in Israel, lived up to expectations, winning every game they played. For many of them it was their first trip to the U.S. and they were thrilled to meet fellow athletes and explore new places. The boys impressed with more than just their jump shots, demonstrating remarkable strength of character.
“Our students were excited to come here for competitive basketball, and they left a week later with so much more,” said AMIT President Shari Safra. “The camaraderie and connections they built made this trip truly unforgettable.”
Part of the YU team behind the Sarachek Tournament, Director of Undergraduate Admissions Mark Zharnest shared this interaction after meeting the boys from AMIT:
[In an unforgettable moment] one of the [AMIT] players literally took the shirt off his back and gave it to me. This was no ordinary shirt—it was the warm-up jersey worn by the team, inscribed with the names of their classmates and friends who were tragically taken from us in the current war.
I was deeply moved by this gesture, but what struck me even more was the realization that in just a few short months, many of these young men will be putting their lives on the line to defend our homeland. Their resilience, courage, and unwavering sense of duty are nothing short of heroic. They inspire me and my team far more than any basketball game or YU merchandise we could offer them.
If meeting students like these doesn’t instill hope for the future of the Jewish people, I don’t know what will. The shirt now hangs proudly in my office—a powerful reminder that while these young men refuse to forget their fallen friends, we too must never forget the sacrifices made so that we can continue to gather, compete, and build a vibrant Jewish future.
Many of these young men are in fact seniors in high school who will be starting their army service next year. Unfortunately, faced with the sometimes-harsh reality of life in Israel, children there mature more quickly. This initiative was about more than a basketball tournament; it served as a much-needed pause for this group. Yes, they got to play serious basketball, sightsee and attend some exciting sporting events—but they also got a chance to focus on something else, something fun, amidst the chaos of the last year and a half.
The boys were proud to represent Israel and their AMIT schools—they hail from Sderot, Or Akiva, Ashdod, Maalei Adumim, Bar Ilan Gush Dan, Be’er Ami, Bruchim, Kfar Ganim, Nachshon and Kvutzat Yavneh—and deeply appreciated this unique opportunity. Dadi Bargad, their coach, said, “The boys were overwhelmed by the warm welcome they received from AMIT and from all the students and teams they met. They have tremendous hakarat hatov to AMIT for facilitating this memorable week.” Player Asher Danoch said, “This week was outstanding—the activities, the people and the games. Thank you to all the people who made it happen; it was the experience of a lifetime!”
AMIT extends their own hakarat hatov to all those who helped make this uplifting week possible: David Kufeld, who started the ball rolling; Yeshiva University for welcoming and hosting the team so warmly; and Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School for so graciously opening their doors to the AMIT boys and giving them a home-base for the week.
Including an Israeli team in Sarachek, this iconic American Jewish day school event, made the Jewish world feel a little more connected, and planted the seeds of friendship and future collaborations. The powerful bonds formed by sports highlight how shared values can bridge differences—a lesson that is especially poignant during this time of war and upheaval in Israel, when fostering unity is more vital than ever.
