Jacob Steinmetz, a 19-year-old member of the Israeli national baseball team, is an Orthodox Jew from Queens who has spoken extensively about the importance of faith in his life, and is considered a tremendous talent.
Related stories:
Steinmetz said that he would only play on Saturdays if he could walk to the field on foot. Challenge post by his religious practices didn’t prevent the Arizona Diamondbacks from selecting him in the draft in 2021 - he was the first Orthodox Jew to receive the honor.
“I grew up in a family with a Jewish mother and a Catholic father. We did not attend church or synagogue as a family, and I did not have a Bar Mitzvah. But in high school I started feeling a pull of spirituality and started attending services at synagogue with a friend's mom,” he said.
“My wife and I belong to Temple Emanuel here in Denver, were married by a rabbi, and have a Jewish household. We are proud members of the Jewish community here.”
This is just one of the fascinating stories that make up the Israeli national team, which finished the championship with a record of 3-1 and secured participation in the next championship despite finishing fourth out of five in their group.
Except for two players, the entire squad is composed of American players with Jewish roots who are divided into two categories - those who don’t have a strong connection to the Jewish faith, and players like Steinmetz for whom religion plays a significant role in their lives.
“Every player on the team has a connection to Judaism. Some feel the connection stronger than others, but the shared heritage bonded us. We all considered it a personal responsibility and honor to accurately represent Israel on the baseball field,” Steinmetz explained.
How does religion manifest itself in the Israeli national soccer team? Firstly, the team's mascot is "mentsch on the bench," a life-size doll of an Orthodox Jew that the players insist accompanies them.
Most players wear a kippah during the national anthem, and the team makes a point of having kosher meals and conducting a Friday night Kiddush (blessing over wine). This is not a mandatory requirement for representing Israel, but rather an essential part of the identity of the team members.
The Israeli-American journalist Joshua Halickman, from the "Sports Rabbi" website, wrote about the emotion that accompanies many in following the Israeli team.
“Being able to see a team made up of Jews wearing Israel across their chest and Magen David on their hats win a baseball game on an international stage was an unbelievable feeling. These players were not only representing the country of Israel but were representing the entirety of the Jewish people,” he said.
Steinmetz is not the only one who feels a deep connection to Judaism. Jay Fishman and Robert Stock grew up in a Jewish environment and in Jewish institutions; Josh Wolff's Bar Mitzvah was held at Jerusalem’s Western Wall.
Dean Kremer is the first Israeli to play in the MLB, and he spends a lot of time in Israel; Danny Valencia, a player of Cuban descent, has said in the past: "People are shocked at first that I’m Jewish. Going to Hebrew school and being a bar mitzvah … made my mom really happy.”
There is also veteran catcher Ryan Lavarnway, who is the son of a Jewish mother and a Catholic father and always boasts about his cousin who served in the IDF and who strongly connected to Judaism during high school.
In an interview with Ynet in the past, he said: "My wife and I live in Denver, visit the synagogue regularly, and maintain a Jewish way of life. We are proud members of the Jewish community in the city. I felt immense pride when the word 'Israel' was emblazoned on my chest.”
Another player, Ty Kelly, said: there are two sides to my name, I guess. My dad’s side of the family is Catholic, and my mom’s side …is Jewish, so I got the privilege of experiencing two religions growing up.”
Kelly said his family didn’t attend church or synagogue much. “When my mom’s side of the family was over, we were learning about the basic Jewish stuff … and when my dad’s side was over it was all about Christianity and everything. It was a good mix of both.”