It’s a cold Thursday night in Jerusalem, and by the looks of it, you’d think there was a meeting of the United Nations under way. Men are carrying on in Hebrew, English, Arabic, Russian and French, but they’re not talking peace. They’re here to settle the score — literally.
The cross-section of Jews, Arabs and Christians are here to play American-style tackle football as part of the Kraft Family Israel Football League. Entering its fifth year, the IFL has more than doubled since its beginning in 2007, to 10 teams.
The IFL traces its history back more than two decades, to a group of players — mostly American immigrants and post-high school kids studying in Israel — who established a touch football league in 1988. Six years later, the modest effort grew into American Football in Israel, which today encompasses dozens of men’s and women’s flag football teams across the country.
With the growth of flag football, a separate group of men who had been playing tackle football had someplace to call home.
“It was these players who came to our organization, American Football in Israel, to set up a more organized league, which led us down the path to where we are today,” said Uriel Sturm, the IFL’s commissioner.
As an amateur league, one downside of the IFL is the cost to play. Players must buy their own uniforms and equipment, purchase insurance, and cover the costs of travel to and from games.
“You can’t ask a guy who has never played football before to spend all that money,” said Roey Ziv, a veteran player in the league. New protective gear costs about $500, and pants, jerseys, insurance and other items cost around $250.
The league consists of the Kings and Lions (Jerusalem), Sabres, Pioneers and Hammers (Tel Aviv); Black Swarm (Beersheva); Underdogs (Haifa); Northern Stars; Troopers (Petah Tikvah); and the defending champion Judean Rebels (Gush Etzion).
The overwhelming majority of players are Israeli citizens, but others hail from France, Ukraine and Barbados.
One thing the league struggles with is transitory players. Many players are in Israel for just a year of study, and job offers and military service often get in the way of their consistent attendance.
The level of play has continued to improve over the league’s five-year history. Players range in talent from gridiron newbies to Division I college talent, officials say. The latter category includes offensive lineman Mike Gondelman, a former player at Troy University in Alabama. At 6-foot-9, 402 pounds, Gondelman is an addiction and crisis counselor in Jerusalem who believes football can be therapeutic.
“There are thousands of studies proving that, as well as personal stories I’ve seen through my work and in the IFL,” Gondelman said.
Jeremy Sable, an offensive lineman and linebacker for the Sabres, played a year of football at Cheltenham High School in suburban Philadelphia but quit because games were played on Shabbat. When he moved to Israel following his college graduation, Sable found out about the IFL.
“When I walked away from high school football, I thought I would never have a chance to play again,” Sable said. “Here in Israel, I am able to fulfill my dream of living in the Jewish state, while once again playing the sport I love.”
One of the great stories to come out of the league is that last year’s league MVP, Alex Swieca of the Judean Rebels, is now a walk-on player at the University of Michigan. Swieca, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound freshman, had never played a down of high school football; listed as a quarterback, he has yet to play in a game for the Wolverines.
For some participants, playing football in Israel is about much more than the game on the field.
“The greatest moments of my IFL career have to be prior to the Israel Bowl, in 2010 and in 2011,” Sable said. “Nothing beats the emotion I felt standing on the field at Kraft [Family Stadium in Jerusalem] singing the ‘Hatikvah’ with my teammates prior to the championship games.”