Hadassah-sponsored Israeli women’s basketball club Hapoel Lev Jerusalem was presented with the President's Award for Team Sports and Community Service at a ceremony hosted by Israeli President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog on September 18, as part of the Team Sport initiative that recognizes professional clubs for excellence in performance and social-community contribution in the 2024-2025 season, during the Iron Sword War.
The club won the prestigious medal for its outreach to a wide range of neighborhood communities. During the 2024-2025 season, Hapoel Lev Jerusalem girls’ and young women's basketball clubs flourished in Jewish and Arab neighborhoods, among religious and mixed neighborhoods, for special needs players and teams that played in the Israel Goldstein Youth Village, founded by Hadassah in 1950.
The Premier League players visited the Hadassah Medical Organization's teen psychiatric ward to share their own adolescent experiences, including being teased over their height, dealing with losing games and competition.
"Sports are a beacon of light in tough times and build resilience," said President Herzog.
President Herzog praised the commitment of the First Lady, inaugural winner of Hadassah's Power of Esther Award, to developing sports in this difficult national period. “She is an expert in sports, and she speaks one simple truth: Sports have great national societal value."
The sports clubs have proven that everyone has a place on the field, said Herzog. Minister of Culture and Sports "Miki" Zohar lauded the increased interest in sports and praised the organizations and individual donors who are supporting this growth.
As part of the Hapoel Lev Jerusalem network of teams, some 600 girls play in youth and neighborhood leagues.
“Hapoel Lev Jerusalem promotes the values that we in Hadassah share,” said Hadassah National President Carol Ann Schwartz, who came to cheer on the team last season. “As we have seen in our own lives in the US, giving equal opportunity in the sports arena leads to gender equality and the advancement of women in society as a whole. We’re proud to have our logo on the court and to be supporting so many girls in a beneficial sport.”
Accepting the award for the Jerusalem club was its co-founder and chair, Netta Abugov.
Representing Hadassah at the ceremony were Hadassah Offices in Israel Executive Director Gidon Melmed and Israel Director of Public Relations Barbara Sofer.
Present at the President's Award for Team Sports and Community Service ceremony was hostage survivor Yair Horn, who returned to Israel after 498 days in Hamas captivity, as well as family members of other hostages.
