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Sport
By David E. Kaplan
Playing Ball the
All American Way
Americas Big Game
is catching on in Israel
Big Time
Courtesy IFL
American football which literally kicked off in Israel
some 22 years ago can trace its impressive trajectory
to two American immigrants, Steve Leibowitz, President
of the AFI and Danny Gerwirtz, the league’s former
Commissioner. They established the first football league
in 1988 and since then, the AFI has grown to some
90 teams with well over 1500 players, nationwide. In
each league, teams play in colored jerseys displaying the
team sponsor. There are the AFI men’s contact league,
Season kicks off. (l-r) AFI President Steve Leibowitz , New
England Patriots owner and donor of Kraft Family Stadium
Robert Kraft and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
As popular as the National Football League (NFL) is in
the United States, past attempts at spreading American
football internationally have enjoyed limited success –
except in Israel.
If in Europe, leagues like NFL Europe folded for failing
to attract the fans, in Israel however, football is gaining
an impressive following. New players are joining each
week and crowds, although relatively small in comparison
to the entrenched sports of soccer and basketball, are
steady and increasing.
The Inbal Jerusalem Hotel
Spring-Summer 2011
32
the woman’s AFI league, national teams, the Yosef
Goodman High School AFI league and youth activities.
In February 2006, AFI hosted Israel’s first international
flag tournament in Jerusalem.
Genesis
Today the Chief Editor of the IBA (Israel Broadcasting
Association) News in English, Steve Leibowitz relates