International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame*

The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (Hebrew: יד לאיש הספורט היהודי‎) was opened July 7, 1981 in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world.

It is located at the Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sport. It has inducted over 300 athletes and sportspersons representing 25 countries. The Hall elects new honorees each year, with submissions due December 1 for votes for the following year, and a formal induction ceremony taking place several days prior to the Maccabiah Games every four years. The Pillar of Achievement commends people who have made outstanding contributions to society through sports.  The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to Israel and to society through sports.

The Hall was founded by Joseph M. Siegman, a television producer and writer who lives in Beverly Hills, California. He chaired the Hall from 1981 to 1989, and later served as chairman of its Selection Committee.

(The IJSHoF is separate from the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, an American hall of fame that honors only American Jews.)

The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was founded to honor Jewish men and women world-wide who have achieved extraordinary accomplishments in sports, and to recognize other Jewish men and women who have made significant contributions to society through sports.  The Hall celebrates the careers of more than 325 sportsmen and sportswomen representing 25 countries in 41 sports, in historical account, photography, memorabilia and art. It is a 5,000 sq. ft. venue the Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sports in Netanya, Israel on 125 acres of verdant landscape overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Wingate Institute

The Wingate Institute (מכון וינגייט‎), officially Orde Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sports, is a sports training facility located south of Netanya, Israel, established in 1957. Named after Orde Wingate, the facility serves as the host facility for numerous Israeli national teams as well as a military training base.

In recognition of extraordinary achievements in the field of education, sport medicine and research, the then President of the State of Israel – the late Mr. Haim Herzog – awarded the prestigious Israel Prize to the Wingate Institute in 1989.