January 1, 2026

How Israel Baseball Is Deepening Jewish Connection in the DC Area

_{Written By Alex Rosenwald, Editor, Israel Baseball News, and Member of the Israel Baseball DC Council}

January 1, 2026 – A few weekends ago, the pop of baseballs in gloves and the sound of kids laughing filled a Fairfax indoor baseball facility.  At first glance, it looked like a simple youth clinic. For dozens of Jewish families from the Washington DC area, though, it became something much deeper. The day wove a love of baseball together with a steady sense of belonging—to each other, to Jewish life, and to Israel.

Right now, many families are looking for honest ways to feel close and stay rooted. In that search, a space like this matters a great deal. The event gave families a rare, hands-on setting where Jewish pride and support for Israel felt natural and steady, not forced or fragile.

The day came to life through real teamwork. Israel Baseball Americas, Gesher Jewish Day School, Growing Jewish Families, and PJ Library worked side by side to shape an experience built to last. More than 50 young ballplayers joined the clinic, along with their parents and siblings. Johns Hopkins head coach Nate Mulberg and Israel Baseball player Alejandro Eskenazi led the clinic, with support from other members of the community.

On the field, kids learned new skills and built real confidence. They also got a taste of what it means to stand inside a global Jewish community. The energy around them felt both electric and warm at the same time. The effect of those two hours stretched far past the foul lines.

For many Jewish families in the DC area, building a strong bond with Israel and Zionism can feel hard and layered. Rising antisemitism and the constant noise of social media can make open pride feel risky or exposed. Some parents wrestle with how to talk about Israel at school events or in public spots. Some kids feel distant from the idea of an ancestral homeland and are not sure where they fit in that story.

These concerns are real and cannot be brushed aside. They can leave families feeling alone, guarded, or unsure of their place in the broader Jewish story. As a member of the Israel Baseball DC Council, I hear these worries often and take them to heart. I also see how much hope and relief families feel when they find a space that holds both joy and identity at the same time.

That is why days like this matter so much. Baseball acts as a shared language that cuts through politics and pressure. It gives families a way to connect with Israel that feels joyful, grounded, and real. When a child pulls on a Team Israel jersey or hears a coach who has worn that jersey on the world stage, the whole game shifts.

In those moments, baseball becomes more than innings and stats. It carries stories of the national team and its path to the Olympics. It gives kids a clear way to see themselves as part of something larger than their own team or school. They stand inside a global Jewish family held together by tradition, pride, and a deep love of sport.

The experience did not end when the clinic wrapped up. That evening, families came back together for a screening of “Israel Swings for Gold.” The film tells the story of Israel’s baseball team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Parents and kids sat side by side as the team faced hard spots and rose to big moments on an international stage.

After the film, they stayed to hear a panel with Major League Baseball’s Matt Mervis, along with Mulberg and Eskenazi. The room listened to first-hand stories from the field and the clubhouse. The message that came through was steady and clear. You are part of something larger, and you have a real place in the ongoing story of Israel, on the field and beyond it.

This mix of sport, story, and community sits at the core of Israel Baseball Americas. Israel Baseball Americas now runs programs all year for Jewish families across North and Latin America. The goal is simple and clear: keep the energy going between major events like the World Baseball Classic and the Olympics.

By offering steady chances for kids and parents to show up, play, and connect, Israel Baseball Americas helps build ties that last. Those ties reach to one another, to Jewish life, and to Israel itself.

The impact is already visible and real. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency shared, “The growth of baseball in the Jewish community is at an all-time high and the future is bright.” There are still real hurdles ahead, both on and off the field. Yet every clinic, every game, and every new friendship nudges the community closer to a future where young Jews in the DC area feel rooted, seen, and firmly tied to Israel, their ancestral home.

As the 2026 World Baseball Classic gets closer, fans of Team Israel will gather in Miami and across the world. They will cheer for the blue and white and for the stories that sit behind each player. If you want your family to feel part of that story, now is a strong time to lean in and get close.

Events like the Fairfax clinic and the movie showing at Gesher prove that Zionism is not just a line in a book or a topic in a debate. It can be lived, played, and shared with friends on a field where kids laugh and parents exhale. These gatherings create a safe and joyful space to honor Jewish identity and stand with Israel, even when the wider world feels tense or unsure.

The future of Israel Baseball is bright and full of promise. That future is powered by families, coaches, council members, and kids who believe in the strength of community and the simple joy of the game. Each time a child picks up a bat in a space like this, they do more than learn a sport. They grow into their voice, their pride, and their place in the Jewish story.

If you are ready to step up to the plate, join us for the next event or learn more at israelbaseball.org. Together, we can keep building a community where every Jewish child feels proud, connected, and ready to swing for gold.