July 16, 2026

The Attman Family Invests in the Youth of Israel Baseball

Israel Baseball is proud to announce a generous gift from The Phyllis L. and Leonard J. Attman Foundation and the Attman family. The commitment spans two generations — Leonard Attman, his grandson Jonathan Attman, and grandsons-in-law Michael Steller and Jesse Jachman — united in growing baseball in Israel and building community for Israeli youth.

The family’s gift reaches nearly every corner of Israel Baseball’s work, supporting four key priorities: expanding baseball clubs across the country, building Israel’s first indoor baseball facility in Tel Aviv, sending experienced American coaches to train local Israeli youth coaches, and powering the first U12 National Baseball Tournament & Fun Day.

“I want children in Israel to have what so many American kids have growing up: the joy of playing baseball with friends, and something to look forward to every week,” Leonard Attman said. “Now, with my grandson Jonathan and my grandsons-in-law Michael and Jesse joining me in this gift, it means even more knowing this is something our whole family is building together for the kids of Israel.”

“My grandfather has always shown our family that Jewish people build community wherever we go, and that’s exactly what Israel Baseball does for these kids,” Jonathan Attman said. “Every club, every practice, and every game is another chance for a child to feel like part of something bigger. I’m proud to help make that possible alongside him.”

A significant portion of the gift will fund the continued growth of Israel Baseball’s eleven existing local clubs — the regional hubs that organize local opportunities for children to play and train together — as well as the launch of four new clubs already in development. Clubs will utilize these funds toward outreach to new players, scholarships for families in need, and the cost of new equipment, field rentals, and transportation. Together, all of this opens the door for more Israeli children to play the game.

“These regional hubs are where the whole thing starts,” Michael Steller said. “Helping more of them get off the ground means more kids get that first chance to put on a glove and find out they love this game.”

Another portion will be directed to fund Israel’s first dedicated indoor baseball facility, currently under construction in Tel Aviv. Once completed, the facility will give young players a reliable home for baseball, with programming through the summer heat, rainy days, and off-seasons.

Some funding will bring experienced US coaches to Israel to work directly with local youth coaches — equipping them with fundamental coaching knowledge and best practices to grow the game for years to come. The knowledge these visiting coaches carry with them multiplies many times over, passed down to every local coach they train and every young player those coaches go on to inspire.

“A great coach is often why a kid falls in love with the game,” Jesse Jachman said. “When you train the coaches, you’re really investing in every kid those coaches will ever teach.”

^{Israel’s U12 Baseball Tournament in Tel Aviv, July 9, 2026}

The Phyllis L. and Leonard J. Attman Foundation sponsored the first U12 National Baseball Tournament & Fun Day, held July 9-10 at the Sportek Baseball Field in Tel Aviv. Nine teams — some of which had existed for over a decade without ever playing one another — competed across four fields over two days. The event brought together young players from clubs across the country, giving them the chance to meet kids from other cities and feel connected to every other child playing the game in Israel.

“This gift reflects exactly what Israel Baseball is about,” said Nate Fish, CEO of Israel Baseball Americas. “The Attman family is investing in clubs, in facilities, in coaches, and in a national moment for our kids this summer — four different ways of opening the same door for young Israelis: to friendships, to joy, and to a game they can love for life.”

The Phyllis L. and Leonard J. Attman Foundation has long been a cornerstone of Jewish communal philanthropy, and this gift — now carried forward by two generations of the family — adds a new chapter to that legacy, one that will be felt on baseball diamonds across Israel for generations to come.

“I hope others will join us in supporting Israeli kids playing baseball,” Leonard Attman said. “The more we invest in bringing joy to young Israelis, the more we give them a game and a community to call their own.”