Museum
The Iris Smith World Jewish Sports Museum
The Iris Smith World Jewish Sports Museum was established in 2022 with the goal of explaining the unique history of Jewish, Zionist, and Israeli sports from the 19th century until today.
The museum spans an area of 1,500 square meters and presents the history and the heritage of Jewish sports through more than 1000 rare items, videos, and interactive exhibits. It is suitable for children and adults alike, with age-appropriate games and activities for children.
Starting from the end of the 19th century, through the terrible horrors of the Holocaust, and the extraordinary establishment of the State of Israel, a visit to the museum leaves you understanding the important role sports had in the creation of the Jewish nation in Israel and across the globe.
The Iris Smith World Jewish Sports Museum is the only site of its kind in the world. You can see historical exhibits that have survived for more than 120 years, and attest to the (sometimes painful) beginning of the revival of the Jewish sports movement, alongside contemporary exhibits that celebrate the aspirations and successes of contemporary Jewish athletes.
Among the exhibits in the museum, you can see the board with which Israeli windsurfer Gal Friedman won the gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics; the judo outfit Yael Arad wore when she won a silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics; the European Basketball Championship Cup won by Maccabi Tel Aviv in 1977; the baseball glove of Sandy Koufax, one of the greatest baseball players in history; and a trophy won by Hungarian-Israeli gymnast Agnes Keleti, one of the greatest Jewish athletes of all time.
The museum is located on the Kfar Maccabiah campus in Ramat Gan. At this time, visits are by appointment only. For more information please contact Kathy Hason at