Since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, international sports have become one of the most visible arenas for rising antisemitism and hostility toward Israel. Israeli clubs and national teams have been forced to play home games outside the country for extended periods, while stadiums across Europe have increasingly become venues for anti-Israel and antisemitic chants.
Yet amid this hostility, some sports clubs and prominent figures have taken an unequivocal stand against antisemitism and racism. Among the most notable is German soccer club Borussia Dortmund, which has run educational programs focused on Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism for years.
A central figure in these efforts is Daniel Lörcher, Borussia Dortmund's vice president and former head of corporate responsibility, who has also overseen the club's anti-discrimination initiatives. Lörcher, a founder and director of the organization What Matters, has spent years using soccer as a platform to educate people about antisemitism, racism and discrimination.
Since Oct. 7, the club has also been involved in initiatives supporting Israel and communities affected by the attack. Lörcher will take part in Israel Hayom's second annual summit in New York.
Joining him at the summit will be Talia Sommer, one of Israel's most prominent female soccer players in recent years. Sommer, 22, made history when she became the first Israeli player to join the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of professional women's soccer in the US, after signing with Gotham FC.
She currently plays for the New York-area club and Israel's national team, drawing support from local Israeli fans at her matches. Sommer will share her experience as an Israeli athlete in New York and discuss the intersection of sports, identity and representing Israel at a time of heightened tensions.
Sports, antisemitism, Jewish identity and the potential to use the playing field as a force for connection rather than confrontation will be among the topics explored at the summit.
The summit, scheduled for Nov. 11 at the InterContinental New York Times Square, will bring together senior figures from Israel and the US, leaders of Jewish organizations, business executives and prominent voices from the worlds of security, economics, technology and sports.
