In the shadows of Boston, 13 teams representing Israel left it all out on the field at the 2025 Heritage Cup.
The eighth edition of the event was the biggest one yet. The addition of a U-15 Girl’s division was the first girl’s competition in the Cup’s history and a pivotal piece of the 112-team, 36-nation puzzle.
From May 23-26, hundreds of North Americans and others repping their ancestral lineages collided across five locations in the western suburbs of Boston. Come the weekend’s close, six champions etched their names in history.
Israel has remained a mainstay in the event since its inception in 2016 with just four teams in one division. At least one team donning the Star of David has participated in every competition offered at the Heritage Cup. Prior to 2025, Israel’s squads had collected four division titles all-time. Now, that trophy case needs more space.
Israel’s 2025 Heritage Cup Results
As the Heritage Cup has grown, so too has Israel’s involvement. The Men’s division was the only one to include only one representative from the country – two competed in the Women’s, U-13 Boy’s, and U-15 Girl’s divisions, and three entered the U-19 Boy’s and U-15 Boy’s tournaments, respectively.
Of the 13 Israeli teams, five found their way into the top four of their divisions, an outstanding achievement outlining the competitiveness of Israel Lacrosse. But one added the country’s fifth-ever division crown – Israel Blue dominated the U-15 Boy’s competition with a perfect 5-0 record, capping off the occasion with an 8-3 handling of Poland in the event’s final.
Israel Blue in the Women’s division, Israel Olive in the U-19 Boy’s division, Israel White in the U-13 Boy’s division, and Israel White in the U-15 Girl’s division rounded out the country’s top-four finishers.
Israel Lacrosse is proud of how its teams performed in the competition, but it is even prouder of the Jewish connections forged in Massachusetts. As part of the ILA’s delegation, 21 Israeli players made the trip across the Atlantic to team up and take the field with North American Jews. For some, it was their first time leaving Israel, let alone in the United States, and served as a formal introduction to the people who inhabit the Holy Land for their North American counterparts. It was a weekend that meant more than goals and assists – it altered perspectives and crossed Jewish paths that might not have otherwise intertwined.
A Lasting Impact
Israel saw success on the field at the 2025 Heritage Cup, but it was what happened before and after the whistles that made the biggest impact.
Neil and Sami Grunberg were two of the thousands who descended on Boston over the weekend. The father-daughter duo from Toronto made the trip to embed Sami further into lacrosse and to deepen their connection with the Jewish world. They found something more than they ever imagined.
“Sami ran onto the field after the quarterfinal win with the Israel flag and carried it so proudly back to the dorms from the field. That is a moment we will never forget,” her father recounted. “Sami goes to the Jewish high school in Toronto, is one of the leaders of the hockey team, wears the Star of David proudly on a Maccabi jersey for hockey every spring, has been a leader on strong club hockey teams throughout her career. But she has never been prouder to be part of any team as at the Heritage Cup, and she has never been prouder to be Jewish. The amount of pride this program has instilled is not something that can be matched anywhere or in any program.”
The crescendo of that special magic occurred on Friday night. That evening, more than 600 people associated with Israel Lacrosse came together for an unforgettable Shabbat dinner organized by ILA Board Chari Dan Kraft, his wife Wendy Kraft, and the entire Kraft family. Hosted at the VIP G-P Atrium at Gillette Stadium, the event included a traditional Shabbat service and meal, an emotional prayer for those still trapped in Gaza, and passionate speakers who moved the crowd with their personalized tales of the Jewish spirit.
“Every speaker was powerful in their message and clear: this is our family, welcome to it,” Neil explained. “Dan’s generosity and love for this program was something beyond the typical benefactor relationship with a program. It is not philanthropy, it is not sport, it is not building or even Israel – for him, you can tell it is something far more powerful, far bigger, something I can’t find the words to describe. We felt the love, and more importantly, so did Sami.”
In planning the dinner, the Krafts envisioned a Jewish bubble – a place where Jews could be unabashedly Jewish, unconcerned with displays of their heritage and history. It’s something that Jews worldwide have found increasingly more difficult since the October 7 attack.
“As a Jewish family in Toronto, it is unbelievably difficult to even breathe these days,” Neil said. “All weekend, we all felt the same special feeling as when you’re in Israel. It’s like a drug – the stress, the anxiousness, all of it is gone, replaced with togetherness and pride.”
Seth Mahler, the ILA’s vice president of programming, helped organize Israel’s teams and off-field events. The 2025 Heritage Cup has him feeling more energized than ever for the sport’s future in Israel.
“The passion of our coaches and staff shines as we transform our players’ experiences into lifelong memories and friendships,” Mahler reflected. “I’m filled with great respect for our ILA team, and with so much love, pride, and new fuel for another big ILA summer!”
