Jewish athletes have competed in every edition of the modern Olympic Games since 1896 and have won at least 459 medals. While Jewish athletes have found the most success in fencing, swimming, and gymnastics, they can be found in nearly every sport. As we cheer on those competing this year in Paris, let’s take a look at some of the most successful and decorated Jewish Olympians.
Aly Raisman
One could argue there is no Olympic performance as Jewish as Aly Raisman’s 2012 London floor routine to “Hava Nagila.” The stellar execution helped the US win the team gold medal – their first since 1996 – as well as earned Aly an individual gold medal in floor exercise. Competing in both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, Aly became one of two United States gymnasts to win back-to-back gold medals. Her three golds, two silvers and one bronze lands her as the third-most decorated U.S. Olympic gymnast of all time.
Aly was proud to be the Jewish poster child for the Olympics, stating “I take a lot of pride in being able to not only represent the USA, but also the Jewish community everywhere.” Outside of the Olympics and World Championships, she competed in the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel, and was given the great honor of lighting the cauldron. Aly says she intentionally chose “Hava Nagila” as her floor music for the biggest stage to represent the Jewish community, and she hoped to inspire young Jewish athletes to find their place in sports. Today, you can see Aly on the other side of the sport, working as a commentator for NCAA gymnastics.
Sue Bird
The queen of basketball, Sue Bird is one of only two basketball players ever to win five Olympic gold medals. The U.S. women’s basketball team has never lost an Olympics with Sue on their team, and this year’s tournament will be the first without her in twenty years. While it’s likely the U.S. women will continue their gold streak, the impact Sue left on the sport shines bright. A combined ten Olympic and World Cup medals – nine of which are gold – make her the most decorated international basketball player across both men’s and women’s competition. In 2021, Sue got to close out her final Olympics as the flag bearer of Team USA, an honor reserved for the most respected, accomplished and celebrated athletes.
Dara Torres
No Jewish athlete has won more Olympic medals than Dara Torres. No U.S. swimmer had competed in five Olympics before her. And after two successful comebacks, Dara made history at age 41 as the oldest Olympic swimmer to compete. Dara won medals in every Olympic Games she competed in, finishing her career with four gold, four silver and four bronze, and she broke multiple world records. Most notably, she won a medal in every single Olympic 4 x 100m freestyle relay she competed in. In a career spanning an unheard of 24 years, Dara showed resilience and perseverance in a sport where athletes typically have shorter careers, and proved that women can have children and continue to be world-class athletes.
Dara is paternally Jewish and officially converted in 2000. As the world’s most decorated Jewish athlete she has rightfully earned her place in the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum Hall of Fame.
Alix Klineman
Alix Klineman has been unstoppable in volleyball, both on the court and in the sand. Though she had a very successful indoor volleyball career, Alix did not make the 2016 Olympic team and decided to switch her focus to beach volleyball. Joining forces with partner April Ross, they won numeros AVP Pro Beach Volleyball tours between 2017 and 2021, and Alix earned many individual accolades and a slot on the beach volleyball team of the year. Alix and April competed in the 2021 Olympics, winning the gold medal and not losing a single match in the process. As she makes her way back to volleyball following the birth of her son in June 2023, Alix unfortunately did not qualify for the 2024 Olympics. But regardless of what happens next, Alix plans to make it back to the top, and hopefully another Olympics is in her future.
Deena Kastor
Deena Kastor is one of the U.S.’ best distance runners – she held the American marathon record for a whooping 16 years. A collegiate and international cross-country star turned marathon runner, Deena competed in three Olympics. She won the marathon bronze medal in 2004, becoming only the second American woman to medal in the event. Outside of the Olympics, Deena is also a former Chicago Marathon champion, former American record holder for the London Marathon, a recipient of the 2003 Jesse Owens award for the U.S.’ top track athlete and she was selected as the 2006 “Track and Field News” top women’s marathoner in the world.
In the true Jewish spirit, Deena spent her high school running career competing in the North American and Pan-American Maccabiah Games. For her outstanding athletic achievement, she has been inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, New York Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Kerri Strug
Kerri Strug will forever be remembered for that vault. It was the final apparatus in the team event ofthe 1996 Olympic gymnastics tournament and all Kerri needed to do was stick the landing and the U.S. would win. On her first attempt, she injured her ankle. Though clearly in pain and with her coach egging her on, Kerri limped to the starting line and vaulted again, sticking the landing – on one foot – and clinching the U.S.’ first gymnastics team gold medal. Kerri became an overnight hero, a celebrity and the face of the Olympics and gymnastics for decades to come. Unfortunately, the same feat that made Kerri a national hero ended her gymnastics career, and she retired shortly after the 1996 Olympics.
A silver lining to closing her elite gymnast chapter is her newfound time to further explore her Jewish identity. Kerri exclaimed that though she always went to high holidays with her family, “By the time I was 7, I was winning competitions and I had to make a choice. Go to Hebrew school or go to the gym.” Now retired, Kerri finds space to celebrate her Judaism, from honoring Shabbat to her Jewish wedding to lighting the torch at the 1997 Maccabiah Games and to celebrating her induction into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
Jason Lezak
Jason Lezak swam in four Olympics for Team USA and is most well-remembered for his performance in the 2008 4 x 100m freestyle relay. Swimming with Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, and Cullen Jones, Jason served as the anchor for the race, bringing the U.S. from behind to win the race, break the world record and break the individual record for swimming the fastest 100m split. This race is widely regarded as the greatest Olympic relay in history, thanks in part to Jason’s incredible performance. Jason would finish his Olympic career with a total of four gold, two silver and two bronze medals – the fourteenth-most of any American man.
Jason still has all his JCC Maccabi medals from when he was a teenager. In 2009, he skipped the World Aquatic Championships to compete in Israel at the Maccabiah Games. But most proudly, Jason goes to his local JCC to teach kids about what it means to be a Jewish athlete, and how much he loves to rep that title. As stated by a JCC employee Jason works with, he “has always been a mensch.”
Garrett Weber-Gale
One of the four swimmers alongside Jason Lezak on the 2008 4 x 100m freestyle relay team, Garrett Weber-Gale was also a crucial piece of the world-record-breaking race.In addition to winning the gold medal, Garrett and his team received the Golden Goggles Award. This is an honor given by USA Swimming for the best performance of the year. Garrett also won a gold medal in 2008 for the 4 x 100m medley relay, and became the first American man to swim 100m in under 48 seconds at the Olympic Trials.
In 2013, Garrett was chosen as the flag bearer for Team USA at the Maccabiah Games, where he won two gold and one silver medal. He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame for his record-breaking career.
Mitch Gaylord
Mitch Gaylord was a member of the 1984 U.S. men’s gymnastics team, helping lead them to their first and only team gold medal. With a stellar Olympic performance, Mitch became the first American to earn a perfect 10 on rings. He also medaled on vault and parallel bars. A proud Jewish athlete, Mitch vividly remembers the Israeli gymnastics team in the crowd cheering him on, recognizing the importance of his performance for the Jewish community as a whole. Mitch says he felt he won his medals not only for the U.S., but for Israel, too.
Mitch is also a decorated Maccabiah Games competitor – a sporting event he describes as being equally important to the Olympics. Now in his third career as a financial analyst (after gymnastics and an acting stint), Mitch also speaks at synagogues to share his story with potential future athletes. To celebrate his accomplishments, Mitch was inducted into both the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum Hall of Fame.
Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz won seven gold medals in a single Olympics – a record that would stand for 36 years, broken only by Michael Phelps. He competed in both 1968 and 1972, but is most well remembered for his incredible performance in his second Olympics, breaking four world records and winning every race he competed in. The second-most decorated American male swimmer in history, Mark finished his Olympic career with eleven medals in all. He became the third athlete ever to win nine gold medals. For his incredible accomplishments, Mark was named World Swimmer of the Year in 1969, 1971 and 1972 by “Swimming World Magazine.” Mark was also ranked #33 on ESPN’s list of top athletes of the twentieth century – the only swimmer to make the list.
Mark competed in two sets of Maccabiah Games and was the opening ceremony torch lighter in 1985. An inductee of the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum Hall of Fame, International Swimming Hall of Fame and the National Jewish Museum Sports Hall of Fame, Mark is the most decorated male Jewish Olympian in history.
