In this year’s Winter Olympics, many Jewish athletes participated from all over the world. There were sixteen Jewish Olympians, many of whom were from Israel, and some were from other countries such as the United States and Canada.
A standout Jewish American Olympian was Aerin Frankel. She was a goaltender for the women’s hockey team, which, because of her Olympic record, .980 save percentage, won gold in women’s hockey.
Two more standout Jewish American Olympians were twins Quinn and Jack Hughes. They are both NHL stars who played for the U.S.A. during the Olympics. They both played well, scoring twelve goals in six games in all. Quinn scored an overtime shot in the quarterfinal game against Sweden, and Jack scored the winning overtime shot in the finals against Canada, taking Olympic gold home for the American men’s hockey team for the first time in 40 years.
Student-athlete Yair Robinson says he is incredibly inspired by Jewish athletes and that they give him the courage to take his winter sport career to the next level, because if they can do it, so can he.
Athletes like Aerin Frankel, Quinn Hughes, and Jack Hughes exemplify meaningful Jewish representation at the Olympics. Competing at the highest level, they prove that athletes can proudly embrace their heritage while excelling on the world stage. Their success inspires young Jewish athletes everywhere to dream big and see themselves reflected in the games.
