Full Breakdown
Israel's Historic Bobsled Team at the 2026 Winter Olympics
2/14/2026, 4:30:26 AM
Pioneering Athletes and Their Journey
Israel's bobsled team, led by captain Adam “AJ” Edelman, is making history at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Edelman, a 34-year-old from Brookline, Massachusetts, is not only the first Orthodox Jewish athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics but also the first Israeli to qualify for the Games in two sports, having previously competed in skeleton at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang. His journey, which he refers to as “Shul Runnings,” aims to redefine how the Israeli and Jewish communities perceive sports and investment in athletic pursuits.
Edelman's journey began in 2013 when he was approached to join Israel's national hockey team. He recognized a lack of role models and infrastructure for Jewish athletes, which motivated him to pursue a path in sports. After transitioning to skeleton in 2014, Edelman faced skepticism about his athletic potential but remained undeterred. He moved to Israel in 2016, training independently and ultimately achieving Israel's first Olympic sliding sport appearance in 2018.
Overcoming Challenges
The path to the 2026 Olympics was fraught with challenges. After narrowly missing Olympic qualification for the 2022 Games, the situation worsened following the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7, 2023. Five team members were called into combat, and several sponsors withdrew their support. Despite these setbacks, Edelman utilized social media to recruit a new team, including Israel's first Druze Olympian, Ward Farwasy.
In late January 2026, the team qualified for the Olympics at an event in Lake Placid, New York. However, their journey continued to be complicated by logistical issues, including limited training time due to Olympic security and a robbery in the Czech Republic that resulted in the loss of personal belongings and equipment.
Community Support and Advocacy
The bobsled team's Olympic appearance has garnered a wave of support, particularly from American Jews, which Edelman described as "pleasantly surprising." This support has manifested through fundraising efforts and increased media coverage, contrasting with the minimal attention received after his 2018 qualification. Edelman and his supporters have leveraged their narrative as an underdog story to advocate for Israel, emphasizing the theme of "victors, not victims."
Jared Firestone, another member of the Israeli Olympic team and a co-founder of the nonprofit Advancing Jewish Athletes, highlighted the importance of Edelman's achievements in inspiring future generations of Jewish athletes. Firestone, who is competing in skeleton, expressed that the investment in sports could lead to significant accomplishments for the Jewish community.
Looking Ahead
Israel's bobsled team will compete in the two-man races on February 16 and 17, followed by the four-man event on February 21 and 22, with Edelman piloting the sleds. Regardless of their performance, Edelman hopes to inspire others to pursue sports, stating, “What I really wanted to accomplish through it was that someone else saw it and decided to do it themselves.”
The journey of Israel's bobsled team is not just about medals; it represents a broader mission to change perceptions of sports within the Jewish community and to pave the way for future athletes.
