Transcript [00:02] I made aliyah when I was 13 from the [00:04] United States. I made it with Aliat Nova [00:06] in 1974 after my cousin was killed in [00:09] the Yom Kipper war. Married to deletite. [00:11] [music] She was an athlete too. She was [00:12] a javelin thrower. I have four children. [00:15] There was no baseball in Israel. So I [00:16] started throwing javelins and I became [00:18] the Israeli champion at the age of 15 [00:21] [music] already and then I built up all [00:23] the way to become the senior champion. I [00:26] won medals throughout all my career and [00:28] I participated [music] in 10 or 12 [00:30] Macabas since then as a javelin thrower [00:32] and as a [music] fast pitch softball [00:34] player. I did three years of wingade [00:36] institute. I started coaching while I [00:38] was also training as an athlete. Later I [00:41] joined the [music] Israeli police force [00:43] became a major. I'm retired now. 9 years [00:45] ago I was approached by both sides of [00:49] the sports area and Makabi and they [00:51] asked me to become the president of [00:54] Israel [music] Athletics. In the [00:55] meantime, I was also the CEO of Israel [00:57] softball. We run the organization. We [01:00] prepare tournaments. [music] We do uh [01:01] the Israeli championships, everything [01:03] that has to do with sending our athletes [01:05] to European championships, to the [01:06] Olympics, [music] [01:07] to world championships, to have the flag [01:09] be raised abroad, standing up for [01:11] Hatikva. That was one of the most [01:14] exciting things that we've ever had. [01:16] What it means for me to be an athlete [01:18] [music] in Israel was that I was able to [01:20] represent Israel. I was able to carry [01:22] the flag everywhere I went, [music] [01:23] which actually led to the things that I [01:26] do today with helping athletes make [01:29] aliyah. I bring as many athletes and try [01:31] to give their Jewish heritage to this [01:33] and that they feel connected to Israel. [01:36] And after 100 or 200 or 300 players that [01:39] make aliyah and [music] they play for [01:41] team Israel, it makes me very proud. We [01:44] have a training camp in the United [01:45] States. I will have 65 to 70 young [01:49] Jewish heritage girls who are all [01:51] wearing team Israel. It's ecstatic. [01:54] October 7th happened [music] and of [01:57] course a lot of our [snorts] plans and [01:59] programs were on hold especially the [02:02] ones that were thinking of making [02:04] aliyah. [music] That December I had the [02:06] training camp and I still had 65 [02:08] athletes that came and I talked to them [02:11] about October 7th. Told them my son he's [02:13] in reserves. First of all, they hugged [02:15] us and they still [music] wanted to make [02:17] the aliyah. [02:19] Very proud to be able to receive [music] [02:21] the Sylvish [02:23] bonets award. Sports is actually a [02:26] unifying bridge. [music] When we're out [02:28] there and we're hearing the propaganda [02:30] against us, the counter propaganda is us [02:33] succeeding in sports. It's us showing [02:35] who we really are, standing strong, [02:38] feeling proud. And I think this whole [02:40] program, [music] the way we're doing [02:42] things, whether it be the athletics and [02:43] the softball and the baseball, all these [02:45] sports, is so important that we [music] [02:47] get this out there. We're here. We're [02:49] here to stay. And we're going to stand [02:51] with pride and just [music] be there.
Ami Baran, recipient of the 12th Annual Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize in the field of Culture, Arts & Sports
The annual Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize was established to recognize English-speaking Olim who have made a notable impact on Israeli society. Ami Baran, President of the Israel Athletics Association and CEO of the Israel Softball Association, who has dedicated his career to advancing Israeli sport, was awarded the prize in the field of Culture, Arts & Sports. For more information: https://www.boneizion.org.il/12th-annual-prize-recipients/
Video produced by Shai Getzoff
