In a Soviet-era Winter Sports center in Sofia, Bulgaria, Israeli ice hockey players celebrated a gold medal win at the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) Division II B World Championship on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
In the middle of a war, with players almost stranded at home, Israel delivered an undefeated run. They opened with a stunning 7–6 overtime win against New Zealand, then beat Bulgaria and Taiwan. They bounced back from a 3–1 score against Kyrgyzstan to win 4–3 in overtime, and clinched the division’s top spot and gold medal with a 5–2 victory over Iceland.
Running an international sports operation during wartime is nearly impossible, especially in a fringe sport that receives essentially no government funding or support and has little public recognition.
The tournament itself gets very little media coverage. Division II B is the 5th ranked division of the IIHF’s eight annual World Championship tournaments. Israel – and none of the countries it played against – are known for their hockey programs. The average attendance at Israel’s games was about 80 people.
But this tournament meant everything to these players. Coaches became travel agents, working to get players out of the country during wartime for a chance to compete. In turn, the players stepped up to mentor and support each other, battling through adversity multiple times on their way to gold.
“Having gone from not being sure if we will have a team to winning a gold medal, these last three weeks have been a whirlwind,” Team Israel General Manager Josh Greenberg said. “Given everything going on in the world, and the war back home, it was not only important for us to show up for the World Championships, but for us to win it too. I could not be any prouder of our team and our country. We did it for Israel.”
The Israeli hockey program lacks the funding, talent, or support that other countries like the United States or Canada do. They might be small, but they are deeply passionate about growing the sport in Israel and spreading awareness around the world.
Despite this obstacle, it seemed like Israeli hockey was beginning to find its footing. Last March, 10,000 people packed UBS Arena for the first-ever professional Israeli hockey game in the United States, the Israel Elite Hockey League’s (IEHL) USA Challenge Cup. After a nailbiter showcase game highlighting two premier Israeli hockey teams, the Jerusalem Capitals beat HC Tel Aviv 7–6 in front of a raucous crowd.
But things quickly changed.
Israel was relegated from Division II A at last year’s World Championships, and the IEHL summer season was cut short due to the war with Iran.
Then, in February, the first-ever Canada Challenge Cup in Toronto was postponed due to safety concerns, and a historic New York blizzard postponed this year’s USA Challenge Cup to May at the last minute.
The combination of this “series of unfortunate events” made this a must-win tournament for Israel. And quietly, without fanfare, they showed up for their country and represented it with pride.
“That gold means everything to us, and we were so happy we could show the world what Israel is doing,” Team Israel forward Yuval Halpert said. “Being Israeli is the best thing in the world, and winning gold during a war is such a crazy feeling and experience.”
However, despite this epic triumph, Israel is not being promoted back to Division II A. That division’s tournament was scheduled to take place in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates, but the war forced the IIHF to cancel it entirely and suspend promotions this year.
But for a hockey program that has to prove itself over and over again, there is plenty to be proud of in this victory. For a country that faces near-daily scrutiny in the media and fights wars on multiple fronts, an unlikely ice hockey victory has the power to shift the narrative.
Growth takes years in international hockey. Few nations ever reach the top division to compete at that level, facing off against juggernauts like the United States and Canada. For Israel, though, these quiet but meaningful victories represent a microcosm of Israeli resilience, and that is something we can all be proud of.
Now the focus shifts to the next event, the IEHL USA Challenge Cup on May 17, 2026 at UBS Arena. It’s another chance for Israel to show the world it belongs in the international hockey conversation and to connect Israel Hockey to the Jewish Diaspora community. And the timing could not be more apt, as Jewish communities across America seem to be mostly visible in tense environments, making this moment intentionally different and inspiring.
Halpert and Greenberg, who have both played in the league since its founding in the summer of 2021, will take the ice for the Jerusalem Capitals in that game. They will be joined by several of their gold medal-winning teammates, including defenseman Shon Kazinetz and NHL draft-eligible forward Nikita Zitserman. Yuval Turner, Kirill Polozov, Ilya Spektor, and brothers Gennadi and Kirill Malaschenko round out the group of Israeli national team players set to compete in the May 17 game at UBS Arena in New York.
The organizers of the IEHL USA Challenge Cup on May 17 at UBS Arena have made every effort to create an event that is more than just a game. It will be an experience filled with entertainment, fan engagement, and an atmosphere built around pride, resilience, and shared identity through sports.
Up to 10,000 attendees are expected, including spectators from Jewish schools, organizations, and synagogues, alongside sports fans and families.
If you’re in the New York area, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to be part of a night about showing up, standing together, and filling the arena with positive energy and Jewish pride.
Ben Baruch is a Washington, DC–based broadcast journalist and live news coordinator who has contributed original reporting to outlets including NBC News and The Jerusalem Post. He is also the executive producer of the IEHL USA Challenge Cup and its livestream, and serves as the play-by-play broadcaster for the game.
Discussion about this post