Dan Applebaum - Team Israel

Playing for Israel means a tremendous amount to me. It is without a doubt the crowning achievement of my lacrosse career. Playing at the highest level for my homeland is such an incredible honor and is something I never thought I would do when I first started playing lacrosse my freshman year of high school. It has provided me the opportunity to play the sport I love all over the world, meet some of the most amazing people, and have experiences I will never forget. Playing for Israel also makes me an ambassador of the sport to the entire country. Being able to share lacrosse with the people of Israel and help the sport grow is tremendously rewarding. 

My personal connection to Judaism starts with my grandparents on my fathers side. Both were Holocaust survivors and while I never met my grandfather (he passed before I was born), my grandmother taught to me be extremely grateful and proud of my culture. Not being able to imagine what my grandparents endured, I can't help but think of myself as incredibly lucky to be here. This has always made me feel a very powerful connection with my Jewish heritage.

My personal connection to Israel grows stronger every time I go there. Most recently, when I was there for 5 weeks, I was truly able to immerse myself in the culture. Living there, even though it was for a short period of time, gave me a completely new perspective of the country. Aside from the natural beauty of the country, the people made me feel very welcomed and comfortable. The people I would meet in passing to the kids I coached in Netanya, everyone was proud to show off their country. I was constantly asked if I was enjoying Israel and I always answered "How can I can not be? It is amazing here". It is rare to feel so comfortable and welcomed half way across the world but the people of Israel truly made me feel like I was home.