Signer Spotlight: Daniel Posner
Daniel Posner is the founder and chairman of Athletes For Israel, a nonprofit organization that leverages the world of sports to combat antisemitism and racism while promoting a positive narrative about Israel. Since 2019, he has also served as the Chief Investment Officer at Rensop Investment Group.
Can you tell us about your background and what led you to establish Athletes for Israel?
My background is in the Hedge Fund and Private Equity industry. For years, I found myself feeling frustrated with the way Israel was portrayed in the media and felt compelled to do something about it. I’m a huge sports fan and a big believer in the power of sports to build bridges. I had the idea that we could use sports to reach a wide range of different people and give them access to a better image of Israel through the sports stars they admire, and help fight antisemitism and racism using this lens for Israel advocacy. By bringing major athletes to Israel and having them post about their experiences on social media, they reach thousands and even millions of fans and provide organic and authentic insight into what Israel is really like – beyond the bias often seen in the media.
What inspired you to focus on bringing non-Jewish athletes to Israel, and what impact do you hope these experiences have on them?
At a time when many Jewish students feel uncomfortable due to growing antisemitism on campuses across America, Auburn stands out as a university that is welcoming and inviting. The Auburn Tigers, now the #1 men’s college basketball team, came to Israel with Athletes For Israel and is still connected and shows love and support for Israel and the Jewish people. The Athletes For Israel (AFI) Auburn Experience was meant as a display of gratitude to the team, Coach Bruce Pearl, and the Auburn community overall for their solidarity. As part of our program, we spent meaningful time volunteering at a local soup kitchen and assisting at a food pantry. Further, we used the Auburn Experience to launch our Eddie Jacobson Leadership Training for Jewish teens- teaching young Jewish athletes and leaders how to stand up against antisemitism and racism and to advocate for Israel in their daily lives, particularly through their sports journeys. Of course, Coach Bruce Pearl, a member of our board, is a proud Jew and advocate for Israel, and he inspires kids to also be proud of being Jewish and to advocate for Israel. It was a wonderful experience that made a deep and lasting impression on all of us who were there, as well as the millions of people who followed along on social media.
How have the athletes you’ve brought to Israel reacted to their experiences? Have any stories stood out to you?
I have so many incredible stories of how our trips have influenced our visiting athletes and coaches. One that is really gratifying to me and really speaks to the power of what we do stems from when we brought the University of Arizona men’s basketball team to Israel in August 2023. Dr. Bobby Robbins, the president of the university, joined the trip and saw first-hand the life-saving treatment a boy from Gaza received, free of charge, through Israel’s Save a Child’s Heart Foundation. Not even 2 months later came the devastating October 7th attacks and the surge in antisemitism across college campuses. Dr. Robbins, following his experience with Athletes For Israel, was one of the first major university presidents to put out a strong statement condemning the barbaric terrorist attack for what it was and stand up against antisemitism on campus, ensuring the Jewish students at the University of Arizona would feel safe. A Students for Justice in Palestine rally had been planned on campus for the day following Dr. Robbins’ statement; the rally was cancelled in light of Dr. Robbins’ clear message that the national SJP organization’s pro-Hamas values are antithetical to the university’s. This is the real-world impact of our trips.
How do you see the role of sports in fostering understanding and combating misinformation about Israel and antisemitism?
Sports are a great forum for overcoming differences. In the world of sports, your background or your religion does not matter. It only matters how you play. Athletes prepare hard and play hard, and at the end of the game, they shake hands and respect one another for their efforts on the court. For fans, even cheering for the same team can foster a sense of unity among people who otherwise may have real differences. By bringing influential athletes to Israel, their fans and followers are seeing Israel not through a political lens but simply through the eyes of sports figures they admire. When they see people of all faiths and backgrounds hanging out in Tel-Aviv, that alone opens their eyes to a different side of Israel and its people than is generally portrayed.
What challenges have you faced in your mission, and how have you worked to overcome them?
While we have educational programming aside from our Israel trips, including our newly launched Eddie Jacobson Leadership training program for Jewish teens and college students, the core of our mission is bringing professional and collegiate athletes to Israel. Following October 7th, many trips were postponed due to flight cancellations, in addition to fear and uncertainty as the war unfolded. That said, we were fortunate to have some real sports heroes, including Tony Richardson, Nick Lowery, Eddie Curry, Michael Sweetney, and Josh Powell, come to Israel despite the situation and strongly advocate for the Jewish State, its people, and on behalf of the hostages. We also brought the YU Maccabees on a meaningful solidarity trip. So, despite any challenges, we, like athletes, always push forward. Learn more about us at www.athletesforisrael.org.
Why did you decide to sign the Jewish Future Promise, and what does it mean to you personally?
The Jewish Future Promise really speaks to my values as a proud Jew. It is a privilege for me to sign, as we need to step up to help our own people. The continuity of the Jewish nation can only be achieved if we stick together and support one another.
