Promiser Spotlight: David Wiseman
David Wiseman is the founder of Follow Team Israel, a Facebook and Instagram page dedicated to sharing Israeli and Jewish sports stories globally. He is a member of President Herzog’s inaugural Voice of the People cohort consisting of Jewish thought leaders from all over the world. His writing has appeared in The Jerusalem Post, The Forward, and Times of Israel. A digital branding, senior Wikipedia editor and online reputation management professional, David lives in Jerusalem with his wife and three children. Feel free to connect and reach out to him.
What inspired you to create Follow Team Israel, and what has been the most rewarding part of sharing Israel’s sports achievements with the world?
It came out of love. The love of sport, the love of Israel, and the love of Judaism. I started it before the London Olympics back in 2012 with the goal of sharing the stories of athletes representing Israel competing in diverse sports, such as taekwondo, table tennis, and water polo, that gained more attention during the Olympics. After the 2012 Olympics, our Follow Team Israel Facebook community expressed interest in receiving more positive content about Israeli athletics year-round. It turned into a group of 120,000 followers looking to support athletes in all of their competitive endeavors. We are proud to provide a service to spread information that people otherwise wouldn’t know about, and when social media is done properly, you can develop a community that shares the same tastes and passions. On a personal level, it is rewarding to be able to meet these athletes and call them friends.
How do you see sports as a unifying force for the Jewish people, both in Israel and the United States?
In the summers in Israel, we have the Maccabiah Games, which is essentially the Jewish Olympics. Jewish athletes from all over the world come together to play against each other. I found that there is a connection even if you do not speak the same language as those in attendance at the games. There is also immense Jewish pride. Sport builds bridges and strengthens networking. There is a kinship that Jewish fans and athletes from all over the globe seem to feel. A common ground is met. It does not matter if you are religious or non-religious, conservative or non-conservative. Sport softens those barriers that ordinary social situations cannot.
You’ve been living in Israel for 20 years—how has your connection to your Jewish identity evolved during that time?
I came to Israel after falling in love with a woman. However, I was always very religious and held Zionist beliefs. Living in Israel has furthered my appreciation of Judaism and Israel. If you are proudly Jewish and living outside of Israel, it can be hard to maintain your Jewish identity. There are external pressures to assimilate. You feel different from your colleagues when eating Kosher food, wearing a kippah, or observing Shabbat. Living in Israel takes that pressure away. I feel the same as everyone else who observes Jewish values and culture. Living in a country with such a rich history that names streets after Jewish leaders and fosters a sense of pride in their community is amazing.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about Israel that you hope to change through your work?
I think there is a misconception that Israel lacks diversity and inclusivity. That is one of the reasons why Follow Team Israel makes sure to highlight not only individuals who are Jewish Israelis but also Israeli Christians, Israeli Arabs, and Israeli Druze. We have members of our Israeli national teams who practice all three of those faiths, and we embrace them and are proud of them. We want them to feel welcome, and I feel the fabric of sport is weaved by inclusivity. We also think it is valuable to share stories about athletes who are not always recognized by the mainstream media, such as those with physical and mental disabilities.
Why did you sign the Jewish Future Promise, and what does it mean to you to ensure a strong Jewish future for the next generation?
From a historical point of view, if you go back to the ancient peoples that existed, like the Babylonians, Assyrians, etc., none of those societies exist today. I feel that the fact that Israelis and Jews are still here, existing today, is nothing short of a miracle. We were never that large of a group and were always willfully and intentionally persecuted over thousands of years. Our existence defies everything. It doesn’t make any sense. You have to look at the things that have sustained us. The culture, the festivals, the prayers, the Torah, and observing Shabbat. It wasn’t just that we were keeping Shabbat. It was that Shabbat was keeping us. In order for our culture and faith to continue, we must have pride. It is upon us now as the incumbent generation to ensure that we survive for thousands of more years. We are the light unto the nations, and if we have no future, the world will be plunged into darkness.
