“I Didn’t Think Twice about Standing with My Teammates”
DECEMBER 5, 2025
SHARE
When Yahel Amzalag first joined PeacePlayers Middle East five years ago, she was just a girl who loved basketball and was looking for a place to play. “I came, and I immediately felt at home.”
Over the years, Yahel, an Israeli 16-year-old from Jerusalem, has learned a lot more than ball handling and shooting. She’s learned what it means to be a leader, an ally, and a friend. Over the past two years, Yahel’s mixed Arab-Jewish team, which competes in the official Israeli league, has faced growing harassment at games. “We did face situations—other teams provoking or speaking disrespectfully to one of our teammates,” she remembers. “I felt obligated to defend her, to stand by her, because we’re one team. It was hard, not easy, but I didn’t think twice about standing with them.”
For Yahel, the basketball court has become more than a place to play — it’s a space of connection and to let go of the stress and the trauma of living in this region. “When you come to the gym, you disconnect from everything,” she explains. “We just play basketball together, as one team.”
That belief — that people can come together despite everything happening around them — has shaped not just how Yahel plays, but who she is. So when she received an assignment to present in English about a topic that was dear to her heart, the choice was easy – of course she would talk about PeacePlayers. But, although the decision was easy, she knew presenting wouldn’t be.
“I was very nervous to present in front of my classmates because I knew not everyone would accept or understand,” says Yahel. “But I knew it was important for me that they hear it, because it’s a part of who I am.”
