Already at the top of the world: Meet the Israeli cheerleading team
An 11-year-old prodigy flying in the sky, a teenager who doesn't let back problems ruin her dream, a Russian and a Ukrainian representing Israel shoulder to shoulder, a diplomatic gesture to rivals from Iran, and even a caretaker who was recruited to the team that already reached third place in the World Championship. Forget everything you thought about cheerleaders: meet cheerleading — one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.
If you ask the average Israeli to describe the word "cheerleader," their first association will likely lead them to American movies or halftime breaks in basketball games: short skirts, revealing clothes, wide smiles, and a show whose main purpose is to cheer on the men running on the court. But if you dare to use this description near the athletes of the Israeli Cheer Union (ISCU) — the official organization for the promotion of cheerleading in Israel — you will encounter a corrective, determined, and well-reasoned look.
"We intentionally do not call it 'cheerleading' in the sense of a support group," clarifies Ludmila Yasinska-Damari, president of the organization and the woman who built the field in Israel from scratch. "We do not cheer for a specific team. This is a competitive, achievement-oriented, physical, and particularly tough sport, recognized by the Olympic Committee and participating in the World Games. It includes boys and girls, acrobatics of the highest level, human pyramids, and iron discipline. The word 'cheerleader' simply does not do justice to reality." The results speak for themselves: the team recently won third place in the world at the prestigious championship in Orlando. Girls aged 12 to 18, training at an elite level, have placed Israel on the world map.
The story of the Israeli association is largely the story of Ludmila herself. Growing up in Ukraine in the world of competitive aerobics, she found a vacuum when looking for a similar framework for her daughters in Israel. She started a small group "for fun," and one school performance was enough to create a snowball of demand. Today, in less than four years, the union has nearly 15 clubs and about 300 athletes led by 15 instructors.
At the last annual conference of the International Cheer Union, which includes 121 countries, an extraordinary moment occurred: an official request from Iran to join the union was raised. Contrary to political expectations, the Israeli representative, Yasinska-Damari, voted in favor of Iran's accession. "The vote expresses a clear distinction between the Iranian people and the terror regime," Ludmila said. "I wish the day would come when we could stand side by side on the podium."
"Sport connects us." In the Israeli national team, two 13-year-old girls dance and support each other: Eva Buchstab from St. Petersburg, Russia, and Nina Dmitrieva from Kyiv, Ukraine. Despite the war in their home countries, politics remains outside the training hall in Herzliya. "Between us, there is no politics," says Nina. "Eva is my friend, and we are all one team here." This determination characterizes all the athletes, including 13-year-old Romi Yasinska-Damari, Ludmila's daughter. Diagnosed with scoliosis and required to wear a rigid corset almost all day, she refuses to quit. "I only take it off during training. My dream is to be a professional dancer."
The union is also shattering the "girls-only" image by actively recruiting men. Amitai Kapon, 40, a caretaker at the Nina Center in Herzliya, joined by chance. "I don't dance or hold pom-poms. I represent the Stunts side—lifting, throwing, and catching athletes in the air," he explains. Amitai is now training to be an instructor and aims to make the sport accessible to everyone, including those with special needs and a third-age group called "Goldstars."
Next month, the organization will hold open auditions for the Israeli national teams, and Ludmila invites anyone with a background in dance, acrobatics, or gymnastics to come and try out.
