01In brief
Jeremy Wolf is a Jewish-American baseball player and former New York Met who became an Israeli citizen as part of an effort to compete for Israel's national baseball team. After a slipped disc ended his baseball career, Wolf pursued international competition with Israel; he was among ten Jewish-American players reported to have obtained citizenship in October 2018 during the team's campaign to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
02Career
03Israeli Citizenship and Olympic Pursuit
Wolf was one of ten Jewish-American baseball players who obtained Israeli citizenship in October 2018.[1] The citizenships were sought to enable the players to represent Israel at the Tokyo Olympics, as Olympic rules — unlike those governing the World Baseball Classic — required competitors to hold citizenship in the country they represented.[1][2]
Reflecting on what drew him to the Israeli game, Wolf described a contrast in playing culture: "In America, like, you're cautious, you have to see your next steps. Israelis? They go, 'I don't think at all. I just play!'"[2]
04International Competition with Team Israel
Wolf was named to Israel's 24-man roster for the Confederation of European Baseball European Championships Pool B tournament held in Bulgaria in 2019.[3] Israel won the tournament with a perfect 6–0 record.[3]
In Israel's 7–4 victory over Great Britain at the European Baseball Championship in Solingen, Germany, Wolf walked in the second inning as Israel narrowed a 3–0 deficit to 3–2. Tal Erel then singled home Ty Kelly; Israel later tied the game and won 7–4.[4]
Wolf also participated in Team Israel's U.S. exhibition tour ahead of the Tokyo Olympics but did not make the final roster. The report said players in the omitted group were left off because of injury or limited roster space, without specifying which reason applied to Wolf.[5]
Sources
- 1The Times of Israel, accessed on September 30, 2026.
- 2The Jerusalem Post, Israeli baseball: A surprising hit, accessed on September 30, 2026.
- 3The Jerusalem Post, Israel team wins European baseball Olympic qualification tournament, accessed on September 30, 2026.
- 4The Jerusalem Post, Israel sitting pretty at 4-0 in Germany, accessed on September 30, 2026.
- 5The Jerusalem Post, Inside Israel’s Jewish Olympic baseball team, accessed on September 30, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
Who is Jeremy Wolf?
Jeremy Wolf is a Jewish-American baseball player and former New York Met who became an Israeli citizen in order to compete for Israel's national baseball team. A slipped disc ended his professional baseball career, but Wolf remained intent on playing and pursued international competition with Israel.
Why did Jeremy Wolf and other Jewish-American players obtain Israeli citizenship in 2018?
Wolf and nine other Jewish-American baseball players obtained Israeli citizenship in October 2018 to enable them to represent Israel at the Tokyo Olympics. Olympic rules — unlike those governing the World Baseball Classic — required competitors to hold citizenship in the country they represented.
How did Jeremy Wolf describe the difference between American and Israeli baseball culture?
Wolf described a contrast in playing mentality, saying that in America players are cautious and have to think about their next steps, whereas Israelis simply play without thinking about it at all.
What was Team Israel's record at the 2019 European Championships Pool B tournament in Bulgaria?
Team Israel won the Confederation of European Baseball European Championships Pool B tournament held in Bulgaria in 2019 with a perfect 6–0 record. Wolf was named to Israel's 24-man roster for the tournament.
Did Jeremy Wolf compete for Team Israel at the Tokyo Olympics?
Wolf participated in Team Israel's U.S. exhibition tour ahead of the Tokyo Olympics but did not make the final roster. Players left off the roster were reported to have been omitted because of injury or limited roster space, though no specific reason was given for Wolf's exclusion.