The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame/Yad Le’ish Hasport Hayehudi was formally inaugurated on July 7, 1981. Its predecessor, the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, was founded in the United States in May 1979. The original Hall of Fame included only American honorees. The International Hall of Fame honors athletes and sportsmen and sportswomen throughout the world.
The purpose of the IJSHOF is to honor Jewish individuals, worldwide, who have accomplished extraordinary achievements in sports and to honor those who have made significant contributions to society through sports.