Since 1984
Empowering Tomorrow’s Champions, to Champion Israel Today.
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About the Eddie Jacobson All-Star Fellowship
The Athletes for Israel (AFI) Eddie Jacobson All-Star Fellowship is a visionary program designed to empower high-performing Jewish teen athletes by equipping them with the tools and knowledge needed to become effective ambassadors for Israel.
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A bit of history
About Eddie Jacobson
Eddie Jacobson, born to Lithuanian Jewish immigrants in New York City, grew up in Kansas and later Kansas City, Missouri. He met Harry Truman in 1905, and their friendship deepened when they served together during World War I. After the war, the two briefly ran a haberdashery together.
Jacobson later became a traveling salesman but maintained close ties with Truman, even visiting him in the Oval Office. Troubled by the plight of Jews during WWII and the Holocaust, Jacobson passionately advocated for Jewish causes, leveraging his friendship with Truman.
In 1948, he successfully persuaded Truman to meet Zionist leader Dr. Chaim Weizmann, which contributed to the U.S. recognizing Israel as an independent state.
Jacobson later visited Israel in 1949, where he met Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and President Weizmann. Though urged by some to become Israel’s President, he declined, expressing pride in his American citizenship. Jacobson passed away in 1955 before he could accompany Truman to Israel.
