A Tournament With Roots
The Herzl Cup began as a modest ball‑hockey competition among lawyers at Goodmans LLP in 1991, a tribute that has grown into a recurring celebration of Theodor Herzl’s vision.
When NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman offered a greeting to the tournament in 1995, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed suit three years later, the event acquired a resonance that reached far beyond the rink.
In 2011 the Herzl Junior Cup was launched at Camp Ramah in Canada, inviting youngsters such as Noah Chaikof and Adam Gropper to experience the blend of sport and heritage; Gropper later coached the cup to victory in 2017 and 2018.
More recently, Stand With Us Canada introduced an ice‑hockey version of the Herzl Cup in Toronto in 2024, expanding the tradition to a new generation of players and fans.
A Vision Beyond the Rink
The Herzl Project, an initiative aimed at educating people about Theodor Herzl’s life and inspiring them to fulfill his dream of lasting peace for Israel, ties the sporting tributes to a broader cultural mission.
From Memorabilia to Social Media
David Matlow, a collector of the world’s largest archive of Herzl memorabilia, showcased over two hundred items from his trove at the Bernard Museum at Temple Emanu‑El in New York City from September 17, 2024 to January 24, 2025. His weekly Treasure Trove column, found at herzlcollection.com/treasure‑trove, and his #herzlbreak posts on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook keep the story alive, while the #Herzl100 challenge will post one hundred artifacts over one hundred days beginning June 6, 2026.