The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (IJSHOF) has announced the appointment of Lenny Silberman, Lost Tribe’s founder and CEO, to its Executive Board of Directors. With this role, Silberman will contribute to the acknowledgment of Jewish athletes globally for their remarkable accomplishments in sports and their significant contributions to society through athletics.
Jed Margolis, Chairman of IJSHOF, expressed his admiration, stating: “I have known Lenny for over 40 years, since his days of cultivating and growing the JCC Maccabi Games, and he created something incredibly special. His passion, dedication, and vision will have a lasting impact on the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.”
Silberman was honored by the Israel-based organization in 2017 with the IJSHOF’s Chairman’s Award of Excellence, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the world of sports. He was commended for his “dedicated service to integrate sports and summer camp and Judaism as part of worldwide efforts on behalf of the youth of today.”
Notably, Silberman is the only Jewish communal professional ever to be honored by the Western PA Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the USA National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in Israel.
Previously, Silberman served as the Director of Emma Kaufmann Camp of the Pittsburgh JCC and as CEO of New York City’s Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds, the largest Jewish day camp operation globally.
This all culminated in his most recent endeavor — Lost Tribe. Unlocking the connective power of digital media, Lost Tribe is connecting the next generation of Jews virtually — to Jewish identity, to Israel, and to Jewish friends around the world. Since our launch in 2019, we have engaged over 67,000 global teen participants and established a virtual teen lounge with 7,500 participants. Lost Tribe’s social media presence has garnered over 240 million views, reaching a broad audience worldwide and nearly 200,000 followers.
For Silberman, this is a different game — a different court — but the same strategy he’s had with traditional sports. Summer camp? JCC Maccabi Games? Discord? It’s all about meeting teens where they are at, building community around their interests, and providing that critical next step in their Jewish journey.
Silberman said: “Throughout my career, I’ve been building winning teams… And by winning I don’t mean the final score, but rather winning in life. The Hall of Fame highlights role models who were great athletes and proud Jews. Sharing that history with the next generation helps build relationships with Israel and a stronger Jewish future.”