Lenny Silberman Named Chief Executive Officer of the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (IJSHOF) has named Lenny Silberman as its first ever Chief Executive Officer. In the role, Silberman will lead the organization’s work honoring Jewish athletes worldwide for their achievements in sport and their contributions to their communities.
“Lenny has been part of this organization’s story for years, and he’s earned this,” said Jed Margolis, President of IJSHOF. “He knows how to build things that last, and that’s exactly what we need as we grow.”
Silberman spent five decades working at the intersection of Jewish community life, youth development, sports, Israel, and camp leadership before stepping into this role. He started at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, where he served as Athletic Director and later led Emma Kaufmann Camp from 1987 to 1993. From there he moved to the JCC Association of North America, where he served as Continental Director of the JCC Maccabi Games from 1994 to 2008 as well as Vice President of Program Services. In both roles, he used athletics to build Jewish identity, international connection, sportsmanship, and service among young people.
He went on to serve as CEO of Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds in New York City from 2008 to 2018, running the largest Jewish day camp operation in the world, serving 5000+ campers and staff every day. He later founded Lost Tribe, a global digital community that uses digital media and community to strengthen Jewish identity, peoplehood, and connection to Israel. Across each of these roles, Silberman has found ways to meet young people where they are while building real opportunities for community connection, informal Jewish education, leadership, and Jewish pride.
His work has been recognized at the regional, national, and international level. Silberman received the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Chairman’s Award of Excellence in 2017 and was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. He has also been honored by the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Additional honors include, the Hershey Strive USA National Youth Administrator of the Year Award, the Western Pennsylvania Jewish Sports Hall of Fame’s Ziggy Kahn Award, and special recognition from the Israel Sport Center for the Disabled. He is one of two Jewish communal professionals honored by Jewish sports halls of fame at the regional, national, and international level.
“This has been a lifetime of passionate, committed service to the global Jewish community, and I don’t take this responsibility lightly,” said Silberman. “I’ve always been a builder and a dreamer, someone who likes to draw outside the lines and coach teams to win. Teens and young adults have been my passion throughout my career, and this role gives us a real opportunity to build community, Jewish pride, Jewish joy, and a deeper connection to Israel. I’m excited to work with our Board and build the kind of global collaborations that make this organization stronger.”
About the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame honors Jewish athletes and their contributions to sport and to their communities. Learn more at https://jewishsportshof.org/, and follow @JewishSportsHOF on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok.
