The Birth of Hebrew Sports Journalism in Mandatory Palestine

About the Lecture:

In the 1930s and 1940s, Lipa Levitan, a controversial and outspoken sports journalist in Mandatory Palestine, passionately championed his political views. As rival ideologies competed for influence, Levitan went beyond reporting from the field: he placed himself at the center of public affairs and often became a news subject himself.

This lecture explores Levitan’s career as a lens through which to examine broader processes of community-building and identity formation in Mandatory Palestine.

Speaker Bios:

Professor Udi Carmi teaches at the Department of Physical Education at Tel-Hai University. He is a Sport History researcher.

Professor Anat Kidron teaches at the Faculty of Education and in the Galilee Studies Program at Tel-Hai University. Her research focuses on the history of sports in Mandatory Palestine and the construction of Zionist national consciousness.

Together, Professors Carmi and Kidron published numerous studies, in both Hebrew and English, on Zionist physical culture. Their work focuses particularly on two areas: the transformations in physical culture among new immigrants (Olim Chadashim) upon their arrival in the Land of Israel, and the politicization of sports in the Land of Israel and the State of Israel.

Additional Event Information:

• This event will be held in person at Pugh Hall Ocora and also streamed live at
• The event is free to attend and open to all.
• Refreshments will be beginning at 5:30 PM

Parking Information:

• Parking is available in the Murphree Lot. For directions and a map, click here: https://clas.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/Shorstein-Event-Murphree-Lot-Map.pdf.
• You may drop off guests directly in front of Pugh Hall before proceeding to parking. Additional parking may be found in and around campus - please make sure you comply with posting parking regulations.

Questions: email [email protected]