Spread over approximately 25 acres of land, the Kraft Family Stadium campus in Jerusalem encompasses, at the outset, three regulation-size sports fields – one natural grass and two artificial turf, with one of them representing the country’s first fully-marked official American football field – locker rooms, administrative offices, a central pedestrian thoroughfare, parking and a new access road.
Plans in the pipeline for future expansion of the campus include a gym, basketball courts, baseball fields and a whole array of state-of-the-art sports facilities.
Donated by the Kraft Family
The complex is named after Robert Kraft, a Jewish-American billionaire and the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development, and a private equity portfolio. Since 1994, he is also the owner of the New England Patriots of the NFL.
It was in 1999 that Kraft first donated $200,000 to construct the first Kraft Stadium in Jerusalem, a state-of-the-art AstroTurf field at the entrance of the city to be used primarily by a local league, American Football in Israel. The field was later improved in 2005, and has been used since for Football matches, as well as other sports, day camps and concerts.
The collaboration began when an AFI player recognized Kraft in the lobby of the King David Hotel and told the millionaire that he and his friends played organized football in Israel on uneven, overcrowded fields.
Actually, there is some symbolism about the fact that the new Kraft Family Sports Campus in Jerusalem is located just off of Israel’s Route 1, parallel to Route 1 that leads to the New England Patriots’ Gillette Stadium.
And indeed, Kraft himself recognises the connection he feels between his success with the Patriots and his love of Israel.
“My late, darling wife Myra always used to tell me that until I start building football in Israel, I would not win anything with Patriots. That happened in late 1999, and we won our first Super Bowl in 2001. Now we have five championships, and I can’t ignore the connection between our continuing to support development in Israel and our great accomplishments.”
At the opening ceremony of the stadium, the philanthropist also added: “It is an honor to be here in Jerusalem, the holy city, the center of spirituality for all of the nation of Israel,” said Kraft. “When I reached the age of Bar Mitzvah, I got a pair of Tefillin from my father, of blessed memory. Every morning I would put them on and say the Amida while facing the direction of Jerusalem and dreamed of the day when I could visit Jerusalem and pray at the Kotel.
“Today, I have the privilege and honor of standing here before you and I continue to thank God that I have the ability, with my family, to help in the building of Jerusalem, and with God’s help to continue to do so in the future.”
Near the Kraft Stadium
Binyanei HaUma – The International Convention Center is a concert hall and convention center in Giv’at Ram in Jerusalem, and located 470 metres northwest of Kraft Stadium.
The Israel Museum – The museum was established in 1965 as Israel’s foremost cultural institution and is one of the world’s leading encyclopedic museums. located 1.5 km south of the Kraft Stadium.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Givat Ram Campus is located 1.5 km southwest of Kraft Stadium.
Read More: Tel Aviv vs Jerusalem: Which City Is Better For You?