Israel's first structured framework supporting athletes in pursuing both elite sport and higher education.
Redefining what Israel can achieve
Israel has the talent. What it has lacked is the system. For too long, our most gifted athletes have been forced off the path to greatness — not by their rivals, but by a culture that made them choose between sport and education.
SAI exists to change that permanently. We are building the national infrastructure that will make Israel a force on the world's biggest sporting stages — by giving every elite athlete the support, the resources, and the institutional backing to compete without compromise.
This is not just about scholarships. It is about transforming what Israeli sport means — to our athletes, to our youth, and to the world watching us compete.
Two paths. One mission.
SAI is built around two distinct tracks — each designed for where an athlete actually is in their career, not a one-size-fits-all model.
Olympic &
Paralympic Athletes
High-Performance
Athletes
Track placement is determined in partnership with the athlete, their coach, and the SAI selection committee.
From idea to movement
From concept to national framework — the milestones that brought SAI to life, and the road ahead.
Meet the roster
Nine Olympic- and Paralympic-pathway athletes — training for the podium while earning a degree at Bar-Ilan.
Where champions study
SAI is building a national network of universities equipped to support elite athletes. Each new partner campus expands the athletes we can serve — and the sports culture we can transform.
University
University
Each new university partnership requires a $250K–$500K founding investment. Interested in bringing SAI to a campus? Get in touch →
Why this matters
From the athletes who lived the impossible choice, to the partners building the solution.
Thanks to this program, professional athletes like me will finally have a real opportunity to pursue education alongside elite sport. Israel will gain stronger, more successful athletes — and expand our representation on the world's biggest sporting stages.
The hakalot framework SAI negotiated with Bar-Ilan is a genuine breakthrough. For the first time, the university is adapting to the athlete's schedule — not the other way around.
As a donor I've supported many causes. But SAI is unique — it builds infrastructure that compounds. Every athlete we support signals to the next generation that excellence has no ceiling.
Let's talk
Whether you're an athlete ready to apply, a donor exploring opportunities, or a university partner interested in the model — we'd love to hear from you.