Chase Engelhard Becomes Dual Citizen, Joins team Israel for U23 European Championship
Engelhard, celebrating his 23rd birthday in February, has officially become a dual citizen of Israel and teh United States. The professional baseball player made the move after flying to Israel and meeting with three other Jewish American professional baseball players, marking his third visit to the country.
The process of obtaining Israeli citizenship, known as Aliyah, involved months of meticulous document gathering, including his grandparents’ birth certificates, a family tree, and proof of Jewish heritage through his parents and grandparents, along with evidence of their bar mitzvahs. Engelhard cited the possibility to represent Israel as the primary motivation for undertaking the extensive submission process.
“Considering the circumstances of Israel and the Jewish community and what’s going on today, it was a no brainer to make Aliyah and take the opportunity to represent Israel,” Engelhard stated. “I couldn’t be more proud to be Jewish.”
Upon arriving in Israel, Engelhard reported an immediate feeling of belonging. He described experiencing a palpable sense of pride, togetherness, and camaraderie within the Israeli and Jewish communities.
Currently, Engelhard is under contract with the Boise Hawks, an independent team in the Pioneer League. he intends to complete the current season with the Hawks upon his return from Europe.
Looking ahead, Engelhard expressed his ambition to advance his baseball career to the highest level. He is also setting his sights on joining the senior national team, with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the Olympics.
Engelhard’s journey to representing Israel follows in the footsteps of other notable Jewish American baseball players. Joc Pederson, an outfielder who was part of the 2021 World Series-winning Atlanta Braves team, previously played for the Israel national baseball team in both 2013 and 2023.
Engelhard, whose childhood nickname is “Fiver,” is eager to foster relationships with his new teammates on the field.
“I love baseball and I love Israel,” he concluded.
Engelhard is participating in the U23 tournament, which features eight national teams: Israel, Great Britain, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Italy, and France.
