Meet Israel’s first Christian Olympic athlete
The Paris Olympics are behind us. Many outstanding athletes competed at their best, albeit marred by an outlandish opening ceremony that mocked Christianity. Israel’s Olympic team won the most medals ever but also faced unprecedented threats and security challenges to keep all the Olympians safe and able to participate safely.
Ashlee Bond is one of those athletes. Ashlee is one of Israel’s top-rated athletes who competed as part of Israel’s equestrian team which made its debut in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She is a dual US-Israeli citizen. Most uniquely, she is also Israel’s first Christian Olympic athlete.
Despite growing up in the US where she began competing in equestrian sports, Ashlee peppers her conversation with Hebrew words, underscoring her deep familial connection to Israel through her Israeli-born father and her grandmother or “savta.” She is fond of and close to her Israeli family as well, using the Hebrew, “mishpacha.” “I just always identified as an Israeli American,” she affirms. As a Christian, she has deep spiritual roots in Israel as well.
“Jesus (was) born in Israel, his whole life was in Israel...it was always a really deep connection.
Adding what many Christians without family ties experience in Israel, “In my core, I feel like as you fly into Israel, you get this emotional feeling of the presence of the Holy Spirit. It's just so spiritual for me every time I go there.”
Especially considering Israel’s equestrian team was competing only for the second time against teams from countries that have been around for over 100 years, beating teams like Switzerland, Spain, and Mexico, Israel’s team finish was a huge accomplishment.
During the team competition, Ashley’s horse Donatello took a bad stumble so she withdrew from the individual competition placing the well-being of her horse over her desire to compete and win. “I still have things to prove for myself down the road and for Israel. I would love to win a medal for Israel. Hopefully in LA, or Australia.”
Preparing for the Paris Olympics required much more than training. Ashlee was among the Israeli Olympians who received hateful messages and even death threats. Security for the Israeli team was extreme and unprecedented. She related the multiple layers of security inside and outside the Olympic village, in the building that housed the Israeli athletes, and even measures that she assumed to be present but didn’t see.
Beyond the multi-tiered physical security, Ashlee also related that the Israeli team was prepared in advance with psychological counseling, to deal with expressions of hate that they might encounter. Though she’s not Jewish, Ashlee experienced antisemitism that faces all Israelis and Jews, which her “savta” survived in Europe, and that is so prevalent in America today.
The threats were real but Ashlee noted: “In the village, I never once had any negative experience. I had very positive experiences.” Nevertheless, she was threatened personally. “I got a letter from a terrorist group threatening my life, threatening if I step out of an airplane to France, or walk on the streets, blood will run through the streets just like in (the 1972 massacre of 11 Israeli athletes in) Munich. (They) named me personally. A few (others) got their obituary sent to them.”
For the four-person equestrian team, there were “five security guards with us all day every day.” They would even “follow us to the bathroom.”
“I had to just pray and rely on my faith to keep me strong. I am a strong person, but I've never dealt with something like that. So it definitely tested my personal strength.”
In the end, Ashlee felt overwhelming support despite the heavy security needs. “When I went to compete in the ring for the first time I was expecting boos. When they announced my name, I think the whole stand erupted in applause. I got emotional even before I started jumping.” The enthusiasm followed her after her competition as well. “ I was really blown away by the support we had.”
Being the first Christian on the Israeli Olympic team, did Ashlee have to overcome any hurdles? “Definitely. Not from my teammates, but from other aspects. In the beginning, it was (referred to as) as we're riding on the Jewish team. I always felt like, well, not everyone who's an Israeli is Jewish. So I felt a little bit of an outcast at times. (Recently) I felt more embraced. Now I feel empowered that I am accepted by the Jewish Israelis on my team, and the people that are around our team.”
Ashlee’s competition is deeply personal. Getting emotional speaking of her grandmother, Ashlee notes that, because of her savta and how much she loved Israel, she “wanted to represent Israel.”
She’s well attuned to Israeli society and the Olympic team represents that, “Everyone's like a family. The whole Israeli delegation was just so welcoming and warm, exactly (like) my family in Israel.”
What about the pro-Hamas people who threatened Ashlee and others, under the guise of being “pro-Palestinian? They are “haters. Obviously, there are misinformed people that think free Palestine from the river to the sea is what they should be backing, which to me is just very sad. They're uneducated or have been brainwashed by the propaganda. The people against us are very loud. I think there's not as many as are for us, but they're just very loud.”
What is Ashlee’s message for people to understand the reality? “Because of my faith, it's it's good versus evil. It's the devil versus God and Jesus. And it is so obvious these days, unless you have scales over your eyes which a lot of people do. They don't see the truth of what's really going on.
I would say, read the Bible because Israel has been around for thousands and thousands of years, and is the Promised Land to the Jews.”
“Israel (has) Arabs and Palestinians and Muslims and Christians and everyone. It's a melting pot, and they all coexist together. The Arabs hold positions of power in government in Israel. I've heard this term about (Israel) ethnically cleansing Gaza. And it's just not the case. The problem is, is not the Palestinians versus the Jews or the Israelis. It's the terrorist organizations.” Experiencing the death threats as a Christian Israeli, Ashlee also confirms that threats are not just “Against the Jews (and Israel). Israel is just the beginning. They don't want to stop at Israel. They want to come to America. They want to come to any country that isn't Muslim. And they want to eradicate us (all).”
“If (the terrorists) gave up the hostages and laid down their arms there would be peace. If the Jews did that, they would literally slaughter all of the Israelis. People don't understand that. They teach to hate. And they want the death of Christians and Jews. Because Israel is God's country, that is why Israel is so wanted because they want to kill God. They want to kill Jesus. It's spiritual warfare. It's simple because it's between the devil and God, and that's just the way it is until Jesus comes back.”
Meanwhile, discussing the Solution for Peace in Gaza as a plan that’s workable and can truly create lasting peace, Ashlee embraced it, “It's beautiful. I love it. And obviously, with God, all things are possible. And I believe that to my core. So I think (this) plan is a great plan, and I hope it can happen.”
Discussing how she’s long overdue for her to come visit Israel, Ashlee has checked her calendar and hopes to come in the fall to participate in the Genesis 123 Foundation “Root & Branch” olive harvest program, to help Israel economically because so much of the agricultural industry has been damaged since the war, but also spiritually, while getting to visit her family and recharge her spiritual battery. “I never feel closer to the Lord than when I am in Israel, and I cannot wait to go back and obviously see my family.”
How has the war against Hamas impacted her? “It's heartbreaking people can do the things that they can do. But then they're demons... it's very testing of your faith, what's happened in the last 10 months.” Yet seeing a bright side, she adds, “I think Israelis (are) the strongest people I've ever seen. And it's brought them together.”
What about antisemitism in the US: “I would say I'm shocked. But then, on the other side, I'm not really shocked by anything that the devil can bring out. I'm also really disappointed in America's response because we're supposed to be a huge ally to Israel. And I feel like they're saying it, but not backing their words up with action.” Showing tremendous empathy Ashlee also adds, “How do we have hostages there still? Americans? That's unbelievable to me. it's it's infuriating. It's disgusting. It makes me so angry.”
See the conversation with Ashlee on YouTube, or listen to the Inspiration from Zion podcast.
Jonathan Feldstein was born and educated in the U.S. and immigrated to Israel in 2004. He is married and the father of six. Throughout his life and career, he has become a respected bridge between Jews and Christians and serves as president of the Genesis 123 Foundation. He writes regularly on major Christian websites about Israel and shares experiences of living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel. He is host of the popular Inspiration from Zion podcast. He can be reached at [email protected].
