From the chill in the arena, to the early morning practices, the cost of the equipment and hot coffee while bundled up watching your kid play hockey is all worth it when that first goal is scored.
For more than a century, Jews have carved out a meaningful, if often under-recognized, place in the story of North American ice hockey. From trailblazers like Larry Zeidel and Red Berenson to stars such as Zach Hyman, Adam Fox and Jack Hughes, Jewish athletes, executives and fans have left their fingerprints on the sport of hockey. This year alone, the greatest number of Jewish players ever have started the National Hockey League season. Yet despite this rich legacy, Jewish identity has rarely been celebrated openly in the professional hockey world. That is about to change in a groundbreaking way.
On March 1, the Tulsa Oilers and Jewish Tulsa (the Jewish Federation of Tulsa) will host a Jewish Heritage Game. Of course, many professional teams have hosted Jewish Heritage events with discounted tickets and a cool swag giveaway, but this is different. It will be the first time in North American pro-sports history that players will wear a custom-designed Jewish Heritage jersey during an official game. This moment represents a milestone not just for local Jewish life but for Jewish sports visibility across North America.
“This is truly a historical moment, not just for Tulsa but for Jewish communities across North America,” says Joe Roberts, executive director at Jewish Tulsa. “This will be the first time that a custom-designed Jewish Heritage Jersey will be worn during an official professional league game. This would never have been possible without the openness and partnership of the Tulsa Oilers Hockey Organization. We look forward to a family-friendly day of celebrating with all Tulsans and sharing all that the Jewish community has contributed to Tulsa over its history.”
The specially designed Jewish Heritage jersey is a homage to vintage All-Star game jersey styles with its piping down the arms and baby-blue accents, while blending a contemporary design with respectful Jewish symbolism.
It represents belonging and visibility—the simple but powerful affirmation that Jewish identity has a home in every arena, whether cultural, civic or athletic.
Andy Scurto, owner of the Tulsa Oilers, stated that “we are excited to partner with the Tulsa Jewish Federation for what will be a fun night. It is always great to showcase and combine forces with different members of our community, and we are more than happy to celebrate Jewish heritage with an organization that, like us, is a fabric of our community.”
The celebration will extend beyond the ice. Fans will have a chance to learn about their Jewish neighbors; meet-and-greet with Sledge, the Oilers’ beloved mascot; enjoy family activities and appearances by Jewish Tulsa’s Mensch on the Bench; learn about Jewish organizations; and watch a post-game auction of the Heritage jerseys worn during the matchup. For families and fans of all ages, it will be an immersive afternoon of connection, Jewish pride and hockey excitement.
The event represents something larger than one game; it spotlights the rich contributions Tulsa’s Jewish community has made to the city’s civic and cultural fabric through philanthropy, leadership, education, and interfaith collaboration. It also places hockey within the narrative of Jewish life—a narrative that includes the great Sandy Koufax refusing to pitch on Yom Kippur, Aly Raisman performing Olympic gymnastics routines set to “Hava Nagila,” and generations of Jewish youth finding confidence and identity on rinks, fields and courts.
Through this lens, the Jewish Heritage Game becomes a national moment that signals a new era in which Jewish heritage is celebrated openly in professional sports and where Jewish pride is embraced. Whether someone is a lifelong hockey fan or new to the sport, whether their Jewish identity is cultural, religious or somewhere in between, the message is clear: You belong.
On March 1, Jewish Tulsa and the Tulsa Oilers will skate into the history books together, and the meaning of that moment will reach far beyond Oklahoma. It will be a powerful first page in a new chapter in the story of Jews in hockey, so much so that the National Jewish Hall of Fame will be gifted a game-worn jersey for display. It is a proud reminder that Jewish identity shines wherever community, courage and celebration meet.
Learn more at: JewishTulsa.org/heritage-game.
Michael A. Sachs is a Canadian-American Jewish community leader, strategist and writer who has held several leadership roles within the Vancouver Jewish community. He is currently the senior director at the Jewish Federation of Tulsa.
