Several individuals in and around the Minnesota Vikings organization will be openly supporting Israel this weekend in their game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Notably, kicker Greg Joseph will be wearing custom designed cleats in white and blue, with a clear “I stand with Israel” message inscribed on the side. Several Israeli flag logos will also be put on the cleats, as will an inscription in Hebrew.
Sneakers will also be worn by team owners, including Zygi Wilf and the Vikings’ CEO, Andrew Miller.
Their shoes will also have similar messages and color schemes, with one notable exception being a combination of the American flag and Israel flag, with a message to “bring them home,” referring to hostages still be held in Gaza by Hamas.
Photos of the cleats and sneakers were shared on X late Friday afternoon.
Vikings Organization Takes Strong Stand, Unlike Major Universities
It’s unsurprising that the Vikings organization is one to make an effort to support Israel, given the background of some of their most important figures.
Zygi Wilf himself was born to Polish Jewish parents, who survived the Holocaust despite living in Nazi-occupied Poland. He also serves, along with his brother, as a trustee of Yeshiva University, a private Jewish university in New York.
Greg Joseph is also Jewish, and spoken about how Judaism has been an instrumental part of his life. Given the horrific terrorist attacks suffered by Jewish individuals in Israel now two months ago, it’s great to see that some inside the sports world haven’t forgotten what happened. Or the importance of freeing the remaining hostages.
It’s a stark contrast from what the presidents of Harvard, MIT and UPenn said before Congress recently.
The Vikings take on the Raiders in Las Vegas on Sunday at 4:05pm Eastern.