Israel

'Israel is a country in the Middle East. Jerusalem is the capital and largest city.

History of hockey in Israel
The first ice rink in Israel opened in 1986. The same year, some hockey practices began with former Canadian players serving as instructors. In 1995, a full-sized ice rink was opened. The Ice Hockey Federation of Israel was founded in 1988, and the country joined the IIHF on May 1, 1991.

The first national championship was contested in 1990, with HC Haifa winning. It was held again in 1991, and has been contested annually since 1994.

The men's national team played its first game in 1990, facing a team of Canadian UN peacekeepers. They made their debut at the World Championships in 1992, playing in the C2 Pool. Their best finish at the World Championships was sixth place in Division IA in 2006.

The junior national team first appeared on the international scene in 1997, playing in the World Junior Championship D Pool held in Sofia, Bulgaria. They finished with a 2-2 record, good enough for fifth place in the D Pool.