Hapoel Jerusalem Women

Jerusalem is not an obvious home for a women's basketball side. It is a city where secular, religious, Arab and ultra-Orthodox communities share the same streets. That is the setting in which Banot Hapoel, "Daughters of Hapoel", first took the floor in 1952 as the women's section of the Hapoel sports club.

The early years were the strongest. In 1959–60 the team won the Southern Division and then beat Hapoel Yagur, the Northern Division champion, 23–21 in the national final. Twice more they reached the State Cup final, in 1962 and 1971, and both times Maccabi Tel Aviv beat them, 43–36 and 57–44. Local games against ASA Jerusalem carried the name of the Jerusalem Derby.

The original team ceased operations around 2024, but by then a successor was already running. Hapoel Lev Jerusalem was set up in 2021 by Rebecca Ross and Dr. Neta Abogov, with an explicit brief: female empowerment and social integration, with players drawn from every one of the city's communities. It began in the third tier, Liga Artzit, and won the Southern Division in its first season. The next year brought the Liga Leumit title and the Basketball Association Cup, and with them promotion to the top flight.

The debut Premier League season, 2023–24, went further than most newcomers manage. Hapoel Lev beat Elitzur Ramla 87–74 to win the State Cup, and finished second in the league. Emily Engstler, who has played in the WNBA, was on the roster, Alyssa Baron captained the side, and Limor Peleg was head coach. The team plays at the 2,000-seat Malha Arena, in red, black and white.