Dave Kufeld

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Dave Kufeld (born September 27, 1958) is an American-Israeli former professional basketball player. He is notable for being the first Orthodox Jew drafted into the NBA.

Early life and education
Kufeld was born in New York City and grew up in Great Neck, Long Island. He attended the Manhattan Talmudical Academy, where he played on the varsity basketball team and served as captain. He later went to Yeshiva University, playing center for the Yeshiva Maccabees.

College basketball and honors
At Yeshiva University, Kufeld led NCAA Division III in rebounding during his junior and senior years (1978–79 and 1979–80). He captained the team for both of those seasons. He earned multiple honors, including All-Conference selections and All-American recognition in 1980. He is among the top Division III rebounders of all time.

NBA draft and briefly before the pros
Ahead of the 1980 NBA draft, Kufeld sent self-promotional materials to several teams. He was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 10th round as a 211th pick. He attended rookie camp but was cut after a few days; at 6'8" he was considered too small to play center in the NBA. Kufeld’s draft experience was noted in sports writing, and he later wrote an op-ed about the experience.

Playing in Israel
Kufeld then played for Maccabi Ironi Ramat Gan in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, teaming with Doron Jamchi. He was named the team’s designated foreign player. After returning to the United States, he played in various local leagues and exhibition circuits.

Other basketball and international play
He continued to compete in summer leagues and other events, including the New York Summer Pro League and the Holcombe Rucker Tournament. Kufeld also represented the United States at the Pan American Maccabiah Games in 1992 (where he won a gold medal) and competed in the World Maccabiah Games in 1997 and 2001 as a Masters athlete, under coaches such as Dolph Schayes and Marty Riger.

Jewish Sports Congress and coaching
In the 1990s, Kufeld helped found and served as president of the Jewish Sports Congress, along with Marty Glickman and Dr. Mike Cohen. He also worked in education as a basketball coach for Yeshiva University High School for Girls and for Stern College for Women, helping those programs achieve their first winning records.

Career and life in Israel
Beyond his athletic work, Kufeld has built a career in marketing, advertising, and public relations. He served as marketing director at the Weitz & Luxenberg law firm in Manhattan for many years and has been involved in various philanthropic efforts. Kufeld and his wife, Suri, have two children who live in Israel. In 2019, Kufeld made aliyah and moved to Israel.

Honors
Kufeld was inducted into Yeshiva University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019. He has also been inducted into the Independent Athletic Conference Hall of Fame and the Jewish Sports Heritage Association Hall of Fame (April 2024). In Great Neck, a local proclamation honored him with “Dave Kufeld Day.”