(From Left to Right: Ruby Josephs, Dr. Ian Froman, Harold Landesberg, Joe Shane, Dr. Bill Lippy, Freddie Krivine)
In 1976, six visionaries from Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom realized their dream and opened one center for tennis in Israel. Their vision was to bring the game of tennis to the masses, regardless of background, religion, ethnicity or physical ability, while providing the foundation to create champions in tennis and in life.
Israel Tennis Centers Milestones
1974
First donor check is givem to the ITC by Jimmy Connors.
1975
Ground breaking ceremony at Ramat Hasharon location.
1976
The ITC – Ramat Hasaharon opened on April 25th, 1976, with 14 tennis courts. Leah Rabin cut the ribbon of the Center, and 250 children signed up to participate.
1977
Canadians Joe Frieberg, Ralph Halbert, Harold Green and others raise money to build Canada Stadium, Israel’s first tennis stadium, in Ramat Hasharon.
1978
Canada Stadium Donors.
1979
Ilie Nastase & exhibition team in Canada Stadium.
1980
Itzhak Rabin playing tennis at the ITC.
1981
Shlomo Glickstein competing at the ITC – Ramat Hasharon Location.
1985
Ethiopian children come to the Ashkelon and Arad Centers.
1987
Amos Mansdorf wins the Riklis Tournament, the first Israeli to win the title. He achieves a career high ATP ranking of 18 with 6 singles titles.
1989
Ian Froman as the President of the Israel Tennis Centers is awarded the Israel Prize for social impact.
1994
Joyce Eisenberg and Mel Keefer with Wayne Ferreira at the Eisenberg Tournament, ITC – Ramat Hasharon.
1997
Coexistence Program expanded to Jewish, Arab, Bedouin and Druze children.
2001
The Residence Academy for talented players opens in Ramat Hasharon.
2003
Anna Smashnova reaches a career high singles WTA ranking of 15 in the world.
2006
Tamir Segal and Rachel Elmoualem from Kiryat Shmona and Ashkelon are awarded first Golf Medals at Special Olympics European Championships held in Berlin.
2007
Dudi Sela defeats Chile in the Davis cup in October 2007.
2008
The ITC receives an award from the Prime Minister for its contribution to Israel’s children.
Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich win the Australian Open Doubles Title.
2009
Dudi Sela reaches a career high ranking of 29 in the world.
Opening of the tennis center in Sajur Galilee (Druze town).
2010
The highlight of opening the new Tennis Center in Akko (mixed population of 67% Jews and 28% Arabs and 5% others).
2011
Shahar Pe’er reaches career high singles ranking of 11 in the world.
Muhammad Kunbar and Jafar Tawil from the iTC – Jerusalem, are the first Arabs to represent Israel at an international tennis tournament (Special Olympics in Athens, Greece).
Embrace Program is recognized by the government as an official program for children at risk included in the book of national programs for children at risk.
2012
Annual celebration of the “Embrace” project for children at risk in June at the ITC – Akko, involving more than 120 children from around Israel
2013
Maccabiah Masters Tennis competition hosted at the ITC – Jerusalem and ITC – Ramat Hasharon from July 17th to 30th
Inauguration of the Chicago Dome, the spacious new indoor tennis facility at the ITC – Haifa, in October
2014
ITC launches Children to Children Tennis Diplomacy Exchange Program with team from the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center in Soweto, SA. 
2015
Israeli children visiting their peers from Legacy Youth Tennis & Education in Philadelphia as part of the ITC’s global diplomacy exchange program in July and August.
2016
ITC alums and Grand Slam Champions Andy Ram and Yoni Erlich present special award to Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav during ceremonies at the ITC – Haifa marking our 40th anniversary. 
