Amit Elor made us all proud back in 2024, becoming the youngest American in history to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. She also gave the most adorable Hebrew interview after that legendary feat.
Now, Elor, whose parents are Israeli, has another great feat under her belt. The 22-year-old just welcomed her first child, a son, with longtime partner and fiancé, Micael Galvão, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt competitor, on Jan 23.
The couple gave their firstborn a beautiful Hebrew name, Aryeh, meaning “lion” in Hebrew. They’ve even shared pictures of the newborn with a green bodysuit adorned with an embroidered lion.
The name has special significance for Elor. Like many Ashkenazi Jews, she decided to name her child after a deceased loved one — her maternal grandfather, Aryeh Dror. The athlete shared a tribute to her grandfather a year ago, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
“This is me and my grandfather Arye Dror (אריה דרור), who was a holocaust survivor,” she wrote, sharing a picture of her as a child with a kippah-donning Aryeh kissing her head.
“My other grandfather David Mackler (דוד מקלר) endured and survived multiple concentration camps,” she continued, “Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day and my heart goes out to all of those who were affected by the Holocaust.”
She also shared that October 7 and the rise of antisemitism are reminders that “the same forces of hatred and violence still exist” and “of the importance of standing together against hate. We owe it to the survivors, the victims, and future generations to ensure that history is not forgotten and never repeated.”
Elor is the daughter of the late Israeli discus thrower Ilan Mackler Elor and Elana Elor (née Dror), both of whom grew up in the Israeli city of Ashkelon. Amit Elor was raised in Walnut Creek, California, grew up speaking and hearing Hebrew at home, and developed a love for both Judaism and sports. It’s clear that both her Israeli and Jewish identities mean a lot to her, and that she’s hoping to pass on that Jewish pride to her son — starting with a fierce Jewish name.
Mazel tov, Amit!
