With young Israeli champions, representation at the World Championship and strong belief along the way, chess in Arab society continues to gain momentum. Today the Israeli Championship for children and youth began at the Wohl Center on the Bar-Ilan University campus, featuring hundreds of the country's most promising young players, including dozens of participants from Arab society who aim to sustain the progress and achieve further success on the national stage.

In recent years the standing of chess within Arab society has steadily strengthened thanks to the efforts of clubs, coaches and volunteers who nurture children and teenagers from an early age. Despite challenges and limited resources, players from Arab society are increasingly standing out in Israeli championships and representing the country in international events. Prominent clubs driving this growth include those in Tira and Nazareth, which consistently develop a new generation of competitors.

One of this year's notable achievements came from the Tira chess school, operating under the local club, where Maria Abu Bakr and Tulin Jaljulia claimed the top two spots in the Israeli under-8 girls championship, bringing pride to Tira and the wider Arab community. The pair displayed impressive skill, maturity and focus, demonstrating that the future of chess in Arab society rests in capable hands.

The Israeli Championship for children and youth, running from 14 to 21 July, ranks as the premier event in Israeli chess. Over eight days the nation's top young talents compete for titles across age categories, serving for many as a stepping stone toward national teams, European championships and world events.

Arab society enjoys broad representation at the championship, with players from various clubs across the country competing in multiple age groups to build on recent gains and contend for top positions.

Alongside national participation, Arab society recorded another international milestone. Three female players took part this year in the World Girls Championship held in Georgia: Maria Abu Bakr and Lamar Nasser from the Tira chess club, and Lana Shorosh from the Nazareth chess club. Their presence at the world event marks a significant accomplishment and reflects the rising professional level of chess in Arab society.

According to Hussein Khatib, chairman of the minorities committee at the Israel Chess Federation and director of the Tira chess club, the progress stems from consistent work over many years.

"Arab society continues to show it possesses abundant talent. Despite the complex period and the drop in participation due to the war, we keep investing in the children and believe that with proper work we can cultivate the next generation of champions," Khatib said.

He noted that a key challenge lies in sustaining development beyond early adolescence. "We have many gifted youngsters. The real test is supporting them after age 12 so they can keep advancing and competing at the highest levels. If we maintain that continuity, we will see more players from Arab society at the forefront of Israeli chess and on national teams."

Arab society hopes the recent successes will inspire additional children to join chess clubs in Arab towns. The accomplishments of Maria Abu Bakr and Tulin Jaljulia at the Israeli championship, together with the world championship appearances of Maria Abu Bakr, Lamar Nasser and Lana Shorosh, illustrate how professional investment, persistence and faith in young abilities can produce a new generation of players who will proudly represent both Arab society and Israel on the international stage.