Thirty-two teams, two winners and Maccabi owner-representative Jack Angelides between the uprights. Welcome to Maccabi's second fans' tournament at Kiryat Shalom

Just over three months after the teams "Maccabi Mutzmutz" and "Football Bematzliach" lifted the Cup at the first fans' tournament during the Hanukkah holiday week, Maccabi's second official fans' tournament kicked off today at the Kiryat Shalom training ground. In the early hours of the morning some 200 footballers aged 13 to 18 arrived at the complex to participate in what looks on its way to becoming a club tradition.

It was perfect morning for football and exactly at 10am the referee blew his whistle to kick off the games being played on all four of the tournament pitches. Sixteen teams in two age categories were divided into four groups of four teams each. After six games in every group and after each team had played each of their other rivals, the two top teams in each group advanced to the quarter finals. Not until close to 4pm had the tournament reached its final stages for each of the two age categories, at which time three members of the senior team – defender Santana Nivaldo, midfielder Guillermo Israilevich and striker Roberto Colautti – arrived at the training ground to watch the proceedings and present the winners with their trophies and gifts from club sponsors "Under Armour" and "Fujicom".

Ironically, the final in the younger team category was played between teams that bore the names of Maccabi's two largest fan organisations – "Ultras Maccabi" and "The 12^th Player". The match was one-sided from the very start and at the end "Ultras Maccabi" lifted the silver-plated cup after an 8-0 victory. In the older team category the final was a far closer affair that ended in a 1-1 draw. Last tournament's older winners, "Maccabi Mutzmutz", missed both of their penalty shoot-out attempts so this tournament the winner's trophy went to "Yellow Tel Aviv". In addition to team honours, Maccabi sponsor "Under Armour" presented a pair of professional football boots to the tournament's leading goalscorer in each of the two age categories.

At the end of the tournament an exhibition game was played on one half of the practice pitch between a team composed of the Maccabi coaching and administrative staff and a team of journalists who cover the goings-on at the club. The former featured Maccabi head coach Nir Levin, who also scored the final goal of the match, goalkeeping coach Shura Uvarov and even owner-representative Jack Angelides. Referee was Maccabi captain Barak Itzhaki, who didn't hesitate to caution any of players on the pitch. After two fifteen-minute halves, the Maccabi team emerged 6-3 winners. Shura Uvarov was named man of the match and rewarded with a brand new "Fujicom" plasma television.   

 

 

Maccabi Tel Aviv stars Eliran Atar and Barak Levy paid a visit to holocaust survivor Avraham Avraham and presented him with a holiday gift

Yesterday two Maccabi Tel Aviv stars, goalkeeper Barak Levy and striker Eliran Atar, visited the Holocaust survivor Avraham Avraham with whom they have developed strong ties over the past year.

Avraham fought in the Jewish Brigade during the Second World War and also helped bring illegal immigrants to Israel.  He later fought in Israel's wars and was awarded six medals of valour.

Ever since the Maccabi players met Avraham Avraham and learned of his personal story, he has been receiving groceries from the club on a monthly basis.  This time, Eliran Atar and Barak Levy visited him personally to give him a holiday gift and wish him a good New Year.  Avraham thanked the players and even had a chat with them about sports, expressing his opinions about recent league games and Israel's national football team.

 

 

Tonight Maccabi Tel Aviv will join the "Achim Lesemel" organisation in collecting food for the needy ahead of the Passover holiday

Tonight Maccabi Tel Aviv will complete their second round of pre-playoff Israeli Premier League matches against Beitar Jerusalem at Bloomfield Stadium at 8.50pm. But with one eye on the upcoming Jewish holiday of Passover, the club will also be joining forces with their supporters' community organisation "Achim Lesemel" in collecting food for needy families and individuals. At tonight's match, outside gates 10-11, 8 and 1, "Achim Lesemel" will be setting up booths where Maccabi fans can contribute such items as the traditional "matzah" bread, Passover wine, tinned goods, rice, matzah flour, or any other appropriate food item that might ensure a warm and joyous occasion for people who might otherwise spend the holiday in need. In the coming days all the contributed items will be packed in parcels and distributed in the month leading up to the holiday among those families and individuals most in need.

We invite all the club's fans to open their hearts and contribute as much as they can.      

Just under a year ago Maccabi lost one of their most devoted fans, Idan Ziv. Now their family wish to memorialise his name through the thing he loved most of all – football

Nearly a year ago, on Nov. 1^st 2013, Idan Ziv, a longstanding fan of Maccabi Tel Aviv FC, lost his life in a tragic fire. The 27 year-old Ziv was born and bred in Tel Aviv and football, and more specifically Maccabi Tel Aviv, was the love of his life. His death was a great shock to his family but their road to recovery began with their efforts to memorialise his name through his devotion to Maccabi Tel Aviv FC. His mum Dorit began to collect stories from Idan's past for a special book about his life and even wrote a song called "Edan Ziv's Final Whistle" (see video below). At home, Dorit preserves as a memorial Idan's room and cupboard, which is now filled with mementos donated by the Maccabi Tel Aviv Sport Club and Maccabi Tel Aviv players. Among other things, team striker Barak Itzhaki donated his shirt, as did former midfielder Lior Jan and other players and fans of the club. Joining the campaign to preserve the name of Idan Ziv is also Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club director of community relations, former player and European All Star Doron Jamchi. 

May his name be a blessed memory.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI5CoWjlKE8

 

Maccabi goalkeeping coach Alexander Uvarov and striker Eden Ben Basat attended the opening of the Tomer Hazan memorial football tournament

This year for the first time a football tournament was held in memory of the late Tomer Hazan, an airman in the Israeli Air Force who was kidnapped and later killed by terrorists in 2013. The tournament was initiated by his family and held for the family and Tomer's closest companions at the school their son attended, Hashmonaim secondary in Bat Yam. Tomer was a dyed-in-the-wool Maccabi Tel Aviv fan and season ticket holder up until the time of his death, and goalkeeping coach Alexander Uvarov and striker Eden Ben Basat attended the tournament as a symbol of the bond that exists between Tomer and the club.

May Tomer live on in blessed memory.

Maccabi player representatives were on hand at the "Park and Shop" Complex to help distribute parcels for the needy

Under supervision of the "Pitchon Lev" Association, Maccabi players Eran Zahavi, Eytan Tibi and Barak Levy were on hand this morning to help out with the distribution of parcels for the needy. As has become a club tradition, the players arrived at the "Park and Shop" Complex in Rishon Lezion, where they joined actors Gabai Sasson and Gilat Ankori in distributing fruit and vegetables before a taking a group photograph with "Pitchon Lev" director Nissim Tzioni.

Later, Eran Zahavi shared his thoughts with the official Maccabi Tel Aviv website: "Mostly it makes me sad. You see people coming who really need these things and it's not a pleasant feeling. I noticed that a lot of the people are older, and that makes it even sadder because it's our responsibility to take care of our elderly. It's no coincidence that 80% of the people here are elderly, and I'm hoping in future we'll begin to take better care of them".

Zahavi added: "Even if they don't know who we are, we can still help them and that's good enough for me. I wasn't born into riches, but I wanted for nothing and I was certainly never in a situation like this. But I can tell you that I was always aware of these things and I sincerely hope that every year we come here we'll see less and less people in this situation. This is definitely one of the nicest things we can do, to be here to help one another at the holidays and at times of war, but I'd be even happier if we could be here together all year long".

Since 1998, the "Pitchon Lev" Association has been working to fulfill an ideology and vision – that there will be no hungry, poor or needy people in the State of Israel. Through "Pitchon Lev"’s Aid Centres food, clothes and shoes are distributed to needy families throughout the country. 

 

In a pre-game ceremony, Maccabi Tel Aviv paid tribute to seven soldiers wounded in this summer's fighting in Gaza

In a moving ceremony held before the referee's whistle signalled the start of last night's match against Hapoel Ra'anana, a fully-packed Bloomfield Stadium and Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club paid tribute to seven soldiers, Maccabi fans all, wounded in this summer's fighting in Gaza: Omer Levy, John Susana, Shimon Dadon, Liran Sefer, Shlomi Goldhirsch, Dor Ariv and Yehoshua Mekaro. The soldiers passed along the row of starting players of both club's prior to kick-off, receiving warm handshakes and general applause from the close to 11,000 spectators that lined the terraces of the stadium. Maccabi team captain Sheran Yeini and honoured guest and fellow Maccabi fan Dr Hezi Levi, director of Barzilay hospital in Ashkelon where the soldiers have been convalescing, presented the seven with gifts on behalf of the club and the club's sponsors NIVEA, including season tickets to all of Maccabi's home games for the 2014/15 season.

Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club would like to express their gratitude to these young combatants and wish them all a speedy recovery.

 

 

 

Maccabi players Barak itzhaki and Eden Ben Basat joined the world's oldest holocaust survivor, Israel krysztal, to celbrate his 111th birthday. goldhar: "inspired by your courage".

In recent years Maccabi Tel Aviv have done a great deal toward commemorating the Holocaust, the decimation of the Jews of Europe by the Nazis and their allies in the 1930's and 40's, and today the club marked an exceptional personal story.  Israel Krysztal, born in Żarnów, Poland, and a resident of Haifa, marked his 111^th birthday today, making him the world’s oldest holocaust survivor.  Israel was born in a very small village into a family who owned a confectionary, but just as the second world war broke out and before he had reached his 11th birthday, he was orphaned and was later sent to the Lodz Ghetto with his first wife.  In 1944 he was sent to the extermination camp Auschwitz, which he survived and where his wife perished.  Despite the hardships, Israel continued the family business and brought his experience to Israel when he immigrated in 1950.

Krysztal, who is three years older than the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club, received a touching gesture today as two members of the team, Barak Itzhaki and Eden Ben Basat, organised a birthday party for him.  The players were very moved by Israel’s life story, embraced him on behalf of the club and gave him a jersey bearing the number 111.  The two players brought a birthday cake and balloons appropriate for a celebration that happens only once in 111 years.

Krysztal wished the players good health and success in their next games and in the upcoming season.  During the visit, club owner Mitch Goldhar called from Canada and spoke to Israel and his daughter, Shula, who was also at the party. Goldhar said: “"We cannot comprehend the challenges that you have endured, but we can and are incredibly inspired by your courage and spirit".

Israel's daughter Shula thanked the club owner and players for the touching gesture and for coming to Haifa to celebrate with her father.  The players updated Israel on the team’s current position and told him about Maccabi's long and celebrated history.  They joked that Eden Ben Basat wears a jersey with 99 on it and that Israel now has the highest shirt number at the club – 111, marking his birthday.

When talking about the visit, Eden Ben Basat said: “We were very touched. There is no greater honour than to celebrate and bring some joy to such a special person who experienced many hardships and still greets you with a smile and an open heart.  Israel is inspiring at all levels, a role model who showed us the meaning of being optimistic in life".

Barak Itzhaki added: “When I gave Israel the championship hat and scarf, I told him that he is the true champion.  I left the visit with a great sense of hope and pride, pride that was born with him before the First World War, survived the Second World War and the Holocaust and is with him still as the head of a family with 24 great grandchildren. Celebrating someone's 111^th birthday is undoubtedly one of the most exciting events of my life.  I thank Israel and his family for their hospitality, their smiles and their big hearts".

The Maccabi Tel Aviv family, along with the entire country, wish Israel a happy birthday, good health and longevity.

 

 

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-19s are busy preparing for their new league season, but not so busy that their thoughts have not gone out to the many IDF soldiers who have been wounded since the start of the current conflict in the south of the country almost a month ago. Squad members therefore resolved to pay a visit to a number of those soldiers who are recovering from their injuries in hospitals throughout the country. The players included Dan Glazer, Sean Goldberg, Dor Peretz, Idan Yogev, Matan Hozez and Yonatan Cohen, who together with Under-19 manager Dani Yogev yesterday (Sunday) visited soldiers and their families at Tel Hashomer hospital in Tel Aviv and did their best to provide a bit of cheer under the difficult circumstances. They also handed out special gift packages courtesy of the club, but most importantly expressed their gratitude to these young men their age whose sacrifice makes it possible for others to pursue their livelihoods in peace.