On Monday night, as Maccabi Tel Aviv hosted Hapoel Ra'anana, the Jewish people celebrated the sixth night of the festival of Hanukkah. Before the match, the club conducted, together with the spectators, a representative of the Israeli rabbinate and first team manager Benny Tabak, a ceremony for the lighting of the six festival candles on the pitch at Bloomfield Stadium. Special guests were invited by the club to join in lighting each one of the six candles:

Dan Morgenstern and Ilan Eichner from Mexico, participants in the Maccabi World Union's "Bekeff Hadracha" programme, which through Union centres in Jewish communities throughout Latin America brings secondary school leavers to Israel for half a year to make acquaintance with Israeli society and culture. During the course of their stay these young people have the opportunity to try out life in various sectors of Israeli society: By staying on kibbutz, by living in the cities, by volunteering in the community and for the emergency medical services of the Magen David Adom and by participating in a special two-month youth educational course specially designed by the Israeli army for young Jewish people from abroad.

Sisters Limor and Eliana Newmark from England, representatives of the independent not-for-profit organisation "Nefesh B'Nefesh", established in 2002 to breathe new life into efforts to encourage Jews from Western countries to come to live in Israel. In partnership with the government of Israel and the Jewish Agency, "Nefesh B'Nefesh" have succeeded in the ten years of their activity in attracting more than 35,000 Jews from Britain, Canada and the U.S.A. to move to Israel.

Maccabi fan Ben Birenbaum, who just this week celebrated his birthday and attends every one of Maccabi Tel Aviv's home matches.

And last but not least, the Atias family from Kfar Saba, winners of the club's "My Maccabi Family" competition conducted by the club on their official Facebook and Instagram pages.

 

 

Maccabi Tel Aviv Stars, past and present, attended a ceremony at Kfar Hamaccabiah to celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah

Five of Maccabi Tel Aviv's first team members – Sheran Yeini, Eytan Tibi, Dor Micha, Reef Peretz and Barak Levi – came last night (Tuesday) to a candle-lighting ceremony at Kfar Hamaccabiah near Tel Aviv to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Presentation at the the event, organised by veteran Israeli sport journalist Haim Pantilat, was in the hands of Danny Dvorin, veteran athlete and author of the book "The First 102 Years" about the history of Maccabi Tel Aviv. The highlight of the evening was an encounter between the five current first team members and some of the great names out of Maccabi Tel Aviv's past, among them Noah Resnick, Yossele Goldstein, Tzvika Rosen, Shalom Shikva, Vicki Peretz, Ory Sliman and Yair Pantilat.

The present first team manager Benny Tabak and goalkeeping coach Alexander Ubarov , both former Maccabi Tel Aviv greats, also honoured the celebration with their presence. After enjoying some refreshments, including traditional Hanukkah "suvganiot" cakes, Maccabi stars both past and present took time to share their experiences: Veterans spoke about their time at the club while the "youngsters" filled the veterans in about the contemporary life of a Maccabi football player of today. At the end of the evening both groups of Maccabi Tel Aviv stars were invited along with club staff veterans Gidon Barkiman, Yehuda Livni and Baruch Azarti to light the festival candles on the seventh night of the Hanukkah holiday.

 

 

 

Teams in Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division celebrated the fifth day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah together with children from the "Larger than Life" and "Psagot" associations at a candle-lighting ceremony at the Youth Division complex

Teams in Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division today continued their tradition of celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah by lighting candles at the Kiryat Shalom training ground. Special guests at this festive occasion were children from the "Larger than Life" and "Psagot" associations, who enjoyed the experience thoroughly, especially the Maccabi Tel Aviv mascot "Maccabino", who put smiles on all the children's faces. By promoting equal opportunity in education, "Psagot" focus their attention on closing the gaps that exist in Israeli society and run some 30 centres throughout the country's social and geographic periphery. "Larger than Life" devote their energies to improving the quality of life and the well-being of children – and their families – suffering from cancer throughout Israel, without regard to gender, religion or race.

Director of football at the Youth Division Nir Levin and general secretary Nissim Sidi invited a number of special guests to join in in lighting the candle of the fifth night of this Maccabean holiday: Representatives of the two associations, Dorit Cohen (widow of the late Maccabi star Avi Cohen), Youth Division veterans Baruch Azarti and Yehuda Livni, Gidon Brickman (whose late son Shachar gave his name to the Under-19s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar") and a representative of the Youth Division, Under-19 captain Dor Jan. He was afterwards joined by the rest of the youngsters of the Youth Division in handing out presents to the children of both associations. Maccabi Tel Aviv's community fan organisation "Achim Lesemel" also provided the children with holiday joy, running face-painting booths and putting some festive colour on the children's faces. And along with the candle-lighting that brought festival warmth into their hearts, the children have all been invited to be Maccabi Tel Aviv's guests at the first team's next competitive league match tomorrow night against Hapoel Ra'anana. 

 

 

Youth Division teams lit the second Hanukah candle with children from the organisations "Larger Than Life" and "Special Olympics" at Maccabi Tel Aviv's youth facility

This evening Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division hosted children from the organisations "Larger Than Life" and "Special Olympics"  for a traditional Jewish Hanukah celebration that has now become a Club tradition.  The Youth Division football director, Nir Levine, hosted the evening, inviting division veterans Baruch Ezrati and Yehuda Livni to light the candles.  Attending the event were owner's representative Jack Angelides, Gideon Brickman and players of the senior team – Barak Levi, Gael Marguelis, Yagil Biton, Reef Peretz and Ben Ben Yair, who handed out gifts to the "Larger Than Life" and "Special Olympics" children.  The event was held in co-operation with the "Achim LaSemel" fan organisation, who provided candy floss, festive music and a face painting booth.  Though not on a footballer's regular diet, in an exceptional gesture director Levine allowed the players from the various youth teams to taste one traditional Hanukah treat, a "suvgania", so that they, too, could enjoy the holiday celbrations.

Maccabi Tel Aviv wish to thank Said Abulafia for donating the "suvganiot" for the event, as well as "Achim LaSemel" for their presence at every club event and their help in supporting the huge community of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.

 

 

A festive reception was held last night at the official Eintracht Frankfurt museum ahead of tonight's (Thursday) Europa League group stage match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club. This in honour of the special relationship that exists between the Maccabi movement and the city of Frankfurt. Present at the reception were the owner of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club, Mitch Goldhar, his representative in Israel Jack Angelides, MTA sports director Jordi Cruyff and first team manager Benny Tabak. At the reception, representatives of the Maccabi movement in Frankfurt explained the special relationship that exists between the Jewish people and Eintracht Frankfurt, who numbered among their ranks six Jewish footballers who played in the 1930's. Their careers were abruptly ended after the Olympic games held in Berlin in 1936, when the German authorities forbad the further participation of the Jewish players. Also present at the reception was a representative of Maccabi Frankfurt, today aged 92, who spoke about the conduct of the Jewish sport organisation's affairs in those difficult years.  

This afternoon (Tuesday) saw the festive opening of the Israeli "Fair-Play Football" Championships at Maccabi Tel Aviv's Kiryat Shalom sporting complex. The competition, dedicated in the name of former Maccabi Tel Aviv star, the late Avi Cohen, is the initiative of the Israeli sports secretary Ms Limor Livnat in co-operation with the organisation "Football Nation" and the Council for the Prevention of Violence in Sports.

Among other things, what makes this competition, now in its third year, so special is that the matches are played without referees or linesmen, compelling the 186 participating teams from throughout the country to put into practice the rules of the beautiful game as it was meant to be played.

Maccabi Tel Aviv's contribution to the tournament was their training ground at Kiryat Shalom. During the opening ceremony, Maccabi owner representative Jack Angelides spoke with admiration of the contribution of the late Avi Cohen to Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club over the years and stressed the importance of the tournament in particular and of fair play in football in general.

The opening kick of the competition was also a co-operative effort, between Ms Livnat and the late Avi Cohen's widow Dorit.  

  

In co-operation with the Canadian charity Grand Slam PRO AM, Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club provided the venue and the excitement for the final event of the summer camp of the children's cancer support group "Larger Than Life"

For the last four years, Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club have played host to the "Larger than Life" children's cancer support organisation, and this year was no exception.  This morning the participating children arrived at the Kiryat Shalom training ground at the end of the "Larger than Life" summer camp, an annual activity made possible by the contributions of Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club in co-operation with the Canadian charity Grand Slam PRO AM.  

After completing their morning practice, the entire Maccabi squad met with the children who came to visit this morning and devoted their full attention to them. The children had the opportunity to talk to the players and get their pictures taken with them.  Some of the children even took advantage of the goals on the synthetic pitch and passed the ball around with the players. Maccabi Tel Aviv's mascot, Maccabinio, was also on hand to take pictures with the kids and put a lot of smiles on happy faces. 

After spending an hour or so with the Maccabi players and the club mascot Maccabinio, each child received a personal gift from the club from the hands of one of the Maccabi stars.  The event ended with a ceremony during which representatives of the organisation handed the club a memento of the event and all of the children posed for a group photo with the team, as blue and yellow balloons were released into the air.  

The "Larger than Life" association was founded in the year 2000 by parents of cancer stricken children with a view to supporting them in dealing with the disease, providing medical and emotional support and organising fun-filled activities along with improved treatment and medical services.

To see more pictures of the event, go to the Maccabi Tel Aviv Facebook and Google+ pages.  

Together with legendary Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff, Maccabi Tel Aviv today participated in an activity that brought together Jewish and Arab children in Jaffa

In co-operation with the Shimon Peres Centre for Peace, Maccabi Tel Aviv this afternoon participated in an activity for Jewish and Arab Israeli children at the Cherner House Community Centre in Jaffa. Representing the club were owner Mr Mitch Goldhar, his representative in Israel Jack Angelides, sport director Jordi Cruyff and a number of players from the Maccabi Tel Aviv squad. Also honouring the event with his participation was Jordi Cruyff's father, the legendary Dutch and Barcelona footballer Johan Cruyff, whose foundation, "The Johan Cruyff Foundation" provided the funding for the Cherner House football grounds that provide training opportunities for Jewish and Arab children of all ages in Jaffa.

At the start of the event the children provided the participating Maccabi Tel Aviv players with a Guard of Honour and were welcomed by the representatives of both Maccabi Tel Aviv and the Cherner House. After a short get acquainted activity, both children and players got to the main event of the day, a showcase match pitting against one another two sides composed of both Jewish and Arab children, with Maccabi Tel Aviv players joining in. To the sheer joy of all the children present, dignitaries Goldhar, Angelides and Cruyff also participated in the game and everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly. At the end of the match the children presented medallions to all the Maccabi players as a token of appreciation from the Football Project of the Peres Centre for Peace.    

 

Today, at the training grounds of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division at Kiryat Shalom, a Memorial Day ceremony was held to honour the families of Club supporters who have fallen in battle

As in years past a Memorial Day ceremony was held today at the training grounds of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division at Kiryat Shalom to honour Israel's war casualties. Participating in the ceremony were players and staff members of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division and the families of the late Ilan Sviatkovsky and Oz Tsemach.

Ilan Sviatkovsky was a faithful supporter of Maccabi Tel Aviv who attended team matches regularly. He lost his life in a confrontation with terrorists on the 26th of March 2010. In recognition of his great devotion to the team that was such an important part of Ilan's life, a flag of Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club has been laid next to his grave. His family lit candles in his memory and his brother read the traditional Jewish prayer in remembrance of the deceased, the "Yizkor".

Oz Tsemach was also a devoted Maccabi Tel Aviv supporter who fell in battle in August 2006. In perpetuation of his memory, Maccabi's Under 13 South team has been named in his honour, "Maccabi Tel Aviv Oz", and his family also lit candles as a remembrance.

 

The ceremony began with the lowering of the flag to half-mast and after the candle-lighting, members of all of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Teams spoke in commemoration of these two young members of the Maccabi family and all the other young people who have sacrificed their lives for their country.

 

A festive event was held today at the Kiryat Shalom training grounds to mark the start of a week-long campaign to promote healthier lifestyles

Maccabi Tel Aviv's Kiryat Shalom training grounds were the venue on Tuesday afternoon for a festive event marking the start of "Sport Week Israel", sponsored and spearheaded by the Israeli Ministry of Culture and Sport. This year the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club have been chosen to host the event and play a role in the initiative to encourage the country's citizens to adopt an active and healthy lifestyle and to increase their awareness of its importance. "Sport Week Israel" is now in its third year and will run from the 26th of April till the 3rd of May.

On hand to join in the festivities were members of Israel's Under 21 squad including MTA's Dor Micha, Barak Levi and Moshe Lugassi, who arrived fresh from celebrating their newly crowned league championship. The Secretary for Culture and Sport, Limor Livnat, and the chairman of the Israel Football Association, Avi Luzon, were also among the participants in an event designed to showcase two major sporting events to be held shortly in Israel, the Maccabiah games and the European Under 21 Championships. The festivities opened with a short showcase match on half a pitch and were followed by words from the Secretary and the Chairman stressing the importance of healthy living.