Maccabi Tel Aviv players visited a local primary school on their Physical Fitness Awareness Day

As part of "Move It", a co-operative project of two governmental ministries (Education and Culture/Sport) and the Israeli Football Association that recruits Israeli athletes to encourage physical exercise among Israel's children, Maccabi Tel Aviv players Sheran Yeini, Omer Vered and Reef Peretz yesterday visited the "Maymon" primary school on their special day devoted to making the children aware of the importance of physical activity.

The players started their visit by explaining to the children how crucial it was to participate in sports activities. The children also heard from them about the importance of continued physical activity in reaching the highest levels in sports. Afterwards the children had the opportunity to pose questions to the Maccabi stars and even join them in a game where the children were divided into two sides, with Omer Vered and Reef Peretz joining one side each and Sheran Yeini acting as referee. And of course there was also ample time for autographs and photo-ops so that each child was able to enjoy the attention of their favourite Maccabi Tel Aviv stars.

 

 

During a pre-game ceremony at last Saturday's match against Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club presented Holocaust survivor and MTA fan Avraham Avraham with the Club's badge of honour

Just before the start of  last Saturday's match against Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club held a ceremony to present the club's badge of honour to Holocaust survivor and MTA fan Avraham Avraham, with whom the club and the players have maintained close contact over the past two years. Avraham was very moved by the ceremony in his honour and as an avid Maccabi Tel Aviv supporter stayed for the match and along all the other fans was thrilled by Maccabi's victory in the Derby.

Presenting the badge on behalf of the club and the players was goalkeeper Barak Levi, who together with fellow player Eliran Atar visited Avraham Avraham at his home to wish him happiness and health at the Jewish New Year last September. During that visit the two MTA players were surprised to discover how closely Avraham follows developments at his beloved football club in particular and those in Israeli football in general.

During the Second World War Avraham fought for the Jewish Brigade and helped Jewish refugees to make their way to Israel. After his own arrival here he also fought for his country and received 6 medals for his bravery. Since making his acquaintance, hearing his life story and learning of his present circumstances, Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club have sent to Avraham Avraham's home a parcel each month to help him out with some of his basic necessities. On the occasion of  Holocaust Memorial Day it is a particular honour to count Avraham Avraham among the club's most loyal  supporters.

 

Yesterday four members of the Maccabi Tel Aviv squad came to the "Tachana" cultural centre in Tel Aviv's Neve Tsedek neighbourhood to help MTA fans pack holiday parcels for the needy

For the second year in succession Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club joined the "Shoreshim" organisation in helping to prepare special Passover holiday food parcels for the needy. In the absence of the twelve MTA players who are on international duty, squad members Rade Prica, Ignacio Fideleff, Avi Strul and and Reef Peretz all came to the "Tachana" cultural centre in Tel Aviv's Neve Tsedek neighbourhood and joined representatives of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Fan Community Support Group "Achim Besemel" and some hundred MTA supporters in helping to pack parcels of food for families in need at this Passover holiday period. Players and fans stood in two lines and began passing food items from hand to hand and packing them into the boxes prepared for that purpose. In all hundreds of parcels were prepared and by morning were making their way to families in need, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the "Shoreshim" organisation. 

 

 

Maccabi Tel Aviv captain Sheran Yeini attended the finals of the international robotics competition for children and young people held this week at the Nokia Hall in Tel Aviv

The finals of the FIRST International Robotics Competition were held this week at the Nokia Hall in Tel Aviv and it brought together hundreds of young people from Israel and abroad for a competition of cleverly designed robots in a kind of football match full of challenges and above all, fun. Among those attending the competition was also MTA captain Sheran Yeini, who was keen to have a look at all the uniquely designed robots practising a very different kind of football.

The competition, which began in 1992 and is designed for children aged 9-18, was the initiative of the Israeli FIRST organisation (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) with a view to encouraging children to take up studies in technology and engineering, and it was they who set the challenges and rules for the children to design and build their robots specifically to meet the those challenges. Groups of youngsters from countries as diverse as Turkey, Bosnia and California all participated in the finals of the competition.

In all, 51 Israeli groups and four groups from the abovementioned countries all faced two main challenges. The first was to build a robot not weighing more than 60 kilogrammes to play against five other robots in a match whose challenges included not only scoring goals but also climbing ramps, crawling through tunnels and, for the last moments of the match, having the robot play at a height of half a metre above the playing field whilst being held by yet another robot above it. The second challenge was to provide solutions for transporting people, goods and services in the safest and most efficient way possible.

In their commitment to the overall development of our youth, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football club warmly applauds this all important initiative and looks forward to seeing these children as the future leaders in the development of technology beneficial to everyone. 

 

Every year Israel celebrates "Good Deeds Day" and Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club are enthusiastic participants. This year the Special Needs Children of the "Ahava" Association came to meet their favourite MTA stars and the joy was shared by all

Yesterday afternoon at the Kiryat Shalom training ground Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club hosted "Ahava", the Israel Association for Special Needs Children, for a joyful meeting between some 100 of the very special children they assist and Maccabi's very special football players.

The timing of this occasion was not coincidental. Yesterday Israel marked its annual "Good Deeds Day", a tradition that started in 2007 with a view to encouraging the spirit of volunteerism and mutual responsibility in Israeli society. "Good Deeds Day" is the flagship project of the Israeli organisation "Ruah Tova" (Good Spirit) whose overall goal is to promote volunteerism in Israel and were instrumental in organising the visit of children of the "Ahava" Association to Kiryat Shalom. Maccabi Tel Aviv's own fans' community support organisation, "Achim Besemel", also never miss a chance to get involved in community affairs and contributed their part in the festivities by setting up stands where the children could get help painting their faces. The children also made use of the opportunity to do a bit of their own footballing on the specially prepared pitch, practising runs and shooting at the goal mouth. But the real fun started when the players themselves arrived and not one child missed out on a photo-op or an autograph from their favourite Maccabi Tel Aviv star. The children's excitement could be felt every moment and reached its peak when they were treated to a group picture and presents by all the Maccabi Tel Aviv players.

 

 

Members of the Maccabi Tel Aviv squad paid a visit yesterday to the "Shanty House" and found it hard not to fall in love with the place, especially with the kids

For Maccabi Tel Aviv, football is not just about strengthening a squad, it's also about strengthening ties with the community that provide so much vital support to the players and the club they represent. It is in that spirit that yesterday five Maccabi Tel Aviv players paid a visit to the "Shanty House", a "warm" house for at-risk young people in South Tel Aviv. During their visit Barak Levi, Tomer Chencinski, Reef Peretz, Dor Micha and Eitan Tibi were all able to get a closer look at the work of this youth centre and watch short videos that describe the activities that take place there.

Joining the players on this visit were also representatives of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Fan Association "Achim Lesemel", whose main purpose is to organise regular community activities in support of the weaker communities in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. And while the players were signing whatever object the children wished to cherish, members of "Achim Lesemel" were handing out Maccabi Tel Aviv caps and scarves. Also present was Mickey Koppel, owner of "Start" – Car Services, one of the sponsors of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club. Looking quite moved by the visit, he handed out copybooks and pens to the children for them to keep a record of their experiences and feelings.

Needless to say, as in so many visits with the community, the Maccabi Tel Aviv players were also deeply moved and impressed by what they experienced. And in the case of the "Shanty House", they found it particularly difficult to say good-bye to their youthful hosts but promised to stay in touch as often as they could. They also asked the children to have their pictures taken with them so the players would have a memento of their visit. One of the children went even farther; he agreed to sign goalkeeper Barak Levi's shirt, and added a personal dedication. 

MTA stars brought smiles to the faces of the children from the "Bigger than Life" Association at a Purim Carnival held at the Arlozoroff train station

Maccabi Tel Aviv stars arrived at the Arlozoroff train station in Tel Aviv yesterday but with a destination of a very special kind.  They were there to climb aboard the "Train Made for Smiles", one of many events held by the "Bigger than Life" Association to bring joy to the hearts of children suffering from cancer. And with Purim just around the corner, what could be more joyful than a Purim Carnival with clowns, games, treats and of course your favourite football hero! And let's not forget "Maccabino", the Maccabi Tel Aviv mascot, who brought smiles to the faces of one and all.

Maccabi stars Sheran Yeini, Eitan Tibi, Yoav Ziv, Omer Vered and "Maccabino" all joined in with the children and were at their complete service for well over an hour. They answered questions, had their pictures taken with the children and of course were dutiful in handing out the ice-lollies. And what would a Purim Carnival be without all the varieties of costumes the children were wearing, adding to the festive atmosphere. But if you felt your costume wasn't quite complete, not to worry! A make-up booth was at the ready to add the final touches, operated by representatives of "Achim Lesemel", the Maccabi Tel Aviv Fan Club's own community support group.

Afterwards, Maccabi's Yoav Ziv described what it was like to spend time with the children of the "Bigger than Life" Association: "It's great fun to help these kids enjoy themselves. It feels good for yourself too, to know you can give part of yourself and do nice things for other people. I can't imagine any player saying no to an opportunity like this, everybody wants to be a part of events like these that support and help children."

 

This week the Youth Division of Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club held educational activities to perpetuate the memory of the football players who played in "Liga Terezin" in the ghetto of Theresienstadt and died during the Holocaust

This week the Youth Division of Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club is holding educational activities in co-operation with Beit Terezin, whose museum was established some 40 years ago for the purpose of perpetuating the memory of the prisoners of the Theresienstadt ghetto who perished in the Holocaust. Nine groups in Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division will participate in the activities, from Children's Team B up to the Youth Teams. The subject of the activities is "Liga Terezin – Sport and Youth in the ghetto of Theresienstadt", in memory of the football league that was established in the Terezin ghetto during the Second World War. Each Youth Division group will receive an hour and a half lecture and see an exhibition and film clips about the Terezin League that operated in the Theresienstadt ghetto in what is now the Czech Republic during the years 1942-1944.

 

Maccabi Tel Aviv players attended the screening of a special film about a football league at the time of the Holocaust

This week the world community commemorated International Holocaust Memorial Day, and as part of that commemoration a screening was held of the film "Liga Terezin" at Tel Aviv's Beit Hapalmach. The film tells the story of how in the shadow of the misery, starvation, death and the horror of the concentration camp transports suffered by the residents of the ghetto of Theresienstadt (in the Czech Republic), a football league was established and maintained in the years between 1942 and 1944. To this special event were invited the members of Israel's national U21 football team, among them three Maccabi Tel Aviv players Moannes Dabbur, Moshe Lugassi and Dor Micha. After the screening a panel was held on the subject with the participation of the historian professor Moshe Zimmerman, former Israeli parliamentarian Avraham Burg and Simon Kuper, author of the book "Ajax, the Dutch, the War: The Strange Tale of Soccer During Europe's Darkest Hour".