Maccabi Tel Aviv’s “Special Maccabi” team for athletes with special needs that is sponsored by the Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation in partnership with Bank Hapoalim, is in full swing. On Wednesday the team was joined by the Great Britain Special Olympics team for training.

The Brits are visiting Israel and the two sides were put through their paces at the club’s Kiryat Shalom training facility. The players were assisted by club supporters who volunteer to help and who have become a regular part of the special squad.

First team striker Nick Blackman joined the event and said: “It is a great honour for me to participate in the Foundation’s project today and to meet the British Special Olympics team. We play a game we all love and we face challenges of one sort or another during our career. If there is one thing I can share, it is that they must continue to work hard, persevere and enjoy playing.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation manager Yuval Shaham said: “The British Special Olympics team offered to join us for a joint training session and we said yes immediately. Part of our mission is to cooperate with other teams from around the world and we are very happy to host our friends here.”

Laura Baxter, the British Special Olympics Head of Network Development, praised the move and said: “It has been a wonderful experience to be a part of this project, which is worthy of praise. It is an opportunity for us to learn from others who run such projects and to see this great project that is sponsored by a great club such as Maccabi Tel Aviv. It has also been a fantastic experience for our players to meet Nick Blackman who is an inspirational role model.

The “Special Maccabi” team is one of the main projects of the Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation for 2019-20. It has been established in partnership with Bank Hapoalim and the Special Olympics organisation. The team is made up of 18 special needs athletes and six club supporters who have volunteered to take an active part in training throughout the year.

The Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Fund on Monday inaugurated a new initiative in partnership with Bank Hapoalim and established a team for players with special needs which has been named “Special Maccabi.”

The launch took place at Maccabi’s PenguinPickUp training facility at Kiryat Shalom, with 18 adults with special needs joining in the fun. Six fans also became part of the group which is the first of its kind in Israeli soccer. 

The aim of the initiative is to give an equal opportunity to special needs athletes to compete under the club’s banner and they will hold regular weekly training sessions at Kiryat Shalom under the guidance of Fund coach Gil Ben Dahan who will devote his expertise to the team.

The players have prepared for the festive launch for a month and on Monday first team players Ophir Davidzada, Matan Hozez and goalkeeper Daniel Tenenbaum presented Maccabi uniforms to the new team’s players. 

Pizza Prego, one of Maccabi’s sponsors, also joined the festivities and laid on a tasty meal for the participants. 

“This is so important for us and it is particularly important for those present. I’m so happy to be here and be a part of this event and it’s great to see that sport can make people happy, it is truly moving,” Tenenbaum said at the launch.

This is the first of the Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Fund’s activities for the season and more are expected as the Fund looks to contribute and help local communities.

 

 

Maccabi Tel Aviv striker Matan Hozez rushed from training last week to meet up with some 20 junior players of the Boys C team of the club’s Youth Academy in an event organised jointly with the Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Fund. 

It was a particularly thrilling and motivational meeting, as Hozez talked about his experiences as a player with the full squad and the difficulties he has faced as a child and as he was growing up and how he has coped with school work while also devoting himself to becoming a professional footballer. 

Hozez answered lots of questions and told the boys they should persevere, work hard, believe in themselves and never give up on their dreams.

The Academy and the Fund from time to time organise meetings between Maccabi Tel Aviv’s current stars and the club’s young players to motivate them and help them aspire to greater heights.

As Maccabi Tel Aviv begin preparations to resume league action, and Saturday’s match with Hapoel Kfar Sava, players Ruslan Barsky, Eyal Golasa, Daniel Tenenbaum and Omer Atzili took time out on Tuesday and joined in the activities of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Foundation at the pediatric ward at Ichilov Hospital, also known as Dana Hospital, where they distributed gifts ahead of the Jewish New Year and wished  children Shana Tova.

Barsky said: “It’s truly heartwarming to come here and see the children’s reaction. Even a small smile from them makes us feel that we have done something good. It’s a praiseworthy and generous gesture by the club.” Watch the video.

Of the time off during the international break, Barsky added: We are continuing to work hard every day. The break has been brief and we are carrying on our tasks and preparing for the clash with Hapoel Kfar Sava as the game on Saturday is crucial.”

We all have dreams, but not everybody is fortunate enough to see them fulfilled, although in the case of Asher Ben Ziman, a Maccabi Tel Aviv supporter with autism, his dream was realized gloriously.

Asher asked the Maccabi Tel Aviv Foundation to help him fulfill his wish to train with the club before reaching his Bar Mitzva. Particularly, he asked to meet striker Eliran Atar. When Atar heard about the request, he wasted no time and invited Asher and prepared a surprise that Asher will never forget. 

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin awarded an outstanding achievement plaque to the Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation and the “Educating for Excellence” trust initiative on Monday for their work in community educational projects in Ramle, Netanya and Kiryat Shalom.

The club was represented at a ceremony at the President’s Residence by CEO Ben Mansford, coach Vladimir Ivic, captain Sheran Yeini and Foundation manager Yuval Shaham, who was accompanied by one of the girls participating in the programme.

Representatives from Israel’s Premier League clubs gathered for the event to celebrate a year of community initiatives throughout the country. The Maccabi and Educating for Excellence project was highlighted for its unique and outstanding work during the 2018/19 season.

President Rivlin awarded the plaque to Yuval Shaham, and 12-year-old Lia, a participant in the initiative’s activities at Kiryat Shalom.

Maccabi’s part of the initiative saw the club hold weekly soccer training sessions for boys and girls and contributed to their academic education to improve their chances of a bright future. It has been running for three years and during each year activities have expanded to include more participants and activities.

The annual Avi Cohen z”l memorial match took place at Grundman Stadium in Ramat Hasharon between the Maccabi Tel Aviv Legends and Liga MiShelanu from the veteran league.

This is the fourth year that the match took place in conjunction with the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club Foundation, the city of Ramat Hasharon and others. Prior to the match a special ceremony took place with the Cohen Family and Avi’s widow Dorit. 

Some of the players who took part in the match for the Maccabi Legends included Amir Shelah, Tamir Cohen, Itzik Zohar, Guy Tzarfati and Yossi Benayoun and was coached by Ori Sliman and Tzvika Rosen.

The contest was close and ended 2:2 in regulation time as Yossi Benayoun scored a dramatic goal late in the match. The penalty shootout was decided by Omer Golan’s winning spot kick to give the Liga MiShelanu the win.

The Maccabi Tel Aviv Legends Team was reinstatement a number of months ago under the auspices of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Foundation.

The “Passover from the Heart” project was able to prepare 400 Passover Holiday food packages for the needy.

Thanks to your contributions the Maccabi Tel Aviv Foundation was able to help those in need for the holiday as well as the post Passover period ahead of the summer.

The Maccabi Tel Aviv Foundation, the club’s staff and players want to acknowledge the fans who helped make the project a smashing success. The original goal was to raise 10,000 NIS but thanks to you our amazing supporters we were able to raise over 30,000 NIS.

When we put the packages together and delivered them to the needy it filled out hearts with pride and joy as the entire Maccabi Tel Aviv family was there to help those in need during these times.

We are proud that together we were able to not only make this project a success but also do it as one unit as a family; one community under the Yellow & Blue symbol that represent the values of the club.

The packages were prepared with the Lasova organization and were sent to many families ahead of the holiday. You are our strength. Together we are their strength