They were best friends and grew up together from their childhood. They went to every match together and then to the army. But on one bitter day it ended. Nir Gellert remembers his friend Ariel Harush who was killed in an accident in 2017

November 17, 2017 at 17:00 my world turned upside down and all of my plans and thoughts changed.

Ariel was my best friend – Yellow & Blue in his soul.

You Ariel, who convinced me to change my life and become an integral part of our love Maccabi Tel Aviv and its fans.

We went to every match, in the rain, the cold and the heat. Whether in Bloomfield, Beer Sheva or Acre. For us it was a love that could not be stopped. Even when we enlisted, we made sure that every Saturday night we would be at every match, despite all of the fatigue and our families who really wanted to be with us.

We also chose the Maccabi Tel Aviv family.

I‘ll never forget how Maccabi defeated Bnei Yehuda in 2012/13 with a 98th minute goal. We jumped up and down in the stands that we broke a chair and we fell down in sheer happiness. I remember when we went to the stadium your smile filled your face with happiness. Your smile was something that was hard to forget and for us Maccabi was life.

And as I followed you and became a massive Maccabi fan, you Ariel followed me to the Artillery Corps. We had come a long way from middle school to the bitter day when it all ended. Today, going to matches without you no longer feels the same.
Dear friend, I miss you and being together with you very much.

Staff Sergeant Ariel Harush (1996-2017)
Graduated with honors from the Kiryat Sharet High School in Holon in the Biotechnology track. As a child he would accompany his father to Maccabi Tel Aviv football matches. When he completed his studies he enlisted in the Artillery Corps and enjoyed serving in the military.
On November 15, 2017, about two months before his long awaited release from the army and a week after celebrating his 21st birthday, Ariel was killed in an accident on a road in the north during an operation near Kibbutz Yiftah. He is survived by his pained parents and one sister

For three years, Aviv waited for this moment, to celebrate another championship with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Three years in which he commanded soldiers, went to missions in enemy territory, yet he always kept up with the team that he supported.

On July 20th, while he was resting in a camp near Kisufim, while his soldiers were in the area, Aviv could not lie still. He had to get up, put on his vest, take his weapon and his standing order and go to his soldiers to make sure that everything was ok.
WATCH: Nir Levi’s song about his brother

Just before he stepped inside, a bullet pierced the air and also his vest. It directly entered his heart and took the life of a child who only wanted to smile, the child that grew up in Maccabi.

“Aviv was the firstborn in the family and also the grandson, so he was special”, explained his uncle, Noam Levi who was reminded of that cursed Friday: “I was home and the phone rang. My mother was on the line. It was difficult to speak but she was able to tell me the difficult words. We went to the hospital even though the message told us that Aviv was killed.”

They tell of Aviv that he loved almost every extreme sport. But when it comes to ball, from a young age, he loved football. When the family from Petach Tikva was painted yellow, at that point Aviv naturally also became a loyal fan who went with his family to the silver section.
Noam explains, “Aviv was shy, but in conversations in my mother’s (his grandmother’s) living room on Friday nigts, he never hesitated to express himself each time that Maccabi Tel Aviv was mentioned. That was one of the only things that we spoke about.”

“When his siblings were born, Aviv discovered his destiny- to teach his brothers how to play football. Aviv played with his younger siblings regularly. After Aviv was killed, Dan, his younger brother, began to train with my sons at Maccabi. The choice was made because of Aviv’s support for Maccabi. Sadly, Aviv can’t see him playing in his yellow uniform.”

“The family’s support of Maccabi led Aviv to buy season tickets with us from a young age. He didn’t miss games. When Maccabi made it to the champion’s league and played in Sammy Ofer, we bought tickets for all of the games in Haifa and each game was a big experience for Aviv. We would go early and make a fun day of it. On those days, Aviv would not stop smiling.”

“On March 21, 2016, Aviv joined the army and served in the Tzabar battalion of the Givati brigade. Right from the beginning he wanted to be in Givati. We knew that when Aviv sets a goal for himself, he achieves it, and that is what happened. During his service, most of the Maccabi matches were played on Sundays and Mondays so he was not able to go to the stadium to watch the matches yet he did not stop following and getting updates about what was happening with the team.

At the league match vs. Maccabi Haifa that opened the season, the club conducted a ceremony in memory of Aviv. It was very emotional. On one hand the crowd stood and clapped hands in his honor, including the Haifa fans. On the other hand, it was very sad that we came to the match and his seat was empty. He is missed every day and at every moment and certainly at every match when he is not with us. I know that if he knew about the championship that the team won this season, he would be smiling his wide smile. He would be happy like he always was. We miss him.”

Shimi,

This is the first time that I am writing in such a formal manner. Usually, I just talk to you, quite a lot, actually. Mainly, that I need you to help me to cheer up your mother; that together we will all be able to find a special way to enshrine your memory; your love for life and how you were the best friend ever; your love of cooking, and our shared love of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Last season, in Netanya, during the game that sealed the championship, I found a few rare moments of solace during the first half and I looked upwards to try to sense you watching from God’s grandstand as the goal that secured the title was scored. I screamed my heart out and I looked up. I am certain that you were celebrating along with us in the stadium. 

A week later, Yarden and I prepared championship t-shirts with your picture and we wore them at your parents’ house, at the stadium, for the celebrations and at the special commemorative game that we held in your honour.

We grew up in Ofakim, in a warm and loving neighbourhood. We spent time in the air raid shelter and played football on the large grass playing area, and we enjoyed the delicacies cooked by my mother and by your mother. When I was about five, you and Dudu and half the kids from the neighbourhood all announced that you would be supporting Maccabi Tel Aviv. It was obvious that the rest of us would follow.

I don’t have any memories from the pitch, unfortunately, but there are many others which you were a part of. The neighbourhood, the football and Maccabi bind us even now when you are watching from the most auspicious of all seats. 

If you were to enter the new Bloomfield Stadium I am certain that you would be awed and thrilled. You would have screamed with delight after the 4-3 win over Maccabi Haifa at Sammy Ofer Stadium. Every Saturday, when I get ready for the game and Iris comes for a coffee with us, I am just a bit sad because I am certain that she imagines that if you were here you would also you would join us. You certainly are watching from above and you are so proud of her and how she fights back the pain of your loss and how she strives to commemorate you. She does all she can so that everybody will know who and what you were.

You so loved life.

Shimi Ruimi (1986-2016)

Shimon (Shimi) Ruimi was born in Ofakim and became a devoted Maccabi Tel Aviv fan at a young age. In the latter years of his life, Shimi lived in Beersheba but that did not deter him from making the long journey from the south to follow Maccabi and be with his friends in the stands.

On January 1, 2016, Shimi was at a birthday celebration for one of his friends at the Simta Bar on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv when a lone gunman sprayed it with bullets and killed Shimi and bar manager Alon Bakal. After fleeing, the gunman also shot and killed Amin Shaaban, a taxi driver.

Shimi is survived by his parents and three brothers. We mourn his loss. May his memory be blessed.

The 28-year-old faced the media at the end of the match and tried explaining his side’s failure to win for the second match in succession: “Ultimately, like we said before the match, we arrive to do our jobs and try win every game. As soon as we don’t win two matches in succession and are not where we want to be it is our problem. As soon as we show up not aggressive enough, it is simply not good enough and then the simple actions or the chances we create don’t go in. One thing just leads to another. We need to learn and move on from here. We would like to win every game we still have left this season and we still have the State Cup Semi Final left to play”.

While Maccabi are unbeaten in the Playoffs, the team hasn’t won in the last two attempts or managed to string a set of victories, as Peretz admitted: “We are no where near being good. We are a team that would like to compete for the league title in every season and such statistics are simply not good enough. We need to learn our lesson and simply show up a better team to every game”.

“We were taught a lesson in this match. We expected a tough match and when you play against teams like Netanya you need to be at least as agressive as they are and we weren’t. They won all the 50/50 duals tonight. If don’t play as aggressive as them we will simply not win matches. You can’t win matches when you don’t score goals, their goalkeeper was the man of the match today and that says a lot. One can work hard, create chances but have to score or else you don’t win”.

Maccabi arrived at the Netanya stadium for the MD32 ONE ZERO League match against the sixth placed team aiming to return to winning ways.

Last week’s 1-1 draw against Ashdod at Bloomfield kept Maccabi’s unbeaten record intact but with Be’ersheva also drawing 1-1 against tonight’s opponents Maccabi Netanya = the gap remained two points.

With club owner, Mitch Goldhar, watching from the stands, Maccabi’s coach Aitor Karanka made three changes to his starting line-up. Derrick Luckassen, who is one booking short of a one-match touchline ban which would side-line him from the State Cup Semi Final against Beitar Jerusalem on May 3rd, was left out of squad. Ofir Davidzada served his one-match suspension having collected his fifth yellow card forcing Karanka to make at least two changes at the back. As a result, the Spanish coach welcomed Maor Kandil back into the right side of defence with Andre Geraldes deputizing at left back. Nir Bitton filled Luckassen’s role as Enric Saborit’s defensive partner as the duo lined-up in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Dor Peretz returned to the midfield engine room alongside Dan Glazer with Gabi Kanichowsky dropping to the bench. Dan Biton and Parfait Guiagon both kept their places supplying the width to Karanka’s formation in support of the striking duo Eran Zahavi and Djordje Jovanovic.

On the bench alongside him, Karanka named Daniel Tenenbaum, Joris van Overeem, Gabi Kanichowsky, Sheran Yeini, Eyal Golasa, Eylon Almog, Shahar Piven, Dor Turgeman and Matan Hozez.

First Half

Maccabi began the match with purpose and intention which saw the ball hit the back of the Netanya net less than 30 seconds after the first whistle was heard. Djordje Jovanovic beat two Netanya defenders down the right before crossing the ball to Eran Zahavi whose attempt of a shot reached Dan Biton. The midfielder side-footed the ball home but Maccabi’s celebrations were short-lived. According to VAR Jovanovic was judged to have committed a foul in the build-up for the goal as it was disallowed.

A perfect team effort involving Jovanovic, Zahavi and Parfait Guiagon in the 11^th minute should have given Maccabi the lead. The Ivorian midfielder who found himself inside the area with only Itamar Nitzan to beat, forced a spectacular save from the Netanya keeper before Jovanovic sent the rebound wide of the target.

It took Netanya until the 18th minute to create their first chance as Boris Enow shook off Maor Kandil on the edge of the area before missing the framework. A minute later the hosts came even closer as Eitan Azulay charged into the area but blasted a left-foot shot which rattled Daniel Peretz’s crossbar. Netanya grew in confidence as three minutes later, Azulay tried his luck with a long-range effort, which was equalled by Peretz.

The high tempo match which was played mostly in the middle of the park saw both teams loose possession too often, as the first half ended goalless.

Second Half

With no changes to personnel at the restart on either side, the second half began almost exactly like the first one. Four minutes in, Guiagon fired home the rebound following a Jovanovic shot which was initially saved by Nitzan and the post only for the goal to be disallowed for offside. In the 51st minute, Maor Kandil released Jovanovic clear through as the Serbian forward slotted home past Nitzan. But once again the goal was disallowed for offside and the score remained goalless. Maccabi’s blitz continued and Biton could have done better after being put through by Jovanovic but his weak shot was easily collected by Nitzan.

Kandil went into the referee’s book on 53 as shortly after Netanya made a double change with Karem Jaaber and Patrick Twumasi replacing Ido Vaier and Ahmed Salman. Guiagon came close as his effort landed on the roof of the net while at the opposite end Aviv Avraham shot against the side netting. Aitor Karanka reacted with a double change of his own right on the hour mark as Shahar Piven and Gabi Kanichowsky came on for Kandil and Dan Glazer. Piven lined-up alongside Bitton at the heart of defence while Saborit pushed to the wing replacing Kandil at left back.

Andre Geraldes was booked by Snir Levy for tugging the shirt of Twumasi on 65 while five minutes later Zahavi was denied by Nitzan once again. Jovanovic blasted a shot over the crossbar in the 74th minute before Karanka introduced Eylon Almog for Biton a minute later.

In the 84^th minute Karanka made his two final substitutions as Zahavi and Jovanovic bowed out and were replaced by Eyal Golasa and Dor Turgeman for the closing stages. Almog could have scored within a minute after Saborit’s pinpoint cross found him unmarked in the middle of the area but his left foot half volley was kept out by Nitzan.
A minute inside injury time a Maccabi counter attack almost resulted with a late winner as Saborit picked Kanichowsky unmarked at the far post but Nitzan pulled another save to keep his goal locked and ensure the points are shared.

 

Maccabi will try and return to winning ways as they travel to Netanya and face the 6th placed team on Saturday (20:00) for a match which will open the second round of the Playoffs. This morning the team held their final practice session which was attended by club owner Mitch Goldhar who will also set to attend the match in Netanya.

Maor Kandil who was left out of the squad in the previous two matches but is set to return against a side which caused Maccabi problems earlier this season, said at the pre-match press conference: “The coach prepares us for the game in the best possible way to match our style. The previous match against Netanya wasn’t good enough. We are working to do things better and know what we will be facing. Netanya are a good team that weren’t in good form but have recently began to settle. Regardless, we will still come to do our best.”

With the State Cup semi Final scheduled to be played after the next two league matches against Netanya and Hapoel Jerusalem, Kandil added: “At this club you must be at your best in every match. People here would like to prove themselves as you must take every chance you are given. There are players here with contracts, those whose contracts are set to run out and everyone fights for their place. Every match is important to every player and we would like to create a positive momentum in these two matches so that we are arrive prepared for the Cup tie.”

On his season so far, the 29-year-old full-back added: “Every players wishes to play and I am trying to prove myself in every training session. I started the season well, but there is a coach who in the end takes the decisions. I have been at Maccabi for five seasons now and I have always been fighting for my place. There are ups and downs in football as you always tend to move between being in the starting line-up or being out of it. I always had tough competition from good players and always tried to do my best and wait for my chance.”