While the Hapoel Tel Aviv prepares in earnest for Wednesday’s UEFA Conference League 3rd round, 2nd leg match at Katowice, club officials visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp.

The visit began at “House 88,” the former home of Rudolf Höss, who served as commandant of Auschwitz. Today, the building houses an international research and educational center dedicated to combating antisemitism, hatred, and extremism, with a focus on the important connection between learning about the horrors of the past and investing in education for the future.

The club officials then traveled to the Auschwitz visitor center for a guided tour of the camp. During the tour, they walked through the blocks and gas chambers and viewed the deeply disturbing exhibits.

The tour was led by Jacek Purski, director of the Auschwitz Research Center on hatred, extremism, and radicalization. At the conclusion of the visit, Jacek received a commemorative gift from the club.

Club CEO Guy Primor said following the visit to “House 88”, “We may be in Poland to play football, but sometimes life takes us to places that carry a much greater significance. I think that everyone here has a historical connection to this place in one way or another. The people here have created an incredible connection between history and the future and if there is one thing we have learned over the years and especially since October 7, it is that we cannot simply say ‘never forget.’ We must also make sure that this never happens again.”