Hapoel Tel Aviv Basketball Club held its annual “Together Forever” memorial ceremony at the Shlomo Group Arena, marking three years since the October 7th massacre, remembering those who were murdered and who had fallen in battle while honoring the bravery of those who are no longer with us.

Hapoel fans and bereaved families gathered for an evening of remembrance, pain and commemoration, during which the stories of those who were murdered and killed in battle were shared, with tributes delivered in their memory.

During the ceremony, President Isaac Herzog delivered a message of strength to those in attendance, while Boaz Banai, who is closely associated with the club, performed several emotional songs. Sharon Kutz, Amit Halivni, Shai HarMash and Eyal Eshel then spoke about their personal experiences and the loved ones they lost. Club owners Ofer Yanai and Gili Raanan, as well as Hapoel icons Bar Timor and Tomer Ginat, also took to the stage to speak.

Sharon Kutz lost her brother Aviv, her sister-in-law Livnat and their children Rotem, Yonatan and Yiftach, who played in Hapoel’s youth academy. All five members of the family were murdered in their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7.

Shai HarMash then spoke about his son Omer, who was murdered in the safe room of his home on October 7. He was followed by Amit Halivni, who lost her husband Yuval, who fell in battle on October 9. Eyal Eshel, father of observation soldier Roni Eshel, also spoke. Roni was killed in the battle at the Nahal Oz military base.

Hapoel owner Ofer Yanai said, “That Black Saturday was a difficult, bitter and painful event. On Sunday, we had to wake up to a world that came after it and we asked ourselves what we could do. We helped and supported. When we had a game soon thereafter against the London Lions, I came wearing a shirt with the pictures of those we still hoped were alive. Over time, that shirt ‘evolved’ to include those who had fallen and I would wear it to all of the games.

“Two weeks after the game in London, we went to Paris and by then we had already brought a group of fans from the kibbutzim, mainly children. We organized a press conference and the children shared their experiences from that day. The reason we brought children was because on October 7, I was 30 or 40 kilometers away from the events. I know many people who were affected by what happened and even for me it didn’t feel real. So I wanted people to hear the stories directly from the children.

Hapoel forward Tomer Ginat also spoke at the ceremony, “October 7 touched the homes and families of many Hapoel fans. For us as players, knowing that people we see in the stands and who support us wherever we go were hurt so terribly stayed with us. We thought about them then and we think about them today as well.

“I want to share one moment that has stayed with me ever since. Our first game after October 7 was in Venice. I remember how it felt before we went onto the court. Everything felt disconnected. We were all sitting in the locker room, preparing to go out and play, but something was different. We didn’t talk about the team we were facing, not even for a moment. We talked about why we were going out to play and the reason was very clear; We were playing for you. For the people of Hapoel. For our fans who had been through and were still going through, so much.

Club owner Gili Raanan talked at the event as well, “On October 7th, I got up and drove my son to his base in the south, to the area where the fighting was taking place. On the way back, near Kiryat Gat, I was stuck in traffic, with smoke and chaos all around me. I told myself one thing: When all of this is over, we will try to do things differently. We cannot continue living our lives the way we did before.

“The empty seats in front of me here are not empty seats. They represent people who were part of us, part of our community and part of our families. They are part of our hearts, and we miss them every day. You can’t truly fix what happened or fill those seats again. But out of this terrible tragedy, we have to think about how we build new lives and how we move forward. For me, sport, and Hapoel Tel Aviv in particular, are among the strongest ways we have to build and live together as a community. To create and build lives, while remembering those who were supposed to be here with us and are not.”

Team captain Bar Timor said, “We stand here today as one family, to stop for a moment, remember and commemorate. October 7th is a day that cannot be forgotten. A day that left behind tremendous pain, families who lost those dearest to them and a void that can never truly be filled. But alongside the pain, this day is also an opportunity to remember the people who were here with us, their lives, their dreams, their families and everything they meant to the people who loved them.

“As Hapoel Tel Aviv’s captain, I know how much power there is in our team, our club and our community when we stand together. On the court, we play to win, but some things are much bigger than any game or any result. Here we are remembering, honoring and telling the families who lost those dearest to them that we remember, we will not forget and we will continue to carry their memory with us. May the memory of those who were murdered and those who fell be a blessing.”