It\u2019s late on a Saturday night and I\u2019m unable to sleep. As we approach the second anniversary of Hamas\u2019s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 \u2013 in which 1,200 were murdered and 251 were taken hostage to Gaza \u2013 and as we look forward to the return to Israel of the remaining 48 hostages in the coming days, I\u2019m reflecting on what has helped me get through the last two years. I\u2019m lucky that I wasn\u2019t injured or taken hostage, nor were any of my family members or friends. However, everything that has happened on since that dark day has undoubtedly had an effect not only on the average Israeli citizen, but Jews all over the world.<\/p>\n
I remember being in synagogue that day, in the early morning of Simchat Torah (the \u201cRejoicing of the Torah\u201d) holiday when someone ran into the synagogue shouting out, \u201cAzaka! Azaka!\u201d which translates to, \u201cSiren! Siren!\u201d I thought he was shouting out \u201cHakafah\u201d, which means, \u201cCircling,\u201d which is what we call it when, after taking the Torah scrolls out from the Holy Ark on this day, we dance with them around the synagogue in celebration. Of course, no one celebrated that day. We spent time in the safe room in the synagogue, went home and spent the day closely with our families wondering what was happening, only to find out the magnitude of what occurred after turning on our phones at the conclusion of the Simchat Torah holiday.<\/p>\n
On a personal level, first and foremost, I\u2019m lucky to have my young daughters in my life. I don\u2019t know what sort of long-lasting effect this war will have on them, but it is heartbreaking knowing that they have had to endure countless sirens from rocket attacks from Gaza, Lebanon, Iran and Yemen. I almost had tears in my eyes when I told my eldest daughter (just 7-years-old) about the ceasefire and that hopefully now there won\u2019t be a need for any more sirens. While one of my main jobs in life is that of a father, making sure that their needs are taken care of, I cannot measure how they have unknowingly made life so much better by virtue of just being there. What other reason would I have to celebrate Jewish festivals and other milestones over the past two years \u2013 while others who are less fortunate than me have had to suffer while their loved ones are injured or killed in the war \u2013 if not to make sure that they smile, laugh and enjoy life like every child around the world should?<\/p>\n
I\u2019m also thankful for the good people that I have around me, both at my office and outside of the professional scene. Some of those people who deserve a mention are my close friends at the Sports Rabbi \u2013 Josh Halickman (the Rebbe himself), his wife Sharona, their boys Dov, Moshe and Yehuda. Recent academic studies have found that sports fandom can benefit those who have suffered trauma (for example, see Orr Levental and Dalit Lev Arey\u2019s pilot study on PTSD and sports fandom from November 2022). We\u2019re not through the trauma in this country, but I\u2019ve thought a lot about how sport has helped me over the last two years. Without the Sports Rabbi team, I would not have had that overall support network, which also includes the Sports Rabbi\u2019s good friend, Roy Jankelowitz.<\/p>\n
As I reflect, there are many moments which I think of from the last two years as a sports fan in Israel. When it comes down to it, there are three which stick out to me, all of which come from Bloomfield. They are stories of survival, of mourning and of hope.<\/p>\n
Survival: Emily Damari and Romi Gonen<\/strong><\/p>\n The 2024-25 Winner League soccer playoffs kicked off on March 15 this year with eventual champions, Maccabi Tel Aviv, defeating Hapoel Haifa 3-0 at Bloomfield Stadium. Prior to the game, former hostages, Maccabi fan Emily Damari and Hapoel Haifa fan Romi Gonen, took the field for an emotional pre-game ceremony<\/a> after their January 19 release.<\/p>\n Both Gonen and Damari expressed their appreciation to the crowd and the clubs for their support.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to say thank you very much to both Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Haifa and to all the fans,\u201d Gonen said to the 20,000-strong crowd. \u201cThank you for fighting for us, we need to fight for all the other hostages who are in Gaza. Yalla, Hapoel!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy dear brothers and sisters in the stands, my dear Maccabi family,\u201d Damari, whose jersey was on the sidelines next to the players\u2019 bench at Bloomfield for the whole time she was in captivity, where the jerseys of other Maccabi fans who are still in captivity remain, said. \u201cI could not find the words to express the deep gratitude that I feel in my heart. When I was in my darkest days in captivity, you were my light. In the rare days on which I had a radio, I heard that we had won the championship [referring to Maccabi winning the 2023-24 league title], I screamed even when it was forbidden to scream!\u201d<\/p>\n I get chills thinking of this ceremony, of Damari chanting for Maccabi with the home crowd prior to kick-off and then celebrating with Gate 11 after the win.<\/p>\n Maccabi clearly continues to have a huge place in Damari\u2019s heart. On Thursday when the signing of the deal to end the war and bring the hostages home, Damari posted a video to social media of her celebrating with the Berman family, their twins and Damari\u2019s close friends Gali and Zivi remain in captivity and are set to be released this week. What song were they singing passionately on the clip? MeHayom SheBo Noladeti, which translates to \u201cFrom the day I was born,\u201d one of the more famous songs sung by Maccabi fans at games:<\/p>\n From the day I was born They say I\u2019ve gone crazy Because of you all week long And when you take the field Ohhh ahhh, yalla yalla ya Maccabi \u05d0\u05de\u05d9\u05dc\u05d9 \u05d3\u05de\u05d0\u05e8\u05d9 \u05d7\u05d5\u05d2\u05d2\u05ea \u05d0\u05e6\u05dc \u05de\u05e9\u05e4\u05d7\u05ea \u05d1\u05e8\u05de\u05df \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05d4\u05e1\u05db\u05dd \u05e9\u05dc \u05d8\u05e8\u05d0\u05de\u05e4 \u05db\u05d0\u05d9\u05dc\u05d5 \u05de\u05db\u05d1\u05d9 \u05e0\u05d9\u05e6\u05d7\u05d4 \u05d1\u05d3\u05e8\u05d1\u05d9* \u05d6\u05d4 \u05d4\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8 \u05d4\u05db\u05d9 \u05de\u05e8\u05d2\u05e9 \u05e9\u05e8\u05d0\u05d9\u05ea\u05d9 \u05d1\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd<\/p>\n *\u05de\u05d4 \u05d2\u05dd \u05e9\u05d6\u05d4 \u05d0\u05e9\u05db\u05e8\u05d4 \u05e7\u05e8\u05d4 pic.twitter.com\/Sph8T3tMrU<\/a><\/p>\n — Amit Slonim (@Slonim) October 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nI knew
\nMy life belongs to you<\/p>\n
\nBut Maccabi
\nI just want to be with you<\/p>\n
\nI can\u2019t stay calm
\nWarming up my throat<\/p>\n
\nThe longing
\nWill turn into madness<\/p>\n
\nOhhh ahhh, the whole city will know I came
\nMe, I\u2019m crazy about you
\nYalla, all [Gate] 11 is behind you<\/p>\n\n