“Football is life!” This is the motto of AFC Richmond striker, Dani Rojas, in the popular TV show, Ted Lasso. While the tagline characterizes Rojas’s playful and optimistic nature, for a lot of people (and especially for fans) sport is a huge part of their lives. Growing up in Australia, Australian football played a huge part in my day-to-day life, even to the extent that on such a significant national holiday like ANZAC Day – April 25 each year, the national day of remembrance each year on which Australians and New Zealanders commemorate those who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations, while also tribute to the contribution and suffering of all those who have served – the main event of the day was, like for many others, an Australian football game between traditional rivals.

Today in Israel, we are marking Yom HaZikaron (in full, Yom HaZikaron LeHalelei Ma’arkhot Yisrael ul’Nifge’ei Pe’ulot HaEivah, which translates to Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of the Wars of Israel and Victims of Actions of Terrorism). The day was officially enacted into law by the Knesset in 1963, to be held on the 4th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, with Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Independence Day, being celebrated the next day on the 5th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar. (Some years, like this year, when one of these days is close to Shabbat, the dates are slightly moved, so, for example, this year we are commemorating Yom Hazikaron on the 5th of Iyar and Yom Ha’Atzmaut on the 6th of Iyar.)

While Memorial Day in Israel is commemorated very differently to in other countries (I can’t imagine going to a basketball game today), like in other countries, sport does tend to play a part in remembrance. Since Hamas heinous on Israel on October 7, in which they murdered more than 1,000 people and took hundreds of people hostage – more than 130 of whom are still in captivity in Gaza – sports clubs and their fans have been a source of support for victims of the tragedy of that day and the resulting Swords of Iron War, which still continues today. Clubs – both local and national – have honored the hostages and those who have been killed in many ways, including by holding moments of silence before games and hosting families of victims to games both in Israel and throughout Europe. Affiliated fan groups are constantly supporting families of victims in different ways and memorializing the victims themselves by sharing their stories on social media.

While I’m not a Hapoel Tel Aviv member or supporter, I have been deeply moved by the way that the club has supported its members and supporters since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron War, and especially during this specific period around Yom Hazikaron. As part of their Yom Hazikaron activities, from last week, the basketball club has displayed the names of those who have fallen since October 7 on digital screens throughout Tel Aviv, together with a QR code to learn more about their lives.

“Since 7/10, the Hapoel Tel Aviv community has stood out in the activity of commemorating the murdered, the fallen and their families,” Hapoel Tel Aviv Club President, Avi Zaidenberg said. “One of the activities that touched my heart in particular was the graffiti throughout the city, which were personally dedicated to each fan we lost.”

“This year, we decided that, in addition to the club’s regular Memorial Day events, we should commemorate and remember the fallen and the murdered in a different way, through a unique memorial display on digital screens throughout the city. Scanning the screens will allow those exposed to navigate to the memorial locations and the graffiti that community members created after the 7/10. We will remember them all. We will love them all.”

Last week, I had the privilege of attending a memorial ceremony held jointly by the basketball and football clubs at Bloomfield Stadium, which was attended by the teams’ players and administration, as well as around 250 members of the families of Hapoel Tel Aviv fans who fell while defending the State of Israel or were victims of terrorist attacks, including the families of fans who were murdered on October or who are still held hostage.

The ceremony, which was hosted by screenwriter and Hapoel Tel Aviv fan, David Lifshitz, featured singer Dorit Reuveni, who sang Yesh Prachim and Lu Yehi, as well as speeches from family members of victims and officials from the clubs.

Among the speakers were Eti Raz, the mother of Idan Raz z”l, a soldier in the 13th Battalion of the Golani Brigade died in battle on October 7. Thousands of Hapoel Tel Aviv fans wore red clothing to Idan’s funeral – known as the ‘Red Funeral’ – on October 11 at Eti’s request, as a result of her son’s passion for the club. She spoke of her son’s passion for Hapoel Tel Aviv and the support that she and her family has received since he fell.

“My Idan was in the 13th Battalion and he made sure that his breaks from the army were timed so that he could go to Hapoel games,” Raz said. “He would trade his shifts so that he could watch games live. He would take days off from his service to go to the Derby. Idan was a boy whose whole heart was red. “When he was young, he created a network of fans to organize rides from the north and the south. He spent most of his military salary on Hapoel scarves, shirts and flags. Even in the battle where he fell, where all of his equipment was burned, only one red Hapoel Tel Aviv shirt was undamaged.

“After the Red Funeral that we held for him, where thousands of people wore red and sang at the ceremony, ‘You will never walk alone.’ We understood that we have a family. The Hapoel family, which has embraced us ever since that day. We immediately began to understand the significance of the color red. It seems that you can choose your family. This choice of the Hapoel Family was first made by Idan. The second time, the Hapoel Family chose us, to keep us in the Red Club.

“Since the 7^th of October, the Hapoel has lost more than 40 of its fans. It could have left the stands with lots of holes, but Hapoel, like Hapoel, made sure to fill the gap – also that in the heart. We are together, also those who are looking at us from above, seeing how the Hapoel Family stubbornly embraces us, the bereaved families.”

After she finished speaking, the clip of a song recently written about Idan, Leolam Lo Titzad Levad (You will never walk alone – which can be seen here) was shown, in which fans and past and present players sang the song, which was written by Ifat Bar Sela, Ben Awad and Maya Hubani.

Other speakers included Or Shemesh, brother of Almog Shemesh z”l who was wounded in Lebanon 25 years ago and then died last year, as well as Reuven Yabalonka, father of hostage Hanan Yablonka.

“First of all, I will tell the families of those who were murdered – may you know no more sorrow,” Yablonka said. “Regarding the hostages, it hurts that Hanan isn’t able to be with us here. His room is as it was – all red. I just want to hope that Hanan will be here with us for the next game and will be able to support the team. I call for the release of all hostages.”

Both Basketball Club owner Ofer Yannay and Football Club CEO Amit Fest, as well as the captains, spoke to the audience.

“We hold a ceremony together because it’s the same community,” Yannay said via video message. “Yom Hazikaron is a holy day in my eyes. What sanctifies it is the memory of our loved ones who were and are now gone. This year, Yom Hazikaron is painted with the strong and bloody colors of the 7th of October. A terrible day on which we lost tens of the Hapoel Tel Aviv community. Also for those who lost their loved ones at another time, know that Yom Hazikaron is not bound by time. The pain is always felt sharply. When you come to the court you need to feel like you are coming with the spark of the sole of your loved ones who were meant to be with you here. Please G-od when we celebrate, they will celebrate with us.”

“At Hapoel Tel Aviv, you can see all the religions and sects in the same stand. This did not pass over the bereaved families of Hapoel Tel Aviv. You will never walk alone. One of the immortal lines that every fan adopts from the first moment that he steps through Bloomfield. Who is Hapoel Tel Aviv if not her fans? If not this special mosaic? Dear families, this community does not need Yom Hazikaron to walk with you. We promise that you will never walk alone.”

“It feels as if come here and we are supporting you and I hope that when you get home you will understand how much you give us strength,” Hapoel Tel Aviv men’s football captain Dan Einbinder said. “We all have different professional goals, but at the end of the day we have one common goal, which is to take this picture of the families sitting here and to make you happy.”

“We are focused on sport and we hear absurd things before an important game such as, ‘a fight for our lives,’” Hapoel Tel Aviv women’s football captain Oshrat Eni said. “We understand that everything that we do has great significance. We are representing important and dear people, some of them are unfortunately no longer here with us. This has tremendous meaning.”

“Since the war, I see many faces that I have had the chance to meet,” Hapoel Tel Aviv men’s basketball captain Bar Timor said. “Families who have lost the ones dearest to them. You do not understand how much you strengthen us. We came to support you and to give you strength, but at each meeting we together strengthened ourselves. After each meeting we ourselves left stronger. We are doing it for you. We will do everything for you. We are always with you.”

The whole ceremony was recorded and can be watched on the Hapoel Tel Aviv Basketball Club’s Facebook page.

Earlier today, Hapoel Tel Aviv posted a short clip of the event on social media, accompanied by the following words poet’s Haim Gouri’s poem, HaReut (which translates to The Comradeship), which Gouri wrote after the outbreak of the War of Independence and which is often played at Yom Hazikaron ceremonies:

Comradeship, as did all your youths
Again in your name we will smile and go foreword
Because comrades that have fallen on their swords
Left your life as a monument

And we’ll remember everyone
The elegant, the handsome
Because comradeship like this will never
Allow our hearts to forget
Love sanctified with blood
Will once more bloom among us

This evening in Israel, the official Yom Hazikaron will end and as a nation we will begin to celebrate our independence on Yom Haatzmaut. As life continues, sport will continue to play a role for many of us. For some, it will be simply going to games and cheering for our team. For others, sport will continue to be a source of support. I admire the way that the Hapoel Tel Aviv Family embraces those in need. While they continue to do so, I pray and hope for the return of the hostages held by our enemies and that there will be no more names added to the list of fallen soldiers and victims of terror.