Israeli basketball: Hapoel Tel Aviv taking 160 fans to Belgrade

Hapoel Tel Aviv continued to roll in the Israel Basketball Premier League as the Reds bumped up their domestic record to 4-0 with a 112-76 drubbing of Hapoel Eilat this week at a packed Drive-In Arena, with over 3,000 fans for the first time this season after the Home Front Command issued instructions allowing gatherings of up to 5,000 people.

With Hapoel’s supporters singing and dancing in the stands throughout the 40 minutes watching the likes of Jaylen Hoard, Xavier Munford and Kyle Alexander use their size to dominate the game from beginning to end, it was also Gil Beni who provided the grit, center Idan Zalmanson who dished out an incredible nine assists and head coach Danny Franco who orchestrated the symphony.

However, getting back to a so-called normal in the basketball universe in the Holy Land will be one tall order and prior to tipoff, the club held a memorial service for the fans who had lost their lives on October 7 in the Hamas massacre and also since then as soldiers in the IDF operating in Gaza.

While on the surface, it appeared that things were back as they had been prior to October 7, there were some subtle changes in the event itself. There were no league activities during timeouts, music did not blare from the loudspeakers and there were also Home Front Command messages on the big screen as to what to do should there be a siren for rockets and missiles headed towards Tel Aviv.

This is the new normal for the time being.

Following the game, management announced that the club will carry out the largest flight project of any Israeli team to date as 160 members of the bereaved families, wounded IDF soldiers and evacuees from the south and the north will fly to Belgrade to accompany the team when it faces Venezia as part of the EuroCup competition.

At the initiative of the club, a plane was leased and rooms were booked in a five-star hotel in Belgrade for the group as Hapoel Tel Aviv will fully fund the entire project from beginning to end.

This delegation will be the third of its kind and, as mentioned, will be the biggest one after the prior two delegations which accompanied the team to a road game in Paris and the “home” contest against Badalona in Belgrade.

The entire group will accompany the team on Wednesday evening to the game which will be played at the larger Stark Arena, which is the home of both Partizan and Red Star Belgrade.

Reds’ owner Ofer Yannay spoke about the idea behind the project.

“Hapoel Tel Aviv is a family. Since the beginning of the war we have been involved, alongside the sports activities, in embracing and accompanying the families of the hostages and the victims of the 7th of October. We have the right to be a refuge of respite for them and to strengthen their spirits in these difficult days.

“The plane that will leave for Belgrade is another expression of this important effort, of which Hapoel is a leader in Israeli sports as we strengthen the hearts of the people. With pride and great excitement we will travel together, as one family and continue to be a steadfast light against the darkness that our enemies try to cast upon us. They will not succeed.”

Having the fans back in the saddle has obviously lifted the spirits of the players and club as they now embark on this tremendous project that should not be taken for granted.

Hapoel Jerusalem also brought fans to Belgrade last week, with former hostage Ofir Engel and his family leading the capital city side’s first delegation last week while the family of fallen IDF soldier Roy Dawi will be part of this week’s group when Jerusalem plays Benfica on Wednesday at Pionir Arena in Basketball Champions League action

These activities certainly lift the spirits of everyone around the Israeli basketball world and have a positive effect upon everyone involved as they use sport to bring awareness and some joy to those who have been impacted.

Jerusalem’s Yovel Zoosman spoke about being able to play the game he loves.

“It was special as it was also the first time as a Hapoel Jerusalem player that I played in front of the home fans. At the end of our game, I saw the Dawi family in the stands whom we had gone to visit after Roy was killed in battle. This is much bigger than everything that we do, these things are much bigger than basketball.”

Hapoel Tel Aviv’s Hoard also reflected on having the opportunity to play in front of a packed house of fans.

“It was amazing and we have been missing them a lot over the past two months. When we came out and warmed up I felt the adrenaline and it got us going."

The big man also spoke about the video series that he has been releasing on YouTube, which recently had a chapter about the Hamas massacre that occurred on October 7.

“It was a crazy situation and very unfortunate and I wanted to share that with people who weren’t familiar with it. Lots of people weren’t talking about it and I wanted to give them something about what had happened. It was very important for me to talk about it.”

Sports in times of war

The bottom line is, everyone from Israeli to foreigner, from athlete to fan, and their clubs are trying to do the most that they can for those who need it the most. It’s obviously not easy and certainly very complicated at times, but everyone is doing their utmost in a challenging and stressful time for everyone.

These projects must continue in full force in order to continue to show that the Israeli sports world can be a light unto the nations, and most importantly our own nation, to make a difference for the entire country in the time of need.