Hapoel Lev Jerusalem withstands Iran attack

Iran had other plans in what was supposed to be a celebration of basketball returning to action for Hapoel Lev Jerusalem in the 2024-25 Preseason Winner Tournament against Hapoel Kfar Saba at the Malha Arena.

Midway through the second quarter, with the Reds comfortably ahead by roughly 20 points, sirens rang out across Israel, sending all of the players, fans, and staff to the bomb shelter along with millions of others around the country from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv to Beer Sheva as the Iranian regime launched close to 200 missiles towards the Holy Land. 

As everyone filed in one by one to what is also a training room in the quaint 2,000-seat facility, loud explosions were heard overhead as the missile defense system began taking care of the threat that thankfully did not take the life of any Israeli citizen. 

Selfies were taken and posted to social media, while others called loved ones to say that they were taking cover and to see how they were doing as well. Mothers and fathers checked on their children, while others sent messages halfway around the world to say, 'Hey, we are okay.'

There was plenty of water and food to eat as everyone milled around looking for updates on the news websites. In contrast, others were glued to their phones, watching the men’s Hapoel Jerusalem team take on Lietkabelis in EuroCup action. 

As we waited for the government to give the all-clear, The Sports Rabbi spoke to two Jerusalem players, veteran Israeli scorer Shir Tirosh and Zoe Wadoux from France, about their current situation.

“It’s a crazy situation and reality that we are in,” Tirosh began. “It’s crazy that we are still in this reality a year later, and it’s tough to begin the new season like this, and it’s very sad. There are sirens in Jerusalem, sirens in Tel Aviv, sirens in the entire country. It’s just a crazy reality. I think that what is keeping me level-headed is the fact that I am helping the foreigners on the team stay calm because they are certainly more nervous than we are. I’m here to help them and stay positive about the situation that we are all in.”

Wadoux, one of the foreigners that Tirosh was referring to, agreed wholeheartedly, “The club has been great, and I know all of the safety precautions that I have to take if something happens. This is the first time that I had to do it and I knew that it was possibly going to happen. Everybody around me is helping me know what to do and to make sure that I am safe because that can be scary for someone. Great people around me to make sure that I am safe.”

All in all, the 23-year old 5”10 point guard, who played the last two seasons in Poland seemed to take all of the the extracurricular activities in stride, “It’s not something usual for me, but at the end of the day I’m here to play basketball. It’s weird to have to stop the game and take shelter but I knew that when I arrived here that this was the situation and I am aware of that. I am here to play sports and I know that I have to deal with the war that is going on.”

Players have helped others adapt to life during war

Since last year, when the war broke out on October 7th, the Israeli players have learned how to best help the newcomers to the Holy Land, Tirosh explained.

“The import players that are here are, for the most part, calm and understand what has been going on. When they arrived they spoke to us that they weren’t that afraid to come to Israel despite the situation that the country has been in. We have been speaking to them a lot about what is going on. Last year, after October 7th, when we weren’t really prepared with how to deal with the situation, we had to act on our instincts with the foreigners, so now we are much more prepared to handle that aspect. We are always explaining to them what is going on.”

However, many of the import players are here in Israel without family and friends, and for Wadoux, just like any other foreign player, those close to them ar concerned about their well-being.

“I made the decision during the summer and at that moment the war wasn’t that bad and when I got here it got worse. Obviously it’s tough on my family and friends and all of the people that love me at home to know that I am here. I tried to call them and reach out to them everyday to say that I am ok and that I am safe. But with these types of events that will of course worry. But I am here and I will try to do as much as I can to be safe and let them know that I am safe.”

The team in effect becomes the player’s family for at least the year they are with them abroad and that is the case for Wadoux expressed her happiness about how important it is for her that she feels comfortable with the people around her off the court before that being the case on the floor.

“When my agent told me about the club, he said that it was one big family and that’s one of the big things that I want to play for, I want to feel good as a person before feeling good on the court. If I feel good as a person, then it will be so much easier for everyone, and that is what this team and this club have been doing, making me feel like I am part of the family, part of the club, and they are doing a great job to make me feel at home. All of things really calmed me. The team plays really well on the court and what they did last year was a big thing, but at the end of the day they are good people and that’s what I was looking for.”

As Israelis and Jews around the world get ready to celebrate Rosh HaShana, the Jewish New Year, on Wednesday night, the war continues to rage on with many different actors playing a part, from Hamas to Hezbollah to Iran and others. For Tirosh, she had only one hope and one dream, “The one thing that I want the most in the entire world is that the hostages will all come home. I don’t care if there will be a season or won’t be a season, I just don’t care, they all have to come home as quickly as possible and that our soldiers in the IDF will come back and that everything will end soon.”