Fred and Allen from New-England contributed to the bi-national project in Emek Yizrael. The two were impressed by the children and their families and enjoyed seeing their contribution going to a supreme cause
By Yitzhak Haberman
Soccer club, Maccabi Haifa, hosted today (Wednesday) Fred and Allen Gold-Shenfeld from New-England, New-York, and the visit turned the day to a sport festival in Emek Yizrael.
The Jewish-American couple, members of the Seeds of Peace organization, whose goal is to support bi-national projects between Jews and Arabs in Israel, contributed nicely to Maccabi Haifa/Nahalal's youth department, that strives to join together Arabs and Jews.
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Yaakov Shachar, President of Maccabi Haifa's soccer club, Itamar Chizik, CEO, Yaniv Cohen, youth department's manager and Shmulick Hanin, professional manager, welcomed the distinguished guests.
In addition awaited them hundreds of teenagers from the team's representing the club from different age groups with their coaches and managers.
In addition awaited them hundreds of teenagers from the team's representing the club from different age groups with their coaches and managers.
The Gold-Shenfeld couple said, and stressed, that they fell in love with the project operated by Maccabi Haifa, they emphasized that their deeds are going on for years and one of their highlights was a meeting with the late king of Jordan, Hussein, when he was alive.
Maccabi Haifa's president who invests millions of Shekels every year in the youth department, where sixteen groups play, and the CEO, praised the generous couple, emphasized the importance of the project and added that especially in Maccabi Haifa one can see how a professional soccer club is managed with no difference of race, religion or color
Maccabi Haifa's president who invests millions of Shekels every year in the youth department, where sixteen groups play, and the CEO, praised the generous couple, emphasized the importance of the project and added that especially in Maccabi Haifa one can see how a professional soccer club is managed with no difference of race, religion or color
President, Shachar, thanked the couple for their willingness to join the project and mentioned that the first team which won ten Championships, five Cups and had wonderful successes in the European Cup, the combination between players from various religions is perfect, the same can be said about the different youth teams that a large percentage of its' players are Arabs.
The visitors began their tour in the youth department's facilities which are Israeli's soccer topnotch. A special brochure made in their honor was handed to them along with a special present, and they were very impressed from the treatment and conditions the club supplies his players.
Afterwards they ate lunch with President Shachar and CEO Chizik and in the afternoon they arrived to the field in Nahalal, the first settlement established in Israel last century and were welcomed by Eyal Betzer, Head of the Emek Yizrael regional council.
Afterwards they ate lunch with President Shachar and CEO Chizik and in the afternoon they arrived to the field in Nahalal, the first settlement established in Israel last century and were welcomed by Eyal Betzer, Head of the Emek Yizrael regional council.
The visit's climax was the visit of the American-Haifa's delegation in the homes of two families, one Arab the other Jewish, whose boys play in the club's representative teams. In both homes, the hosts gave the couple royal hospitality.
At the end of the visit in the club and its' facilities, some of which will be upgraded with the help of Fred and Allen's contribution, they thanked their hosts and promised to keep in touch in the future and to follow the project's progress.
