The men's and women's teams held "Zikaron BaSalon" (Memories in the Living Room) gatherings to mark Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day: "A powerful message of the triumph of the human spirit and choosing life; it is crucial that we pass it on to future generations"
Moving gatherings took place at the Hodurov Complex, during which the players and professional staff heard stories of heroism that occurred during World War II.
The men's team players and professional staff heard the family story of Shlomi and Shai Aryan, fans of the club. Shlomi shared the story of their father, Naftali Aryan, a survivor of the Auschwitz and Buchenwald camps, who lost his entire family and survived through supreme bravery. Naftali, who later immigrated to Israel and established a wonderful, proud "red" family, passed away in 2019, and managed to guide many delegations to Poland and share his story with future generations.
First-team Head Coach, Elyaniv Barda: "It is a great privilege for us to hear and learn about the story of survival and rebirth of the late Naftali Aryan, and I thank his sons, Shlomi and Shai, for coming to tell it to us. The testimony we heard today is not just a memory from the past, but a powerful message of the triumph of the spirit and choosing life. It is our duty as players, as staff, and as a club to ensure that these stories continue to resonate for generations to come".
First-team player, Amit Lemkin: "The story of heroism we heard from Shlomi was difficult and moving. It is incredibly important that we hear these stories and pass them on from generation to generation".
The women's team players and professional staff heard from Yaffa Kosher the story of her husband, Arie Kosher, a Holocaust survivor who passed away in 2015. Arie spent many years in an orphanage and survived the war together with his mother, while his father, who remained in Poland, was murdered near the end of the war.
Women's team Head Coach, Ofer Ben Zeev: "We had the privilege of hosting Yaffa, who provided testimony to the journey of her late husband, Arie. She shared that his unwritten legacy was one of rebirth, and I believe she is fulfilling this legacy herself. We have the privilege to hear; it is extremely important to remember, not to forget, and to pass it forward to future generations".
Women's team player, Hadas Prawer: "Yaffa's testimony, telling the story of the Arie, was very moving and educational. It is the responsibility of us all to learn, listen, and pass it on to future generations".
