Israeli singer and Fauda actor Idan Amedi was only one of the star attractions at an event held at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem (MOTJ) on May 5, as the city’s famous soccer club, Beitar Jerusalem, held a special gathering to acknowledge its supporters who have been wounded while fighting in the war in Gaza and Lebanon.
In addition to Amedi, Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat and famed singer Itzik Kalah, both lifelong Beitar fans, and members of the current squad, including star player Yarden Shua, were in attendance. Current manager Barak Itzhaki was there, as were favorite Beitar players from the past, such as Kfir Edri, now the chairman of the Bnei Yehuda soccer team. Former hostage Karina Ariev, who was held in Hamas captivity for 477 days, was also in attendance.
Beitar supporter and comedian Asi Israelof emceed the event, which included speeches from Barkat, Jerusalem Municipality CEO Itzhak Larry (in place of Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion), Dr. Granit Almog-Bareket, founder and head of the MOTJ’s Leadership Program, and Edri. Israelof had a one-to-one conversation with Amedi, followed by a four-man panel with Lt. Col. Daniel Ella, Itzhaki, current player Dor Micha, and Beitar Jerusalem spokesperson Asaf Nahum.
Israelof asked Amedi in a one-on-one interview about his reflections on when he understood that he had been seriously wounded and was in the hospital.
Amedi responded that he initially felt some embarrassment because then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, then-Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu all inquired about his well-being.
He recalled feeling groggy after coming round from the effects of the pain-killing medicine, and while still under the influence, he asked to speak to former Beitar star and chairman Eli Ohana, a moment of authenticity which drew laughter from the audience.
He quipped that despite his doctor being a big Hapoel Tel Aviv fan, he received excellent care, and the medical professional didn’t seem to mind too much that a massive Beitar Jerusalem flag hung above his hospital bed.
Amedi’s final message was to the current players. “You really do so much good and that’s important for us. It really is like a family and I don’t know if you fully appreciate how much every goal and every victory uplifts the warriors.”
Barkat began by acknowledging the “wounded warriors” and reminding them how much the Beitar fans loved them. He congratulated the club, reiterating a recurrent theme of the day, that especially since Oct. 7, it has shown itself to be much more than just a sports team, rather akin to a family, which creates a home with a soul.
He recalled that when he was Jerusalem mayor, he understood the power of the Beitar brand, saying it was “synonymous with Jerusalem.” It went beyond that, however, Barkat remarked that the “team with the largest number and most loyal and committed fans in the country, and the word Beitar in the broadest sense of the word, signifies a lot for the State of Israel. It’s absolutely clear to me that the success of Beitar Jerusalem is the success of Jerusalem and the State of Israel.”
Barkat then zoomed out to review the current picture of Israel as a whole. He said that “to defend our country, courageous fighters are needed who are willing to sacrifice themselves.” He was speaking just two days after Yom Hazikaron, pointing out that more than 850 soldiers’ names had been added to the rolls of war dead since the start of the Gaza war.
The minister recalled his own service on the border of Lebanon in 1980, and in which he too was wounded in action—taking a bullet in the shoulder, as his company commander was slain in front of his eyes. “I definitely know and recognize this feeling of being a warrior and being wounded; and being a warrior is something from within. It is a desire to serve. It is love of the homeland. It is a true passion. It is unconditional love for the country. This is exactly what our country deserves.”
He said that the physical and mental rehabilitation were lengthy roads, adding that “we are committed to doing the maximum for you because when you went to war, you didn’t ask questions. Indeed, tens of thousands of fighters who were dispersed all over the world jumped on any plane they could to come home and to fight.”
Barkat, like other speakers, concluded his remarks with wishes of a speedy recovery to the wounded soldiers and the return of the 59 hostages, some of them still being held alive in unimaginable conditions in the tunnels of Gaza.
Itzhak Larry said the wounded soldiers were heroes twice over. “The first time they were a hero was when they answered the call to fight for the State of Israel; the second time is because of the pain and suffering during rehabilitation,” he said. “The heroism of recovery does not fall short of the heroism displayed on the battlefield.”
He was also the first speaker, followed by others, who recognized how the power of sport, the energy generated by shared passions, was a critical component of unity. At the outbreak of the war, people were depressed both from the shock of the attack but also the loss of routine, including sports.
“At Beitar’s games, you saw a lot of hope, a lot of light, both at the stadium and during training,” Larry explained. “This was a demonstration of resilience. And let’s face it, Beitar has given us morale in the past year, and it has also raised morale for all of us. I would say, the morale of the Jerusalemites and the national morale. And that is very, very important.”
Dr. Almog-Barket called the event “unique,” remarking that the MOTJ “acts as a bridge and creates connections between worlds, cultures, and generations.”
She drew a metaphorical connection between the Museum’s From Darkness to Light exhibit and Beitar’s colors of black and yellow. “The black represents the pain, the strength, the difficult challenges, the memory, the struggle, the moments of darkness, and the coping that we are not required to endure alone.
The yellow is a light that rises as a resurrection in the struggle for the return of the kidnapped, a symbol of hope for your recovery, which may help our recovery as a society, the ability to find inner strength and have a better future for a worthy society and our children.”
“Sport becomes a cure in a supportive community to return to the field,” she added.
There followed a panel, at which Lt. Col. Ella spoke first and described in matter-of-fact detail the events that led to his being wounded in combat. He talked of his tank getting stuck and how, like Barkat, his company commander was killed in front of him. He also spoke movingly of how, even preparing for battle, he would follow Beitar’s results, feeling energized and elated when they won and deflated when they lost.
Club spokesperson Nahum explained how the club swung into action to help in any way it could, as soon as the situation on the ground after Oct. 7 became clearer. Indeed, the drive to provide for evacuees from the north and south, among other things, turned the club into an operations room.
“It was meant to respond to any need, in any place, and it grew into something incredible—supporting the wounded, bringing children to practices, helping soldiers—whatever we could do,” he said.
Nahum said it was an ongoing effort, providing comfort and peace of mind for those who need it and accompanying bereaved families, including with lifetime membership of the club.
This was an important event for several reasons. It highlighted Beitar’s ongoing sense of responsibility as more than just a sports club, reinforcing its position as a cohesive glue for only for Jerusalem, but also on a national level. Additionally, hosting the event at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem underscored its growing influence as a location where seemingly clashing cultures can meet without judgment.