By COLlive reporter
Team members of the Maccabi Haifa Football Club were said to be the first foreigners to be visiting the Russian city of Rostov since the outbreak of Covid-19.
They came to town for a match against the Rostov FC team, a superior team that was absolutely favored to win the match, according to sports commentators.
Hearing about their visit, Rostov’s Chief Rabbi Chaim Danzinger reached out to the team who was visiting just before Yom Kippur. He suggested that this is an auspicious time of the new Jewish year, they use the opportunity to daven at the Ohel of the Rebbe Rashab.
The players themselves declined to visit because of quarantine rules. Maccabi Haifa chief executive Assaf Ben-Dov and others from the management of the team happily agreed.
The guests from Israel were visibly moved and excited to have the great privilege of visiting the Ohel at a time many others aren’t allowed to enter the country.
They each wrote a personal ‘pan’ letter, lit a candle and recited Tehilim together, asking for a happy and sweet new year. They also asked for a win In the soccer match.
“Rostov has not lost in any of the last four matches – two wins and two draws,” wrote the Times Hub website in their forecast ahead of the game. “Rostov have not conceded in any of the last three home games. Maccabi have two defeats in their last three away games.”
They went on to say that “Rostov is traditionally dangerous for any opponent, Maccabi is clearly inferior to the Rostovites in class and regularly makes mistakes outside their native walls, it makes sense to count on Rostov’s success.”
The game on Thursday, September 24, ended with an unexpected result: Maccabi Haifa won FC Rostov 2 to 1.
Following the game, members of the local Jewish community waited for the Maccabi team at the hotel to wish the guests a safe trip home. “We won because of the Rebbe’s blessings,” one of the team members commented. “The prayers worked…”
Yasher koach to Rabbi Danziger. He is truly an exceptionally dedicated and devoted shliach, on shlichus in one of the most remote but highly significant towns in the world for chabad chassidim. Chazak VeEmatz Rabbi Danziger.