The Israeli Maccabi basketball team played against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Thursday evening, to the raucous cheers of proud Jewish fans.
Thousands of fans were on hand to support the Israeli team, as the country is currently at war with Hamas after the deadly attack that killed more than 1,300 people.
Fans waved Israel’s flag and others had signs reading “New York stands with Israel,” and danced to Jewish music during the game. Noa Kirel, an Israeli singer and actress, performed the country’s national anthem. Before that, the Nets asked for a moment of silence for those impacted, saying the organization condemned the attacks and mourned the loss of life.
The Nets won 135-103. The Israeli players lingered to greet and pose for pictures with their fans.
Maccabi arrived in the U.S. in the middle of last week, just days before the Hamas attack.
“We are the first team that is playing since the war started and nobody will break Israel, because we are a strong nation,” Coach Yehu Orland said before the game.
Many in the crowd continued to sing together long after the game was over, uniting with fellow Jews of all types on the floor outside the landmark Brooklyn stadium and singing together.
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The UK FA (Football Association) should take note.
Am Yisrael Chai!
In the first part of the game, the Israeli team was keeping up with the Brooklyn team. Even leading for a few minutes. The announcer that I was listening to referred to the pockets of the audience that were holding Israeli flags and cheering with enthusiasm. And he spoke about the message the team leaders (coaches, managers, I don’t know) wanted this game to be a message of hope for the younger generations. He may not have known the Rebbe’s ideas of how to siphon positive energy from tragedy, but he instinctively knew he was doing the right thing by… Read more »
Go bais Rivkah girls who gave out that neshek!!