This evening Maccabi Tel Aviv hosted its Gala event for the 2014/15 season at the Trask Tel Aviv, starting a tradition to showcase its core values and vision
Around 400 guests attended the event at the Tel Aviv port. The club initiated this exclusive Gala evening in order to honour its history, strengthen the present and to build the future. Notable former players such as, Avi Nimni, Gadi Brumer, Eli Driks, Bonni Ginzburg, Zvika Rozen, Vicky Peretz and Dror Bar-Nur attended the event.
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Maccabi Tel Aviv CEO, Martin Bain, started the event by announcing the club’s latest partnership with UNICEF, a partnership tying Maccabi Tel Aviv with some of the most prestigious football clubs in Europe already affiliated with the UNICEF group.
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Maccabi Tel Aviv CEO, Mr. Martin Bain: “Football clubs vary in size and culture but in my opinion what makes a great football club truly unique is one which values its history, honors its great players, and legends of the past, celebrates former glories and uses that platform to celebrate the present”.
Furthermore, Martin Bain indicated that the club's vision to leverage itself not only commercially, but also socially, by contributing to the local communities through an academy and youth programs. From now on, together with UNICEF organization, the club will support the children of Israel and the rest of the world.
Mr. Bain shared another piece of news, in regards to the team’s pre-season plans this summer. Like many elite European clubs, Maccabi Tel Aviv will also venture to the United States as part of its preparation for the next season. The team is expected to stay in New York and to play exhibition games against the city’s three teams, the New York Red Bulls, NYCFC and the New York Cosmos.
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UNICEF Israel CEO, Mr. Jonny Cline, said that he had already received an autographed jersey from the Maccabi Tel Aviv players with the UNICEF logo printed on it. He added "Firstly, UNICEF Israel is proud of its achievement bringing Team UNICEF to Israel. Secondly, I believe that our partnership with Maccabi Tel Aviv is an astonishing one, promoting both the club's core values as well as our own. We are thrilled to promote these values among the children of Israel and the entire world".
Maccabi Tel Aviv players, who also attended the Gala evening, headed by Sports Director Jordi Cryuff and Head Coach Pako Ayestaran will be wearing the UNICEF logo on their jerseys as from their next game against Maccabi Haifa.
An auction and a raffle also took place during the Gala evening raising more than 355,000 NIS which will be donated for UNICEF’s project for Israeli children.
The first item in the public auction was a framed championship jersey from 2012/13 season. This limited edition item was signed by all players and sold for 20,000 NIS. The second item was the football boot that Eran Zehavi wore while scoring his bicycle kick against Beitar Jerusalem was sold for 24,000 NIS. The third was an exclusive dinner with two Maccabi players at ‘The Place for Meat’ was sold for 8,000 NIS. Players Sheran Yeini, Eran Zehavi and Barak Itzhaki offered to auction the item for a second round, after winning it the first time around for 21,000 NIS.
The fourth item was a vacation package for two, including a trip to a European away game and a stay with the team was sold for 10,500 USD. The fifth item was a home game VIP package was sold for 3,000 NIS. The highest paid item in the auction was a trip to the Spanish Super El Clasico, including a meet and great with the players, was sold for 12,000 Euros.
In addition, the club presented its annual awards to the players, a special committee including Gideon Brickman, team manager Benny Tabak and former players Bonni Ginzburg and Eli Driks was formed in order to select the winners.
The first category, presented by former Maccabi player Viki Peretz, was the “Youth Team Goal of the Year” was sponsored by Profit. The winner was Yonatan Cohen.
The second category, presented by former Maccabi player Gadi Brumer, was the “Rookie of the Year” award sponsored by Italy Gold. The winner was Dor Peretz.
The third category, presented by former Maccabi player Eli Driks, was the “Most Valuable Player” award sponsored by "Fritz". The winner was the team's captain Sheran Yeini.
The fourth category, presented by former Maccabi player Avi Nimni, was the “Goal of the Season” award sponsored by "Kopell Group". The winner was Eran Zahavi.
In the fifth and last category, presented by former Maccabi player Tzvika Rosen, was the “Players' Player of the Year” award sponsored by Eurodrive. The winner was yet again
Eran Zahavi. When receiving the award Eran Zahavi said: “I thank my team mates for choosing me, I couldn't have done it without you”.
In addition to the awards given to the players, there was an exceptionally emotional moment, as Yehuda Livne was granted a “Life Achievement” award sponsored by 'Yam Agodaiev' and Dorit Cohen, the widow of former Maccabi player Avi Cohen. Livne has been responsible for coaching and upbringing some of the clubs greatest players in the last 50 years. Currently, Yehuda Livne continues to train and groom the next generation of Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Livne received the award from the team's Captain Sheran Yeini, was very moved by the award, and said: "I have been part of Maccabi for over 60 years, and now I want to thank all of you for your support. I would like to thank Nir Levin and Ariel Avram for their work in the Youth department during the past few years. I can only ask for one thing, to see Maccabi Tel Aviv playing in its own stadium".
