_a.jpg "Photo: Ahiya Raved")
Rocket hit on Haifa
Photo: Ahiya Raved
Maccabi Moscow supports Israel
Team, which has several Jewish players, arrives in order to express support for residents of north. Head of delegation: Russians, too, love Israel
From Russia with love: Sixteen members of the Maccabi Moscow sports club arrived in Israel Wednesday afternoon in order to express their support for Israel and, in particular, the residents of the north. The delegation is headed by Israeli ambassador to Moscow, Arkady Milman, and also contains senior officials in the sports club.
As evening fell, members of the club's soccer team played a celebratory game against new immigrants from Argentina, in the 'Winter' stadium, in Ramat Gan. Thursday, the team intends to visit Carmiel, Ma'alot and Haifa, where they will visit casualties in Rambam hospital.
During the tour of the north, team members will provide air conditioners to those sitting in the shelters. Members of the team fund-raised tens of thousands of dollars for this purpose. Additionally, they will distribute pictures and letters of support from Russia to IDF soldiers, in order to express their support.
'Not only in US people love Israel'
"We all support Israel and we decided that this is the appropriate time to come and show that we love and encourage this country. We want to show that we don't come only when it's convenient, but also in war time. We want to show that not only in the United States, but also in Russia, there are people who love Israel," team manager Pavel Feldblum told Ynet.
Members of the sports club, who decided of their own initiative to come to Israel, were greatly assisted by Israel's ambassador to Moscow, who was involved in the creation of the soccer team and sports club three and a half years ago. Milman regularly plays on the team, which took last year's championship title in the 'International League for Foreigners' in Moscow.
The team is comprised of both Jewish and non-Jewish members. They asked to emphasize that they chose to come to Israel in order to demonstrate that international media coverage of Israel is not necessarily accurate, and that there are many Russians who believe that Israel is fighting a just war.
Members of the team will stay in Israel until Sunday. On Friday night, they will greet the Sabbath at Kfar Maccabia and, during the weekend, will visit, some for the first time, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Massada and other Israeli sites.
